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Exode 1
La Bible du Semeur
Exode 1
La Bible du Semeur
L’oppression des Israélites en Égypte
1 Voici la liste des fils d’Israël qui ont accompagné Jacob en Egypte, chacun avec sa famille : 2 Ruben, Siméon, Lévi et Juda ; 3 Issacar, Zabulon et Benjamin ; 4 Dan et Nephtali, Gad et Aser. 5 Les descendants de Jacob étaient au nombre de soixante-dix en tout[a], Joseph étant déjà en Egypte à ce moment-là.
6 Joseph mourut, ainsi que tous ses frères et toute leur génération[b]. 7 Les Israélites furent féconds, proliférèrent, se multiplièrent et devinrent de plus en plus puissants, si bien que le pays en fut rempli[c].
8 Un nouveau roi[d] vint au pouvoir en Egypte ; il ne connaissait pas Joseph. 9 Il dit à ses sujets : Voyez, le peuple des Israélites est plus nombreux et plus puissant que nous. 10 Il est temps d’aviser à son sujet, pour qu’il cesse de se multiplier. Sinon, en cas de guerre, il risque de se ranger aux côtés de nos ennemis et de combattre contre nous pour quitter ensuite le pays.
11 Alors on imposa aux Israélites des chefs de corvée pour les accabler par des travaux forcés. C’est ainsi qu’ils durent bâtir pour le pharaon les villes de Pitom et de Ramsès[e] pour servir de centres d’approvisionnement. 12 Mais plus on les opprimait, plus ils devenaient nombreux et plus ils se répandaient, au point que les Egyptiens les prirent en aversion. 13 Alors ceux-ci les réduisirent à un dur esclavage 14 et leur rendirent la vie amère par de rudes corvées : fabrication de mortier, confection de briques, travaux en tous genres dans les champs[f], bref, toutes les tâches auxquelles on les asservit avec cruauté.
15 Il y avait deux sages-femmes pour les Hébreux. Elles se nommaient Shiphra et Poua[g]. Le pharaon leur donna cet ordre : 16 Quand vous accoucherez les femmes des Hébreux, et que vous aurez constaté le sexe de l’enfant, si c’est un garçon, mettez-le à mort, si c’est une fille, qu’on la laisse vivre.
17 Mais les sages-femmes craignaient Dieu ; elles n’obéirent pas au pharaon : elles laissèrent la vie sauve aux garçons. 18 Alors le pharaon les convoqua et leur demanda : Pourquoi avez-vous fait cela ? Pourquoi avez-vous laissé vivre les garçons ?
19 Les sages-femmes répondirent au pharaon : C’est que les femmes des Hébreux ne sont pas comme les Egyptiennes. Elles sont pleines de vie. Avant que la sage-femme arrive auprès d’elles, elles ont déjà mis leur enfant au monde.
20 Dieu fit du bien aux sages-femmes, et le peuple continua de se multiplier et devint extrêmement puissant. 21 Comme les sages-femmes avaient agi par crainte de Dieu, Dieu fit prospérer leurs familles.
22 Alors le pharaon ordonna à tous ses sujets : Jetez dans le fleuve tous les garçons nouveau-nés des Hébreux[h], mais laissez vivre toutes les filles !
Footnotes
- 1.5 Voir Gn 46.27. Un manuscrit hébreu trouvé à Qumrân, l’ancienne version grecque et Ac 7.14 ont : soixante-quinze.
- 1.6 Plusieurs siècles séparèrent la mort de Joseph de l’avènement du nouveau roi (v. 8).
- 1.7 Selon la promesse (Gn 46.3 ; voir 12.37). Les Israélites n’étaient pas seulement confinés au pays de Goshen, ils habitaient aussi au milieu des Egyptiens (3.22). Voir Ac 7.17.
- 1.8 Certains l’ont identifié à Amosis (1570-1546 av. J.-C.), fondateur de la XVIIIe dynastie, qui a chassé les Hyksos (d’origine asiatique, ils avaient envahi la Basse-Egypte pour la dominer de env. 1730 à 1580), d’autres à Thoutmosis III, pharaon de la XVIIIe dynastie, d’autres à Séti Ier (13041293–12901279 av. J.-C.).
- 1.11 Vers la frontière orientale de l’Egypte, près du canal qui reliait le Nil à la mer Rouge, près de l’actuel canal de Suez.
- 1.14 Surtout des travaux d’irrigation (Dt 11.10).
- 1.15 Sans doute les responsables des sages-femmes. Elles portent des noms égyptiens.
- 1.22 Selon le Pentateuque samaritain, l’ancienne version grecque et des traditions rabbiniques. Absent du texte hébreu traditionnel.
Exodus 1
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Exodus 1
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 All the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt.
6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.
7 But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, and the land was full of them.
8 Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.
9 He said to his people, Behold, the Israelites are too many and too mighty for us [and they [a]outnumber us both in people and in strength].
10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply more and, should war befall us, they join our enemies, fight against us, and escape out of the land.
11 So they set over [the Israelites] taskmasters to afflict and oppress them with [increased] burdens. And [the Israelites] built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
12 But the more [the Egyptians] oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that [the Egyptians] were vexed and alarmed because of the Israelites.
13 And the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery.
14 They made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of work in the field. All their service was with harshness and severity.
15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom one was named Shiprah and the other Puah,
16 When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.
17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live.
18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, Why have you done this thing and allowed the male children to live?
19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them.
20 So God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and became very strong.
21 And because the midwives revered and feared God, He made them households [of their own].
22 Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son born [to the Hebrews] you shall cast into the river [Nile], but every daughter you shall allow to live.
Footnotes
- Exodus 1:9 Is there in all human history a more amazing spectacle than the exodus? A family of 70 immigrants grows into a people of slavery. Suddenly, according to God’s detailed and preannounced plan, they are seen flinging away the shackles of generations of slavery and emigrating to a new country and a new life, with miraculous deliverances rescuing them from destruction again and again. The marvel of the exodus grows in wonder when, after more than 3,000 years, we see that same race, often persecuted almost to extinction, carrying out in startling detail God’s predictions for their amazing national revitalization and prominence “in the last days” (adapted from many historians).
Exodus 1
New International Version
Exodus 1
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)
Footnotes
- 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
Exodus 1
King James Version
Exodus 1
King James Version
1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
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