The Meaning of Exodus 1:21 Explained

Exodus 1:21

KJV: And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

YLT: and it cometh to pass, because the midwives have feared God, that He maketh for them households;

Darby: And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

ASV: And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them households.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, because the midwives  feared  God,  that he made  them houses. 

What does Exodus 1:21 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 1:21 mean?

And so it was because feared the midwives - God that He provided for them households
וַיְהִ֕י כִּֽי־ יָֽרְא֥וּ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת־ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים

וַיְהִ֕י  And  so  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יָֽרְא֥וּ  feared 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת  the  midwives 
Parse: Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, feminine plural
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
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.
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ  that  He  provided 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָהֶ֖ם  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
בָּתִּֽים  households 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.