Chapter 1
The Israelites Multiply in Egypt
1
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
𐤅𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤁𐤀𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤁𐤀𐤅 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤅
וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצְרָ֑יְמָה אֵ֣ת יַעֲקֹ֔ב אִ֥ישׁ בָּֽאוּ׃ וּבֵית֖וֹ wə·’êl·leh šə·mō·wṯ bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl hab·bā·’îm miṣ·rā·yə·māh ’êṯ ya·‘ă·qōḇ ’îš bā·’ū ū·ḇê·ṯōw — WLC · 1
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Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤁𐤍 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤍 𐤋𐤅𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄
רְאוּבֵ֣ן שִׁמְע֔וֹן לֵוִ֖י וִיהוּדָֽה׃ rə·’ū·ḇên šim·‘ō·wn lê·wî wî·hū·ḏāh — WLC · 2
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Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;
𐤉𐤔𐤔𐤊𐤓 𐤆𐤁𐤅𐤋𐤍 𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌𐤍
יִשָּׂשכָ֥ר זְבוּלֻ֖ן וּבְנְיָמִֽן׃ yiś·śā·š·ḵār zə·ḇū·lun ū·ḇə·nə·yå̄·min — WLC · 3
4
Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
𐤃𐤍 𐤅𐤍𐤐𐤕𐤋𐤉 𐤂𐤃 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤓
דָּ֥ן וְנַפְתָּלִ֖י גָּ֥ד וְאָשֵֽׁר׃ dān wə·nap̄·tā·lî gāḏ wə·’ā·šêr — WLC · 4
5
The descendants of Jacob… numbered seventy in all…, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
𐤍𐤐𐤔 𐤉𐤏𐤒𐤁 𐤉𐤑𐤀𐤉 𐤉𐤓𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤋 𐤍𐤐𐤔 𐤅𐤉𐤅𐤎𐤐 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌
נֶ֛פֶשׁ יַעֲקֹ֖ב יֹצְאֵ֥י יֶֽרֶךְ־ וַֽיְהִ֗י שִׁבְעִ֣ים כָּל־ נָ֑פֶשׁ וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הָיָ֥ה בְמִצְרָֽיִם׃ ne·p̄eš ya·‘ă·qōḇ yō·ṣə·’ê ye·reḵ- way·hî šiḇ·‘îm kāl- nā·p̄eš wə·yō·w·sêp̄ hā·yāh ḇə·miṣ·rā·yim — WLC · 5
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Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
𐤉𐤅𐤎𐤐 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤄𐤃𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤌𐤕
יוֹסֵף֙ וְכָל־ אֶחָ֔יו וְכֹ֖ל הַהֽוּא׃ הַדּ֥וֹר וַיָּ֤מָת yō·w·sêp̄ wə·ḵāl ’e·ḥāw wə·ḵōl ha·hū had·dō·wr way·yā·māṯ — WLC · 6
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but the Israelites… were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly… numerous, so that the land… was filled with them.
𐤅𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤐𐤓𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤑𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤅 𐤁𐤌𐤀𐤃 𐤌𐤀𐤃 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤅 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤀𐤕𐤌𐤐 𐤅𐤕𐤌𐤋𐤀
וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּר֧וּ וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ הָאָ֖רֶץ אֹתָֽם׃פ וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א ū·ḇə·nê yiś·rā·’êl pā·rū way·yiš·rə·ṣū way·yir·bū bim·’ōḏ mə·’ōḏ way·ya·‘aṣ·mū hā·’ā·reṣ ’ō·ṯām wat·tim·mā·lê — WLC · 7
Oppression by a New King
8
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
𐤇𐤃𐤔 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤀𐤕 𐤉𐤅𐤎𐤐 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌
חָדָ֖שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־ יָדַ֖ע אֶת־ יוֹסֵֽף׃ וַיָּ֥קָם עַל־ מִצְרָ֑יִם ḥā·ḏāš me·leḵ- ’ă·šer lō- yā·ḏa‘ ’eṯ- yō·w·sêp̄ way·yā·qām ‘al- miṣ·rā·yim — WLC · 8
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“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites… [have become] too numerous and too powerful for us.
𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤅 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤌 𐤓𐤁 𐤅𐤏𐤑𐤅𐤌 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤅
הִנֵּ֗ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־ עַמּ֑וֹ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֚ם רַ֥ב וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ hin·nêh way·yō·mer ’el- ‘am·mōw bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl ‘am raḇ wə·‘ā·ṣūm mim·men·nū — WLC · 9
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Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if… a war breaks out, they… may join… our enemies, fight against us, and leave… the country.
