Exodus 1:15
Exodus 1:15 in Multiple Translations
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
¶ And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew women who gave help at the time of childbirth (the name of the one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah),
Then the king gave orders to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah.
Moreouer the King of Egypt commanded ye midwiues of the Ebrewe women, (of which the ones name was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah)
And the king of Egypt speaketh to the midwives, the Hebrewesses, (of whom the name of the one [is] Shiphrah, and the name of the second Puah),
The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,
And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives (of which the name of one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:)
And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua,
There were two Hebrew ◄midwives/women who helped the women when they were giving birth►. [Hebrew means the same as Israeli.] The names of the women were Shiphrah and Puah. The king of Egypt said to those two women,
Berean Amplified Bible — Exodus 1:15
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Exodus 1:15 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙
מֶ֣לֶךְ
מִצְרַ֔יִם
לַֽ/מְיַלְּדֹ֖ת
הָֽ/עִבְרִיֹּ֑ת
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
שֵׁ֤ם
הָֽ/אַחַת֙
שִׁפְרָ֔ה
וְ/שֵׁ֥ם
הַ/שֵּׁנִ֖ית
פּוּעָֽה
וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
מֶ֣לֶךְ
melek
H4428
King's
N-ms
מִצְרַ֔יִם
Mitsrayim
H4714
Egypt
N-proper
לַֽ/מְיַלְּדֹ֖ת
yâlad
H3205
to beget
Prep | V-Piel
הָֽ/עִבְרִיֹּ֑ת
ʻIbrîy
H5680
Hebrew
Art | Ngfpa
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
ʼăsher
H834
which
Rel
שֵׁ֤ם
shêm
H8034
name
N-ms
הָֽ/אַחַת֙
ʼechâd
H259
one
Art | Adj
שִׁפְרָ֔ה
Shiphrâh
H8236
Shiphrah
N-proper
וְ/שֵׁ֥ם
shêm
H8034
name
Conj | N-ms
הַ/שֵּׁנִ֖ית
shênîy
H8145
second
Art | Adj
פּוּעָֽה
Pûwʻâh
H6326
Puah
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Exodus 1:15
וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
מֶ֣לֶךְ
melek
H4428
"King's"
N-ms
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Definition: King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)
Usage: Occurs in 1919 OT verses. KJV: king, royal. See also: Genesis 14:1; Joshua 10:39; 1 Samuel 16:1.
מִצְרַ֔יִם
Mitsrayim
H4714
"Egypt"
N-proper
This word means Egypt, a country in northeastern Africa, and is used in the Bible to describe the land and its people. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often referring to the Nile River and the Egyptians. Egypt is an important setting for many biblical events.
Definition: § Egypt = "land of the Copts" a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows Egyptians = "double straits" adj 2) the inhabitants or natives of Egypt
Usage: Occurs in 569 OT verses. KJV: Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim. See also: Genesis 10:6; Exodus 6:13; Exodus 34:18.
לַֽ/מְיַלְּדֹ֖ת
yâlad
H3205
"to beget"
Prep | V-Piel
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Definition: 1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to bear, bring forth 1a1a) of child birth 1a1b) of distress (simile) 1a1c) of wicked (behaviour) 1a2) to beget 1b) (Niphal) to be born 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cause or help to bring forth 1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife 1c3) midwife (participle) 1d) (Pual) to be born 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to beget (a child) 1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity) 1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive) 1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
Usage: Occurs in 403 OT verses. KJV: bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 30:19; 2 Samuel 21:22.
הָֽ/עִבְרִיֹּ֑ת
ʻIbrîy
H5680
"Hebrew"
Art | Ngfpa
Ibriy refers to a Hebrew person, a descendant of Eber, and is first mentioned in Genesis 14:13. It describes the Israelites and their ancestors, including Abraham and his family.
Definition: Someone descended from Heber (H2268)(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.13 Also named: Hebraios (Ἑβραῖος "Hebrew" G1445) § Hebrew = "one from beyond" n pr 1) a designation of the patriarchs and the Israelites adj 2) a designation of the patriarchs and the Israelites
Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: Hebrew(-ess, woman). See also: Genesis 14:13; Exodus 9:1; Jeremiah 34:9.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
ʼăsher
H834
"which"
Rel
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when
Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.
