Hebrew Midwives ~ Choosing Faith over Fear

Sam and Sarah are missionaries in a country where Christianity is illegal. They can neither lead Bible study meetings nor share an evangelical witness. Government agents monitor every word and action. The punishment for breaking the law is imprisonment for everyone involved plus their parents and children. Why do Sam and Sarah choose to serve in that country? What does their choice reveal about the size of their fear vs. the size of their faith? God may not call us to comfortable places where the government tolerates different faiths. Like many believers today, the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah (Shifrah) and Puah, lived in that kind of environment.

A Downhill Slide

During Joseph’s lifetime, the Israelites held a place of esteem in the eyes of the Egyptian government. One of their own was second to Pharaoh. But their honored position took a downward turn after Joseph’s death and a leadership change. The new king didn’t know Joseph and feared the burgeoning numbers of his family. (Exodus 1) When enslaving them failed to halt their growth, Pharaoh devised a new plan. He instructed Shiphrah and Puah to murder baby boys but let girls live. The women, however, disobeyed his orders.

Who were the Hebrew Midwives?

Who were Shiphrah and Puah? Since the Hebrew text can mean either “Hebrew midwives” or “midwives of the Hebrews,” scholars are uncertain. Were they Israelites or Egyptians? If Israelites, how could Pharaoh expect them to murder the babies of their own people? If Egyptians, why would they betray their king and risk their lives? Although traditional commentators identify them as Israelites, others see them as Egyptian converts. Their names, however, are Semitic, not Egyptian. Furthermore, the conventional rabbinic interpretation is that Shiphrah and Puah were Jochebed (Moses’ mother) and Miriam (his sister). Whatever their identity, Shiphrah and Puah were probably the chief midwives with other women working under them.

The Hebrew Midwives Faced a Choice about Whom to Fear 

Rebbetzin Leah Kohn suggests that upon hearing Pharaoh’s orders, the midwives had two choices. They could:

1. Refuse—The Torah mandates that a Jew ordered to kill another Jew should sacrifice his/her own life first. (God has never sanctioned killing babies—either then or now.)
2. Obey—Disobeying the king could be deadly. They could comply with the order out of fear.

In collectivist, honor/shame cultures, confrontation causes everyone to lose face, which is why people avoid it. No one wins when the king loses. Besides, had Shiphrah and Puah refused outright, the king could’ve appointed new midwives, women who might have been more willing to murder Hebrew babies. But the primary reason behind their actions? 

[They] feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 

Exodus 1:17

The king had commanded them to perform after-birth abortions (infanticide) on baby boys. But Shiphrah and Puah feared God more than they feared Pharaoh. Not just fear of retribution but awe and reverence. Their faith in God and his power was stronger than their faith in Pharaoh and his.

A Question of Truth

When Pharaoh discovered the increasing number of male infants, he questioned Shiphrah and Puah’s loyalty. 

The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

Exodus 1:19

Westerners focus on what they perceive as a lie. But as noted in an earlier post, definitions of right and wrong are cultural. In the midwives’ honor/shame culture, being truthful meant being true to your relationships, your group. Pharaoh would have expected no less. What about God—did he approve?

So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Exodus 1:20-21

God rewarded Shiphrah and Puah’s loyalty to their group by increasing the size of their group, including the size of their own families.

Who Do We Fear and Where Is Our Faith?

In uncertain times, we may find ourselves overcome with fear—of the future, the unknown, our lack of control. To settle those fears, we must determine who/what is worthy of our fear because our fear reveals our faith. Should we trust in human beings, either ourselves or others? Only if they’re all-knowing, all-good, and all-powerful. Jesus promises his presence in the midst of whatever storm we face.

Don’t yield to fear. Have courage. It’s really me—I Am!

Mark 6:50, The Passion Translation

To overcome our fear, we must fear God because he is the one in ultimate control. Like Sam and Sarah, like Shiphrah and Puah, we can focus on God, fearing/honoring/trusting him more than we fear/honor/trust anything else. He is “I Am”—the “I Am Everything You Need” God.