Exodus 1:18
16 “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
So 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, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”
20 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
- KJV
- And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
- WEB
- The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?”
- ASV
- And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?
- DARBY
- And the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, Why have ye done this, and saved the male children alive?
- BLB
- And the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you⁺ done this thing and kept alive the male children?”
- ÅB
- Da kalte kongen i Egypt jordmødrene til seg og sa til dem: Hvorfor gjør dere dette og lar guttebarna leve?
- OTB
- Kongen av Egypt kalte jordmødrene til seg og spurte dem: "Hvorfor har dere handlet slik og latt guttene leve?"
- B1930
- Da kalte kongen i Egypten jordmødrene til sig og sa til dem: Hvorfor gjør I dette og lar guttebarna leve?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ecclesiastes 8:4
For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
Read in context2 Samuel 13:28
Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!”
Read in context