שֵׁ֤ם
shêm
H8034
"name"
N-ms
In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.
Definition: 1) name 1a) name 1b) reputation, fame, glory 1c) the Name (as designation of God) 1d) memorial, monument Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)
Usage: Occurs in 771 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report. See also: Genesis 2:11; Exodus 3:15; Deuteronomy 16:6.
הָֽ/אַחַת֙
ʼechâd
H259
"one"
Art | Adj
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Definition: 1) one (number) 1a) one (number) 1b) each, every 1c) a certain 1d) an (indefinite article) 1e) only, once, once for all 1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one 1g) first 1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
Usage: Occurs in 739 OT verses. KJV: a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together, See also: Genesis 1:5; Exodus 36:26; Numbers 7:70.
שִׁפְרָ֔ה
Shiphrâh
H8236
"Shiphrah"
N-proper
Shiphrah was a brave Hebrew midwife who disobeyed Pharaoh's orders to kill baby boys in Exodus 1. Her name means fair or beautiful in Hebrew.
Definition: A woman living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Exo.1.15 § Shiphrah = "fair" one of the two Hebrew midwives who were ordered by Pharaoh to kill all the male children born to the Hebrews but who disobeyed
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: Shiphrah. See also: Exodus 1:15.
וְ/שֵׁ֥ם
shêm
H8034
"name"
Conj | N-ms
In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.
Definition: 1) name 1a) name 1b) reputation, fame, glory 1c) the Name (as designation of God) 1d) memorial, monument Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)
Usage: Occurs in 771 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report. See also: Genesis 2:11; Exodus 3:15; Deuteronomy 16:6.
הַ/שֵּׁנִ֖ית
shênîy
H8145
"second"
Art | Adj
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means second or again, like when Moses went up Mount Sinai a second time in Exodus 24:15-18. It can also mean another or something distinct.
Definition: 1) second 1a) second (the ordinal number) 1b) again (a second time) 1c) another, other (something as distinct from something else)
Usage: Occurs in 152 OT verses. KJV: again, either (of them), (an-) other, second (time). See also: Genesis 1:8; 1 Kings 6:1; Isaiah 11:11.
פּוּעָֽה
Pûwʻâh
H6326
"Puah"
N-proper
Puah was a Hebrew midwife who lived during the time of Moses and was ordered by Pharaoh to kill all male babies born to Israelites. She is mentioned in Exodus 1:15.
Definition: A woman living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Exo.1.15 § Puah = "splendid" one of the 2 midwives of the Hebrews ordered by Pharaoh to kill all the male children born to Israel; time of Moses
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: Puah. See also: Exodus 1:15.
Study Notes — Exodus 1:15
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Exodus 1:15 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Exodus 1:15
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 1:15
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
- Trapp's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
- Ellicott's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
- Cambridge Bible on Exodus 1:15
- Barnes' Notes on Exodus 1:15
- Whedon's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
Context — Oppression by a New King
13They worked the Israelites ruthlessly
14and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
15Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
16“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.” 17The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.Exodus 1:15 Summary
[The king of Egypt was worried about the Israelites having too many children, so he told the midwives to kill the baby boys when they were born. The midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, were brave and did not obey the king, as we see in Exodus 1:17. This shows us that even when we are faced with difficult choices, we can trust God and do what is right, just like the midwives did. As the Bible says in Proverbs 29:25, 'The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.']
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the king of Egypt target the Hebrew midwives?
The king of Egypt targeted the Hebrew midwives because he wanted to control the population of the Israelites, who were rapidly multiplying, as seen in Exodus 1:7-10. He saw the Israelites as a threat to his power and sought to reduce their numbers by killing their male children, as instructed in Exodus 1:16.
Who were Shiphrah and Puah?
Shiphrah and Puah were Hebrew midwives who were entrusted with the care of the Israelite women during childbirth, as mentioned in Exodus 1:15. They played a significant role in the story of the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt, demonstrating their faith and obedience to God, as seen in Exodus 1:17.
