18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"
18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the male children live?"
18 The king of Egypt called in the midwives. "Why didn't you obey my orders? You've let those babies live!"
18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?"
18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. "Why have you done this?" he demanded. "Why have you allowed the boys to live?"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 1:18
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.