13. The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously;
14. and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them.
15. Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah;
16. and he said, "When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live."
17. But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.
18. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?"
19. The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them."
20. So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.