A reading from the Book of Exodus.

These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household.

Rubin, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Isaker, Zebulin, and Benjamin,

Dan and Napthali, Gad and Escher.

All the descendants of Jacob were 70 persons.

Joseph was already in Egypt.

Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.

But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly.

They multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.

Now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph,

and he said to his people, behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them lest they multiply, and if war breaks out, they join our enemies, and fight against

us and escape from the land. Therefore, they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with

heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh's store cities, Pitham, and Ramses. But the more they were oppressed,

the more they multiplied, and the more they spread abroad, and the Egyptians were in dread

of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves,

and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick,

and in all kinds of work in the field.

In all their work, they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shifra and the other,

Pua.

When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall

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