Chapter 2

  After this there went a man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred.  

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  And she conceived, and bore a son; and seeing him a goodly child hid him three months.  

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  And when she could hide him no longer, she took a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and pitch: and put the little babe therein, and laid him in the sedges by the river's brink,  

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  His sister standing afar off, and taking notice what would be done.  

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  And behold the daughter of Pharao came down to wash herself in the river: and her maids walked by the river's brink. And when she saw the basket in the sedges, she sent one of her maids for it: and when it was brought,  

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  She opened it and seeing within it an infant crying, having compassion on it she said: This is one of the babes of the Hebrews.  

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  And the child's sister said to her Shall I go and call to thee a Hebrew woman, to nurse the babe ?  

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  She answered: Go. The maid went and called her mother.  

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  And Pharao's daughter said to her. Take this child and nurse him for me: I will give thee thy wages. The woman took, and nursed the child: and when he was grown up, she delivered him to Pharao's daughter.  

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  And she adopted him for a son, and called him Moses, saying: Because I took him out of the water.  

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  In those days after Moses was grown up, he went out to his brethren: and saw their affliction, and an Egyptian striking one of the Hebrews his brethren.  

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  And when he had looked about this way and that way, and saw no one there, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.  

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  And going out the next day, he saw two Hebrews quarreling: and he said to him that did the wrong: Why strikest thou thy neighbour?  

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  But he answered: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us: wilt thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian? Moses feared, and said: How is this come to be known ?  

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  And Pharao heard of this word and sought to kill Moses: but he fled from his sight, and abode in the land of Madian, and he sat down by a well.  

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  And the priest of Madian had seven daughters, who came to draw water: and when the troughs were filled, desired to water their father's flocks.  

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  And the shepherds came and drove them away: and Moses arose, and defending the maids, watered their sheep.  

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  And when they returned to Raguel their father, he said to them: Why are ye come sooner than usual?  

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  They answered: A man of Egypt delivered us from the hands of the shepherds: and he drew water also with us, and gave the sheep to drink.  

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  But he said: Where is he? why have you let the man go? call him that he may eat bread.  

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  And Moses swore that he would dwell with him. And he took Sephora his daughter to wife:  

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  And she bore him a son, whom he called Gersam, saying: I have been a stranger in a foreign country. And she bore another, whom he called Eliezer, saying: For the God of my father, my helper hath delivered me out of the hand of Pharao.  

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  Now after a long time the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel groaning, cried out because of the works: and their cry went up unto God from the works.  

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  And he heard their groaning, and remembered the covenant which he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  

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  And the Lord looked upon the children of Israel, and he knew them.  

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