Exodus 1:18
16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
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?
19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
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
Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
Read in context2 Samuel 13:28
Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
Read in context