Exodus 1:14-16

Expanded Bible

¹⁴ They made their lives ·bitter [miserable]. They forced the Israelites to work hard to make bricks and mortar and to do all kinds of work in the fields. ·The Egyptians were not merciful to them in all their painful work [^LThey ruthlessly forced them to work].

¹⁵ Two Hebrew ·nurses [midwives] named Shiphrah and Puah were told by the king [^Cnot the Pharaoh of 1:8; perhaps fifteenth or thirteenth century bc—if the latter, probably Rameses], ¹⁶ “When you ·are helping the Hebrew women give birth to their babies [act as midwives for the Hebrew women], ·watch [observe them on the birthstool; or look at the stones; ^Ca euphemism for testicles]! If the baby is a girl, let her live, but if it is a boy, kill him!”