15 And the king of Egypt speaketh to the midwives, the Hebrewesses, (of whom the name of the one 'is' Shiphrah, and the name of the second Puah), 16 and saith, 'When ye cause the Hebrew women to bear, and have looked on the children; if it 'is' a son—then ye have put him to death; and if it 'is' a daughter—then she hath lived.' 17 And the midwives fear God, and have not done as the king of Egypt hath spoken unto them, and keep the lads alive; 18 and the king of Egypt calleth for the midwives, and saith to them, 'Wherefore have ye done this thing, and keep the lads alive?' 19 And the midwives say unto Pharaoh, 'Because the Hebrew women 'are' not as the Egyptian women, for they 'are' lively; before the midwife cometh in unto them—they have borne!' 20 And God doth good to the midwives, and the people multiply, and are very mighty; 21 and it cometh to pass, because the midwives have feared God, that He maketh for them households; 22 and Pharaoh layeth a charge on all his people, saying, 'Every son who is born—into the River ye do cast him, and every daughter ye do keep alive.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 1:15-22
Commentary on Exodus 1:15-22
(Read Exodus 1:15-22)
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 the Hebrews were now under an uncommon blessing. And we see that the services done for God's Israel are often repaid in kind. Pharaoh gave orders to drown all the male children of the Hebrews. The enemy who, by Pharaoh, attempted to destroy the church in this its infant state, is busy to stifle the rise of serious reflections in the heart of man. Let those who would escape, be afraid of sinning, and cry directly and fervently to the Lord for assistance.