2 Mosebog 1

1 Dette er Navnene paa Israels Sønner, der sammen med Jakob kom til Ægypten med deres Familier:

Now, these, are the names of the Sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, with Jacob, did each man and his household come in: —

2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi og Juda,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

3 Issakar, Zebulon og Benjamin,

Issachar, Zebulon, and Benjamin;

4 Dan og Naftali, Gad og Aser.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 Jakobs Efterkommere udgjorde i alt halvfjerdsindstyve, men Josef var i Ægypten.

And it came to pass that all the persons who were descended from Jacob were seventy souls, —but, Joseph, was already in Egypt.

6 Imidlertid døde Josef og alle hans Brødre og hele dette Slægtled.

So then Joseph died and all his brethren, and all that generation.

7 Men Israeliterne var frugtbare og formerede sig, og de blev mange og overmaade talrige, saa at Landet blev fuldt af dem.

But the sons of Israel, were fruitful and swarmed and multiplied and waxed mighty, with exceeding vigour, —so that the land was filled with them.

8 Da kom der en ny Konge over Ægypten, som ikke vidste noget om Josef;

Then arose a new king over Egypt, —who had not known Joseph.

9 og han sagde til sit Folk: »Se, Israels Folk bliver talrigere og stærkere end vi.

So he said, unto his people, Lo! the people of the sons of Israel are too many and mighty for us!

10 Velan, lad os gaa klogt til Værks imod dem, for at de ikke skal blive for mange; ellers kan det hænde, naar vi kommer i Krig, at de gaar over til vore Modstandere og kæmper mod os og til sidst forlader Landet!«

Come on! let us shew ourselves wise with regard to them, lest they so multiply that it shall come to pass when war befalleth us, that they also, shall join themselves unto them who hate us, and shall make war upon us. and then go up out of the land.

11 Saa satte man Fogeder over dem til at plage dem med Trællearbejde, og de maatte bygge Forraadsbyer for Farao: Pitom og Ra'amses.

So they set over them chiefs of tribute, to the end they might humiliate them with their burdens, —and they built store-cities for Pharaoh, even Pithom and Raamses.

12 Men jo mere man plagede dem, des flere blev de, og des mere bredte de sig, saa Ægypterne fik Rædsel for Israeliterne.

But the more they were humiliating them, the more, were they multiplying, and, the more, were they breaking forth, so they were filled with alarm because of the sons of Israel.

13 Og Ægypterne tvang Israeliterne til Trællearbejde

And the Egyptians rigorously made the sons of Israel serve;

14 og gjorde dem Livet bittert ved haardt Arbejde med Ler og Tegl og alle Haande Markarbejde, ved alt det Arbejde, de tvang dem til at udføre for sig.

and embittered their lives with harsh service, in clay and in bricks, and in all manner of service in the field, —all their service, wherein they rigorously made them serve.

15 Ægypterkongen sagde da til Hebræerkvindernes Jordemødre, af hvilke den ene hed Sjifra, den anden Pua:

Then said the king of Egypt to the Hebrew midwives, —of whom, the name of the one was, Shiphrah, and, the name of the other Puah; —

16 »Naar I forløser Hebræerkvinderne, skal I se godt efter ved Fødselen, og er det et Drengebarn, tag saa Livet af det, men er det et Pigebarn, lad det saa leve!«

then he said—When ye act as midwives unto the Hebrew women, then shall ye look out for the sex, —If it is, a son, then shall ye kill it, But, if it is, a daughter, then shall it live.

17 Men Jordemødrene frygtede Gud og gjorde ikke, som Ægypterkongen havde befalet dem, men lod Drengebørnene leve.

But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt spake unto them, —but suffered the male children to live.

18 Da lod Ægypterkongen Jordemødrene kalde og sagde til dem: »Hvorfor har I baaret eder saaledes ad og ladet Drengebørnene leve?«

Then called the king of Egypt for the midwives, and said to them—Wherefore have ye done this thing, that ye should let the male children live?

19 Men Jordemødrene svarede Farao: »Hebræerkvinderne er ikke som de Ægyptiske Kvinder, de har let ved at føde; inden Jordemoderen kommer til dem, har de allerede født!«

And the midwives said unto Pharaoh. Because not like the Egyptian women, are the Hebrew women, for they are full of life, ere yet the midwife can come in unto them, they have given birth,

20 Og Gud gjorde vel imod Jordemødrene, og Folket blev stort og saare talrigt;

So then God dealt well with the midwives, —and the people multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty.

21 og Gud gav Jordemødrene Afkom, fordi de frygtede ham.

And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made for them households.

22 Da udstedte Farao den Befaling til hele sit Folk: »Alle Drengebørn, der fødes, skal I kaste i Nilen, men Pigebørnene skal I lade leve!«

Then gave Pharaoh command to all his people saying—Every son that is born to the Hebrews, into the river, shall ye cast him; But every daughter, shall ye suffer to live.