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Translation
King James Version
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
Complete Jewish Bible
The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and demanded of them, "Why have you done this and let the boys live?"
Berean Standard Bible
So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
American Standard Version
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?
World English Bible Messianic
The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and have saved the boys alive?”
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then the King of Egypt called for the midwiues, and sayde vnto them, Why haue yee done thus, and haue preserued aliue the men children?
Young's Literal Translation
and the king of Egypt calleth for the midwives, and saith to them, `Wherefore have ye done this thing, and keep the lads alive?'
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In the KJVVerse 1,551 of 31,102
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Commentary on Exodus 1 verses 15–22
15 ¶ And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
The Egyptians' indignation at Israel's increase, notwithstanding the many hardships they put upon them, drove them at length to the most barbarous and inhuman methods of suppressing them, by the murder of their children. It was strange that they did not rather pick quarrels with the grown men, against whom they might perhaps find some occasion: to be thus bloody towards the infants, whom all must own to be innocents, was a sin which they had to cloak for. Note, 1. There is more cruelty in the corrupt heart of man than one would imagine, Rom 3:15, Rom 3:16. The enmity that is in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman divests men of humanity itself, and makes them forget all pity. One would not think it possible that ever men should be so barbarous and blood-thirsty as the persecutors of God's people have been, Rev 17:6. 2. Even confessed innocence is no defence against the old enmity. What blood so guiltless as that of a child new-born? Yet that is prodigally shed like water, and sucked with delight like milk or honey. Pharaoh and Herod sufficiently proved themselves agents for that great red dragon, who stood to devour the man-child as soon as it was born, Rev 12:3, Rev 12:4. Pilate delivered Christ to be crucified, after he had confessed that he found no fault in him. It is well for us that, though man can kill the body, this is all he can do. Two bloody edicts are here signed for the destruction of all the male children that were born to the Hebrews.
I. The midwives were commanded to murder them. Observe, 1. The orders given them, Exo 1:15, Exo 1:16. It added much to the barbarity of the intended executions that the midwives were appointed to be the executioners; for it was to make them, not only bloody, but perfidious, and to oblige them to betray a trust, and to destroy those whom they undertook to save and help. Could he think that their sex would admit such cruelty, and their employment such base treachery? Note, Those who are themselves barbarous think to find, or make, others as barbarous. Pharaoh's project was secretly to engage the midwives to stifle the men-children as soon as they were born, and then to lay it upon the difficulty of the birth, or some mischance common in that case, Job 3:11. The two midwives he tampered with in order hereunto are here named; and perhaps, at this time, which was above eighty years before their going out of Egypt, those two might suffice for all the Hebrew women, at least so many of them as lay near the court, as it is plain by Exo 2:5, Exo 2:6, many of them did, and of them he was most jealous. They are called Hebrew midwives, probably not because they were themselves Hebrews (for surely Pharaoh could never expect they should be so barbarous to those of their own nation), but because they were generally made use of by the Hebrews; and, being Egyptians, he hoped to prevail with them. 2. Their pious disobedience to this impious command, Exo 1:17. They feared God, regarded his law, and dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh's and therefore saved the men-children alive. Note, If men's commands be any way contrary to the commands of God, we must obey God and not man, Act 4:19; Act 5:29. No power on earth can warrant us, much less oblige us, to sin against God, our chief Lord. Again, Where the fear of God rules in the heart, it will preserve it from the snare which the inordinate fear of man brings. 3. Their justifying themselves in this disobedience, when they were charged with it as a crime, Exo 1:18. They gave a reason for it, which, it seems, God's gracious promise furnished them with - that they came too late to do it, for generally the children were born before they came, Exo 1:19. I see no reason we have to doubt the truth of this; it is plain that the Hebrews were now under an extraordinary blessing of increase, which may well be supposed to have this effect, that the women had very quick and easy labour, and, the mothers and children being both lively, they seldom needed the help of midwives: this these midwives took notice of, and, concluding it to the finger of God, were thereby emboldened to disobey the king, in favour of those whom Heaven thus favoured, and with this justified themselves before Pharaoh, when he called them to an account for it. Some of the ancient Jews expound it thus, Ere the midwife comes to them they pray to their Father in heaven, and he answereth them, and they do bring forth. Note, God is a readier help to his people in distress than any other helpers are, and often anticipates them with the blessings of his goodness; such deliverances lay them under peculiarly strong obligations. 4. The recompence God gave them for their tenderness towards his people: He dealt well with them, Exo 1:20. Note, God will be behind-hand with none for any kindness done to his people, taking it as done to himself. In particular, he made them houses (Exo 1:21), built them up into families, blessed their children, and prospered them in all they did. Note, The services done for God's Israel are often repaid in kind. The midwives kept up the Israelites' houses, and, in recompence for it, God made them houses. Observe, The recompence has relation to the principle upon which they went: Because they feared God, he made them houses. Note, Religion and piety are good friends to outward prosperity: the fear of God in a house will help to build it up and establish it. Dr. Lightfoot's notion of it is, That, for their piety, they were married to Israelites, and Hebrew families were built up by them.
