Exodus 1:17

But ¹  the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live. ² 

The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.

But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king and allowed the boys to live, too.

But the midwives had far too much respect for God and didn't do what the king of Egypt ordered; they let the boy babies live.

But the women had the fear of God, and did not do as the king of Egypt said, but let the male children go on living.

But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live.

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.

But ¹  the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live. ² 

¹ tn Heb “and they [fem. pl.] feared”; the referent (the midwives) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn The verb is the Piel preterite of חָיָה (khaya, “to live”). The Piel often indicates a factitive nuance with stative verbs, showing the cause of the action. Here it means “let live, cause to live.” The verb is the exact opposite of Pharaoh’s command for them to kill the boys.