Exodus 1:5-9

Jacob had 70 descendants there, including Joseph who was already in Egypt.

Eventually Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died.

However, the Israelites had many children and their numbers increased rapidly. In fact there were so many of them that they became very powerful—the country was full of them.

Then a new king came to power who didn't know anything about Joseph.

He conferred with his fellow Egyptians and said, “Look at these Israelites—there are more than them than us, and they're more powerful than us.