stooles] The Hebrew word obnajim (found only in this place) is taken particularly for a stoole, or seat framed for the use of women in travell, that the midwife may doe her office, with more ease, and safetie to the mother, and the child. kill him] By strangling or otherwise, so as may be done with most expedition and certainty, lest they should doe the like to the Egyptians, if they were suffered to live to be men: and yet it must be done cunningly, and secretly, with some private pinch, that the child may be thought to have had some mishap in the birth; which cunning practise (though for a while it might) could not long be concealed: but malice is so blind, that it seeeth but a little way beyond it selfe; the foiles and failings with the just recompences of it, are neither foreseen nor feared by the malicious, untill they are surprised by them. but if a daughter] They were content they should live; because of their infirmitie, unable to resist their rigour, and because they were desirous to reserve them for their sensuall satisfaction, being more beautifull then the Egyptian women: See the last annotat. on this chapter.