Exodus 1:16-17
“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.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Pharaoh's cruel command reveals a calculated strategy: by ordering the midwives to kill only the male infants, he aimed to systematically extinguish the Hebrew lineage while leaving the women alive to serve Egyptian masters and dilute the Hebrew bloodline through future generations. This wasn't just random brutality, but a chilling attempt to eradicate a people from existence by targeting their future inheritance.
Pharaoh, increasingly threatened by the growing Israelite population, escalates his cruel plan from indirect oppression to direct infanticide. He commands the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to secretly kill every newborn Israelite boy on the birthing stool, while allowing girls to live. This wicked decree marks a terrifying new phase, designed to systematically exterminate the male line and thus the future of the Israelite people.
Imagine a ruler so consumed by fear that he resorts to the most horrific of plans. Pharaoh's command to the midwives reveals a chilling desperation.
Pharaoh's fear of the growing Israelite population led him to a brutal decree: kill every Hebrew boy at birth. This wasn't just about population control; it was an attempt to extinguish the future of a people God had promised to bless and multiply.
A Brutal Calculation
Pharaoh targeted the male infants specifically. Why? Because the continuation of a people, their leadership, and their legacy were tied to the men. By eliminating the boys, he aimed to sever the Israelites' future, ensuring they would dwindle and eventually disappear.
This desperate act highlights how fear can drive even powerful leaders to commit unspeakable atrocities. Pharaoh's actions show a ruler willing to sacrifice basic humanity for perceived security.
In the face of a king's deadly command, two women chose a different path. Their decision would not only save lives but demonstrate profound faith.
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Shipprah and Puah, the Hebrew midwives, were commanded by Pharaoh to kill the Israelite baby boys. However, they did not obey.
Fear God, Not Man
The text tells us, 'the midwives feared God.' This wasn't just a casual respect; it was a deep, reverential awe that placed God's authority above Pharaoh's. They understood that obeying Pharaoh would mean participating in a grave sin against God's creation and His people.
Their choice to save the boys was an act of faith. They risked their lives, knowing the potential consequences of defying the king. Their obedience to God, even when it meant disobeying a powerful ruler, shielded the Israelite people and became a foundational act of resistance.
When ordinary people choose to honor God in extraordinary circumstances, how does He respond? The story of the midwives shows God's generous favor.
Despite the midwives' fear of Pharaoh, their decision to obey God had significant consequences. The text reveals God's active involvement and blessing in response to their faithfulness.
Building a Legacy
Because the midwives 'feared God,' the text states that 'God dealt well with the midwives.' The commentators suggest this meant God established their families and futures, likely granting them prosperity and honor within their own communities.
More importantly, their faithfulness ensured the survival and growth of the Israelite people. This act of courage, rooted in their devotion to God, directly contributed to the continuation of Abraham's lineage and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. It shows that even small acts of obedience in the face of overwhelming evil can have world-altering significance.
Understand the original words
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.
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.
yārēʾ · Hebrew Verb
The reverential awe, obedience, and holy fear of the Lord. It signifies a disposition that prioritizes obedience to God over the commands of earthly authorities, acknowledging His supreme sovereignty.
Pharaoh's brutal decree reveals a deep-seated fear of the growing Hebrew population, stemming from the political upheaval after the Hyksos expulsion and a perceived threat to Egyptian dominance. The story highlights the midwives' courageous faith in God over human authority, setting the stage for Moses' miraculous survival and leadership.
c. 1650-1550 BC
Hyksos Rule in Egypt
This period saw foreign rulers (the Hyksos) in control of parts of Egypt. The Semitic peoples, including the Hebrews, may have entered Egypt and prospered during this era.
c. 1550 BC
Expulsion of the Hyksos
Native Egyptian dynasties (the New Kingdom) reasserted control, pushing out the Hyksos. This likely marked a shift in attitude towards foreigners, particularly the growing Hebrew population.
c. 1550-1295 BC
Hebrews Enslaved and Oppressed
Following the expulsion of the Hyksos, a new Egyptian dynasty viewed the rapidly multiplying Hebrews as a potential threat. They were enslaved and forced into heavy labor, like building the cities of Pithom and Raamses.
Exodus 1:16— this verse
Infanticide Decree Issued
Pharaoh, fearing the Hebrews would grow too numerous and powerful, commanded the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill all newborn Hebrew boys, allowing only the girls to live.
Unknown, likely during the Oppression
Midwives Fear God, Disobey Decree
The midwives Shiphrah and Puah, fearing God more than Pharaoh, refused to carry out the murderous command, allowing the Hebrew boys to live.
Unknown, likely during the Oppression
Pharaoh Escalates Cruelty
After discovering the midwives' disobedience, Pharaoh issued a new decree to all Egyptians: to throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile River.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a similar impossible command from a king, choosing to obey God rather than face death, showing the same courageous defiance as the midwives.
1 Samuel 2:2Hannah's prayer after Samuel's birth expresses joy in God's strength and deliverance, mirroring the relief and divine favor the midwives experienced in protecting new life.
Matthew 2:13-18Herod's murderous command to kill the male infants in Bethlehem parallels Pharaoh's decree, highlighting a recurring pattern of tyrannical power seeking to extinguish God's chosen people.
Acts 5:29Peter's declaration, 'We must obey God rather than men,' directly echoes the principle by which the midwives chose to act, demonstrating that loyalty to God supersedes human authority.
bensonExodus 1:16: "And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live."
Exodus 1:16-19 . The stools — Seats used on that occasion. But the midwives feared God — Dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh’s, and therefore saved the men-children alive. The Hebrew women are lively — We have no reason to doubt the truth of this; it is plain they were now under an extraordinary bl…
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…
Pharaoh's cruel command reveals a calculated strategy: by ordering the midwives to kill only the male infants, he aimed to systematically extinguish the Hebrew lineage while leaving the women alive to serve Egyptian masters and dilute the Hebrew bloodline through future generations. This wasn't just random brutality, but a chilling attempt to eradicate a people from existence by targeting their future inheritance.
Pharaoh, increasingly threatened by the growing Israelite population, escalates his cruel plan from indirect oppression to direct infanticide. He commands the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to secretly kill every newborn Israelite boy on the birthing stool, while allowing girls to live. This wicked decree marks a terrifying new phase, designed to systematically exterminate the male line and thus the future of the Israelite people.
Pharaoh, increasingly threatened by the growing Israelite population, escalates his cruel plan from indirect oppression to direct infanticide. He commands the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to secretly kill every newborn Israelite boy on the birthing stool, while allowing girls to live. This wicked decree marks a terrifying new phase, designed to systematically exterminate the male line and thus the future of the Israelite people.
"“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.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, bu…" — Pharaoh's cruel command reveals a calculated strategy: by ordering the midwives to kill only the male infants, he aimed to systematically extinguish the Hebrew lineage while leaving the women alive t…
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