II. When this project did not take effect, Pharaoh gave public orders to all his people to drown all the male children of the Hebrews, Exo 1:22. We may suppose it was made highly penal for any to know of the birth of a son to an Israelite, and not to give information to those who were appointed to throw him into the river. Note, The enemies of the church have been restless in their endeavours to wear out the saints of the Most High, Dan 7:25. But he that sits in heaven shall laugh at them. See Psa 2:4.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 15–22. Public domain.
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Methodius of OlympusAD 311
BANQUET OF THE TEN VIRGINS 4.2
Thus too it has been said that the Pharaoh of Egypt was a type of the devil, in that he cruelly ordered the males to be cast into the Nile and permitted the females to live. So too the devil, ruling over the great Egypt of the world “from Adam unto Moses,” made an effort to carry off and destroy the male and rational offspring of the soul in the flood of the passions, while he takes delight in seeing the carnal and sensual offspring increase and multiply.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
FLIGHT FROM THE WORLD 8.47
Indeed, in regard to other Hebrew women you find it written that the Hebrew women give birth before the midwives arrive. This is so because the souls of the just do not wait upon branches of learning arranged according to kinds of knowledge, nor do they require assistance in parturition, but they bring forth their offspring spontaneously and anticipate the expected time.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 5.7
Many lies indeed seem to be for someone's safety or advantage, spoken not in malice but in kindness: such was that of those midwives in Exodus, who gave a false report to Pharaoh, to the end that the infants of the children of Israel might not be slain. But even these are praised not for the fact but for the disposition shown; since those who only lie in this way will attain in time to a freedom from all lying.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
QUESTIONS ON EXODUS 1
On the midwives' lie, by which they deceived Pharaoh and kept him from killing the Israelite males when they were born: The midwives said that Hebrew women did not give birth as Egyptian women did. It is usual to ask whether such lies have been approved by divine authority. Scripture says that God favored the midwives. It is unclear whether God, in his mercy, pardoned the lie or judged that the lie itself deserved a reward. For the midwives did one thing by letting the infant boys live and another by lying to Pharaoh. In letting them live they performed a work of mercy; but they used that lie for their own ends, to keep Pharaoh from harming the infants. This act could be the occasion not for praise but for pardon. It does not seem to me that the authority to lie has been given to those of whom it is said, "And a lie has not been found in their mouths." For if the lives of certain people, being far below the level of the saints' lives, include these sins of lying, these people are living in accord with their natural abilities, especially if they do not yet know that they should expect heavenly gifts but busy themselves with earthly things. As for those who live in such a way that their conversation, as the apostle says, is in heaven, I do not think that they should regulate the style of their speech, insofar as it affects speaking the truth and avoiding falsehood, on the example of the midwives. But we should consider this question more carefully, on account of the other examples that are found in Scripture.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Exodus 1:18 vividly portrays the direct confrontation between Pharaoh, the tyrannical king of Egypt, and the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah. In this pivotal moment, Pharaoh demands an explanation for their audacious defiance of his genocidal decree to murder all newborn male Israelite infants, thereby challenging his perceived absolute authority and setting the stage for a profound clash between human power and divine will.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
