1 Šie ir Israēla bērnu vārdi, kas ar Jēkabu bija nonākuši Ēģiptē; ikviens ar savu saimi tie bija nākuši. 2 Rūbens, Simeons, Levijs un Jūda, 3 Isašars, Zebulons un Benjamīns, 4 Dans, Naftalis, Gads un Ašers. 5 Un visu dvēseļu skaits, kas cēlušās no Jēkaba, bija septiņdesmit. Bet Jāzeps jau bija Ēģiptē. 6 Un Jāzeps nomira un visi viņa brāļi, un visa šī paaudze. 7 Bet Israēla bērni augļojās un ļoti pieauga un vairojās un tapa ļoti vareni, tā ka zeme bija piepildīta ar tiem. 8 Bet Ēģiptē cēlās jauns ķēniņš, kas par Jāzepu neko nezināja. 9 Un viņš sacīja saviem ļaudīm: "Šī tauta, Israēla bērni, kļūst lielāka un varenāka par mums. 10 Taču rīkosimies gudri ar tiem, ka tie par daudz nesavairojas un, ja izceļas karš, neapvienotos ar mūsu ienaidniekiem un nekarotu pret mums, un neatstātu šo zemi." 11 Un viņi iecēla tiem darba uzraugus, lai tos verdzinātu ar smagiem darbiem, un tie uzcēla faraonam noliktavu pilsētas - Pitomu un Ramzesu. 12 Bet, jo vairāk tos apspieda, jo vairāk tie vairojās un izpletās, tā ka viņiem palika bail no Israēla bērniem. 13 Tā ēģiptieši verdzināja Israēla bērnus ar smagiem darbiem. 14 Tie darīja viņu dzīvi sūru ar smagiem darbiem pie māliem un ķieģeļiem un visādiem darbiem laukā, un visādiem citiem darbiem, kurus tie nežēlīgi uzlika viņiem. 15 Tad Ēģiptes ķēniņš sacīja ebreju vecmātēm, vienai bija vārds Sifra, otrai Pua, 16 viņš sacīja: "Kad jūs palīdzat ebreju sievām dzemdībās un, tām uz akmens sēžot, redzat, ka tas ir zēns, tad to nonāvējiet, bet, ja tā ir meitene, tad lai tā dzīvo." 17 Bet vecmātes bijās Dieva un nedarīja tā, kā Ēģiptes ķēniņš viņām bija sacījis, bet atstāja zēnus dzīvus. 18 Tad Ēģiptes ķēniņš atsauca vecmātes un sacīja tām: "Kādēļ jūs tā esat darījušas un zēnus atstājušas dzīvus?" 19 Vecmātes atbildēja faraonam: "Tādēļ, ka ebreju sievas nav tādas kā ēģiptiešu sievas, jo tās ir spēcīgas, pirms vecmāte pie viņām atnāk, tās jau ir dzemdējušas." 20 Tā Dievs vecmātēm darīja labu, un tauta vairojās un tapa ļoti varena. 21 Tad faraons pavēlēja visai savai tautai: "Visus zēnus, kas piedzimst, iemetiet upē, bet meitenes atstājiet dzīvas."
1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already . 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
7 ¶ And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. 11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
15 ¶ And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
