Ukwanda Kwabakwa-Israyeli EGibhithe, Ukuhlushwa Nokuphuma Kwabo
1Lawa ngamagama amadodana ka-Israyeli afika noJakobe eGibhithe; yileyo naleyo nabedlu yayo: 2uRubeni, uSimeyoni, uLevi, uJuda, 3u-Isakhari, uZebuloni, uBhenjamini, 4uDani, uNafethali, uGadi, no-Asheri. 5Sebebonke abaphuma okhalo lukaJakobe babengabantu abangama-70. UJosefa wayevele eseseGibhithe. 6UJosefa wafa, kwafa nabo bonke abafowabo, naso sonke leso sizukulwane. 7Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bazalana, banda, bachuma, baba namandla amakhulu; izwe lagcwala bona.
Ukugqilazwa Kwabakwa-Israyeli
8Kwaba khona inkosi entsha eGibhithe eyayingamazi uJosefa. 9Yathi kubantu bayo: “Bhekani, abakwa-Israyeli sebebaningi kakhulu, futhi banamandla kunathi. 10Masibaphathe ngesihluku, ngaphandle kwalokho bazokwanda kakhulu, bese kuthi uma kusuka impi bahlangane nezitha zethu, balwe nathi, qede bahambe kuleli lizwe.”
11AbaseGibhithe baqoka abaphathi bezigqila ukuze babagqilaze abantu bakwa-Israyeli ngokubaphoqa ukwenza umsebenzi onzima, bamakhele uFaro imizi yokugcina izinto ePhithomi naseRamesesi. 12Kwathi lapho bebacindezela, banda kakhulu, basabalala abantu bakwa-Israyeli; abaseGibhithe baqala ukubesaba. 13AbaseGibhithe babagqilaza kanzima abantu bakwa-Israyeli, 14benza impilo yabo yaba muncu ngokubasebenzisa kanzima odakeni nasezitinini, nasemisebenzini yonke emasimini. Babaphatha ngendlakadla enkulu kukho konke ababebenzisa khona.
15Inkosi yaseGibhithe yathi kubabelethisi bamaHebheru, okwakungoShifira noPhuwa: 16“Lapho nibelethisa abesifazane bamaHebheru sebesesigqikini sokubeletha, nibona ukuthi ngumfana, niyakumbulala, kodwa uma kuyintombazane niyiyeke iphile.”
17Kepha ababelethisi babemesaba uNkulunkulu, abazange benze njengokuyala kwenkosi yaseGibhithe, kodwa babayeka abafana baphila. 18Inkosi yaseGibhithe yababiza ababelethisi yathi kubo: “Nikwenzeleni lokhu, nayeka abafana ukuba baphile na?”
19Ababelethisi bathi kuFaro: “Kungoba abesifazane bamaHebheru kabafani nabesifazane baseGibhithe; banamandla, kuthi engakafiki umbelethisi kubo, babe sebebelethile.”
20UNkulunkulu wabenzela okuhle ababelethisi; abantu banda, baba namandla amakhulu. 21Ngokuba ababelethisi bamesaba uNkulunkulu wabapha nabo imindeni. 22UFaro wayeseyala bonke abantu bakhe wathi: “Bonke abafana abazozalwa ngamaHebheru kufanele baphonswe emfuleni, kodwa amantombazane niwayeke aphile.”
