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Exodus 1:1-3:9
New American Standard Bible 1995

Israel Multiplies in Egypt

1 Now these are the (A)names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came each one [a]with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the [b]persons who came from the loins of Jacob were (B)seventy [c]in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 (C)Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the sons of Israel (D)were fruitful and [d]increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly [e]mighty, so that the land was filled with them.

8 Now a new (E)king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 (F)He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are [f]more and mightier than we. 10 Come, let us (G)deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and [g]in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and [h]depart from the land.” 11 So they appointed (H)taskmasters over them to afflict them with [i](I)hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh (J)storage cities, Pithom and (K)Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, (L)the more they multiplied and the more they [j]spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel. 13 The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel (M)to labor rigorously; 14 and they made (N)their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously [k]imposed on them.

15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom [l]was named Shiphrah and the other [m]was named Puah; 16 and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, (O)if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives [n](P)feared God, and (Q)did not do as the king of Egypt had [o]commanded them, but let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife [p]can get to them.” 20 So (R)God was good to the midwives, and (S)the people multiplied, and became very [q]mighty. 21 Because the midwives [r](T)feared God, He [s](U)established [t]households for them. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “(V)Every son who is born [u]you are to cast into (W)the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”

The Birth of Moses

2 Now a man from (X)the house of Levi went and [v]married a daughter of Levi. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw [w]that he was [x](Y)beautiful, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a [y](Z)wicker [z]basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and set it among the (AA)reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 (AB)His sister stood at a distance to [aa]find out what would [ab]happen to him.

5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down (AC)to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the [ac]basket among the reeds and sent her maid, and she brought it to her. 6 When she opened it, she [ad]saw the child, and behold, the [ae]boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call [af]a nurse for you from the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for you?” 8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go ahead.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and (AD)he became her son. And she named him [ag]Moses, and said, “Because I [ah]drew him out of the water.”

11 Now it came about in those days, (AE)when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their [ai](AF)hard labors; and (AG)he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he [aj]looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he (AH)struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 He went out (AI)the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were [ak]fighting with each other; and he said to the [al]offender, “Why are you striking your companion?” 14 But he said, “(AJ)Who made you a [am]prince or a judge over us? Are you [an]intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.”

Moses Escapes to Midian

15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But (AK)Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and [ao]settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down (AL)by a well.

16 Now (AM)the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and (AN)they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but (AO)Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock. 18 When they came to (AP)Reuel their father, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?” 19 So they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew the water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Invite him [ap]to have something to eat.” 21 (AQ)Moses was willing to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter (AR)Zipporah to Moses. 22 Then she gave birth to (AS)a son, and he named him [aq]Gershom, for he said, “I have been (AT)a [ar]sojourner in a foreign land.”

23 Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel (AU)sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and (AV)their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. 24 So (AW)God heard their groaning; and God remembered (AX)His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 (AY)God saw the sons of Israel, and God [as]took notice of them.

The Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of (AZ)Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the [at]west side of the wilderness and came to (BA)Horeb, the (BB)mountain of God. 2 (BC)The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of [au]a (BD)bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. 3 So Moses said, “[av](BE)I must turn aside now and see this [aw]marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, (BF)God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not come near here; (BG)remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said also, “(BH)I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (BI)Then Moses hid his face, for he was (BJ)afraid to look at God.

