The book of Exodus opens by recounting the names of the sons of Jacob (also called Israel) who had come to Egypt along with their families, numbering seventy people in all. The sons of Jacob — Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher — had settled in Egypt during the lifetime of Jacob's other son Joseph. In time, that entire generation died.

In Egypt, the Israelite people flourished remarkably. They were fruitful, multiplied rapidly, and grew so numerous and strong that the land of Egypt became filled with them.

A new king arose over Egypt who had no knowledge of (or regard for) Joseph and the good he had done for the nation. This pharaoh looked at the growing Israelite population with fear and suspicion, warning his people that the Israelites had become too numerous and powerful. He worried that, in the event of war, they might side with Egypt's enemies.

As a result, the Israelites were subjected to forced labor. Pharaoh appointed taskmasters over them and put them to work building the store cities of Pithom and Raamses (Rameses). The Egyptians worked the Israelites ruthlessly in construction work and fieldwork. But, the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread, which caused the Egyptians to dread them even more.

Frustrated that oppression alone was not curbing the Israelite population, Pharaoh turned to a more sinister strategy. He summoned the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, and commanded them to kill every Hebrew boy at birth while letting the girls live. But, the midwives feared God and refused to carry out the order. When Pharaoh confronted them, they explained that Hebrew women were vigorous and gave birth before a midwife could even arrive. Because of their faithfulness, God blessed the midwives with families of their own, and the Israelite people continued to grow.

Then Pharaoh issued a sweeping public decree: Every newborn Hebrew boy was to be thrown into the river, while the daughters would be allowed to live.