Exodus 1 begins the oppression of the Israelites by the king of Egypt. He said " the Israelites have become much too numerous...we must deal shrewdly 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." So they enslaved and oppressed them into forced labor and worked them ruthlessly, making their lives bitter. The king of Egypt also told the midwives to only allow the girl babies of the Israelites to live, but the midwives said to him, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives even arrive." So God was kind to the Israelites, and they became even more numerous. But, Pharaoh, then gave an order to all his people, "Every (Hebrew) boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live."