7 The Lord said, “I have surely (BK)seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. 8 So I have come down (BL)to deliver them from the [ax]power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a (BM)good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of (BN)the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 9 Now, behold, (BO)the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:1 Lit and
  2. Exodus 1:5 Lit souls
  3. Exodus 1:5 Lit as to souls
  4. Exodus 1:7 Lit swarmed
  5. Exodus 1:7 Or numerous
  6. Exodus 1:9 Or too many and too mighty for us
  7. Exodus 1:10 Lit it came about when war befalls that
  8. Exodus 1:10 Lit go up from
  9. Exodus 1:11 Lit their burdens
  10. Exodus 1:12 Lit broke forth
  11. Exodus 1:14 Lit worked through them
  12. Exodus 1:15 Lit the name was
  13. Exodus 1:15 Lit the name was
  14. Exodus 1:17 Or revered
  15. Exodus 1:17 Lit spoken to
  16. Exodus 1:19 Lit comes to
  17. Exodus 1:20 Or numerous
  18. Exodus 1:21 Or revered
  19. Exodus 1:21 Lit made
  20. Exodus 1:21 Or families
  21. Exodus 1:22 Some versions insert to the Hebrews
  22. Exodus 2:1 Lit took
  23. Exodus 2:2 Lit him that
  24. Exodus 2:2 Lit good
  25. Exodus 2:3 I.e. papyrus reeds
  26. Exodus 2:3 Or chest
  27. Exodus 2:4 Lit know
  28. Exodus 2:4 Lit be done
  29. Exodus 2:5 Or chest
  30. Exodus 2:6 Heb saw it, the child
  31. Exodus 2:6 Or lad
  32. Exodus 2:7 Lit a woman giving suck
  33. Exodus 2:10 Heb Mosheh, from mashah
  34. Exodus 2:10 Heb mashah
  35. Exodus 2:11 Lit burdens
  36. Exodus 2:12 Lit turned
  37. Exodus 2:13 Or quarreling
  38. Exodus 2:13 Or the guilty one
  39. Exodus 2:14 Lit man, a prince
  40. Exodus 2:14 Lit saying in your heart
  41. Exodus 2:15 Lit dwelt
  42. Exodus 2:20 Lit that he may eat bread
  43. Exodus 2:22 Cf Heb ger sham, a stranger there
  44. Exodus 2:22 Heb ger
  45. Exodus 2:25 Lit knew them
  46. Exodus 3:1 Or rear part
  47. Exodus 3:2 Lit the
  48. Exodus 3:3 Lit Let me turn
  49. Exodus 3:3 Lit great
  50. Exodus 3:8 Lit hand
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Exodus 1:1-3:9
New International Version

The Israelites Oppressed

1 These are the names of the sons of Israel(A) who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.(B) 5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy[a] in all;(C) Joseph was already in Egypt.

6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,(D) 7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers(E) and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.(F) 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous(G) for us.(H) 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly(I) with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”(J)

11 So they put slave masters(K) over them to oppress them with forced labor,(L) and they built Pithom and Rameses(M) as store cities(N) for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly.(O) 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor(P) in brick(Q) and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.(R)

15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives,(S) whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”(T) 17 The midwives, however, feared(U) God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do;(V) they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”(W)

20 So God was kind to the midwives(X) and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared(Y) God, he gave them families(Z) of their own.

22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile,(AA) but let every girl live.”(AB)

The Birth of Moses

2 Now a man of the tribe of Levi(AC) married a Levite woman,(AD) 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine(AE) child, she hid him for three months.(AF) 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus(AG) basket[b] for him and coated it with tar and pitch.(AH) Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds(AI) along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister(AJ) stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank.(AK) She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”

8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named(AL) him Moses,[c] saying, “I drew(AM) him out of the water.”

Moses Flees to Midian

11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people(AN) were and watched them at their hard labor.(AO) He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”(AP)

14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?(AQ) Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill(AR) Moses, but Moses fled(AS) from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian,(AT) where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian(AU) had seven daughters, and they came to draw water(AV) and fill the troughs(AW) to water their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue(AX) and watered their flock.(AY)

18 When the girls returned to Reuel(AZ) their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

20 “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”(BA)

21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah(BB) to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom,[d](BC) saying, “I have become a foreigner(BD) in a foreign land.”

23 During that long period,(BE) the king of Egypt died.(BF) The Israelites groaned in their slavery(BG) and cried out, and their cry(BH) for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered(BI) his covenant(BJ) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned(BK) about them.

Moses and the Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro(BL) his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,(BM) and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,(BN) the mountain(BO) of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord(BP) appeared to him in flames of fire(BQ) from within a bush.(BR) Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called(BS) to him from within the bush,(BT) “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”(BU)

5 “Do not come any closer,”(BV) God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”(BW) 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,[e] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”(BX) At this, Moses hid(BY) his face, because he was afraid to look at God.(BZ)

7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen(CA) the misery(CB) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned(CC) about their suffering.(CD) 8 So I have come down(CE) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,(CF) a land flowing with milk and honey(CG)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites(CH) and Jebusites.(CI) 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing(CJ) them.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:5 Masoretic Text (see also Gen. 46:27); Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14 and note at Gen. 46:27) seventy-five
  2. Exodus 2:3 The Hebrew can also mean ark, as in Gen. 6:14.
  3. Exodus 2:10 Moses sounds like the Hebrew for draw out.
  4. Exodus 2:22 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for a foreigner there.
  5. Exodus 3:6 Masoretic Text; Samaritan Pentateuch (see Acts 7:32) fathers
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