The king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives for the Hebrew women, look on the birthstool: if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she may live.”

The midwives, however, feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt had ordered them, but let the boys live.

So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this, allowing the boys to live?”

The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are robust and give birth before the midwife arrives.”

Therefore God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very numerous.

And because the midwives feared God, God built up families for them.

Pharaoh then commanded all his people, “Throw into the Nile every boy that is born, but you may let all the girls live.”