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

15 Then 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.”

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

18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”

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

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

22 Then 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 king מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֔יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular said וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to the Hebrew הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת H5680 Article | Noun - proper - feminine plural midwives לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת H3205 Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural vvv הָֽאַחַת֙ H259 Article | Number - feminine singular whose אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative names were שֵׁ֤ם H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct Shiphrah שִׁפְרָ֔ה H8236 Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . וְשֵׁ֥ם H8034 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct and הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית H8145 Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular Puah פּוּעָֽה׃ H6326 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

- וַיֹּ֗אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular When you help the Hebrew הָֽעִבְרִיּ֔וֹת H5680 Article | Noun - proper - feminine plural women give birth בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ H3205 Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person feminine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker observe [them] וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine plural on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the birthstools הָאָבְנָ֑יִם H70 Article | Noun - md If אִם־ H518 Conjunction [the child] הוּא֙ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular is a son בֵּ֥ן H1121 Noun - masculine singular kill וַהֲמִתֶּ֣ן H4191 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine plural him אֹת֔וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular but if וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction it is הִ֖יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular a daughter בַּ֥ת H1323 Noun - feminine singular let her live וָחָֽיָה׃ H2421 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

The midwives, however הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ H3205 Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker feared וַתִּירֶ֤אןָ H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural God הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים H430 Article | Noun - masculine plural and did not וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle do עָשׂ֔וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural as כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative the king מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרָ֑יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular had instructed דִּבֶּ֥ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן H413 Preposition | third person feminine plural they let the boys הַיְלָדִֽים׃ H3206 Article | Noun - masculine plural live וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ H2421 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker
Verse 18

Original words

So the king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular summoned וַיִּקְרָ֤א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the midwives לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת H3205 Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural and asked וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular them לָהֶ֔ן Preposition | third person feminine plural Why מַדּ֥וּעַ H4069 Interrogative have you done עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine plural . . . הַדָּבָ֣ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular this הַזֶּ֑ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular Why have you let the boys הַיְלָדִֽים׃ H3206 Article | Noun - masculine plural live וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ H2421 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person feminine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker
Verse 19

Original words

The midwives הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ H3205 Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural answered וַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition Pharaoh פַּרְעֹ֔ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular The Hebrew women הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת H5680 Article | Noun - proper - feminine plural . . . כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction are not לֹ֧א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle like the Egyptian הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת H4713 Article | Noun - proper - feminine plural women כַנָּשִׁ֛ים H802 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine plural for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction they הֵ֔נָּה H2007 Pronoun - third person feminine plural are vigorous חָי֣וֹת H2422 Adjective - feminine plural and give birth וְיָלָֽדוּ׃ H3205 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural before בְּטֶ֨רֶם H2962 Preposition-b | Adverb a midwife הַמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת H3205 Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular arrives תָּב֧וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular . . . אֲלֵהֶ֛ן H413 Preposition | third person feminine plural
Verse 20

Original words

So God אֱלֹהִ֖ים H430 Noun - masculine plural was good וַיֵּ֥יטֶב H3190 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to the midwives לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת H3205 Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural and the people הָעָ֛ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular multiplied וַיִּ֧רֶב H7235 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular and became even more מְאֹֽד׃ H3966 Adverb numerous וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ H6105 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 21

Original words

- וַיְהִ֕י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular And because כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the midwives הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת H3205 Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker feared יָֽרְא֥וּ H3372 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural God הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים H430 Article | Noun - masculine plural He gave וַיַּ֥עַשׂ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular them לָהֶ֖ם Preposition | third person masculine plural families of their own בָּתִּֽים׃ H1004 Noun - masculine plural
Verse 22

Original words

Then Pharaoh פַּרְעֹ֔ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular commanded וַיְצַ֣ו H6680 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular all לְכָל־ H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct his people עַמּ֖וֹ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct son הַבֵּ֣ן H1121 Article | Noun - masculine singular born [to the Hebrews] הַיִּלּ֗וֹד H3209 Article | Adjective - masculine singular you must throw תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ H7993 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | third person masculine singular into the Nile הַיְאֹ֙רָה֙ H2975 Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular but every וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct daughter הַבַּ֖ת H1323 Article | Noun - feminine singular you may allow to live תְּחַיּֽוּן׃ס H2421 Verb - 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.