The Meaning of Exodus 1:20 Explained

Exodus 1:20

KJV: Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

YLT: And God doth good to the midwives, and the people multiply, and are very mighty;

Darby: And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong.

ASV: And God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore God  dealt well  with the midwives:  and the people  multiplied,  and waxed very  mighty. 

What does Exodus 1:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 1:15-22 - God Protects Hebrew Babes From Pharaoh's Decree
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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 1:20 mean?

Therefore dealt well God with the midwives and multiplied the people and they grew mighty very
וַיֵּ֥יטֶב אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת וַיִּ֧רֶב הָעָ֛ם וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ מְאֹֽד

וַיֵּ֥יטֶב  Therefore  dealt  well 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת  with  the  midwives 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, feminine plural
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
וַיִּ֧רֶב  and  multiplied 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
הָעָ֛ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ  and  they  grew  mighty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָצַם 
Sense: to be vast, be numerous, be mighty.
מְאֹֽד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.