Exodus 1:16 — King James Version← Study notes

“And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.”

Exodus 1:16 — Hebrew Interlinear

Hebrew · Exodus 1:1616 words

וַיֹּאמֶרwayōʾmerAnd say

בְּיַלֶּדְכֶןbəyaledəḵenIn bear young

אֶתʾet—

הָעִבְרִיּוֹתhāʿivərîwōtThe Eberite

וּרְאִיתֶןûrəʾîtenAnd see

עַלʿalAbove

הָאָבְנָיִםhāʾāvənāyimThe pair of stones

אִםʾimLo!

בֵּןbēnSon

הוּאhûʾHe

וַהֲמִתֶּןwahămitenAnd die

אֹתוֹʾōtwō—

וְאִםwəʾimAnd lo!

בַּתbatDaughter

הִיאhîʾHe

וָחָיָהwāḥāyāhAnd live

ℹWords read right to left. אֵת (ʾēṯ) is a direct object marker with no English equivalent, shown faded.

Word-by-word meanings