15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom [a]was named Shiphrah, and the other [b]was named Puah; 16 and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, (A)if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives [c](B)feared God, and (C)did not do as the king of Egypt had [d]commanded them, but let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife [e]can get to them.” 20 So (D)God was good to the midwives, and (E)the people multiplied, and became very [f]mighty. 21 And because the midwives [g](F)feared God, He [h](G)established [i]households for them. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “(H)Every son who is born, [j]you are to throw into (I)the Nile, but every daughter, you are to keep alive.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:15 Lit the name was
  2. Exodus 1:15 Lit the name was
  3. Exodus 1:17 Or revered
  4. Exodus 1:17 Lit spoken to
  5. Exodus 1:19 Lit comes to
  6. Exodus 1:20 Or numerous
  7. Exodus 1:21 Or revered
  8. Exodus 1:21 Lit made
  9. Exodus 1:21 Or families
  10. Exodus 1:22 Some ancient versions insert to the Hebrews

15 And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives—of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah and the name of the second was Puah— 16 and he said, “When you help the Hebrews give birth, you will look upon the pairs of testicles; if he is a son, you will put him to death, and if she is a daughter, she will live.” 17 But the midwives feared God, and they did not do as the king of Egypt had said to them. They let the boys live. 18 And the king of Egypt summoned the midwives, and he said to them, “Why have you done this thing and let the boys live?” 19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, because they are vigorous; before the midwife comes to them, they have given birth.” 20 And God did the midwives good, and the Israelite people became many and were very numerous. 21 And so[a] because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.[b] 22 And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you will throw into the Nile, and every daughter you will let live.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:21 Literally “and he/it was”
  2. Exodus 1:21 Literally “houses”