¶ The chyldren of Iacob are nombred. The new Pharao oppresseth them. The acte of the godly mydwyuee.
CAPI. I.
THese are the names of the [unspec A] * 1.1 chyldren of Israel, which came into Egypte with Iacob, euery man came with his housholde. Ruben, Symeon, Leui, & Iuda, Isachar Zabulon, & Bentamin, Dan, Nep∣talt, Gad and Aser. All these soules that came out of the loynes of Iacob were. ixx. But Io∣seph was in Egypt alredy. And Ioseph dyed and all his brethren and all that generacion, and the * 1.2 chyldren of Israell grewe, encrea∣sed, multiplied, and wared exceadyng mygh∣tye, and the lande was full of them.
But there rose vp a newe kyng in Egypte [unspec B] whiche knewe not Ioseph. And he sayd vnto his folke: beholde, the people of the chyldren of Israel are greater and myghtyer then we. Come on, let vs playe wysely with them, lest they multiplye, & lest it happen, that (yf there chaunce any warre) they ioyne them selues vnto oure enemyes and fyght agaynste vs, and so get them out of the lande.
Therfore dyd they set taske maysters ouer them, to kepe them vnder with burdens. And they bylte vnto Pharao treasure ••••ties: Phi∣ton and Rameses. But the more they vexed them, the more they multiplied and grewe, so that they abhorred the chyldren of Israel.
And the Egyptians helde the chyldren of Is∣rael [unspec C] in bondage without mercye. Therfore was theyr lyfe bytter vnto them in that cruel bondage, in clay and brycke, and al maner of worke in the feldes. For all the seruyce which they dyd vnto them, was full of tyranny.
And the kynge of Egypte sayde vnto the mydwyues of the Ebrues women, of whiche the ones name was Sepkora and the other Phua: when they do the offyce of a mydwyfe to the women of the Hebrues / and se in the byrth tyme that it is a boy, ye shall kyll it.
But yf it be a doughter, it shall lyue. Not withstandynge the mydwyues feared God / and dyd not as the kyng of Egypte cōmaun∣ded them: but saued the menchyldren.
And the kynge of Egypte called for the [unspec D] mydwyues, and sayd vnto them: why haue ye delte on this maner, & haue saued the men chyldren? And the mydwyues answered Pha¦rao, that the Hebrues women are not as the women of Egypt: for they are sturdy women and are delyuered ere the mydwyues come at them. And god therfore delte well with the mydwyues. And the people multiplyed and waxed very myghty. And it fortuned bycause the mywyues feared GOD, he made them houses. And Pharao charged all his people sayenge: All the men chyldren that are borne, cast into the ryuer, and saue the mayde chyl∣dren alyue.