Exodus 1:21
"And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God,.... And regarded his command, and not that of the king, though they risked his displeasure, and their lives: that he made them houses; which some understand of the Israelites making houses for them, being moved to it by the Lord, to preserve them from the insults of the Egyptians; others of Pharaoh

building houses for them, in which he kept them, until the Hebrew women came to their time of delivery, who were ordered to be brought to these houses, that it might be known by others, as well as the midwives, whether they brought forth sons or daughters, neither of which is likely: but rather the sense is, that God made them houses, and hid them from Pharaoh, as Kimchi interprets it, that he might not hurt them, just as he hid Jeremiah and Baruch: though it seems best of all to understand it of his building up the families of these midwives, increasing their number, especially their substance and wealth, making them and their households prosperous in all worldly good; but because the word is in the masculine gender, some choose to interpret it either of the infants themselves, the male children the midwives preserved, and of their being built up families in Israel, or by means of whom they were built up; or of the Israelites themselves, whose houses were built up by their means: and others are of opinion that material houses or buildings are meant, built for the Israelites, that the midwives might know where to find them and their wives, when ready to lie in, who before lived up and down in fields and tents: but the sense of God's building up the families of the midwives is to be preferred, there being an enallage or change of the gender, which is not unusual; see Exo 15:21 .

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (8 words)

H1961 הָיָה
Definition:

1+;וְהָיָהconsecutiveGenesis 4:14+; 3 feminine singularהָֽיְתָהGenesis 1:2+;הָיָ֑תָהIsaiah 14:243t.;וְהָֽיְתָהconsecutiveGenesis 9:13+;והית2Kings 9:37 Kt (Qrוְהָֽיְתָה); 2 masculine singularהָיִיתָDeu 1+;וְהָיָהconsecutiveGenesis 4:14+; 3 feminine singularהָֽיְתָהGenesis 1:2+;הָיָ֑תָהIsaiah 14:243t.;וְהָֽיְתָהconsecutiveGenesis 9:13+;והית2Kings 9:37 Kt (Qrוְהָֽיְתָה); 2 masculine singularהָיִיתָDeu

Possible Meanings:
  • fall out (semantic_range)
  • come to pass (semantic_range)
  • become (semantic_range)
  • be (semantic_range)
  • Fall out (semantic_range)
H3588 כִּי
Definition:

Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic, Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic,

Possible Meanings:
  • for (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
H3372 יָרֵא
Definition:

A primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. To frighten -- affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness A primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. To frighten -- affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness

Possible Meanings:
  • shoot (semantic_range)
  • pour (semantic_range)
  • shoot with arrows (semantic_range)
  • and they shot at (semantic_range)
  • the shooters (semantic_range)
H3205 יָלַד
Definition:

18(3 t. in verse) + 16 t.;יָלָ֑דJeremiah 17:11;וְיָלַדconsecutivePsalm 7:15; suffixיְלָֽדְךָDeuteronomy 32:18; 2masculine singular suffixילדתניJeremiah 2:27Kt; Qrיְלִדְתָּנוּ(Köi. 410Ges§ 70, 2. R. 4) 18(3 t. in verse) + 16 t.;יָלָ֑דJeremiah 17:11;וְיָלַדconsecutivePsalm 7:15; suffixיְלָֽדְךָDeuteronomy 32:18; 2masculine singular suffixילדתניJeremiah 2:27Kt; Qrיְלִדְתָּנוּ(Köi. 410Ges§ 70, 2. R. 4)

Possible Meanings:
  • child (semantic_range)
  • son (semantic_range)
  • boy (semantic_range)
  • youth (semantic_range)
H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H0430 אֱלהִים
Definition:

33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power 33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

Possible Meanings:
  • divine ones (semantic_range)
  • angels (semantic_range)
  • gods (semantic_range)
H6213 עָשָׂה
Definition:

A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly,

Possible Meanings:
  • press (semantic_range)
  • squeeze (semantic_range)
H1004 בּיִת
Definition:

12house(Phoenicianבת, MIבת, suffixביתה, Arabic, Aramaicבַּיְתָא,Assyrianbîtu, COTGloss, Sabeanבית,בת,fortressDHMZMG 1883, 387;templeHal257DHMZMG 1876, 697, EthiopicPalmyrene inבת עלמא,בת מקברתאsepulch 12house(Phoenicianבת, MIבת, suffixביתה, Arabic, Aramaicבַּיְתָא,Assyrianbîtu, COTGloss, Sabeanבית,בת,fortressDHMZMG 1883, 387;templeHal257DHMZMG 1876, 697, EthiopicPalmyrene inבת עלמא,בת מקברתאsepulch

Possible Meanings:
  • lodge (semantic_range)
  • pass the night (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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