Exodus 1:18

18 And the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, Why have ye done this, and saved the male children alive?

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 help the Hebrew women in bearing, and see [them] on the stool, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him, but if a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt had said to them, but saved the male children alive.

18 And the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, Why have ye done this, and saved the male children alive?

19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian; for they are strong, and they have borne before the midwife comes to them.

20 And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong.