Exodus 1:15-16
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text specifically names two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, not just as a detail, but to highlight their leadership roles among the others. Pharaoh's focus on them suggests he was trying to manipulate the system by influencing key figures, hoping their compliance would lead to the obedience of all.
Pharaoh, seeing that the Israelites are multiplying despite his efforts to oppress them, resorts to a more sinister plan to control their population. He summons the two most prominent midwives among the Hebrews, Shiphrah and Puah, and secretly commands them to kill all newborn Israelite boys. This directive sets the stage for a profound act of defiance rooted in the midwives' fear of God.
Pharaoh's plan wasn't just cruel; it was an attack on God's promises. How did he try to achieve this seemingly impossible goal?
Pharaoh's escalating strategy against the Israelites is chilling.
From Oppression to Annihilation
First, he enslaved them, hoping to break their spirit and their numbers through hard labor. When that failed to curb their explosive growth, he moved to a more sinister plan: the systematic murder of every newborn boy.
Targeting the Future
This wasn't random violence. By ordering the midwives to kill the male infants at birth, Pharaoh aimed directly at the future of Israel. He sought to sever the lineage through which God's promises would be fulfilled, effectively trying to erase the people and their covenant relationship with God. The names Shiphrah and Puah, while seemingly small details, represent the crucial individuals caught in the crosshairs of this genocidal policy.
These two women, Shiphrah and Puah, faced an impossible choice. What does their story reveal about courage when life is on the line?
The introduction of Shiphrah and Puah is pivotal. While the text doesn't explicitly state their ethnicity (Egyptian or Hebrew), their subsequent actions reveal a profound moral compass.
Caught Between Tyranny and Truth
Pharaoh's command was direct: kill the boy babies. He likely chose the chief midwives, perhaps hoping their influence or Egyptian identity (if they were Egyptian) would ensure compliance. He used threats and implied promises of reward to compel them.
A Higher Authority
However, the text later reveals their inner motivation: they 'feared God' (Exodus 1:17). This fear wasn't terror, but profound reverence. It outweighed their fear of Pharaoh. They chose not to obey the king's murderous command, instead allowing the male infants to live. Their decision highlights that true faithfulness often means disobeying human authority when it conflicts with divine commands.
Understand the original words
Ibriy · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
An ethnic group distinct from the Egyptians, identified as the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, to whom God’s covenant promises were given.
meyaledet · Hebrew Noun
Women who assist in the delivery of infants; in this context, they are noted for their defiance of Pharaoh's decree, demonstrating fear of God over fear of man.
mĕyalledet · Hebrew Noun
A woman who assists in the delivery of babies. In this context, it refers to those acting as specialized health providers for the Israelites in Egypt.
ʾŏbĕnayim · Hebrew Noun
The technical apparatus used during childbirth in the ancient Near East, often consisting of two stones or a low seat upon which the mother would sit or crouch while giving birth.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
Following a period of growth and prosperity, the Israelites in Egypt become a source of concern for the new Egyptian dynasty, leading to their enslavement and forced labor.
c. 1446-1430 BC— this verse
Pharaoh Orders Infanticide
To control the burgeoning Israelite population, Pharaoh commands the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill all newborn Israelite males at birth.
c. 1430 BC
Moses Born and Hidden
Despite Pharaoh's decree, Moses is born and hidden by his mother and sister. He is eventually placed in a basket on the Nile River.
c. 1430-1410 BC
Moses Raised in Pharaoh's Court
Pharaoh's daughter discovers Moses and adopts him. He grows up in the Egyptian royal household, unaware of his Hebrew heritage.
c. 1410 BC
Moses Flees Egypt
After killing an Egyptian taskmaster who was abusing an Israelite slave, Moses flees the country to the land of Midian.
This passage shows a similar dynamic where individuals face a direct command from authority that conflicts with their devotion to God, highlighting the courage it takes to obey God rather than man.
1 Samuel 2:2This verse expresses a similar sentiment of unwavering trust in God despite overwhelming circumstances, mirroring the faith of the midwives who defied the king.
Acts 5:29Peter's declaration, 'We must obey God rather than men,' directly echoes the principle by which Shiphrah and Puah acted, demonstrating this as a timeless biblical theme.
Jeremiah 1:8This verse shows God's commissioning of Jeremiah to speak His truth, even in the face of opposition and potential danger, paralleling the midwives' bravery in the face of Pharaoh's threats.
Matthew 2:13-18This narrative shows a ruler attempting to destroy innocent life to preserve his power, much like Pharaoh's decree, and highlights divine intervention to protect the vulnerable.
bensonExodus 1:15: "And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:"
Exodus 1:15 . The king spake to the Hebrew midwives — The two chief of them. They are called Hebrew midwives, probably not because they were themselves Hebrews; for sure Pharaoh could never expect they should be so barbarous to those of their own nation; but because they were generally made use of among the Hebrews, and being Egyptians, he hoped to prevai…
calvinExodus 1:15-22: "And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:"
- And the king of Egypt spake. The tyrant now descends from the open violence and cruelty which had availed nothing, to secret plots and deceit. He desires the infants to be killed at their birth; and commands the midwives to be the instruments of this dreadful barbarity. We read of no such detestable example of inhumanity since the world began. I ad…
The text specifically names two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, not just as a detail, but to highlight their leadership roles among the others. Pharaoh's focus on them suggests he was trying to manipulate the system by influencing key figures, hoping their compliance would lead to the obedience of all.
Pharaoh, seeing that the Israelites are multiplying despite his efforts to oppress them, resorts to a more sinister plan to control their population. He summons the two most prominent midwives among the Hebrews, Shiphrah and Puah, and secretly commands them to kill all newborn Israelite boys. This directive sets the stage for a profound act of defiance rooted in the midwives' fear of God.
Pharaoh, seeing that the Israelites are multiplying despite his efforts to oppress them, resorts to a more sinister plan to control their population. He summons the two most prominent midwives among the Hebrews, Shiphrah and Puah, and secretly commands them to kill all newborn Israelite boys. This directive sets the stage for a profound act of defiance rooted in the midwives' fear of God.
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ʿibrî · Hebrew Adjective
The proper noun for the chosen people, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The term often distinguishes them from other nations and emphasizes their covenantal identity with Yahweh.
"Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daught…" — The text specifically names two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, not just as a detail, but to highlight their leadership roles among the others. Pharaoh's focus on them suggests he was trying to manipula…
