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Exodus 1:21

And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses.

Challoner: Because the midwives feared GodThe midwives were rewarded, not for their lie, which was a venial sin; but for their fear of God, and their humanity: but this reward was only temporal, in building them houses, that is, in establishing and enriching their families.

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The verse in its languages

Vulgate (Clementine): Et quia timuerunt obstetrices Deum, ædificavit eis domos.
Septuagint (Swete): ἐπειδὴ ἐφοβοῦντο αἱ μαῖαι τὸν θεόν, ἐποίησαν ἑαυταῖς οἰκίας.
Hebrew (WLC): וַיְהִ֕י כִּֽי יָֽרְא֥וּ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים

Haydock's commentary

Because the midwives feared God, &c. The midwives were rewarded, not for their lie, which was a venial sin; but for their fear of God, and their humanity; but this reward was only temporal, in building them houses, that is, in establishing and enriching their families. (Challoner)

This alone the Scripture specifies, though they might also be filled with heavenly graces. (Worthington)

Some conclude from this verse, that the midwives embraced the true religion. The Hebrew refers built them to the Hebrews, as if they multiplied in consequence of the humanity of these women; (Calmet) and the Vulgate may be explained in the same sense. (Haydock) De Muis supposes, that Pharao ordered houses to be built for the midwives, where the Hebrew women were forced to appear when they were to be delivered, in the presence of commissaries.

From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.