Exodus 1:15-22
New American Standard Bible
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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- Exodus 1:15 Lit the name was
- Exodus 1:15 Lit the name was
- Exodus 1:17 Or revered
- Exodus 1:17 Lit spoken to
- Exodus 1:19 Lit comes to
- Exodus 1:20 Or numerous
- Exodus 1:21 Or revered
- Exodus 1:21 Lit made
- Exodus 1:21 Or families
- Exodus 1:22 Some ancient versions insert to the Hebrews
Exodus 1:15-22
International Standard Version
Pharaoh Orders Male Children Killed
15 Later, the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah. 16 “When you help the Hebrew women give birth,” he said, “watch them as they deliver.[a] If it’s a son, kill him; but if it’s a daughter, let her live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and didn’t do what the king of Egypt told them. Instead,[b] they let the boys live.
18 When the king of Egypt called for the midwives, he asked them, “Why have you done this[c] and allowed the boys to live?”
19 “Hebrew women aren’t like Egyptian women,” the midwives replied to Pharaoh. “They’re so healthy that they give birth before the midwives arrive to help[d] them.”
20 God was pleased with the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 Because the midwives feared God, he provided families[e] for them. 22 Meanwhile, Pharaoh continued commanding all of his people, “You’re to throw every Hebrew[f] son who is born into the Nile River,[g] but you’re to allow every Hebrew[h] daughter to live.”
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- Exodus 1:16 Lit. them on the birth stool
- Exodus 1:17 The Heb. lacks Instead
- Exodus 1:18 Lit. this thing
- Exodus 1:19 The Heb. lacks to help
- Exodus 1:21 Or households; lit. houses
- Exodus 1:22 The Heb. lacks Hebrew
- Exodus 1:22 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 1:22 The Heb. lacks Hebrew
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