𐤄𐤁𐤄 𐤍𐤕𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤅 𐤐𐤍 𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤌𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤒𐤓𐤀𐤍𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤏𐤋 𐤅𐤍𐤅𐤎𐤐 𐤂𐤌 𐤔𐤍𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤍𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤁𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤍 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑
הָ֥בָה נִֽתְחַכְּמָ֖ה ל֑וֹ פֶּן־ יִרְבֶּ֗ה וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־ מִלְחָמָה֙ תִקְרֶ֤אנָה הוּא֙ עַל־ וְנוֹסַ֤ף גַּם־ שֹׂ֣נְאֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַם־ בָּ֖נוּ וְעָלָ֥ה מִן־ הָאָֽרֶץ׃ hā·ḇāh niṯ·ḥak·kə·māh lōw pen- yir·beh wə·hā·yāh kî- mil·ḥā·māh ṯiq·re·nāh hū ‘al- wə·nō·w·sap̄ gam- śō·nə·’ê·nū wə·nil·ḥam- bā·nū wə·‘ā·lāh min- hā·’ā·reṣ — WLC · 10
11
So [the Egyptians] appointed taskmasters… over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh -.
𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤌𐤅 𐤔𐤓𐤉 𐤌𐤎𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤋𐤌𐤏𐤍 𐤏𐤍𐤕𐤅 𐤁𐤎𐤁𐤋𐤕𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤍 𐤐𐤕𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤕 𐤓𐤏𐤌𐤎𐤎 𐤌𐤎𐤊𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤓𐤉 𐤋𐤐𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤀𐤕
וַיָּשִׂ֤ימוּ שָׂרֵ֣י מִסִּ֔ים עָלָיו֙ לְמַ֥עַן עַנֹּת֖וֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיִּ֜בֶן פִּתֹ֖ם וְאֶת־ רַעַמְסֵֽס׃ מִסְכְּנוֹת֙ עָרֵ֤י לְפַרְעֹ֔ה אֶת־ way·yā·śî·mū śā·rê mis·sîm ‘ā·lāw lə·ma·‘an ‘an·nō·ṯōw bə·siḇ·lō·ṯām way·yi·ḇen pi·ṯōm wə·’eṯ- ra·‘am·sês mis·kə·nō·wṯ ‘ā·rê lə·p̄ar·‘ōh ’eṯ- — WLC · 11
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- But the more they were oppressed, - the more they multiplied… and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread… the Israelites…
𐤅𐤊𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤕𐤅 𐤊𐤍 𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤍 𐤉𐤐𐤓𐤑 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤑𐤅 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋
וְכַאֲשֶׁר֙ יְעַנּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כֵּ֥ן יִרְבֶּ֖ה וְכֵ֣ן יִפְרֹ֑ץ וַיָּקֻ֕צוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ wə·ḵa·’ă·šer yə·‘an·nū ’ō·ṯōw kên yir·beh wə·ḵên yip̄·rōṣ way·yā·qu·ṣū mip·pə·nê bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl — WLC · 12
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They worked… the Israelites… ruthlessly
𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤅 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤁𐤐𐤓𐤊
וַיַּעֲבִ֧דוּ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃ way·ya·‘ă·ḇi·ḏū miṣ·ra·yim ’eṯ- bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl bə·p̄ā·reḵ — WLC · 13
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and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤌𐤓𐤓𐤅 𐤀𐤕 𐤒𐤔𐤄 𐤁𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤇𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤁𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤄 𐤁𐤔𐤃𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤕𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤅 𐤁𐤄𐤌 𐤁𐤐𐤓𐤊
חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־ קָשָׁ֗ה בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבְכָל־ עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־ עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־ עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃ ḥay·yê·hem way·mā·rə·rū ’eṯ- qā·šāh ba·‘ă·ḇō·ḏāh ū·ḇil·ḇê·nîm bə·ḥō·mer ū·ḇə·ḵāl ‘ă·ḇō·ḏāh baś·śā·ḏeh ’êṯ kāl- ‘ă·ḇō·ḏā·ṯām ’ă·šer- ‘ā·ḇə·ḏū ḇā·hem bə·p̄ā·reḵ — WLC · 14
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Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, vvv whose names were Shiphrah… and Puah,
𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤋𐤌𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤕 𐤄𐤀𐤇𐤕 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤔𐤌 𐤔𐤐𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤔𐤌 𐤄𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤕 𐤐𐤅𐤏𐤄
מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽאַחַת֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃ me·leḵ miṣ·ra·yim way·yō·mer hā·‘iḇ·rî·yōṯ lam·yal·lə·ḏōṯ hā·’a·ḥaṯ ’ă·šer šêm šip̄·rāh wə·šêm haš·šê·nîṯ pū·‘āh — WLC · 15
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- “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe [them] on the birthstools. If [the child] is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤊𐤍 𐤀𐤕 𐤅𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤁𐤍 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤕𐤍 𐤀𐤕𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤁𐤕 𐤅𐤇𐤉𐤄
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹת בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ אֶת־ וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן עַל־ הָאָבְנָ֑יִם אִם־ הוּא֙ בֵּ֥ן וַהֲמִתֶּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ וְאִם־ הִ֖יא בַּ֥ת וָחָֽיָה׃ way·yō·mer hā·‘iḇ·rî·yō·wṯ bə·yal·leḏ·ḵen ’eṯ- ū·rə·’î·ṯen ‘al- hā·’ā·ḇə·nā·yim ’im- hū bên wa·hă·mit·ten ’ō·ṯōw wə·’im- hî baṯ wā·ḥā·yāh — WLC · 16
