Keluaran 1:20-21

1:20 So God treated the midwives well, ¹  and the people multiplied and became very strong. 1:21 And because the midwives feared God, he made ²  households ³  for them.

[1:20]  ¹ tn The verb וַיֵּיטֶב (vayyetev) is the Hiphil preterite of יָטַב (yatav). In this stem the word means “to cause good, treat well, treat favorably.” The vav (ו) consecutive shows that this favor from God was a result of their fearing and obeying him.

[1:21]  ² tn The temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) focuses attention on the causal clause and lays the foundation for the main clause, namely, “God made households for them.” This is the second time the text affirms the reason for their defiance, their fear of God.

[1:21]  ³ tn Or “families”; Heb “houses.”