Focused Passage

Exodus 1:15-22

Israel Multiplies Under Oppression

The sons of Israel multiply in Egypt, Egypt responds with fear and oppression, but the LORD preserves His covenant people through faithful resistance and providential protection.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,

16“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

17The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.

18So 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, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”

20So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.

21And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.

22Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

Then the kingמֶ֣לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרַ֔יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularsaidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto the Hebrewהָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑תH5680Article | Noun - proper - feminine pluralmidwivesלַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖תH3205Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine pluralvvvהָֽאַחַת֙H259Article | Number - feminine singularwhoseאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativenames wereשֵׁ֤םH8034Noun - masculine singular constructShiphrahשִׁפְרָ֔הH8236Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .וְשֵׁ֥םH8034Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructandהַשֵּׁנִ֖יתH8145Article | Number - ordinal feminine singularPuahפּוּעָֽה׃H6326Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

-וַיֹּ֗אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularWhen you help the Hebrewהָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹתH5680Article | Noun - proper - feminine pluralwomen give birthבְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙H3205Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerobserve [them]וּרְאִיתֶ֖ןH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine pluralonעַל־H5921Prepositionthe birthstoolsהָאָבְנָ֑יִםH70Article | Noun - mdIfאִם־H518Conjunction[the child]הוּא֙H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis a sonבֵּ֥ןH1121Noun - masculine singularkillוַהֲמִתֶּ֣ןH4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine pluralhimאֹת֔וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularbut ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionit isהִ֖יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singulara daughterבַּ֥תH1323Noun - feminine singularlet her liveוָחָֽיָה׃H2421Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

The midwives, howeverהַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙H3205Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerfearedוַתִּירֶ֤אןָH3372Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluralGodהָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔יםH430Article | Noun - masculine pluraland did notוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particledoעָשׂ֔וּH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralasכַּאֲשֶׁ֛רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativethe kingמֶ֣לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularhad instructedדִּבֶּ֥רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֲלֵיהֶ֖ןH413Preposition | third person feminine pluralthey let the boysהַיְלָדִֽים׃H3206Article | Noun - masculine pluralliveוַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָH2421Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object marker
Verse 18

Original words

So the kingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרַ֙יִם֙H4714Noun - proper - feminine singularsummonedוַיִּקְרָ֤אH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe midwivesלַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔תH3205Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine pluraland askedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthemלָהֶ֔ןPreposition | third person feminine pluralWhyמַדּ֥וּעַH4069Interrogativehave you doneעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ןH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine plural. . .הַדָּבָ֣רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularthisהַזֶּ֑הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularWhy have you let the boysהַיְלָדִֽים׃H3206Article | Noun - masculine pluralliveוַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָH2421Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object marker
Verse 19

Original words

The midwivesהַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙H3205Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine pluralansweredוַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural. . .אֶל־H413PrepositionPharaohפַּרְעֹ֔הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singularThe Hebrew womenהָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑תH5680Article | Noun - proper - feminine plural. . .כִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionare notלֹ֧אH3808Adverb - Negative particlelike the Egyptianהַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖תH4713Article | Noun - proper - feminine pluralwomenכַנָּשִׁ֛יםH802Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine pluralforכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctiontheyהֵ֔נָּהH2007Pronoun - third person feminine pluralare vigorousחָי֣וֹתH2422Adjective - feminine pluraland give birthוְיָלָֽדוּ׃H3205Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralbeforeבְּטֶ֨רֶםH2962Preposition-b | Adverba midwifeהַמְיַלֶּ֖דֶתH3205Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singulararrivesתָּב֧וֹאH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular. . .אֲלֵהֶ֛ןH413Preposition | third person feminine plural
Verse 20

Original words

So Godאֱלֹהִ֖יםH430Noun - masculine pluralwas goodוַיֵּ֥יטֶבH3190Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto the midwivesלַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑תH3205Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine pluraland the peopleהָעָ֛םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularmultipliedוַיִּ֧רֶבH7235Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand became even moreמְאֹֽד׃H3966Adverbnumerousוַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּH6105Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 21

Original words

-וַיְהִ֕יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularAnd becauseכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe midwivesהַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖תH3205Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerfearedיָֽרְא֥וּH3372Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralGodהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםH430Article | Noun - masculine pluralHe gaveוַיַּ֥עַשׂH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthemלָהֶ֖םPreposition | third person masculine pluralfamilies of their ownבָּתִּֽים׃H1004Noun - masculine plural
Verse 22

Original words

Then Pharaohפַּרְעֹ֔הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singularcommandedוַיְצַ֣וH6680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularallלְכָל־H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructhis peopleעַמּ֖וֹH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructEveryכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructsonהַבֵּ֣ןH1121Article | Noun - masculine singularborn [to the Hebrews]הַיִּלּ֗וֹדH3209Article | Adjective - masculine singularyou must throwתַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּH7993Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | third person masculine singularinto the Nileהַיְאֹ֙רָה֙H2975Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularbut everyוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructdaughterהַבַּ֖תH1323Article | Noun - feminine singularyou may allow to liveתְּחַיּֽוּן׃סH2421Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun

BSB notes

  • SP, LXX, and Targum Yonaton; Hebrew does not include to the Hebrews.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.