Eksodusi 1:1-22
1 La magama wamadodana ka-Israyeli* eza nawo eGibhide, indoda ngayinye yeza nomndenayo:+
2 NguRubeni, uSimiyoni, uLevi, uJuda,+
3 u-Isakari, uZebuloni, uBhenjamini,
4 uDani noNafitali; uGadi no-Atjheri.+
5 Zoke iinzukulwana zakaJakopo bezima-70 kodwana uJosefa besele aseGibhide.+
6 Ekugcineni uJosefa+ nabo boke abafowabo bahlongakala kuhlanganise naso soke isizukulwaneso.
7 Ama-Israyeli aba nabantwana, athoma ukwanda, asolo anda, akhula, aba namandla ngendlela ebabazekako kangangobana inarha yazala wona.+
8 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi kwaba nekosi etja eGibhide, ebeyingamazi uJosefa.
9 Nje-ke yathi ebantwini bayo: “Qalani abantu bakwa-Israyeli sebabanengi khulu begodu banamandla ukudlula thina.+
10 Asibahlakanipheleni, nakungasinjalo bazokuragela phambili nokwanda begodu nakungavela ipi, bazosihlanganyela namanabethu, balwe nathi bebakhambe enarheni.”
11 Babeka iinduna bona zibakatelele ukuthi basebenze budisi+ begodu bakhela uFaro amadorobho amabili wokubeka izinto, okuyiPitomu neRamasese.+
12 Njengombana bebaragela phambili nokubagandelela, banda khulu bebarhatjheka, yeke bathukwa khulu ngebanga lama-Israyeli.+
13 AmaGibhide agqilaza ama-Israyeli awakatelela bona asebenze budisi.+
14 Enza ipilwawo yaba budisi ngokuwenzisa idaka ngebumba, awenzisa iintina begodu awasebenzisa budisi emasimini. Awasebenzisa kabuhlungu ekwenzeni yoke imisebenzi yobugqila.+
15 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ikosi yeGibhide yakhuluma noTjhifira noPuwa ababelethisi abamaHebheru,
16 yathi kibo: “Lokha nanibelethisa abafazi abamaHebheru,+ kufuze nimqalisise umntwana loyo, nangabe msana, kufuze abulawe nangabe mntazana, kufuze aphile.”
17 Ababelethisi abamaHebheru bebasaba uZimu weqiniso, akhenge benze lokho ikosi yeGibhide ebatjele bona bakwenze, balisa abantwana babesana baphila.+
18 Ekukhambeni kwesikhathi ikosi yeGibhide yabiza ababelethisi yathi kibo: “Kubayini nilise abantwana babesana baphila?”
19 Ababelethisi bathi kuFaro: “Abafazi bamaHebheru abafani nabafazi beGibhide, baphilile begodu babeletha msinyana ngaphambi kokuthi umbelethisi afike kibo.”
20 Nje-ke uZimu wababusisa ababelethisi begodu abantu baragela phambili banda baba namandla khulu.
21 UZimu weqiniso wanikela ababelethisaba imindeni ngebanga lokuthi bebamsaba.
22 Emaswapheleni uFaro walayela abantu bakhe wathi: “Kufuze niphosele abantwana bamaHebheru, babesana eMlanjeni iNayili kodwana nilise babantazana baphila.”+
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ NgesiHebheru, “uJakopo.”
