itle>Editor Andrey Tikhomirov
ISBN 978-5-0059-2185-7
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
The Exodus
The Second Book of Moses
Chapter 1
1 These are the names of the children of Israel who entered Egypt with Jacob, each entered with his house: (Jacob is the patriarch, the ancestor of the Israelites, the youngest son of Isaac. Jacob received from the priests the name Israel («God-fighter»), 12 of his sons became the ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel, that is, the clans. The number 12, like other numbers, was considered sacred. In fact, the number of Jewish tribes exceeded 12, the Bible mentions more than once, for example, the Hebrew tribe of Caleb, which does not appear in the «blessing» of Jacob).
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, (The names of the sons of Jacob, the account is in the male line, that is, the patriarchy has come).
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, (The names of the sons of Jacob).
4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. (The names of the sons of Jacob).
5 And all the souls that came from the loins of Jacob were seventy, and Joseph was already in Egypt. (Loins (Slavs.) – hips, lower abdomen, that is, from the penis – a euphemism).
6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all their kindred.; (Joseph is the first, long—awaited son of Jacob and Rachel. Fate threw him into Egypt, where he became close to Pharaoh’s cupbearer and soon made a brilliant career, later Joseph settled his father and brothers in Egypt).
7 But the children of Israel multiplied and multiplied, and grew and became exceedingly strong, and that land was filled with them. (In the Nile Delta, land was specially allocated in Egypt for settlers who asked for permission to settle, the settlers were used for forced labor, these settlers were called «Jews» from the Hebrew word «Hebrew» – «newcomers»).
8 And a new king rose up in Egypt, who did not know Joseph, (A new Pharaoh came to the throne, the names of the pharaohs are not called, or the author does not know them, or does not want to voice them. Perhaps there were several pharaohs merged, as it were, into one name).
9 And he said to his people, «Behold, the people of the children of Israel are numerous and stronger than we are.»; (It must be assumed that the newcomers-Israelis have multiplied greatly or new settlers have come).
10 Let us outwit him, so that he does not multiply; otherwise, when war happens, he will also unite with our enemies, and arm himself against us, and come out of the land. (The danger of alien collusion with the enemies of Egypt).
11 And they set over him superintendents of works, that they might exhaust him with hard labor. And he built Pharaoh Pythom and Raamses, cities for stores. (The use of Israeli aliens in construction work on the land of Goshen, the area of the south-east of the Nile Delta).
12 But the more they exhausted him, the more he multiplied and the more he grew, so that they feared the children of Israel. (The Jewish population was growing, most likely, not from births, but from the nailing of new immigrants. It is possible that the resettlement of Jews to Egypt dates back to the time of the Hyksos rule there (1750—1580 BC), who showed hospitality towards the Israelites, perhaps relatives, and became their support in Egypt. And the era of slavery for the Israelites begins after the liberation of Egypt from the yoke of the Hyksos, when the new pharaohs regarded them as enemies).
13 Therefore, the Egyptians cruelly forced the children of Israel to work (in order to reduce Protestant activity in this way).
14 and they made their life bitter because of the hard work on clay and bricks, and from all the work of the field, from all the work to which they were forced with cruelty. (The work involved clay and bricks, that is, construction, but also agricultural work).
15 The king of Egypt commanded the midwives of Jewish women, of whom one was named Cipher, and the other Foix, (There was already a profession of midwives).
16 And he said, When you are a midwife to the Hebrew women, then observe during childbirth: if there is a son, then kill him, and if a daughter, then let her live. (In ancient times, among many peoples, the birth of a son was considered more important than the birth of a daughter, since a son could be both a warrior and a farmer, as well as perform hard work).
17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them, and let the children live. (The midwives acted contrary to the Pharaoh’s order).
18 The king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, «Why do you do such a thing that you let the children live? (Pharaoh knew that his order was not being carried out).
19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, «Jewish women are not like Egyptian women; they are healthy, for before the midwife comes to them, they are already giving birth. (That is, Jewish women have been hiding the fact of pregnancy for a long time).
20 For this God did good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. (The Jewish, that is, the alien population is increasing).
21 And because the midwives feared God, he built their houses. (Most likely, Jewish families paid the midwives well).
22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, «Throw every newborn son into the river, but let every daughter live.» (Pharaoh’s new order to reduce the alien population).
Chapter 2
1 A man from the tribe of Levi went and took a wife from the same tribe. (The descendants of Levi, the son of Patriarch Jacob, were intended to help the priests in the tabernacle and then in the temple).
2 The wife conceived and gave birth to a son, and seeing that he was very handsome, she hid him for three months; (The woman hid both pregnancy and the birth of the child).
3 but unable to hide him any longer, she took a basket made of reeds and tarred it with asphalt and resin, and, putting the baby in it, placed it in the reeds by the river bank, (This is called «God’s judgment» – ordalia: what will be, will be, the will of the «higher powers». The origins of this superstition go back to ancient times and find their expression in the myths of various peoples, in particular, in the myth of the birth of King Sargon I of Akkad, as well as in similar myths about the Persian king Cyrus, the founder of Rome – Romulus, etc.).
4 and his sister began to observe from afar what would happen to him. (Waiting for «God’s providence»).
5 And Pharaoh’s daughter went out to the river to wash, and her handmaidens walked along the bank of the river. She saw a basket among the reeds and sent her slave to take it. (The basket falls into the eyes of the pharaoh’s daughter).
6 She opened it and saw the baby; and, behold, the child was crying; and she took pity on him and said, This is one of the Jewish children. (The child was definitely identified as Jewish, so there were such «finds» before, or the children of Jews were very different from the children of Egyptians, perhaps because of clothes or hairstyles).
7 And his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call a nurse of the Hebrew women to you, that she may nurse the baby for you? (The child’s sister clearly stated that he was Jewish).
8 Pharaoh’s
