Exodus 1:22

22 And Pharao charged all his people, saying, Whatever male shall be born to the Hebrews, cast into the river; and every female, save it alive.

Exodus 1:22 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 1:22

And Pharaoh charged all his people
Finding he could not carry his point with the midwives, he gave a general order to all his people everywhere:

saying, every son that is born ye shall cast into the river;
the river Nile; not every son born in his kingdom, for this would have ruined it in time; but that was born to the Jews, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; and it is added in the Septuagint version, to the Hebrews:

and every daughter ye shall save alive;
for the reasons given (See Gill on Exodus 1:16).

Exodus 1:22 In-Context

20 And God did well to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very strong.

21 And as the midwives feared God, they established for themselves families.

22 And Pharao charged all his people, saying, Whatever male shall be born to the Hebrews, cast into the river; and every female, save it alive.