New American Standard Bible 2020
Exodus 1:17
17But the midwives 12feared God, and 3did not do as the king of Egypt had 4commanded them, but let the boys live.
Exodus 1:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
- New International Version (NIV)The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.
Context of Exodus 1:17
15Then 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.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. 18So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys 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 can get to them.”
Read all of Exodus 1Exodus 1:17 word by word
וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- But the midwivesיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- did not doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- as the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- commandedדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- them, but let the boysיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
Cross-references for Exodus 1:17
- Genesis 20:11Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.
- Genesis 42:18Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:
- Nehemiah 5:15But the previous governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of my fear of God.
- Psalms 31:19How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have performed for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of mankind!
- Proverbs 8:13The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride, arrogance, the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.
- Proverbs 16:6By mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing, And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
- Proverbs 24:11Rescue those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to the slaughter, Oh hold them back!
- Ecclesiastes 8:12Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will go well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
- Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we are not in need of an answer to give you concerning this matter.
- Daniel 6:13Then they responded and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps offering his prayer three times a day.”
- Hosea 5:11Ephraim is oppressed, broken by judgment, Because he was determined to follow man’s command.
- Micah 6:16The statutes of Omri And every work of the house of Ahab are maintained, And you walk by their plans. Therefore I will give you up for destruction, And your inhabitants for derision, And you will suffer the taunting of My people.”
- Matthew 10:28And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Luke 12:5But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed someone, has the power to throw that person into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!
- Acts 4:19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your own judgment;
Commentaries on Exodus 1:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The midwives feared God - Because they knew that God had forbidden murder of every kind; for though the law was not yet given, Exodus 20:13, being Hebrews they must have known that God had from the beginning declared, Whosoever sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, Genesis 9:6. Therefore they saved the male children of all to whose assistance they were called. See Clarke's note on Exodus 1:19.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. 17The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed: This was because they feared God more than they feared Pharaoh (1:21). Fear of the Lord refers to having reverent awe of him as the almighty Creator and Judge. This is the foundation of true knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). The Lord is a friend to those who fear him (Psalm 25:14). The midwives understood that the Lord has more power than any human.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. But the midwives feared God--Their faith inspired them with such courage as to risk their lives, by disobeying the mandate of a cruel tyrant; but it was blended with weakness, which made them shrink from speaking the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 1:17
In the dictionaries
Notes
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
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