Good News Translation has rearranged these four clauses for a more natural and logical sequence. Hence the sequence a-b-c-d in Revised Standard Version becomes c-a-d-b in Good News Translation, and the midwives’ fear of God clearly becomes the logical basis for the various results. In many languages Good News Translation‘s model will be a more natural one.

God dealt well with the midwives means that “God was kind to the midwives” (Jerusalem Bible), or “God was good to them” (Good News Translation). In this context it may also be interpreted to mean “God made the midwives prosper” (New English Bible). The people multiplied and grew very strong is the same expression as that used in verse 7, except that in the Hebrew very strong is not quite as emphatic as the Hebrew for “exceedingly strong” in verse 7. It refers to strength in number rather than physical strength. (See the similar comment on “strong” at verse 7.) For feared God see verse 17 and comment.

He gave them families is literally “and he made for them houses.” But this does not necessarily mean that they were simply given a place to live. The Hebrew word for house also means “household” or “family,” so the probable implication is that the midwives had been childless. Thus the ancient stigma against women who had no children would have been removed. Good News Translation makes this clearer by adding “families of their own.” This may also be expressed as “enabled them to have children of their own,” or even “… to have children and grandchildren of their own.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .