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Chapter 1
The Israelites Multiply in Egypt
1
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצְרָ֑יְמָה אֵ֣ת יַעֲקֹ֔ב אִ֥ישׁ בָּֽאוּ׃ וּבֵית֖וֹ wə·’êl·leh šə·mō·wṯ bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl hab·bā·’îm miṣ·rā·yə·māh ’êṯ ya·‘ă·qōḇ ’îš bā·’ū ū·ḇê·ṯōw — WLC · 1
ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ τῶν εἰσπεπορευμένων εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἅμα Ἰακὼβ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῶν· ἕκαστος πανοικὶ αὐτῶν εἰσήλθοσαν· — LXX Swete · 1
2
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
רְאוּבֵ֣ן שִׁמְע֔וֹן לֵוִ֖י וִיהוּדָֽה׃ rə·’ū·ḇên šim·‘ō·wn lê·wî wî·hū·ḏāh — WLC · 2
3
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;
יִשָּׂשכָ֥ר זְבוּלֻ֖ן וּבְנְיָמִֽן׃ yiś·śā·š·ḵār zə·ḇū·lun ū·ḇə·nə·yå̄·min — WLC · 3
4
Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
דָּ֥ן וְנַפְתָּלִ֖י גָּ֥ד וְאָשֵֽׁר׃ dān wə·nap̄·tā·lî gāḏ wə·’ā·šêr — WLC · 4
5
The descendants of Jacob… numbered seventy in all…, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
נֶ֛פֶשׁ יַעֲקֹ֖ב יֹצְאֵ֥י יֶֽרֶךְ־ וַֽיְהִ֗י שִׁבְעִ֣ים כָּל־ נָ֑פֶשׁ וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הָיָ֥ה בְמִצְרָֽיִם׃ ne·p̄eš ya·‘ă·qōḇ yō·ṣə·’ê ye·reḵ- way·hî šiḇ·‘îm kāl- nā·p̄eš wə·yō·w·sêp̄ hā·yāh ḇə·miṣ·rā·yim — WLC · 5
Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ἦν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ· ἦσαν δὲ πᾶσαι ψυχαὶ ἐξ Ἰακὼβ πέντε καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα. — LXX Swete · 5
6
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
יוֹסֵף֙ וְכָל־ אֶחָ֔יו וְכֹ֖ל הַהֽוּא׃ הַדּ֥וֹר וַיָּ֤מָת yō·w·sêp̄ wə·ḵāl ’e·ḥāw wə·ḵōl ha·hū had·dō·wr way·yā·māṯ — WLC · 6
Ἐτελεύτησεν δὲ Ἰωσὴφ κοὶ πάντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ γενεὰ ἐκείνη. — LXX Swete · 6
7
but the Israelites… were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly… numerous, so that the land… was filled with them.
וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּר֧וּ וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ הָאָ֖רֶץ אֹתָֽם׃פ וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א ū·ḇə·nê yiś·rā·’êl pā·rū way·yiš·rə·ṣū way·yir·bū bim·’ōḏ mə·’ōḏ way·ya·‘aṣ·mū hā·’ā·reṣ ’ō·ṯām wat·tim·mā·lê — WLC · 7
οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ ’lσραὴλ ηὐξήθησαν καὶ ἐπληθύνθη’σαν καὶ χυδαῖοι ἐγένοντο καὶ κατίσχυον σφόδρα σφόδρα· ἐπήλυθεν δὲ ἡ γῆ αὐτούς. — LXX Swete · 7
Oppression by a New King
8
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
חָדָ֖שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־ יָדַ֖ע אֶת־ יוֹסֵֽף׃ וַיָּ֥קָם עַל־ מִצְרָ֑יִם ḥā·ḏāš me·leḵ- ’ă·šer lō- yā·ḏa‘ ’eṯ- yō·w·sêp̄ way·yā·qām ‘al- miṣ·rā·yim — WLC · 8
Ἀνέστη δὲ βασιλεὺς ἕτερος ἐπ’ Αἴγυπτον, ὃς οὐκ ᾔδει τὸν Ἰωσήφ. — LXX Swete · 8
9
“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites… [have become] too numerous and too powerful for us.
הִנֵּ֗ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־ עַמּ֑וֹ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֚ם רַ֥ב וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ hin·nêh way·yō·mer ’el- ‘am·mōw bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl ‘am raḇ wə·‘ā·ṣūm mim·men·nū — WLC · 9
εἶπεν δὲ τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ Ἰδοὺ τὸ γένος τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ μέγα πλῆθος, καὶ ἰσχύει ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς· — LXX Swete · 9
10
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if… a war breaks out, they… may join… our enemies, fight against us, and leave… the country.
הָ֥בָה נִֽתְחַכְּמָ֖ה ל֑וֹ פֶּן־ יִרְבֶּ֗ה וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־ מִלְחָמָה֙ תִקְרֶ֤אנָה הוּא֙ עַל־ וְנוֹסַ֤ף גַּם־ שֹׂ֣נְאֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַם־ בָּ֖נוּ וְעָלָ֥ה מִן־ הָאָֽרֶץ׃ hā·ḇāh niṯ·ḥak·kə·māh lōw pen- yir·beh wə·hā·yāh kî- mil·ḥā·māh ṯiq·re·nāh hū ‘al- wə·nō·w·sap̄ gam- śō·nə·’ê·nū wə·nil·ḥam- bā·nū wə·‘ā·lāh min- hā·’ā·reṣ — WLC · 10
δεῦτε οὖν κατασοφισώμεθα αὐτούς, μή ποτε πληθυνθῇ, καὶ ἡνίκα ἅλ’ συμβῇ ἡμῖν πόλεμος προστεθήσονται καὶ οὗτοι πρὸς τοὺς ὑπεναντίους, καὶ ἐκπολεμήσαντες ἡμᾶς ἐξελεύσονται ἐκ τῆς — LXX Swete · 10
11
So [the Egyptians] appointed taskmasters… over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh -.
וַיָּשִׂ֤ימוּ שָׂרֵ֣י מִסִּ֔ים עָלָיו֙ לְמַ֥עַן עַנֹּת֖וֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיִּ֜בֶן פִּתֹ֖ם וְאֶת־ רַעַמְסֵֽס׃ מִסְכְּנוֹת֙ עָרֵ֤י לְפַרְעֹ֔ה אֶת־ way·yā·śî·mū śā·rê mis·sîm ‘ā·lāw lə·ma·‘an ‘an·nō·ṯōw bə·siḇ·lō·ṯām way·yi·ḇen pi·ṯōm wə·’eṯ- ra·‘am·sês mis·kə·nō·wṯ ‘ā·rê lə·p̄ar·‘ōh ’eṯ- — WLC · 11
καὶ ἐπέστησεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιστάτας τῶν ἔργων, ἵνα κακώσωσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις· καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν πόλεις ὀχυρὰς τῷ Φαραώ, τήν τε Πειθὼ καὶ Ῥαμεσσὴ καὶ ὌΩν, ἥ ἐστιν Ἡλίου πόλις. — LXX Swete · 11
12
- But the more they were oppressed, - the more they multiplied… and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread… the Israelites…
וְכַאֲשֶׁר֙ יְעַנּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כֵּ֥ן יִרְבֶּ֖ה וְכֵ֣ן יִפְרֹ֑ץ וַיָּקֻ֕צוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ wə·ḵa·’ă·šer yə·‘an·nū ’ō·ṯōw kên yir·beh wə·ḵên yip̄·rōṣ way·yā·qu·ṣū mip·pə·nê bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl — WLC · 12
καθότι δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐταπείνουν, τοσούτῳ πλείους ἐγίνοντο, καὶ ἴσχυον σφόδρα σφόδρα· καὶ ἐβδελύσσοντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. — LXX Swete · 12
13
They worked… the Israelites… ruthlessly
וַיַּעֲבִ֧דוּ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃ way·ya·‘ă·ḇi·ḏū miṣ·ra·yim ’eṯ- bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl bə·p̄ā·reḵ — WLC · 13
καὶ κατεδυνάστευον οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ βίᾳ, — LXX Swete · 13
14
and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־ קָשָׁ֗ה בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבְכָל־ עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־ עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־ עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃ ḥay·yê·hem way·mā·rə·rū ’eṯ- qā·šāh ba·‘ă·ḇō·ḏāh ū·ḇil·ḇê·nîm bə·ḥō·mer ū·ḇə·ḵāl ‘ă·ḇō·ḏāh baś·śā·ḏeh ’êṯ kāl- ‘ă·ḇō·ḏā·ṯām ’ă·šer- ‘ā·ḇə·ḏū ḇā·hem bə·p̄ā·reḵ — WLC · 14
καὶ κατωδύνων αὐτῶν τὴν ζωὴν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς σκληροῖς, τῶ πηλῷ καὶ τῇ πλινθία καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις, κατὰ πάντα τὰ ἔργα ὧν κατεδουλοῦντο αὐτοὺς μετὰ βίας. — LXX Swete · 14
15
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, vvv whose names were Shiphrah… and Puah,
מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽאַחַת֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃ me·leḵ miṣ·ra·yim way·yō·mer hā·‘iḇ·rî·yōṯ lam·yal·lə·ḏōṯ hā·’a·ḥaṯ ’ă·šer šêm šip̄·rāh wə·šêm haš·šê·nîṯ pū·‘āh — WLC · 15
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ταῖς μαίαις τῶν Ἐβραίων, τῇ μιᾷ αὐτῶν ᾗ ὄνομα Σεπφωρά, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς δευτέρας — LXX Swete · 15
16
- “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe [them] on the birthstools. If [the child] is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹת בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ אֶת־ וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן עַל־ הָאָבְנָ֑יִם אִם־ הוּא֙ בֵּ֥ן וַהֲמִתֶּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ וְאִם־ הִ֖יא בַּ֥ת וָחָֽיָה׃ way·yō·mer hā·‘iḇ·rî·yō·wṯ bə·yal·leḏ·ḵen ’eṯ- ū·rə·’î·ṯen ‘al- hā·’ā·ḇə·nā·yim ’im- hū bên wa·hă·mit·ten ’ō·ṯōw wə·’im- hî baṯ wā·ḥā·yāh — WLC · 16
