Exodus 1:18

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing and have given the men children their lives?

Exodus 1:18 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 1:18

And the king called for the midwives
Perceiving, by the increase of the Israelites, that they did not obey his commands:

and said unto them, why have ye done this thing, and have saved the
men children alive?
not only did not kill them, but did everything for them that was necessary for their future preservation and health; see ( Ezekiel 16:4 ) .

Exodus 1:18 In-Context

16 and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see the sex, if it is a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them but gave the men children their lives.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing and have given the men children their lives?

19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women, for they are lively and are delivered before the midwives come in unto them.

20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and waxed very mighty.