Exodus 1:17-20
What is written? (ESV)
But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong.
What does it say?
The midwives obeyed God rather than man and allowed the male children to live. As a result, the king of Egypt summoned them to ask them about it and they told him the Hebrew women are stronger than the Egyptian women and they give birth before they can arrive. God blessed the midwives and the Israelites continued to multiply and grow strong.
What is its immediate context?
The Israelites were slaves in Egypt at this point but growing large in number (vs 7) so Pharaoh instructed the midwives to kill any Hebrew male children (vs 16).
How Exodus 1:17-20 is applied across Bible answers
Did Abram lie about Sarai?
The midwives willfully disobeyed Pharaoh's command and allowed the male babies to live. When Pharaoh asked them about it they gave him a different reason and God rewarded them for this. NOTE: Were Israelite women actually more "vigorous" than Egyptian women? We don't know, but Pharaoh apparently believed it was so.
Specifically, the text says that "God dealt well with the midwives" (vs 20) because they "feared God" (vs 21).
