Exodus 1 19

Exodus 1:19 kjv

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.

Exodus 1:19 nkjv

And 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."

Exodus 1:19 niv

The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."

Exodus 1:19 esv

The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them."

Exodus 1:19 nlt

"The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women," the midwives replied. "They are more vigorous and have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time."

Exodus 1 verses

Exodus 1 19 Meaning

Exodus 1:19 records the shrewd reply of the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to Pharaoh after he questioned their failure to kill male Israelite newborns. They asserted that Hebrew women were exceptionally vigorous and quick in childbirth, delivering their babies before a midwife could arrive. This fabricated excuse served to protect the babies, shield themselves from Pharaoh's wrath, and ultimately further God's plan for the multiplying Israelite nation.

Exodus 1 19 Context

Exodus chapter 1 sets the stage for Israel's oppression in Egypt after the death of Joseph. A new pharaoh, who had no memory or respect for Joseph's contributions, grew fearful of the burgeoning Israelite population, viewing them as a potential military threat. He first enslaved them and imposed harsh labor (Exo 1:11-14). When this failed to stem their growth, he resorted to genocide, secretly instructing the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill all male Hebrew infants upon delivery (Exo 1:15-16). However, the midwives, demonstrating a profound "fear of God" rather than man, disobeyed Pharaoh (Exo 1:17-18). Exodus 1:19 is their direct, courageous, and cunning response to Pharaoh's interrogation about why they permitted the male children to live. This reply is pivotal, not only showing their immediate quick thinking but also illustrating how God uses human ingenuity and faithfulness to thwart evil schemes and preserve His covenant people for future deliverance.

Exodus 1 19 Word analysis

• "And" (וַתֹּאמַר - va-to'mer): A connecting conjunction, introducing the midwives' response. The Hebrew verb form can be singular but implies collective action by the midwives or one speaking on behalf of the others.
• "the midwives" (הַמְיַלְּדֹת - ha-meyalledot): Refers specifically to Shiphrah and Puah, identified in Exo 1:15. This highlights their specific professional role and collective identity in defiance.
• "said" (וַתֹּאמַר - va-to'mer): The same verb as "and," indicating their verbal answer directly to Pharaoh.
• "to Pharaoh" (אֶל-פַּרְעֹה - el-Par'oh): Directly addressing the most powerful man in Egypt, underscoring their immense courage and the high stakes of their response.
• "Because" (כִּי - ki): Meaning "for," "indeed," or "because," introducing the explanation or justification for their actions (or inaction, from Pharaoh's perspective).
• "the Hebrew women" (הָעִבְרִיֹּת - ha-ivriyot): Specifically referring to the Israelite women. This sets up a crucial distinction from Egyptian women in their subsequent explanation.
• "are not like" (לֹא כַמִּצְרִיֹּת - lo ka-mitzriyot): "Not like the Egyptian women." This phrase introduces the central comparison and the supposed physiological difference used as their excuse. It subtly elevates the Hebrew women while providing an "out" for the midwives.
• "Egyptian women" (הַמִּצְרִיֹּת - ha-mitzriyot): The native women of Egypt, serving as the cultural and physiological baseline for the midwives' comparison.
• "for they are vigorous" (כִּי-חָיוֹת הֵנָּה - ki-ḥayyot hennah):
  • Ḥayyot (חָיוֹת): This critical word can mean "lively," "full of life," "healthy," "strong," or even "like animals/beasts." In this context, it describes rapid, robust, and unassisted delivery. Whether implying primal speed or sheer vitality, it serves to suggest that Hebrew women give birth with an efficiency that precludes a midwife's timely intervention. The nuance allows for a plausible deniability.
  • Hennah (הֵנָּה): "They (feminine plural) are."
• "and give birth" (וְיָלְדוּ - ve-yaldu): "And they have given birth" or "they give birth." A simple declarative statement of the act of delivery.
• "before the midwife comes to them" (בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא אֲלֵהֶן הַמְיַלֶּדֶת - be-ṭerem taḇo alehen ha-meyalledet):
  • Be-ṭerem (בְּטֶרֶם): "Before." Crucial temporal marker for their justification.
  • Taḇo (תָּבוֹא): "She comes." Refers to the individual midwife.
  • Alehen (אֲלֵהֶן): "To them" (the Hebrew women).
  • Ha-meyalledet (הַמְיַלֶּדֶת): "The midwife" (singular, indicating any midwife or the general scenario).
  • This phrase delivers the ultimate reason for their claimed inability to comply with Pharaoh's order, portraying themselves as redundant due to the rapid birth process.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "the midwives said to Pharaoh": This group of words emphasizes the bold confrontation with supreme secular power, underscoring the deep spiritual conviction that enabled their act of defiance.
  • "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women": This establishes the premise of their strategic excuse. By drawing a physiological distinction, they set the stage for why normal protocols couldn't apply to the Israelites, giving their explanation an air of legitimacy in Pharaoh's eyes.
  • "for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them": This is the core of their fabricated yet believable justification. It details a specific scenario—swift, efficient childbirth—that logically explains why midwives wouldn't be present to intervene, thereby absolving them from blame for non-compliance without direct, suicidal opposition.

Exodus 1 19 Bonus section

• The incident highlights the subtle yet powerful challenge posed by faith in God to absolute secular authority. The midwives' actions demonstrated a allegiance to a higher power than Pharaoh, fundamentally subverting his presumed omnipotence.
• The ethical question of "lying for a good cause" or "pious fraud" is complex in biblical narratives. While the Bible generally upholds truthfulness, it also presents instances like this and Rahab's deception (Josh 2) where a lesser "evil" (deception) is employed to avert a greater evil (murder, genocide). The text's focus is on God's approval and blessing upon the midwives for their righteousness (Exo 1:20-21), not a condemnation of their precise words.
• This narrative is often discussed in seminars on civil disobedience and conscientious objection, demonstrating an early biblical example of refusing an immoral command from authority. It underscores that loyalty to God sometimes necessitates active or passive resistance to human government.
• The Hebrew word chayyot (חָיוֹת) adds an intriguing layer. Its primary meaning as "living ones" or "animals" could imply that the Hebrew women give birth with the raw, untamed efficiency of wild creatures, making them impervious to the need for human intervention. This could have played on ancient perceptions or biases, serving as a believable (or at least hard to disprove) excuse for Pharaoh.

Exodus 1 19 Commentary

Exodus 1:19 masterfully illustrates the courageous yet ingenious faith of the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah. Faced with the tyrannical decree of Pharaoh to commit infanticide, they chose to obey God rather than man (Exo 1:17). When questioned by the powerful Pharaoh, they did not openly defy him but offered a clever, culturally resonant explanation: Hebrew women were remarkably vigorous and rapid in childbirth, making the midwives' timely arrival for intervention impossible. This reply, while not strictly true, was a "white lie" or an evasive truth used to serve a higher, life-preserving purpose. It successfully diverted Pharaoh's suspicion and bought the midwives time to continue their vital work of saving the infant boys. This passage stands as an early testament to divine providence working through faithful human agents, demonstrating that God can use the wisdom and even strategic deception of the righteous to frustrate evil and safeguard His chosen people. It showcases a form of righteous resistance where indirect defiance, rooted in a deep fear of God, proves more effective and safer than outright confrontation.