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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Exodus 1:19

EXODUS—NOTE ON Exodus 1:19 Some think that the midwives’ answer is deceptive. It is not clear, however, that the reply is untrue; nor is it clear whether this is all that the women said. The narrator simply commends the women for refusing to go along with Pharaoh’s murderous scheme.

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See also Exodus 1:19 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Exodus 1:19. _THE HEBREW WOMEN ARE NOT AS THE EGYPTIAN WOMEN_] This is a simple statement of what general experience shows to be a fact, viz., that women, who during the whole of their pregnanc...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. ISRAEL'S DELIVERANCE OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE EGYPTIANS 1. The House of Bondage CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The names of the children of Israel; their increase (Exodus 1:1)_ 2. The...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 1:15 E ( EXODUS 1:20 B J). ATTEMPT TO DESTROY MALE CHILDREN. From another source we learn of two more ineffectual measures to restrict population. The two midwives, whose names tradition loved...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND THE MIDWIVES SAID UNTO PHARAOH— Fully satisfied that it was better to obey GOD than man, the midwives disobeyed this unjust command; and vindicated themselves to Pharaoh, when accused by him, for...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 1 Now these are the names of the sons of Is-ra-el, who came into E-gypt (every man and his household came with Jacob): (2) Reu-ben, Sim-e-on, Le-vi, and Ju-dah, (3) Is-s...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND THE MIDWIVES SAID UNTO PHARAOH, BECAUSE THE HEBREW WOMEN ARE NOT AS THE EGYPTIAN WOMEN; FOR THEY ARE LIVELY, AND ARE DELIVERED ERE THE MIDWIVES COME IN UNTO THEM._ The Hebrew women are not as th...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    There was, no doubt, some truth in what the midwives said, though their womanly instincts led them to evade the unnatural command of the king....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    OPPRESSION OF THE ISRAELITES 5. Seventy souls] Jacob himself is included in the number: cp. Genesis 46:8. Of the seventy, sixty-eight were males. If to the direct descendants of Jacob we add the wives...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION THE *ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT EXODUS CHAPTER S 1 TO 18 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ ABOUT THE BOOK OF EXODUS Exodus is one of the first 5 books of the *Old Testa...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE HEBREW WOMEN ARE NOT AS THE EGYPTIAN WOMEN. — This was probably true; but it was not the whole truth. Though the midwives had the courage to disobey the king, they had not “the courage of their co...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ תֹּאמַ֤רְןָ הַֽ מְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶל ־פַּרְעֹ֔ה...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE OPPRESSION. Exodus 1:7. At the beginning of the history of Israel we find a prosperous race. It was indeed their growing importance, and chiefly their vast numerical increase, which excited the j...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GOD PROTECTS HEBREW BABES FROM PHARAOH'S DECREE Exodus 1:15 Egypt's _second_ stroke of policy was to begin with the children. Pharaoh and Herod set us an example in turning their attention to young...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The first word of Exodus, "Now," might with equal accuracy be rendered "And." Either word serves to suggest continuity. The story of Genesis is taken up in Exodus. It begins by recording the prolific...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew (g) women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. (g) Their disobedience i...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Skilful, &c. Hebrew Caioth means midwives: or they are full of vigour, or bring forth alive, like brutes. By this allusion they not only excuse themselves, but seem also to enter into the king's senti...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I think it probable that the Hebrew women were distinguished with peculiar marks of divine favor in those seasons of child-bearing. Perhaps as a token to them and their husbands, that the hand of the...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is hardly a book of the Old Testament that stands out in more decided contrast with the book of Genesis than the one which follows it most closely. And this is the more striking, because God emp...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1 AND 2. First, we have the historical circumstances which relate to the captivity of Israel-the persecutions which this people had to endure, and the provide...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE MIDWIVES SAID UNTO PHARAOH, BECAUSE THE HEBREW WOMEN ARE NOT AS THE EGYPTIAN WOMEN,.... Not so tender, weak, and feeble, nor so ignorant of midwifery, and needed not the assistance of midwives...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Ver. 19. _For they are livel...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The stools_ Seats used on that occasion. _But the midwives feared God_ Dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh's, and therefore _saved the men-children alive. The Hebrew women are lively_ We have no reas...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The children of Israel after Iosephs death do multiply. 8 The more they are oppressed by a new King, the more they multiply. 15 The godlines of the Midwiues, in sauing the men children aliue. 22...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE COMMAND TO KILL ALL THE MALE CHILDREN...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, full of life and energy, AND ARE DELIVERED ERE THE MIDWIVES COME IN UNTO THEM. This was...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    EXODUS THE SECOND BOOK OF MOSES (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת; _Ἐξοδος: Exodus_) THE PROPHETICO-MESSIANIC THEOCRACY—OR THE GENESIS, REDEMPTION AND SANCTIFICATION OF THE COVENANT PEOPLE FIRST DIVISION: MOSES AN...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ISRAEL MULTIPLIED (vs.1-7) The first five verses of Exodus indicate its continuity with the book of Genesis, for they confirm what is written in more detail in Genesis 46:8. This small number of 70 p...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    15-22 The Egyptians tried to destroy Israel by the murder of their children. The enmity that is in the seed of the serpent, against the Seed of the woman, makes men forget all pity. It is plain that...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THEY ARE LIVELY, or, _vigorous_ and active in promoting the birth of their own children; or, like _the beasts_, which without any help of others bring forth their young. So the Hebrew word signifies;...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    We now approach, by the mercy of God, the study of the Book of Exodus, of which the great prominent theme is redemption. The first five verses recall to the mind the closing scenes of the preceding bo...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 1:19 midwives H3205 (H8764) said H559 (H8799) Pharaoh H6547 Hebrew H5680 women H802 women H4713

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    PHARAOH SEEKS TO DESTROY ISRAEL THROUGH ITS MIDWIVES (EXODUS 1:15). a The king of Egypt calls on the Hebrew midwives who are told at births to slay sons and let the daughters live (Exodus 1:16). b T...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Israel in Egypt and their bondage. CHARACTERS: Joseph, Pharaoh, Shiprah, Puah. CONCLUSION: God's providences may at times seem to thwart His promises that His peoples' faith may be tried a...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 1:1. _The children of Israel._ Some think we should read here, the sons of Israel. Paul, Galatians 4:3; Galatians 4:5, makes a distinction between children and sons, in the words νηπιοι and υιο...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The children of Israel were fruitful _ THE INCREASE OF THE CHURCH I. Notwithstanding the removal of its chief officer (Exodus 1:6). Joseph dead; his influence gone; his counsel inaccessible. To-day...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Exodus 1:15. Hebrew midwives] It is curious, though it may not throw light on the precise relation in which these women stood to the Hebrew women, that their names should be of a lik...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION EXODUS 1:15-2 Some time—say five or six years—having elapsed and the Pharaoh's first plan having manifestly failed, it was necessary for him either to give up his purpose, or to devise som...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Joshua 2:4 1 Samuel 21:2 2 Samuel 17:19 2 Samuel 17:20...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    I see no reason we have to doubt the truth of this; it is plain they were now under an extraordinary blessing of increase, which may well be supposed to have this effect, that the women had quick and...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    How could an all-loving God command the Hebrews to plunder the Egyptians of their riches? PROBLEM: Exodus 3:22 states, “So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” The Bible presents God as all-loving. Howe...

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