New Advent
 Home   Encyclopedia   Summa   Fathers   Bible   Library 
 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 
Home > Bible > Exodus > Chapter 1
< BACK | NEXT >

Exodus Chapter 1

The Israelites are multiplied in Egypt. They are oppressed by a new king, who commands all their male children to be killed.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 These are the names of the children of Israel, that went into Egypt with Jacob: they went in every man with his household: 2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda, 3 Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin, 4 Dan, and Nephthali, Gad and Aser. 5 And all the souls that came out of Jacob's thigh, were seventy: but Joseph was in Egypt. 6 After he was dead, and all his brethren, and all that generation, 7 The children of Israel increased, and sprung up into multitudes, and growing exceedingly strong they filled the land.

8 In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not Joseph: 9 And he said to his people: Behold the people of the children of Israel are numerous and stronger than we. 10 Come let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply: and if any war shall rise against us, join with our enemies, and having overcome us, depart out of the land. 11 Therefore he set over them masters of the works, to afflict them with burdens: and they built for Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom, and Ramesses. Of tabernacles... Or, of storehouses. 12 But the more they oppressed them, the more they were multiplied and increased. 13 And the Egyptians hated the children of Israel, and afflicted them and mocked them: 14 And they made their life bitter with hard works in clay and brick, and with all manner of service, wherewith they were overcharged in the works of the earth. 15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua, 16 Commanding them: When you shall do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery is come: if it be a man child, kill it: if a woman, keep it alive. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded, but saved the men children. 18 And the king called for them and said: What is it that you meant to do, that you would save the men children? 19 They answered: The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women: for they themselves are skilful in the office of a midwife; and they are delivered before we come to them. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied and grew exceedingly strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses. Because the midwives feared God, etc... The midwives were rewarded, not for their lie, which was a venial sin; but for their fear of God, and their humanity: but this reward was only temporal, in building them houses, that is, in establishing and enriching their families. 22 Pharao therefore charged all his people, saying: Whatsoever shall be born of the male sex, ye shall cast into the river: whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive.

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Hæc sunt nomina filiorum Israël qui ingressi sunt in Ægyptum cum Jacob: singuli cum domibus suis introierunt: 2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judas, 3 Issachar, Zabulon et Benjamin, 4 Dan et Nephthali, Gad et Aser. 5 Erant igitur omnes animæ eorum qui egressi sunt de femore Jacob, septuaginta: Joseph autem in Ægypto erat. 6 Quo mortuo, et universis fratribus ejus, omnique cognatione illa, 7 filii Israël creverunt, et quasi germinantes multiplicati sunt: ac roborati nimis, impleverunt terram.

8 Surrexit interea rex novus super Ægyptum, qui ignorabat Joseph. 9 Et ait ad populum suum: Ecce, populus filiorum Israël multus, et fortior nobis est. 10 Venite, sapienter opprimamus eum, ne forte multiplicetur: et si ingruerit contra nos bellum, addatur inimicis nostris, expugnatisque nobis egrediatur de terra. 11 Præposuit itaque eis magistros operum, ut affligerent eos oneribus: ædificaveruntque urbes tabernaculorum Pharaoni, Phithom et Ramesses. 12 Quantoque opprimebant eos, tanto magis multiplicabantur, et crescebant: 13 oderantque filios Israël Ægyptii, et affligebant illudentes eis, 14 atque ad amaritudinem perducebant vitam eorum operibus duris luti et lateris, omnique famulatu, quo in terræ operibus premebantur. 15 Dixit autem rex Ægypti obstetricibus Hebræorum, quarum una vocabatur Sephora, altera Phua, 16 præcipiens eis: Quando obstetricabitis Hebræas, et partus tempus advenerit: si masculus fuerit, interficite eum: si femina, reservate. 17 Timuerunt autem obstetrices Deum, et non fecerunt juxta præceptum regis Ægypti, sed conservabant mares. 18 Quibus ad se accersitis, rex ait: Quidnam est hoc quod facere voluistis, ut pueros servaretis? 19 Quæ responderunt: Non sunt Hebreæ sicut ægyptiæ mulieres: ipsæ enim obstetricandi habent scientiam, et priusquam veniamus ad eas, pariunt. 20 Bene ergo fecit Deus obstetricibus: et crevit populus, confortatusque est nimis. 21 Et quia timuerunt obstetrices Deum, ædificavit eis domos. 22 Præcepit ergo Pharao omni populo suo, dicens: Quidquid masculini sexus natum fuerit, in flumen projicite: quidquid feminini, reservate.

Copyright © 2008 by Kevin Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

CONTACT US