God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty.
Parallel translations
- KJV Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
- BSB So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
- NKJV Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty.
- NASB So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.
- NLT So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful.
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
God deals well with the midwives, and Israel keeps multiplying. God Himself rewards their faithfulness.
Overview
God's favor toward the midwives shows His approval of their reverent defiance. The continued multiplication of Israel underscores that Pharaoh's schemes are powerless against God's promise. The verse reminds us that the Lord sees and blesses those who fear Him, even when their service goes unseen by the world.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 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.
- Isa 3:10Tell the righteous “Good!” For they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
- Prov 11:18Wicked people earn deceitful wages, but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
- Exod 1:12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They were grieved because of the children of Israel.
- Heb 6:10For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.
- Ps 111:5He has given food to those who fear him. He always remembers his covenant.
- Ps 145:19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
- Ps 61:5For you, God, have heard my vows. You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
- Prov 19:17He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.
- Ps 85:9Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
- Ps 41:1–2For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.
- Matt 10:42Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”
- Luke 1:50His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.
- Ps 103:11For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
- Matt 25:40“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
- Exod 1:7The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 1:20 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.