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[1] These ben the names of the sones of Israel, that entriden into Egipt with Jacob; alle entriden with her housis;
[2] Ruben, Symeon,
[3] Leuy, Judas, Isachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin,
[4] Dan, and Neptalim, Gad, and Aser.
[5] Therfor alle the soules of hem that yeden out of `the hipe of Jacob weren seuenti and fyue.
[6] Forsothe Joseph was in Egipt; and whanne he was deed, and alle hise brithren, and al his kynrede,
[7] the sones of Israel encreessiden, and weren multiplied as buriounnyng, and thei weren maad strong greetli, and filliden the lond.
[8] A newe kyng, that knewe not Joseph, roos in the meene tyme on Egipt, and seide to his puple, Lo!
[9] the puple of the sones of Israel is myche, and strongere than we;
[10] come ye, wiseli oppresse we it, lest perauenture it be multiplied; and lest, if batel risith ayens vs, it be addid to oure enemyes, and go out of the lond, whanne we ben ouercomun.
[11] And so he made maistris of werkis souereyns to hem, that thei schulden turmente hem with chargis. And thei maden citees of tabernaclis to Farao, Fiton, and Ramesses.
[12] And bi hou myche thei oppressiden hem, bi so myche thei weren multiplied, and encreessiden more.
[13] And Egipcians hatiden the sones of Israel, and turmentiden, and scorneden hem;
[14] and brouyten her lijf to bitternesse bi hard werkis of cley and to tijl stoon, and bi al seruage, bi which thei weren oppressid in the werkis of erthe.
[15] Forsothe the kyng of Egipt seide to the mydwyues of Ebrews, of whiche oon was clepid Sefora, the tother Fua;
[16] and he commaundide to hem, Whanne ye schulen do the office of medewyues to Ebrew wymmen, and the tyme of childberyng schal come, if it is a knaue child, sle ye him; if it is a womman, kepe ye.
[17] Forsothe the medewyues dredden God, and diden not bi the comaundement of the kyng of Egipt, but kepten knaue children.
[18] To whiche clepid to hym the kyng seide, What is this thing which ye wolden do, that ye wolden kepe the children?
[19] Whiche answeriden, Ebrew wymmen ben not as the wymmen of Egipt, for thei han kunnyng of the craft of medewijf, and childen bifore that we comen to hem.
[20] Therfor God dide wel to medewyues; and the puple encreesside, and was coumfortid greetli.
[21] And for the mydewyues dredden God, he bildide `housis to hem.
[22] Therfor Farao comaundide al his puple, and seide, What euer thing of male kynde is borun to Ebrewis, `caste ye into the flood; what euer thing of wymmen kynde, kepe ye.
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