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以色列在埃及兴盛

以色列的众子,各人带着家眷和雅各一同来到埃及。他们的名字是: 流本、西缅、利未、犹大、 以萨迦、西布伦、便雅悯、 但、拿弗他利、迦得、亚设。 他们全是雅各所生的,共有七十人;那时约瑟已经在埃及了。 后来,约瑟和他所有的兄弟,以及那一代的人都死了。 以色列人生养繁衍众多,人数增加,极其强盛,遍满了那地。

新王迫害以色列人

那时,有一位不认识约瑟的新王兴起来,统治埃及。 他对自己的人民说:“看哪,以色列民比我们众多强盛。 10 来吧,我们要用巧计对付他们,恐怕他们增多起来,一旦发生战争,他们就与我们的仇敌联合,攻击我们,并且离开这地。” 11 于是,他们指派督工管辖他们,加重他们的重担苦害他们,他们为法老建造两座贮货城,就是比东和兰塞。 12 但是,埃及人越苦害他们,他们就越发增多,越发繁衍。埃及人就惧怕以色列人。 13 于是,埃及人严严地使以色列人作苦工。 14 埃及人使他们因作苦工而觉得命苦,他们要和泥、做砖、作田间各样的工;这一切苦工,埃及人都严严地驱使以色列人去作。

埃及王杀害希伯来男婴

15 埃及王吩咐两个希伯来接生妇,一个名叫施弗拉,一个名叫普阿, 16 说:“你们给希伯来妇人接生的时候,要看着她们临盆;若是男孩,你们要杀死他;若是女孩,她就可以活着。” 17 但是,接生妇却敬畏 神,不照着埃及王吩咐她们的去作,竟让男孩活着。 18 于是,埃及王把接生妇叫了来,对她们说:“你们为甚么作这事,让男孩活着呢?” 19 接生妇回答法老:“希伯来妇人与埃及妇人不同;她们很有活力,接生妇还没有来到,她们已经生产了。” 20  神恩待接生妇;以色列民增多起来,而且非常强盛。 21 接生妇因为敬畏 神, 神就为她们建立家室。 22 法老吩咐他的众民说:“凡是希伯来人(《马索拉文本》无“希伯来人”,现参照其他古抄本及古译本补上)所生的男孩,你们都要把他投在河里;凡是女孩,就让她活着。”

以色列人受欺压

以色列的众子带着家眷跟雅各[a]一起去了埃及,以下是他们的名字: 吕便、西缅、利未、犹大、 以萨迦、西布伦、便雅悯、 但、拿弗他利、迦得、亚设。 雅各的子孙总共有七十人。那时,约瑟已经住在埃及。 后来,约瑟和他的弟兄以及同辈的人都相继去世。 以色列人生养众多,人口大增,很快就遍布埃及,成为一个强大的民族。 那时,埃及有一位不认识约瑟的新王登基, 对他的百姓说:“你们看,以色列人比我们多,又比我们强。 10 来吧!我们要设法阻止他们人口增长,否则一遇到战争,他们便会加入我们敌人的阵营来攻打我们,然后一走了之。”

11 于是,埃及人派监工强迫以色列人服劳役,在比东和兰塞两地为法老兴建储货城。 12 以色列人越受奴役,人口增长得越快,散居的范围也越广,令埃及人感到恐惧。 13 于是,埃及人更残酷地奴役他们, 14 强迫他们和泥造砖,并做田间一切的苦工,使他们痛苦不堪。 15 埃及王又命令两个希伯来的接生婆施弗拉和普阿: 16 “你们在替希伯来妇女接生的时候,如果看到生下的是男婴,就把他杀掉;如果是女婴,就让她活下来。” 17 但这两个接生婆敬畏上帝,没有执行王的命令,而是保留了男婴的性命。 18 埃及王召见那两个接生婆,质问她们:“你们为什么这样做?为什么让男婴活着?” 19 她们回答说:“因为希伯来妇女跟埃及妇女不同。她们身体强健,我们还没有赶到,婴儿就生下来了。” 20-21 因此,以色列人口继续增加,更加繁盛。因为这两个接生婆敬畏上帝,上帝便赐福给她们,使她们生儿育女。 22 后来,法老命令全埃及的人把以色列人生的所有男婴都抛进尼罗河里,只让女婴活着。

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 雅各”就是“以色列”,上帝为雅各改名以色列,故事参考创世记32:28

These are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

All the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt.

Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.

But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, and the land was full of them.

Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

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

  1. 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).