Exodus 1:15

Exodus 1:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
• New International Version (NIV)The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah;

Context of Exodus 1:15

13The Egyptians used violence to compel the sons of Israel to labor; 14and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they violently had them perform as slaves. Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah, and the other was named Puah; 16and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.

Exodus 1:15 word by word

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Then the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• spokeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to the Hebrewעִבְרִי‛ibrîy · HebrewH5680
• midwivesיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• of whomאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• was namedשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• Shiphrahשִׁפְרָהshiphrâh · ShiphrahH8236
• and the otherשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
• Puahפּוּעָהpû‛âh · PuahH6326

Commentaries on Exodus 1:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Hebrew midwives - Shiphrah and Puah, who are here mentioned, were probably certain chiefs, under whom all the rest acted, and by whom they were instructed in the obstetric art. Aben Ezra supposes there could not have been fewer than five hundred midwives among the Hebrew women at this time, but that very few were requisite see proved on Exodus 1:19; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Hebrew midwifes - Or “midwives of the Hebrew women.” This measure at once attested the inefficacy of the former measures, and was the direct cause of the event which issued in the deliverance of Israel, namely, the exposure of Moses. The women bear Egyptian names, and were probably Egyptians.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. 15Pharaoh is a title for the Egyptian ruler, not a personal name. The origin of the word Hebrew is not clear. When Egyptians and Philistines used this word for the Israelites, it may have been an insult. It likely described a low social class that other people considered unimportant or inferior. Whatever the number of Hebrew people, there were clearly more than two midwives for the whole nation (see study note on 12:37). Shiphrah and Puah probably represent…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives--Two only were spoken to--either they were the heads of a large corporation [Laborde], or, by tampering with these two, the king designed to terrify the rest into secret compliance with his wishes [Calvin].Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 1:15

• Infanticide
• Israel
• Midwifery
• Oppression
• Puah
• Servant
• Shiphrah
• Usurpation

In the dictionaries

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

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