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The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed…; they let the boys live. -
𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤕 𐤀𐤕 𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤍 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤔𐤅 𐤊𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤄𐤍 𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤕𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤀𐤕
הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־ וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן הַיְלָדִֽים׃ וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־ ham·yal·lə·ḏōṯ ’eṯ- wat·tî·re·nā hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm wə·lō ‘ā·śū ka·’ă·šer me·leḵ miṣ·rā·yim dib·ber ’ă·lê·hen hay·lā·ḏîm wat·tə·ḥay·ye·nā ’eṯ- — WLC · 17
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So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done… this? Why have you let the boys live?” -
𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤋𐤌𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤕 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤄𐤍 𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤏 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤄𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤄𐤆𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤕𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤀𐤕
מֶֽלֶךְ־ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ וַיִּקְרָ֤א לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה הַיְלָדִֽים׃ וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־ me·leḵ- miṣ·ra·yim way·yiq·rā lam·yal·lə·ḏōṯ way·yō·mer lā·hen mad·dū·a‘ ‘ă·śî·ṯen had·dā·ḇār haz·zeh hay·lā·ḏîm wat·tə·ḥay·ye·nā ’eṯ- — WLC · 18
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The midwives answered… Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women… are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives…”
𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤕 𐤅𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤐𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤄𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤊𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤇𐤉𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤅 𐤁𐤈𐤓𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤕 𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤍
הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ וַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ אֶל־ פַּרְעֹ֔ה הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־ לֹ֧א הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת כַנָּשִׁ֛ים כִּ֣י הֵ֔נָּה חָי֣וֹת וְיָלָֽדוּ׃ בְּטֶ֨רֶם הַמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת תָּב֧וֹא אֲלֵהֶ֛ן ham·yal·lə·ḏōṯ wat·tō·mar·nā ’el- par·‘ōh hā·‘iḇ·rî·yōṯ kî- lō ham·miṣ·rî·yōṯ ḵan·nā·šîm kî hên·nāh ḥā·yō·wṯ wə·yā·lā·ḏū bə·ṭe·rem ham·yal·le·ḏeṯ tā·ḇō·w ’ă·lê·hen — WLC · 19
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So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤉𐤈𐤁 𐤋𐤌𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤕 𐤄𐤏𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤓𐤁 𐤌𐤀𐤃 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤅
אֱלֹהִ֖ים וַיֵּ֥יטֶב לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת הָעָ֛ם וַיִּ֧רֶב מְאֹֽד׃ וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ ’ĕ·lō·hîm way·yê·ṭeḇ lam·yal·lə·ḏōṯ hā·‘ām way·yi·reḇ mə·’ōḏ way·ya·‘aṣ·mū — WLC · 20
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- And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤕 𐤀𐤕 𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤅 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤔 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤁𐤕𐤉𐤌
וַיְהִ֕י כִּֽי־ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת־ יָֽרְא֥וּ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים׃ way·hî kî- ham·yal·lə·ḏōṯ ’eṯ- yā·rə·’ū hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm way·ya·‘aś lā·hem bāt·tîm — WLC · 21
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Then Pharaoh commanded all his people…: “Every son born [to the Hebrews] you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”
𐤐𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤑𐤅 𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤅 𐤋𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤁𐤍 𐤄𐤉𐤋𐤅𐤃 𐤕𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤊𐤄𐤅 𐤄𐤉𐤀𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤁𐤕 𐤕𐤇𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤎
פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיְצַ֣ו לְכָל־ עַמּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר כָּל־ הַבֵּ֣ן הַיִּלּ֗וֹד תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ הַיְאֹ֙רָה֙ וְכָל־ הַבַּ֖ת תְּחַיּֽוּן׃ס par·‘ōh way·ṣaw lə·ḵāl ‘am·mōw lê·mōr kāl- hab·bên hay·yil·lō·wḏ taš·lî·ḵu·hū hay·’ō·rāh wə·ḵāl hab·baṯ tə·ḥay·yūn — WLC · 22