2 Mosebog 1

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

These are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt together with Jacob their father; they came in each with their whole family.

2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi og Juda,

Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judas,

3 Issakar, Zebulon og Benjamin,

Issachar, Zabulon, Benjamin,

4 Dan og Naftali, Gad og Aser.

Dan and Nephthalim, Gad and Aser.

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

But Joseph was in Egypt. And all the souls [born] of Jacob were seventy-five.

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

And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

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

And the children of Israel increased and multiplied, and became numerous and grew exceedingly strong, and the land multiplied them.

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

And there arose up another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

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

And he said to his nation, Behold, the race of the children of Israel is a great multitude, and is stronger than we:

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

come then, let us deal craftily with them, lest at any time they be increased, and whenever war shall happen to us, these also shall be added to our enemies, and having prevailed against us in war, they will depart out of the land.

11 Så satte man Fogeder over dem til at plage dem med Trællearbejde, og de måtte bygge Forrådsbyer for Farao: Pitom og Ra'amses.

And he set over them taskmasters, who should afflict them in their works; and they built strong cities for Pharao, both Pitho, and Ramesses, and On, which is Heliopolis.

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

But as they humbled them, by so much they multiplied, and grew exceedingly strong; and the Egyptians greatly abhorred the children of Israel.

13 Og Ægypterne tvang Israeliterne til Trællearbejde

And the Egyptians tyrannized over the children of Israel by force.

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

And they embittered their life by hard labours, in the clay and in brick-making, and all the works in the plains, according to all the works, wherein they caused them to serve with violence.

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

And the king of the Egyptians spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews; the name of the one was, Sepphora; and the name of the second, Phua.

16 "Når I forløser Hebræerkvinderne, skal I se godt efter ved Fødselen, og er det et Drengebarn, tag så Livet af det, men er det et Pigebarn, lad det så leve!"

And he said, When you do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and they are about to be delivered, if it be a male, kill it; but if a female, save it.

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 appointed them; and they saved the male children alive.

18 Da lod Ægypterkongen Jordemødrene kalde og sagde til dem: "Hvorfor har I båret eder således ad og ladet Drengebørnene leve?"

And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Why is it that you have done this thing, and saved the male children alive?

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 to Pharao, The Hebrew women are not as the women of Egypt, for they are delivered before the midwives go in to them. So they bore children.

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

And God did well to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very strong.

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

And as the midwives feared God, they established for themselves families.

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!"

And Pharao charged all his people, saying, Whatever male [child] shall be born to the Hebrews, cast into the river; and every female, save it alive.