Part 35 (1/2)

1:12. But the more they oppressed them, the more they were multiplied and increased.

1:13. And the Egyptians hated the children of Israel, and afflicted them and mocked them:

1:14. And they made their life bitter with hard works in clay and brick, and with all manner of service, wherewith they were overcharged in the works of the earth.

1:15. And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua,

1:16. Commanding them: When you shall do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery is come: if it be a man child, kill it: if a woman, keep it alive.

1:17. But the midwives feared G.o.d, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded, but saved the men children.

1:18: And the king called for them and said: What is it that you meant to do, that you would save the men children?

1:19. They answered: The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women: for they themselves are skilful in the office of a midwife; and they are delivered before we come to them.

1:20. Therefore G.o.d dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied and grew exceedingly strong.

1:21. And because the midwives feared G.o.d, he built them houses.

Because the midwives feared G.o.d, etc... The midwives were rewarded, not for their lie, which was a venial sin; but for their fear of G.o.d, and their humanity: but this reward was only temporal, in building them houses, that is, in establis.h.i.+ng and enriching their families.

1:22. Pharao therefore charged all his people, saying: Whatsoever shall be born of the male s.e.x, ye shall cast into the river: whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive.

Exodus Chapter 2

Moses is born and exposed on the bank of the river; where he is taken up by the daughter of Pharao, and adopted for her son. He killeth an Egyptian, and fleeth into Madian; where he marrieth a wife.

2:1. After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred.

2:2. And she conceived, and bore a son: and seeing him a goodly child, hid him three months.

2:3. And when she could hide him no longer, she took a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and pitch: and put the little babe therein, and laid him in the sedges by the river's brink,

2:4. His sister standing afar off, and taking notice what would be done.

2:5. And behold the daughter of Pharao came down to wash herself in the river: and her maids walked by the river's brink. And when she saw the basket in the sedges she sent one of her maids for it: and when it was brought,

2:6. She opened it, and seeing within it an infant crying, having compa.s.sion on it, she said: This is one of the babes of the Hebrews.

2:7. And the child's sister said to her: Shall I go, and call to thee a Hebrew woman, to nurse the babe?

2:8. She answered: Go. The maid went and called her mother.

2:9. And Pharao's daughter said to her: Take this child, and nurse him for me: I will give thee thy wages. The woman took and nursed the child: and when he was grown up, she delivered him to Pharao's daughter.

2:10. And she adopted him for a son, and called him Moses, saying: Because I took him out of the water.

Moses... Or Moyses, in the Egyptian tongue, signifies one taken or saved out of the water.

2:11. In those days, after Moses was grown up, he went out to his brethren: and saw their affliction, and an Egyptian striking one of the Hebrews, his brethren.