11. The Egyptians put slave bosses in charge of the people of Israel and tried to wear them down with hard work. Those bosses forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses, where the king could store his supplies.
12. But even though the Israelites were ill-treated, their families grew larger, and they took over more land. Because of this, the Egyptians hated them more than before
13. and made them work so hard
14. that their lives were miserable. The Egyptians were cruel to the people of Israel and forced them to make bricks and to mix mortar and to work in the fields.
15. Finally, the king called in Shiphrah and Puah, the two women who helped the Hebrew mothers when they gave birth.
16. He told them, “If a Hebrew woman gives birth to a girl, let the child live. If the baby is a boy, kill him!”
17. But the two women were faithful to God and did not kill the boys, even though the king had told them to.
18. The king called them in again and asked, “Why are you letting those baby boys live?”