But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.
Parallel translations
- WEB But the midwives feared God, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.
- KJV But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
- BSB The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
- NKJV But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.
- NLT But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The midwives fear God and refuse to obey Pharaoh, saving the baby boys. Reverence for God outweighs fear of the king.
Overview
Their fear of God produces courageous civil disobedience to an immoral command, a pattern affirmed elsewhere in Scripture (Acts 5:29). They model that earthly authority is not absolute and must never be obeyed when it commands sin. Their reverence for God, not their social standing, makes them heroes of faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
- Exod 1:21Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
- Matt 10:28Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
- Luke 12:5But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
- Eccl 12:13This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
- Acts 4:18–20They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
- Dan 6:13Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.
- Dan 3:16–18Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
- Prov 16:6By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.
- Eccl 8:12Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.
- Gen 42:18Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God.
- Ps 31:19Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!
- Hos 5:11Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgment; Because he is intent in his pursuit of idols.
- Neh 5:15But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people; but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
- Prov 8:13The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
- Mic 6:16For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of Ahab’s house. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people.”
- Prov 24:11–12Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
- Gen 20:11Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 1:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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