12. and as they afflict it, so it multiplieth, and so it breaketh forth, and they are vexed because of the sons of Israel;
13. and the Egyptians cause the sons of Israel to serve with rigour,
14. and make their lives bitter in hard service, in clay, and in brick, and in every [kind] of service in the field; all their service in which they have served [is] with rigour.
15. And the king of Egypt speaketh to the midwives, the Hebrewesses, (of whom the name of the one [is] Shiphrah, and the name of the second Puah),
16. and saith, `When ye cause the Hebrew women to bear, and have looked on the children; if it [is] a son--then ye have put him to death; and if it [is] a daughter--then she hath lived.'
17. And the midwives fear God, and have not done as the king of Egypt hath spoken unto them, and keep the lads alive;
18. and the king of Egypt calleth for the midwives, and saith to them, `Wherefore have ye done this thing, and keep the lads alive?'
19. And the midwives say unto Pharaoh, `Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women, for they [are] lively; before the midwife cometh in unto them--they have borne!'
20. And God doth good to the midwives, and the people multiply, and are very mighty;
21. and it cometh to pass, because the midwives have feared God, that He maketh for them households;
22. and Pharaoh layeth a charge on all his people, saying, `Every son who is born--into the River ye do cast him, and every daughter ye do keep alive.'