English Standard Version
Exodus 1:18
18So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the male children live?"
Exodus 1:18 in other versions
- King James Version (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?
- New International Version (NIV)Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)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?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. “Why have you done this?” he demanded. “Why have you allowed the boys to live?”
Context of Exodus 1:18
16"When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live." 17But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the male children live?" 19The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them." 20So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong.
Read all of Exodus 1Exodus 1:18 word by word
וַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- for the midwivesיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, Whyמַדּוּעַmaddûa‛ maddûa‛ · why?H4069
- have ye doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- and have savedחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- the men childrenיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
Cross-references for Exodus 1:18
- 2 Samuel 13:28Then Absalom commanded his servants, "Mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant."
- Ecclesiastes 8:4For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, "What are you doing?"
Commentaries on Exodus 1:18
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 The Egyptians tried to destroy Israel by the murder of their children. The enmity that is in the seed of the serpent, against the Seed of the woman, makes men forget all pity. It is plain that the Hebrews were now under an uncommon blessing. And we see that the services done for God's Israel are often repaid in kind. Pharaoh gave orders to drown all the male children of the Hebrews. The enemy who, by Pharaoh, attempted to destroy the church…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22The need for rescue was clearly related to the Israelites' condition. The Egyptians forced the people of Israel to work without mercy (1:13). It was also related to promises God had made to the patriarchs years earlier. The Lord had promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation, living freely in the land of Canaan. At this time, Abraham's descendants were slaves in Egypt under a pharaoh who wanted to destroy them as a people. God would…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-22Commentary by Robert Jamieson 1. Now these are the names--(See Ge 46:8-26).Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 1:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries