New International Version
Exodus 1:20
20So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous.
Exodus 1:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful.
Context of Exodus 1:20
18Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” 19The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. 22Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”
Read all of Exodus 1Exodus 1:20 word by word
וַיֵּ֥יטֶב אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת וַיִּ֧רֶב הָעָ֛ם וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 1:20
- Psalms 41:1Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
- Psalms 61:5For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
- Psalms 85:9Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
- Psalms 103:11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
- Psalms 111:5He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
- Psalms 145:19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
- Proverbs 11:18A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
- Proverbs 19:17Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.
- Ecclesiastes 8:12Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.
- Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.
- Matthew 10:42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
- Matthew 25:40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
- Luke 1:50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
- Hebrews 6:10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
- Exodus 1:7but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.
Commentaries on Exodus 1:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty - This shows an especial providence and blessing of God; for though in all cases where females are kept to hard labor they have comparatively easy and safe travail, yet in a state of slavery the increase is generally very small, as the children die for want of proper nursing, the women, through their labor, being obliged to neglect their offspring; so that in the…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. 20-21He gave them families: For most of history, children have had the worthy goal of growing up to raise a family. God graciously granted the universal wish of these women who served him courageously and faithfully.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. God dealt well with the midwives--This represents God as rewarding them for telling a lie. This difficulty is wholly removed by a more correct translation. To "make" or "build up a house" in Hebrew idiom, means to have a numerous progeny. The passage then should be rendered thus: "God protected the midwives, and the people waxed very mighty; and because the midwives feared, the Hebrews grew and prospered."Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 1:20
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
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