< Exodus 1 >

1 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.
Dette er Navnene paa Israels Sønner, der sammen med Jakob kom til Ægypten med deres Familier:
2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judas,
Ruben, Simeon, Levi og Juda,
3 Issachar, Zabulon, Benjamin,
Issakar, Zebulon og Benjamin,
4 Dan and Nephthalim, Gad and Aser.
Dan og Naftali, Gad og Aser.
5 But Joseph was in Egypt. And all the souls [born] of Jacob were seventy-five.
Jakobs Efterkommere udgjorde i alt halvfjerdsindstyve, men Josef var i Ægypten.
6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
Imidlertid døde Josef og alle hans Brødre og hele dette Slægtled.
7 And the children of Israel increased and multiplied, and became numerous and grew exceedingly strong, and the land multiplied them.
Men Israeliterne var frugtbare og formerede sig, og de blev mange og overmaade talrige, saa at Landet blev fuldt af dem.
8 And there arose up another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
Da kom der en ny Konge over Ægypten, som ikke vidste noget om Josef;
9 And he said to his nation, Behold, the race of the children of Israel is a great multitude, and is stronger than we:
og han sagde til sit Folk: »Se, Israels Folk bliver talrigere og stærkere end vi.
10 come then, let us deal craftily with them, lest at any time they be increased, and whensoever 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.
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!«
11 And he set over them task-masters, who should afflict them in their works; and they built strong cities for Pharao, both Pitho, and Ramesses, and On, which is Heliopolis.
Saa satte man Fogeder over dem til at plage dem med Trællearbejde, og de maatte bygge Forraadsbyer for Farao: Pitom og Ra'amses.
12 But as they humbled them, by so much they multiplied, and grew exceedingly strong; and the Egyptians greatly abhorred the children of Israel.
Men jo mere man plagede dem, des flere blev de, og des mere bredte de sig, saa Ægypterne fik Rædsel for Israeliterne.
13 And the Egyptians tyrannised over the children of Israel by force.
Og Ægypterne tvang Israeliterne til Trællearbejde
14 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.
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.
15 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.
Ægypterkongen sagde da til Hebræerkvindernes Jordemødre, af hvilke den ene hed Sjifra, den anden Pua:
16 And he said, When ye 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.
»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!«
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt appointed them; and they saved the male children alive.
Men Jordemødrene frygtede Gud og gjorde ikke, som Ægypterkongen havde befalet dem, men lod Drengebørnene leve.
18 And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Why is it that ye have done this thing, and saved the male children alive?
Da lod Ægypterkongen Jordemødrene kalde og sagde til dem: »Hvorfor har I baaret eder saaledes ad og ladet Drengebørnene leve?«
19 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.
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!«
20 And God did well to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very strong.
Og Gud gjorde vel imod Jordemødrene, og Folket blev stort og saare talrigt;
21 And as the midwives feared God, they established for themselves families.
og Gud gav Jordemødrene Afkom, fordi de frygtede ham.
22 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.
Da udstedte Farao den Befaling til hele sit Folk: »Alle Drengebørn, der fødes, skal I kaste i Nilen, men Pigebørnene skal I lade leve!«

< Exodus 1 >