Exodus 1:16

And he said, When you do the office of the midwife among the Jewish women, and you look upon the childbirth, if it be a son, you shall kill him; but if a daughter, let her live.

Targum Onkelos

In The King James Version

And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

In Context

15And the king of Mizraim spake to the midwives of Jewesses, ( Yehuditha,) of whom the name of the one was Shiphra, and the name of the second Puvah;

17But the midwives feared before the Lord, and did not act as the king of Mizraim had bidden them, but preserved the sons alive.

Read all of Exodus 1

Matthew Henry on Exodus 1:16-22

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: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Exodus 1:16