This verse is rich with dramatic tension and irony. The dramatic tension is palpable as the all-powerful Pharaoh confronts two seemingly powerless women, creating a high-stakes encounter where their lives hang in the balance. The rhetorical question, "Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?", serves not as an inquiry but as an an expression of Pharaoh's indignation, disbelief, and a demand for explanation regarding their insubordination. It highlights his assumption of unquestionable authority. There is also a powerful contrast established between Pharaoh's decree of death and the midwives' life-affirming actions, underscoring the clash between human evil and divine will. The mention of "men children" also functions as synecdoche, where a part (male infants) represents the whole (the future of the Israelite nation), emphasizing the strategic nature of Pharaoh's genocidal plan.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 1:18 stands as a profound theological statement on the nature of authority, obedience, and divine providence. The midwives' courageous defiance embodies the principle that God's moral law supersedes human decrees, especially when those decrees are inherently evil and oppressive. Their actions are a powerful testament to the transformative power of the fear of God, which empowers individuals to resist injustice and choose righteousness, even in the face of overwhelming power and personal danger. This narrative also powerfully illustrates God's active providence in preserving His covenant people. Despite Pharaoh's absolute power and genocidal intent, God orchestrates events through the faithfulness of seemingly ordinary individuals to ensure the survival of Israel, thereby safeguarding the lineage through which His redemptive plan for humanity would ultimately unfold. This confrontation is a microcosm of the larger conflict between God and Pharaoh, where God's ultimate sovereignty is demonstrated through the subversion of human tyranny.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 1:18 serves as a potent reminder for believers across all generations to discern between legitimate human authority and commands that directly contradict God's righteous will. The midwives' example challenges us to cultivate a profound "fear of the Lord" that transcends any fear of human power or consequence, enabling us to act with unwavering integrity and moral courage when faced with ethical dilemmas. This passage encourages us to consider where our ultimate allegiance lies and to understand that true obedience is measured by our faithfulness to God's unchanging moral law, even when it demands costly sacrifices. It also offers immense encouragement, demonstrating that God often uses the quiet faithfulness of seemingly ordinary individuals to accomplish extraordinary acts of justice, deliverance, and the advancement of His kingdom, reminding us that our individual acts of obedience can have far-reaching, even national and global, impact.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Pharaoh question the midwives directly instead of punishing them immediately?
Answer: Pharaoh's direct interrogation highlights his absolute authority and his personal investment in the decree. He likely expected immediate obedience and was genuinely astonished by their defiance, wanting to understand the breakdown in his control before enacting punishment. It also sets the stage for the midwives' clever response in Exodus 1:19.
What does "this thing" specifically refer to in Pharaoh's question?
Answer: "This thing" refers directly to the midwives' act of saving the male Hebrew children alive, in direct violation of Pharaoh's explicit command given in Exodus 1:16. It encapsulates their profound act of disobedience to his genocidal order.
Is the midwives' action an example of justified civil disobedience?
Answer: Yes. When human laws or commands directly contradict God's moral law (such as the sanctity of human life), believers are called to obey God rather than men. The midwives' actions demonstrate a righteous refusal to participate in evil, prioritizing divine commands over unjust human decrees.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The courageous defiance of the midwives in Exodus 1:18, while seemingly a small act, is a vital thread in God's overarching redemptive narrative, powerfully foreshadowing the ultimate deliverance found in Jesus Christ. Their steadfast refusal to participate in infanticide preserved the very male lineage of Israel, ensuring the survival of the covenant people from whom the Messiah would ultimately descend, fulfilling the promise made to Abraham. Just as God providentially used these humble women to thwart the malevolent plans of a tyrannical king and protect His chosen people from physical annihilation, so too does Christ, the true and ultimate Deliverer, triumph decisively over the spiritual tyranny of sin, death, and the powers of darkness (Colossians 2:15). He is the ultimate "man child" whose life was divinely preserved from Herod's similar decree (Matthew 2:13-18), and through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, all humanity can find deliverance from a bondage far greater and more pervasive than that of Egypt (Romans 6:23). Christ establishes an eternal kingdom that defies and ultimately overcomes all earthly powers and principalities (Revelation 11:15).