Exodus

Describes how Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery, and how they receive laws from God.

Chapter 1

1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

*This is the list of Israel's kids who went to Egypt. They all came with their families and Jacob.

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

*Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

*Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

*Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

*All the people who came from Jacob's family totaled seventy people; Joseph was already in Egypt.

6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

*Joseph and all his brothers passed away, along with their entire generation.

7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

*The Israelite kids had many children, grew quickly, became very strong, and the country was full of them.

8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

*A new king appeared in Egypt who didn't know Joseph.

9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

*He told his people, "Look, the people of Israel's children are bigger and stronger than us."

10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

*Let's handle this smartly with them; otherwise, they might increase, and during a war, they could side with our enemies, fight against us, and force us to expel them from the land.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

*So, they appointed overseers to make life hard for them by adding extra work. They also built special cities full of treasures for Pharaoh called Pithom and Raamses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

*But the more they hurt them, the more they increased and grew. They were upset by the children of Israel.

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:

*The Egyptians forced the Israelites to work very hard.

14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

*So they forced the people to work very hard in difficult conditions, using mortar, bricks, and doing many outdoor tasks. They worked them harshly without any mercy.

15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

*The Egyptian king talked to the two Hebrew midwives, who were named Shiphrah and Puah.

16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

*He said, "When you help Hebrew women during childbirth and see them on the stools, if it's a boy, you must kill him, but if it's a girl, she can live."

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

*But the midwives respected God, and didn't follow what the Egyptian king ordered, instead, they protected the baby boys.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?

*The Egyptian king asked the midwives why they let the baby boys live.

19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.

*The midwives told Pharaoh that Hebrew women are different from Egyptian women. They are more active and give birth before the midwives arrive.

20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

*So God rewarded the midwives: and the population grew, becoming very strong.

21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

*So, because the midwives respected God, he gave them homes.

22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

*Pharaoh told everyone, "Throw every newborn boy into the river, but save every girl."

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