1 E foi um homem da casa de Levi e casou com uma filha de Levi.2 E a mulher concebeu e deu à luz um filho; e, vendo que ele era formoso, escondeu-o três meses.3 Não podendo, porém, mais escondê-lo, tomou uma arca de juncos, e a revestiu com barro e betume; e, pondo nela o menino, a pôs nos juncos à margem do rio.4 E sua irmã postou-se de longe, para saber o que lhe havia de acontecer.5 E a filha de Faraó desceu a lavar-se no rio, e as suas donzelas passeavam, pela margem do rio; e ela viu a arca no meio dos juncos, e enviou a sua criada, que a tomou.6 E abrindo-a, viu ao menino e eis que o menino chorava; e moveu-se de compaixão dele, e disse: Dos meninos dos hebreus é este.7 Então disse sua irmã à filha de Faraó: Irei chamar uma ama das hebreias, que crie este menino para ti?8 E a filha de Faraó disse-lhe: Vai. Foi, pois, a moça, e chamou a mãe do menino.9 Então lhe disse a filha de Faraó: Leva este menino, e cria-mo; eu te darei teu salário. E a mulher tomou o menino, e criou-o.10 E, quando o menino já era grande, ela o trouxe à filha de Faraó, a qual o adotou; e chamou o seu nome Moisés, e disse: Porque das águas o tenho tirado.11 E aconteceu naqueles dias que, sendo Moisés já homem, saiu a seus irmãos, e atentou para as suas cargas; e viu que um egípcio feria a um hebreu, homem de seus irmãos.12 E olhou a um e a outro lado e, vendo que não havia ninguém ali, matou ao egípcio, e escondeu-o na areia.13 E tornou a sair no dia seguinte, e eis que dois homens hebreus contendiam; e disse ao injusto: Por que feres a teu próximo?14 O qual disse: Quem te tem posto a ti por maioral e juiz sobre nós? Pensas matar-me, como mataste o egípcio? Então temeu Moisés, e disse: Certamente este negócio foi descoberto.15 Ouvindo, pois, Faraó este caso, procurou matar a Moisés; mas Moisés fugiu de diante da face de Faraó, e habitou na terra de Midiã, e assentou-se junto a um poço.16 E o sacerdote de Midiã tinha sete filhas, as quais vieram tirar água, e encheram os bebedouros, para dar de beber ao rebanho de seu pai.17 Então vieram os pastores, e expulsaram-nas dali; Moisés, porém, levantou-se e defendeu-as, e deu de beber ao rebanho.18 E voltando elas a Reuel seu pai, ele disse: Por que hoje tornastes tão depressa?19 E elas disseram: Um homem egípcio nos livrou da mão dos pastores; e também nos tirou água em abundância, e deu de beber ao rebanho.20 E disse a suas filhas: E onde está ele? Por que deixastes o homem? Chamai-o para que coma pão.21 E Moisés consentiu em morar com aquele homem; e ele deu a Moisés sua filha Zípora,22 A qual deu à luz um filho, e ele chamou o seu nome Gérson, porque disse: Peregrino fui em terra estranha.23 E aconteceu, depois de muitos dias, que morrendo o rei do Egito, os filhos de Israel suspiraram por causa da servidão, e clamaram; e o seu clamor subiu a Deus por causa de sua servidão.24 E ouviu Deus o seu gemido, e lembrou-se Deus da sua aliança com Abraão, com Isaque, e com Jacó;25 E viu Deus os filhos de Israel, e atentou Deus para a sua condição.

1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took a daughter of Levi.2 And the woman conceived, and bore a son; and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.3 And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him a box of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it amidst the flags by the brink of the river.4 And his sister placed herself afar off, to ascertain what would be done to him.5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the side of the river; and when she saw the box among the flags, she sent her maid and fetched it.6 And she opened it, and saw the child, and, behold, it was a weeping boy; and she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse for thee the child?8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go; and the maiden went and called the mother of the child.9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take away this child, and nurse him for me, and I will give thee thy wages; and the woman took the child, and nursed him.10 And the child grew up, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became to her as a son; and she called his name Moses; and she said, Because out of the water have I drawn him.11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdensome labors; and he saw an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man, one of his brethren.12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one by, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were striving together; and he said unto him that was in the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?14 And he said, Who made thee a chief and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou hast killed the Egyptian! And Moses feared, and said, Surely the thing is become known.15 And Pharaoh heard this thing, and he sought to slay Moses; but Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and tarried in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.17 And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses arose and helped them, and watered their flock.18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, Wherefore are ye come home so soon today?19 And they said, An Egyptian man delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds; and he also drew water for us, and watered the flock.20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? wherefore have ye left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man; and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.22 And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a stranger in a foreign land.23 And it came to pass in this long time, that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried; and their complaint came up unto God by reason of the bondage.24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God took cognizance of them.