The Meaning of Exodus 1:18 Explained

Exodus 1:18

KJV: And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?

YLT: and the king of Egypt calleth for the midwives, and saith to them, 'Wherefore have ye done this thing, and keep the lads alive?'

Darby: And the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, Why have ye done this, and saved the male children alive?

ASV: And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king  of Egypt  called  for the midwives,  and said  unto them, Why  have ye done  this thing,  and have saved  the men children  alive? 

What does Exodus 1:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 1:15-22 - God Protects Hebrew Babes From Pharaoh's Decree
#VALUE! [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 1

1  The children of Israel, after Joseph's death, increase
8  The more they are oppressed by a new king, the more they multiply
15  The godliness of the midwives in saving the male children alive
22  Pharaoh commands the male children to be cast into the river

What do the individual words in Exodus 1:18 mean?

So called for the king of Egypt the midwives and said to them why have you done thing this and saved alive - the male children
וַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־ הַיְלָדִֽים

וַיִּקְרָ֤א  So  called  for 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת  the  midwives 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, feminine plural
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָהֶ֔ן  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine plural
מַדּ֥וּעַ  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן  have  you  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַדָּבָ֣ר  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּ֑ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ  and  saved  alive 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, second person feminine plural
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַיְלָדִֽים  the  male  children 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 1:18?

Loading Information...