15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom 1was named Shiphrah and the other 1was named Puah;

16 and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, aif it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”

17 But the midwives 1afeared God, and bdid not do as the king of Egypt had 2commanded them, but let the boys live.

18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?”

19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife 1can get to them.”

20 So aGod was good to the midwives, and bthe people multiplied, and became very 1mighty.

21 Because the midwives 1afeared God, He 2bestablished 3households for them.

22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “aEvery son who is born 1you are to cast into bthe Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”