Add parallel Print Page Options

15 Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: 16 “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver.[a] If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.

18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. “Why have you done this?” he demanded. “Why have you allowed the boys to live?”

19 “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women,” the midwives replied. “They are more vigorous and have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time.”

20 So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile River. But you may let the girls live.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1:16 Hebrew look upon the two stones; perhaps the reference is to a birthstool.

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.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 1:16 Lit. them on the birth stool
  2. Exodus 1:17 The Heb. lacks Instead
  3. Exodus 1:18 Lit. this thing
  4. Exodus 1:19 The Heb. lacks to help
  5. Exodus 1:21 Or households; lit. houses
  6. Exodus 1:22 The Heb. lacks Hebrew
  7. Exodus 1:22 The Heb. lacks River
  8. Exodus 1:22 The Heb. lacks Hebrew