What was the king's motive for speaking to the midwives?
The king's motive for speaking to the midwives was to enlist their help in carrying out his plan to kill the Hebrew male children, as stated in Exodus 1:16. This was part of his larger plan to oppress and control the Israelites, as seen in Exodus 1:13-14.
How does this verse relate to the broader narrative of the Exodus?
This verse sets the stage for the miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, as God would later use the midwives' obedience and the bravery of Moses' mother to rescue the Israelites from slavery, as seen in Exodus 2:1-10 and Exodus 14:13-31.
Reflection Questions
- What can we learn from the example of Shiphrah and Puah about standing up for what is right, even in the face of opposition?
- How does the king's treatment of the Israelites reflect the spiritual battle between good and evil, as seen in Ephesians 6:12?
- What role do you think faith and obedience played in the lives of the Hebrew midwives, and how can we apply those same principles to our own lives?
- How does this verse remind us of the importance of valuing and protecting human life, as taught in Psalm 139:13-16?
Gill's Exposition on Exodus 1:15
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives,.... It is difficult to say who these midwives were, whether Egyptian or Hebrew women.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 1:15
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: The king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
The Hebrew midwives; such as not only were employed about the Hebrew women, but were Hebrews themselves, not Egyptians, as some suppose; as may appear, 1. Because they are expressly called, not the midwives of the Hebrews, but the Hebrew midwives. 2. The Egyptian midwives would not willingly employ their time and pains among the meanest and poorest of servants, as these were. And if they were sent in design by the king, he had lost his end, which was to cover his cruelty with cunning, and to persuade the people that their death was not from his intention, but from the ellarices and dangers of child-bearing. 3. The Hebrew women, as they had doubtless midwives of their own, so they would never have admitted others. 4. They are said to fear God, ,21. You are not to think that these were the only midwives to so many thousands of Hebrew women, but they were the most eminent among them; and it may be, for their excellency in that profession called to the service of some Egyptian ladies, and by them known to Pharaoh, who might therefore think by their own interest, and by the promise of great rewards, or by severe threatenings, to oblige them to comply with his desires; and if he met with the desired success by them, he meant to proceed further, and to engage the rest in like manner.
Trapp's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
Exodus 1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one [was] Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:Ver. 15. To the Hebrew midwives.] In Egypt and Greece the midwives of old had their schools; and some of them were great writers. I know not whether the priests were then so officious to them as many are now among the Papists; who say they therefore study Albertus Magnus de secrelis mulierum, that they may advise the midwives: but I doubt it is for a worse purpose; to gratify and greaten those abominable lusts wherewith they are scalded.
Ellicott's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
(15) The Hebrew midwives.—Or the midwives of the Hebrew women (ταῖςμαίαιςτῶνΈβραίων, LXX.). The Hebrew construction admits of either rendering. In favour of the midwives being Egyptians is the consideration that the Pharaoh would scarcely have expected Hebrew women to help him in the extirpation of the Hebrew race (Kalisch); against it is the Semitic character of the names—Shiphrah, “beautiful;” Puah, “one who cries out;” and also the likelihood that a numerous and peculiar people, like the Hebrews, would have accoucheurs of their own race.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
Verse 15. Hebrew midwives] Shiphrah and Puah, who are here mentioned, were probably certain chiefs, under whom all the rest acted, and by whom they were instructed in the obstetric art. Aben Ezra supposes there could not have been fewer than five hundred midwives among the Hebrew women at this time, but that very few were requisite see proved on Exodus 1:19. See Clark on "Exodus 1:19".
Cambridge Bible on Exodus 1:15
15–22. The second measure. The Heb. midwives are commanded to slay all male infants that are born. V. 15 connects directly with v. 12.
Barnes' Notes on Exodus 1:15
Hebrew midwifes - Or “midwives of the Hebrew women.” This measure at once attested the inefficacy of the former measures, and was the direct cause of the event which issued in the deliverance of
Whedon's Commentary on Exodus 1:15
15, 16. A second and far more cruel edict now went forth. Herodotus shows (vol.