Lexical Summary chayeh: Life, living, alive Original Word: חָיֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lively From chayah; vigorous -- lively. see HEBREW chayah Brown-Driver-Briggs [חָיֶה] adjective having the vigour of life, lively (on formation see LagBN 49) — feminine plural חָיוֺת Exodus 1:19 (E), of Hebrew women in childbirth, bearing quickly easily. Topical Lexicon Concept of Vitality in Hebrew Thought חָיֶה encapsulates more than mere biological existence; it evokes vigor, resilience, and the animation that comes from God’s sustaining breath (Genesis 2:7). Its solitary use in Exodus 1:19 portrays a life‐force so strong that Hebrew mothers deliver children unaided, an image that sets “life” in opposition to Pharaoh’s decree of death. Contextual Setting: Birth and Preservation in Exodus In Exodus 1 Pharaoh commands that every newborn Hebrew boy be cast into the Nile. Shiphrah and Puah resist by reporting, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife arrives” (Exodus 1:19). חָיֶה becomes the pivot of their testimony: the Hebrews’ God‐given vitality thwarts a tyrant’s genocidal plan. The verb underscores the irony—those marked for death overflow with life. Covenant Fruitfulness and Divine Protection The word’s placement recalls God’s covenant promise to Abraham: “I will make you exceedingly fruitful” (Genesis 17:6). While Egypt seeks to curb that fruitfulness, חָיֶה testifies that the Lord’s blessing prevails. The multiplication of Israel (Exodus 1:7) and the safe births recorded in verse 19 affirm that divine promises cannot be annulled by human opposition. Contrast of Life and Death in Redemptive Narrative Exodus juxtaposes Pharaoh’s culture of death with the life‐affirming power of Yahweh. חָיֶה foreshadows subsequent deliverance motifs: the blood of the Passover lamb sparing Israel’s firstborn (Exodus 12:13) and the parting of the sea granting a path to life while Egypt drowns. Throughout Scripture, similar tensions surface—Elijah reviving the widow’s son (1 Kings 17:22), the valley of dry bones receiving breath (Ezekiel 37:10), and ultimately the empty tomb of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:6). Implications for Ministry and Theology 1. Sanctity of Life: חָיֶה reminds believers that God cherishes and protects life from the womb. Pro‐life ethics derive momentum from this foundational truth. Connections to New Testament Revelation The vigor implicit in חָיֶה finds its fullness in the Messiah’s declaration, “I came that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness” (John 10:10). The same divine potency that enabled Hebrew mothers to deliver despite Pharaoh now imparts eternal life to all who believe (1 John 5:12). Paul celebrates this invincibility: “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). The theme crescendos in Revelation, where the saints “came to life and reigned with Christ” (Revelation 20:4). Summary חָיֶה (Strong’s 2422) serves as a vivid flash of divine vitality in the Exodus narrative. It announces that God’s life‐giving power overrides tyranny, safeguards covenant purposes, and anticipates the resurrection life manifested in Jesus Christ and granted to His people. Forms and Transliterations חָי֣וֹת חיות chaYot ḥā·yō·wṯ ḥāyōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 1:19 HEB: הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־ חָי֣וֹת הֵ֔נָּה בְּטֶ֨רֶם NAS: women; for they are vigorous and give KJV: [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered INT: the Hebrew Because are vigorous in before 1 Occurrence |
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