U-Eksodusi 1:1-22
1 Nanka amadodana ka-Israyeli ahamba loyise uJakhobe eGibhithe, indoda ngayinye yayihamba labendlu+ yayo, amabizo awo yila:
2 URubheni, loSimiyoni, loLevi, loJuda,+
3 lo-Isakhari, loZebhuloni, loBhenjamini,
4 loDani, loNafithali, loGadi kanye lo-Asheri.+
5 Sebebonke abantu ababezalwa emulini kaJakhobe babengu-70 kodwa uJosefa wayevele eseseGibhithe.+
6 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJosefa wafa,+ labafowabo bonke bafa kanye laso sonke isizukulwane leso.
7 Abantu bako-Israyeli bazalana baba banengi njalo baqhubeka besanda kakhulu futhi besiba lamandla amangalisayo baze bagcwala elizweni.+
8 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwaba lenkosi entsha eGibhithe eyayingamazi uJosefa.
9 Ngakho yatshela abantu bayo yathi: “Khangelani, abantu bako-Israyeli sebebanengi kakhulu njalo sebelamandla ukwedlula thina.+
10 Asibahlakanipheleni abantu laba ngoba bazaqhubeka besiba banengi, besekusithi kungavuka impi babambane lezitha zethu balwe lathi, besebesuka elizweni.”
11 Yikho babeka izinduna ezazizabasebenzisa ngenkani, zibacindezele ngokubapha umsebenzi onzima+ njalo abako-Israyeli bakhela uFaro amadolobho okugcinela ukudla lenye impahla yakhe. Amadolobho la kwakuyiPhithomi leRamesesi.+
12 Kodwa babesithi nxa bebacindezela kube angathi sebebabasela ukuthi bande kakhulu futhi bagcwale indawo yonke. Ngakho amaGibhithe ayesedlela evalweni ngenxa yokwesaba ama-Israyeli.+
13 Lokhu kwenza amaGibhithe abathwalisa nzima abako-Israyeli ebenza izigqili.+
14 Enza impilo yabo yaba buhlungu ngokubanika imisebenzi enzima. Babevoxa udaka betshaya izitina njalo babesetshenziswa njengezigqili emasimini. AmaGibhithe ayebathwalise amagabha avuzayo ebenzisa yonke imisebenzi yobugqili.+
15 Ngemva kwesikhathi inkosi yaseGibhithe yakhuluma lababelethisi abangamaHebheru okwakuthiwa nguShifira loPhuwa,
16 yathi kubo: “Nxa selibelethisa+ abesifazana abangamaHebheru,* kumele likhangele ukuthi umntwana ngoyini. Nxa engumfana kumele limbulale, nxa kungoyinkazana limtshiye ephila.”
17 Kodwa ababelethisi laba babemesaba uNkulunkulu weqiniso njalo abakwenzanga ababekutshelwe yinkosi yaseGibhithe, babebayekela bephila+ abantwana abangabafana.
18 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi inkosi yaseGibhithe yabiza ababelethisi laba yathi kubo: “Kanti yindaba lingababulalanga abantwana abangabafana?”
19 Ababelethisi baphendula uFaro bathi: “Abesifazana abangamaHebheru abafanani labesifazana abangamaGibhithe. Baqinile njalo umbelethisi uthi efika athole sebebelethile kudala.”
20 Ngakho uNkulunkulu waba lomusa kubabelethisi laba, abantu bako-Israyeli baqhubeka besanda futhi besiba lamandla amakhulukazi.
21 Ngemva kwesikhathi uNkulunkulu weqiniso wababusisa ababelethisi laba baba lezimuli zabo ngoba babetshengise ukuthi bayamesaba.
22 Ekucineni uFaro watshela bonke abantu bakhe wathi: “Bonke abantwana abangabafana abazazalwa ngamaHebheru kumele libaphosele emfuleni uNayili, kodwa amankazana wonke liwayekele ephila.”+
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “selibabona behlezi esihlalweni sokubelethisa.”
