⁵ Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous,^(A) and you are stopping them from working.”

⁷ but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers^(A) and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

⁸ Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.^{(B) 9} “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous^(C) for us.^{(D) 10} Come, we must deal shrewdly^(E) with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”^(F)

¹¹ So they put slave masters^(G) over them to oppress them with forced labor,^(H) and they built Pithom and Rameses^(I) as store cities^(J) for Pharaoh.