2
1 And there was a certain man of the tribe of Levi, who took to wife one of the daughters of Levi. 2 And she conceived, and bore a male child; and having seen that he was fair, they hid him three months. 3 And when they could no longer hide him, his mother took for him an ark, and besmeared it with *bitumen, and cast the child into it, and put it in the ooze by the river. 4 And his sister was watching from a distance, to learn what would happen to him.
5 And the daughter of Pharao came down to the river to bathe; and her maids walked by the river's side, and having seen the ark in the ooze, she sent her maid, and took it up. 6 And having opened it, she sees the babe weeping in the ark: and the daughter of Pharao had compassion on it, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. 7 And his sister said to the daughter of Pharao, Wilt thou that I call to thee a nurse of the Hebrews, and shall she suckle the child for thee? 8 And the daughter of Pharao said, Go: and the young woman went, and called the mother of the child. 9 And the daughter of Pharao said to her, Take care of this child, and suckle it for me, and I will give thee the wages; and the woman took the child, and suckled it. 10 And when the boy was grown, she brought him to the daughter of Pharao, and he became her son; and she called his name, Moses, saying, I took him out of the water.
11 And it came to pass in that length of time, that Moses having grown, went out to his brethren the sons of Israel: and having noticed their distress, he sees an Egyptian smiting a certain Hebrew of his brethren the children of Israel. 12 And having looked round this way and that way, he sees no one; and he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 13 And having gone out the second day he sees two Hebrew men fighting; and he says to the injurer, Wherefore smitest thou thy neighbour? 14 And he said, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? wilt thou slay me as thou yesterday slewest the Egyptian? Then Moses was alarmed, and said, If it be thus, this matter has become known. 15 And Pharao heard this matter, and sought to slay Moses; and Moses departed from the presence of Pharao, and dwelt in the land of Madiam; and having come into the land of Madiam, he sat on the well. 16 And the priest of Madiam had seven daughters, feeding the flock of their father Jothor; and they came and drew water until they filled their pitchers, to water the flock of their father Jothor. 17 And the shepherds came, and were driving them away; and Moses rose up and rescued them, and drew water for them, and watered their sheep. 18 And they came to Raguel their father; and he said to them, Why have ye come so quickly to-day? 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us from the shepherds, and drew water for us and watered our sheep. 20 And he said to his daughters, And where is he? and why have ye left the man? call him therefore, that he may eat bread. 21 And Moses was established with the man, and he gave Sepphora his daughter to Moses to wife. 22 And the woman conceived and bore a son, and Moses called his name Gersam, saying, I am a sojourner in a strange land. 23 And in those days after a length of time, the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel groaned because of their tasks, and cried, and their cry because of their tasks went up to God. 24 And God heard their groanings, and God remembered his covenant made with Abraam and Isaac and Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and was made known to them.
* 2:3 i. e. a peculiar kind, more resembling vegetable pitch.