15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives,(A) whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”(B) 17 The midwives, however, feared(C) God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do;(D) they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”(E)

20 So God was kind to the midwives(F) and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared(G) God, he gave them families(H) of their own.

22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile,(I) but let every girl live.”(J)

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15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the (A)Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a (B)son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives (C)feared God, and did not do (D)as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?”

19 And (E)the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they [a]are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”

20 (F)Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and [b]grew very mighty. 21 And so it was, because the midwives feared God, (G)that He [c]provided households for them.

22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, (H)“Every son who is [d]born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:19 have vigor of life, bear quickly, easily
  2. Exodus 1:20 became very numerous
  3. Exodus 1:21 gave them families
  4. Exodus 1:22 Sam., LXX, Tg. add to the Hebrews