New King James Version
Exodus 1:17
17But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.
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 Living Translation (NLT)But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
Context of Exodus 1:17
15Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?” 19And 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.”
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the midwivesיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- and didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- not as the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- commandedדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- them, but savedחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- the men childrenיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
Cross-references for Exodus 1:17
- Genesis 20:11And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.
- Genesis 42:18Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:
- Nehemiah 5:15But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
- Psalms 31:19Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!
- Proverbs 8:13The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
- Proverbs 16:6In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
- Proverbs 24:11Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
- Ecclesiastes 8:12Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.
- Daniel 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
- Daniel 6:13So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
- Hosea 5:11Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, Because he willingly walked by human precept.
- Micah 6:16For the statutes of Omri are kept; All the works of Ahab’s house are done; And you walk in their counsels, That I may make you a desolation, And your inhabitants a hissing. Therefore you shall bear the reproach of My people.”
- Matthew 10:28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Luke 12:5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to 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 more than to God, you judge.
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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries