Exodus 1:19

Exodus 1:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)The 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”

Context of Exodus 1:19

17However, the midwives feared God and didn’t obey the king of Egypt’s orders. They let the boys live. 18So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. He asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women. They are so healthy that they have their babies before a midwife arrives.” 20God was good to the midwives. So the people increased in number and became very strong. 21Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Exodus 1:19 word by word

וַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֧א כַנָּשִׁ֛ים הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־חָי֣וֹת הֵ֔נָּה בְּטֶ֨רֶם תָּב֧וֹא אֲלֵהֶ֛ן הַמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת וְיָלָֽדוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the midwivesיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
• Because the Hebrewעִבְרִי‛ibrîy · HebrewH5680
• womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• not as the Egyptian womenמִצְרִיmitsrîy · EgyptianH4713
• livelyחָיֶהchâyeh · vigorousH2422
• ereטֶ֫רֶםţerem · beforeH2962
• come inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935

Cross-references for Exodus 1:19

• Joshua 2:4But the woman had already taken the two men inside and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come here. But I didn’t know where they had come from.
• 1 Samuel 21:2“The king ordered me to do something,” David answered the priest Ahimelech, “and he told me, ‘No one must know anything about this mission I’m sending you on and about the orders I’ve given you. I’ve stationed my young men at a certain place.’ ”
• 2 Samuel 17:19The man’s wife took a cover, spread it over the top of the cistern, and scattered some grain over it so that no one could tell it was there.

Commentaries on Exodus 1:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women - This is a simple statement of what general experience shows to be a fact, viz., that women, who during the whole of their pregnancy are accustomed to hard labor, especially in the open air, have comparatively little pain in parturition. At this time the whole Hebrew nation, men and women, were in a state of slavery, and were obliged to work in mortar and brick, and all manner of service In The Field, Exodus…Read the comment
• 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. 19Some people may feel concerned that the midwives did not speak openly about their main reason for keeping the baby boys alive. However, this passage shows an important principle. Complete openness in every situation is not presented as more important than faithful loyalty to God and to his people. The midwives chose to protect life and to remain loyal to the Lord.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 1:19

• Integrity
• Israel
• Midwifery
• Oppression
• Servant
• Usurpation

In the dictionaries

• Egyptian
• Pharaoh
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Pharaoh, king of Egypt
• Arise
• Bitter
• Exodus
• Hard
• Hebrew
• Lie

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