Targum Jonathan - Exodus 1

1 AND these are the names of the sons of Israel who went into Mizraim with Jakob, each with the men of his house entered in:
2 Reuben, Shimeon, Levi, and Jehudah;
3 Issakar, Zebulon, and Benjamin;
4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
5 And the number of all the souls coming from the thigh of Jakob, seventy souls, with Joseph and his sons, who were in Mizraim.
6 And Joseph died, and after him died all his brethren, and all that generation.
7 And the souls of Israel increased, and multiplied children, and became strong, and prevailed greatly, and the land was filled with them.
8 And there arose a new king (other) than he who was formerly over Mizraim, who took no knowledge of Joseph, and walked not in his laws.
9 And he said to his people, Behold now, the people of the house of Israel are many, and are stronger than we.
10 Come, let us take counsel against them in these matters, to diminish them that they multiply not, so as that, should war be arrayed against us, they be not added to our adversaries, and destroy us that not one of us be left, and they afterward go forth from the land.
11 And they set over them work-masters to afflict them in their servitude; and they builded walled cities to become Pharoh's treasure-places, Tanis and Pilusin.
12 But as much as they depressed them, so much they multiplied, and so much they prevailed, and the Mizraee were troubled in their lives before the sons of Israel.
13 And the Mizraee enslaved the sons of Israel,
14 and made their lives bitter by hard service in clay and bricks, and all the labour of the face of the field; and in all the work which they made them do was hardness.
15 And Pharoh told that he, being asleep, had seen in his dream, and, behold, all the land of Mizraim was placed in one scale of a balance, and a lamb, the young of a sheep, was ill the other scale; and the scale with the lamb in it overweighed. Forthwith he sent and called all the magicians of Mizraim, and imparted to them his dream. Immediately Jannis and Jambres, the chief of the magicians, opened their mouth and answered Pharoh,?A certain child is about to be born in the congregation of Israel, by whose hand will be destruc-tion to all the land of Mizraim. Therefore did Pharoh, king of Mizraim, give counsel to the Jehudith midwives, the name of one of whom was Shifra, who is Jokeved, and the name of the other Puvah, who is Miriam her daughter.
16 And he said, When you attend Jehudith women, and see them bear, if it be a male child, you shall kill him; but if a daughter, you may let her live.
17 But the midwives feared before the Lord, and would not do according to what the king of Mizraim had said to them, but they saved the children.
18 And the king of Mizraim called the midwives, and said to them, Why have you done this thing, and have saved the children?
19 And the mid-wives said to Pharoh, The Jehudith women are not as the Mizraite, for they are sturdy (or, courageous) and wise-minded: before the midwife cometh to them they lift up their eyes in prayer, supplicating mercy before their Father who is in heaven, who heareth the voice of their prayer, and at once they are heard, and bring forth, and are delivered in peace.
20 And the Lord did good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and prevailed greatly.
21 And forasmuch as the midwives feared before the Lord, they obtained for themselves a good name unto the ages; and the Word of the Lord up-builded for them a royal house, even the house of the high priesthood.
22 But when Pharoh saw this, he commanded all his people, saying, Every male child that is born to the Jehudaee you shall cast into the river; but every daughter you may spare.