Exodus 1:13-22

13 and worked them relentlessly,
14 making their lives bitter with hard labor -digging clay, making bricks, all kinds of field work; and in all this toil they were shown no mercy.
15 Moreover, the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shifrah and the other Pu'ah.
16 "When you attend the Hebrew women and see them giving birth," he said, "if it's a boy, kill him; but if it's a girl, let her live."
17 However, the midwives were God-fearing women, so they didn't do as the king of Egypt ordered but let the boys live.
18 The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and demanded of them, "Why have you done this and let the boys live?"
19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "It's because the Hebrew women aren't like the Egyptian women -they go into labor and give birth before the midwife arrives."
20 Therefore God prospered the midwives, and the people continued to multiply and grow very powerful.
21 Indeed, because the midwives feared God, he made them founders of families.
22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Every boy that is born, throw in the river; but let all the girls live."
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.