καὶ εἶπεν ὅταν μαιοῦσθε τὰς Ἐβραίας καὶ ὦσιν πρὸς τῷ τί ἐὰν μὲν ἄρσεν ᾖ, ἀποκτείνατε αὐτό· ἐὰν δὲ θῆλυ, αὐτό. — LXX Swete · 16
17
The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed…; they let the boys live. -
הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־ וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן הַיְלָדִֽים׃ וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־ ham·yal·lə·ḏōṯ ’eṯ- wat·tî·re·nā hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm wə·lō ‘ā·śū ka·’ă·šer me·leḵ miṣ·rā·yim dib·ber ’ă·lê·hen hay·lā·ḏîm wat·tə·ḥay·ye·nā ’eṯ- — WLC · 17
ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ αἱ μαῖαι τὸν θεόν, καὶ οὐκ συνέταξεν αὐταῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐζωογόνουν τὰ ἄρσενα. — LXX Swete · 17
18
So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done… this? Why have you let the boys live?” -
מֶֽלֶךְ־ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ וַיִּקְרָ֤א לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה הַיְלָדִֽים׃ וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־ me·leḵ- miṣ·ra·yim way·yiq·rā lam·yal·lə·ḏōṯ way·yō·mer lā·hen mad·dū·a‘ ‘ă·śî·ṯen had·dā·ḇār haz·zeh hay·lā·ḏîm wat·tə·ḥay·ye·nā ’eṯ- — WLC · 18
ἐκάλεσεν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου τὰς μαίας καὶ εἶπεν αὐταῖς Τί ὅτι ἐποιήσατε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζωογονεῖτε τὰ ἄρσενα; — LXX Swete · 18
19
The midwives answered… Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women… are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives…”
הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ וַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ אֶל־ פַּרְעֹ֔ה הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־ לֹ֧א הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת כַנָּשִׁ֛ים כִּ֣י הֵ֔נָּה חָי֣וֹת וְיָלָֽדוּ׃ בְּטֶ֨רֶם הַמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת תָּב֧וֹא אֲלֵהֶ֛ן ham·yal·lə·ḏōṯ wat·tō·mar·nā ’el- par·‘ōh hā·‘iḇ·rî·yōṯ kî- lō ham·miṣ·rî·yōṯ ḵan·nā·šîm kî hên·nāh ḥā·yō·wṯ wə·yā·lā·ḏū bə·ṭe·rem ham·yal·le·ḏeṯ tā·ḇō·w ’ă·lê·hen — WLC · 19
εἰπαν δὲ αἱ μαῖαι τῷ Φαραώ οὐχ ὡς γυναῖκες Αἰγύπτου αἱ Ἐβραῖαι, τίκτουσιν γὰρ πρὶν ἢ εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὰς τὰς μαίας, καὶ ἔτικτον. — LXX Swete · 19
20
So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים וַיֵּ֥יטֶב לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת הָעָ֛ם וַיִּ֧רֶב מְאֹֽד׃ וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ ’ĕ·lō·hîm way·yê·ṭeḇ lam·yal·lə·ḏōṯ hā·‘ām way·yi·reḇ mə·’ōḏ way·ya·‘aṣ·mū — WLC · 20
εὖ δὲ ἐποίει ὁ θεὸς ταῖς μαίαις, καὶ ἐπλήθυνεν ὁ λαὸς καὶ ἴσχυεν σφόδρα. — LXX Swete · 20
21
- And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
וַיְהִ֕י כִּֽי־ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת־ יָֽרְא֥וּ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים׃ way·hî kî- ham·yal·lə·ḏōṯ ’eṯ- yā·rə·’ū hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm way·ya·‘aś lā·hem bāt·tîm — WLC · 21
ἐφοβοῦντο ἐφοβοῦντο αἱ μαῖαι τὸν θεόν, ἐποίησαν ἑαυταῖς οἰκίας. — LXX Swete · 21
22
Then Pharaoh commanded all his people…: “Every son born [to the Hebrews] you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”
פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיְצַ֣ו לְכָל־ עַמּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר כָּל־ הַבֵּ֣ן הַיִּלּ֗וֹד תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ הַיְאֹ֙רָה֙ וְכָל־ הַבַּ֖ת תְּחַיּֽוּן׃ס par·‘ōh way·ṣaw lə·ḵāl ‘am·mōw lê·mōr kāl- hab·bên hay·yil·lō·wḏ taš·lî·ḵu·hū hay·’ō·rāh wə·ḵāl hab·baṯ tə·ḥay·yūn — WLC · 22
Συνέταξεν δὲ Φαραὼ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ λέγων Πᾶν’ ἄρσεν ὃ ἐὰν τεχθῇ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ῥίψατε, καὶ πᾶν θῆλυ, ζωογονεῖτε αὐτό. — LXX Swete · 22