Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. New Living Translation So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful. English Standard Version So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. Berean Standard Bible So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous. King James Bible Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. New King James Version Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. New American Standard Bible So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. NASB 1995 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. NASB 1977 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. Legacy Standard Bible So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very mighty. Amplified Bible So God was good to the midwives, and the people [of Israel] multiplied and became very strong. Christian Standard Bible So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very numerous. Holman Christian Standard Bible So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very numerous. American Standard Version And God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. English Revised Version And God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. GOD'S WORD® Translation God was good to the midwives. So the people increased in number and became very strong. International Standard Version God was pleased with the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. Majority Standard Bible So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous. NET Bible So God treated the midwives well, and the people multiplied and became very strong. New Heart English Bible God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. Webster's Bible Translation Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. World English Bible God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd God does good to the midwives, and the people multiply, and are very mighty; Young's Literal Translation And God doth good to the midwives, and the people multiply, and are very mighty; Smith's Literal Translation And God will do well to the midwives, and the people will multiply and be greatly strong. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleTherefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied and grew exceedingly strong. Catholic Public Domain Version Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly. New American Bible Therefore God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very numerous. New Revised Standard Version So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTherefore God dealt well with the midwives, because they spared the males; and the people multiplied, and grew exceedingly strong. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And God blessed the Midwives because they made this response, and he multiplied the people and they grew very strong. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. Brenton Septuagint Translation And God did well to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very strong. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Oppression by a New King…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.… Cross References Genesis 12:2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. Genesis 15:5 And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.” Genesis 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. Genesis 26:4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, Genesis 46:3 “I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. Deuteronomy 7:13 He will love you and bless you and multiply you. He will bless the fruit of your womb and the produce of your land—your grain, new wine, and oil, the young of your herds and the lambs of your flocks—in the land that He swore to your fathers to give you. Deuteronomy 28:4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, as well as the produce of your land and the offspring of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Psalm 105:24 And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes, Isaiah 51:2 Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him. Acts 7:17 As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number. Hebrews 11:12 And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.” Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. Genesis 17:2 I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” Genesis 28:14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. Treasury of Scripture Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. God. Psalm 41:1,2 Psalm 61:5 Psalm 85:9 the people. Exodus 1:7,12 Jump to Previous Blessing Dealt Good Grew Increased Kind Midwives Mighty Multiplied Multiply Numerous Strong Waxed WomenJump to Next Blessing Dealt Good Grew Increased Kind Midwives Mighty Multiplied Multiply Numerous Strong Waxed WomenExodus 1 1. The children of Israel, after Joseph's death, increase.8. The more they are oppressed by a new king, the more they multiply. 15. The godliness of the midwives in saving the male children alive. 22. Pharaoh commands the male children to be cast into the river So God was good to the midwives The phrase "God was good" reflects the Hebrew word "טוֹב" (tov), which conveys goodness, kindness, and favor. This goodness is not merely a passive state but an active benevolence from God towards the midwives. In the context of the narrative, the midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, feared God and defied Pharaoh's orders to kill the Hebrew male infants. Their reverence for God over human authority is rewarded by divine favor. This highlights a recurring biblical theme: God honors those who honor Him. The goodness of God here is a testament to His justice and mercy, rewarding the righteous actions of the midwives. Historically, this act of divine favor underscores the importance of moral courage and faithfulness in the face of oppressive regimes. and the people multiplied and became even more numerous Persons / Places / Events 1. GodThe sovereign and compassionate deity who rewards the faithfulness of the midwives. 2. Midwives Specifically, Shiphrah and Puah, who feared God and defied Pharaoh's orders to kill Hebrew male infants. 3. Hebrew People The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were living in Egypt and experiencing rapid population growth. 4. Pharaoh The king of Egypt who felt threatened by the growing number of Israelites and ordered the killing of newborn Hebrew boys. 5. Egypt The land where the Israelites were living in bondage, yet experiencing God's blessing through population growth. Teaching Points Fear of God Over Fear of ManThe midwives' actions teach us the importance of fearing God above all earthly authorities. Their reverence for God led to His favor and blessing. God's Faithfulness to His Promises Despite the oppression in Egypt, God continued to fulfill His promise to Abraham by multiplying his descendants. This reminds us of God's unwavering faithfulness. Courage in Adversity The midwives displayed courage by standing up to Pharaoh's unjust command. We are called to act with similar courage when faced with moral dilemmas. Divine Reward for Faithfulness God rewarded the midwives for their faithfulness. This encourages us to remain steadfast in our faith, trusting that God sees and rewards our obedience.(20) Therefore God dealt well with the midwives.--Heb., and God dealt well, &c. The reason is stated in Exodus 1:21. It was not because they equivocated and deceived the king, but because they feared God sufficiently to disobey the king, and run the risk of discovery. If they had been discovered, their life would have paid the forfeit.Verses 20, 21. - Therefore God did well to the midwives. Literally, "And God did well," etc. (see ver. 21). Because they feared him sufficiently to disobey the king, and take their chance of a punishment, which might have been very severe-even perhaps death - God overlooked their weak and unfaithful divergence from truth, and gave them a reward. He made them houses. He blessed them by giving them children of their own, who grew up, and gave them the comfort, support, and happiness which children were intended to give. There was a manifest fitness in rewarding those who had refused to bring misery and desolation into families by granting them domestic happiness themselves. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew So Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative was good וַיֵּ֥יטֶב (way·yê·ṭeḇ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing to the midwives, לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת (lam·yal·lə·ḏōṯ) Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage and the people הָעָ֛ם (hā·‘ām) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock multiplied וַיִּ֧רֶב (way·yi·reḇ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great and became even more מְאֹֽד׃ (mə·’ōḏ) Adverb Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily numerous. וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ (way·ya·‘aṣ·mū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 6105: To bind fast, close, powerful, numerous, to crunch the bones Links Exodus 1:20 NIVExodus 1:20 NLT Exodus 1:20 ESV Exodus 1:20 NASB Exodus 1:20 KJV Exodus 1:20 BibleApps.com Exodus 1:20 Biblia Paralela Exodus 1:20 Chinese Bible Exodus 1:20 French Bible Exodus 1:20 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 1:20 God dealt well with the midwives (Exo. Ex) |