以色列人受欺壓

以色列的眾子帶著家眷跟雅各[a]一起去了埃及,以下是他們的名字: 呂便、西緬、利未、猶大、 以薩迦、西布倫、便雅憫、 但、拿弗他利、迦得、亞設。 雅各的子孫總共有七十人。那時,約瑟已經住在埃及。 後來,約瑟和他的弟兄以及同輩的人都相繼去世。 以色列人生養眾多,人口大增,很快就遍佈埃及,成為一個強大的民族。 那時,埃及有一位不認識約瑟的新王登基, 對他的百姓說:「你們看,以色列人比我們多,又比我們強。 10 來吧!我們要設法阻止他們人口增長,否則一遇到戰爭,他們便會加入我們敵人的陣營來攻打我們,然後一走了之。」

11 於是,埃及人派監工強迫以色列人服勞役,在比東和蘭塞兩地為法老興建儲貨城。 12 以色列人越受奴役,人口增長得越快,散居的範圍也越廣,令埃及人感到恐懼。 13 於是,埃及人更殘酷地奴役他們, 14 強迫他們和泥造磚,並做田間一切的苦工,使他們痛苦不堪。 15 埃及王又命令兩個希伯來的接生婆施弗拉和普阿: 16 「你們在替希伯來婦女接生的時候,如果看到生下的是男嬰,就把他殺掉;如果是女嬰,就讓她活下來。」 17 但這兩個接生婆敬畏上帝,沒有執行王的命令,而是保留了男嬰的性命。 18 埃及王召見那兩個接生婆,質問她們:「你們為什麼這樣做?為什麼讓男嬰活著?」 19 她們回答說:「因為希伯來婦女跟埃及婦女不同。她們身體強健,我們還沒有趕到,嬰兒就生下來了。」 20-21 因此,以色列人口繼續增加,更加繁盛。因為這兩個接生婆敬畏上帝,上帝便賜福給她們,使她們生兒育女。 22 後來,法老命令全埃及的人把以色列人生的所有男嬰都拋進尼羅河裡,只讓女嬰活著。

Footnotes

  1. 1·1 雅各」就是「以色列」,上帝為雅各改名以色列,故事參考創世記32·28

Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

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.

Israel’s Suffering in Egypt

Now (A)these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. All those [a]who were descendants of Jacob were (B)seventy[b] persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already). And (C)Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. (D)But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and [c]grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, (E)who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and (F)mightier than we; 10 (G)come, let us (H)deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them (I)to afflict them with their (J)burdens. And they built for Pharaoh (K)supply cities, Pithom (L)and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel (M)serve with [d]rigor. 14 And they (N)made their lives bitter with hard bondage—(O)in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.

15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the (P)Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a (Q)son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives (R)feared God, and did not do (S)as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?”

19 And (T)the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they [e]are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”

20 (U)Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and [f]grew very mighty. 21 And so it was, because the midwives feared God, (V)that He [g]provided households for them.

22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, (W)“Every son who is [h]born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:5 Lit. who came from the loins of
  2. Exodus 1:5 DSS, LXX seventy-five; cf. Acts 7:14
  3. Exodus 1:7 became very numerous
  4. Exodus 1:13 harshness
  5. Exodus 1:19 have vigor of life, bear quickly, easily
  6. Exodus 1:20 became very numerous
  7. Exodus 1:21 gave them families
  8. Exodus 1:22 Sam., LXX, Tg. add to the Hebrews