Exodus 1:18

18 And the king of Egypt summoned the midwives, and he said to them, "Why have you done this thing and let the boys live?"

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 you help the Hebrews give birth, you will look upon the pairs of testicles; if he [is] a son, you will put him to death, and if she [is] a daughter, she will live."

17 But the midwives feared God, and they did not do as the king of Egypt had said to them. They let the boys live.

18 And the king of Egypt summoned the midwives, and he said to them, "Why have you done this thing and let the boys live?"

19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew [women are] not like the Egyptian women, because they [are] vigorous; before the midwife comes to them, they have given birth."

20 And God did the midwives good, and the [Israelite] people became many and were very numerous.