The smal number of Israelites much increasing in Ægypt, 6. especially after the
death of Ioseph and his brethren, 8. a new king, that knew not Ioseph in vaine striueth to hinder
their multiplication, 11. by imposing workes vpon them, 15. and by commanding to kil, 22. and to
drowne al the mal children of them. God in the meane time rewardeth the midwiues, that fearing him,
killed not the children.
1. THᴇꜱᴇ be the names of the children of Israel, that entred into Ægypt with Iacob: they
did enter in euerie one with their houses,
2. Ruben, Simeon, Leui, Iudas,
3. Issachar, Zabulon, and Beniamin,
4. Dan, and Neptali, Gad, and Aser.
5. Therfore al the soules that came out of Iacobs thigh, were seuentie: and Ioseph was
in Ægypt.
6. Who being dead, and al his brethren, and al that generation,
7. the children of Israel increased, and as it were springing vp did multiplie: and
growing strong exceedingly, filled the land.
8. In the meane time there arose a new king ouer Ægypt, that knew not Ioseph:
9. and he said to his people: Behold the people of the children of Israel is much,
and stronger then we.
10. Come, let vs wisely oppresse the same, lest perhaps it multiplie: and if there
shal be anie warre against vs, it ioyne with our enemies, and we being ouerthrowne, they depart
out of the land.
11. Therfore he set ouer them maisters of the workes, to afflict them with burdens:
and they built vnto Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom, and Ramesses.
12. And the more they did oppresse them, so much the more they multiplied, and increased:
13. and the Ægyptians hated the children of Israël, and deriding afflicted them:
14. and they brought their life into bitternes with the hard workes of clay, and bricke,
and with al seruice, wherewith they were pressed in the workes of the earth.
15. And the King of Ægypt said to the midwiues of the Hebrewes: of whom one was called
Sephora, the other Phua,
16. commanding them: When you shal be midwiues to the Hebrew wemen, and the time of
deliuerie is come: if it be a manchild, kil it: if a woman, reserue her.
17. But the midwiues feared God, and did not according to the commandement of the king of
Ægypt, but preserued the menchildren.
18. To whom being called vnto him, the king said: What is this that you ment to do, that
you would saue the men-children?
19. Who answered: The Hebrew wemem are not as the Ægyptian wemen: for they haue the
knowledge to play the mindwife them selues, and before we come to them, they are deliuered.
20. God therfore did wel to the midwiues: and the people encreased, and became strong
exceedingly.
21. And because the midwiues feared God, he built them houses.
22. Pharao therfore commanded al his people, saying: Whatsoeuer shal be borne of the male
sex, cast it into the riuer: whatsoeuer of the female, reserue it.