One of the most compelling stories in the Hebrew Bible is about midwives’ defiance of the cruel decree to murder Hebrew boys born in Egypt. The events likely occurred during the reign of either Pharaoh Ramses II (c. 1279–1213 BCE) or Merneptah (c. 1213–1203 BCE), who was the Pharaoh at the time of Exodus.
The evil is unleashed
The new Pharaoh of Egypt decided to take brutal action to curb the spiraling, out-of-control birthrate of the Israelites. His fear is understandable (muslim immigration and birthrate overtaking Europe comes to mind); his cruelty is unfathomable and clearly without any possible justification.
We read that:
15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah, and the other was named Puah; 16 and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” (Exod 1:15-16)
On the surface, the meaning seems clear, but in Hebrew, it is far less so, which is why Jewish interpreters over centuries have disagreed sharply on whether the midwives were Israelites (“Hebrew midwives”) or members of an Egyptian medical elite responsible for overseeing births among Hebrew slaves.
The reason this is possible is because the original Hebrew text was unpointed; that is, there were 22 letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, without vowels. The Hebrew text appears as: למילדת העברית, while the Massoretic text appears as: לַמְיַלְּדֹת הָעִבְרִיֹּת. The people who created the Masoretic Text are called Masoretes. They were Jewish scribes and scholars who worked between the 6th and 10th centuries AD/CE. The Masoretes standardized the Hebrew Bible by adding vowel points (niqqud), accentuation (cantillation marks), and other notations to ensure accurate pronunciation and recitation of the text as they saw it. Their work resulted in the Masoretic Text (MT), which is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible today.
Skip this paragraph if you can’t stand grammar, but if you suffer through it you will be rewared: In Exodus 1:15, the Hebrew phrase describing the midwives Shiphrah and Puah is written in the Masoretic Text as לַמְיַלְּדֹת הָעִבְרִיֹּת, which translates to “to the Hebrew midwives.” This particular Massoretic vocalization uses a patach vowel (a short “a” sound) under the lamed (לַ), positioning “Hebrew” (עִבְרִיֹּת) as an adjective modifying “midwives,” implying that the midwives were ethnically Hebrew. However, as was already mentioned above, the original text was without vowels. This means that there is a feasible possibility for an alternative to the Massoretic text vocalization, such as לִמְיַלְּדֹת הָעִבְרִיֹּת, with a chirik vowel (a short “i” sound) under the lamed (לִ). In this reading, the phrase becomes a construction chain, meaning “to the midwives of the Hebrew women,” implying that the midwives were not Hebrew but rather Egyptian professionals appointed to work within the Hebrew community.
One key argument for the midwives being Hebrew is that their names are not Egyptian but have clear Hebrew meanings. Shiphrah means “beautiful” or “improvement” in Hebrew, while Puah means “crying out” or “radiant.” They may have been recruited from the Israelite community to work for the Egyptian royal court as liaisons. However, their Hebrew names can be explained as their Hebrew work names, not their original Egyptian ones. The primary argument for the midwives being Egyptian lies in the logical implausibility of Pharaoh having direct conversations with Hebrew slaves and expecting them to put to death a large number of Israelite children (it’s unclear which aspect is more implausible!).
Another consideration is the mathematical impossibility of two midwives single-handedly performing this duty. Based on approximate but reasonable calculations, it would have taken approximately 1,000–3,000 midwives to service around 600,000 Israelite women who were actively getting pregnant as per the Biblical account. By the time they left Egypt, the Israelites numbered between one and three million, based on the biblical count of 600,000 men excluding women and children (Ex 12:37). Therefore, it is also very possible that Shiphrah and Puah were medical secretaries in Pharaoh’s court. The idea that Shiphrah and Puah were overseers aligns with Egyptian bureaucracy, which employed many officials to manage labor and resources.
The rebellion of faith
Whether Hebrew or Egyptian, midwives disobeyed the order and made up false justifications for not following it.
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.”
Their excuse to Pharaoh—that Hebrew women were “vigorous” (chayot, from ח-י-ה, ch-y-h, “life” or “animal”)—is interpreted as likening them to wild beasts who birth quickly without aid, a clever wordplay on vitality versus human fragility.
If the midwives were indeed Hebrew, everything makes perfect sense, but could it also make sense if they were Egyptian? The answer is yes. How so?
Although the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) can mean either “God” or “gods,” in this context, it includes the definite article (הָאֱלֹהִים, ha-Elohim, “the God”), limiting the interpretation to either the God of the Israelites or one of the aforementioned Egyptian gods. The Egyptian pantheon included at least three deities associated with protecting pregnant women and their unborn children: Amun-Ra, the chief Egyptian deity, associated with childbirth among other roles; Isis, the goddess of motherhood, revered as a protector of women and children; and Hathor, another goddess closely linked to childbirth. It is plausible that the Egyptian midwives feared their own god(s). In other words, the term “the God/god” in Exodus 1:17 could refer to either the God of the Hebrews or an Egyptian deity who would be particularly offended by the destruction of human life on such a massive scale in Egypt.
Although “the God” (הָאֱלֹהִים, ha-Elohim) could refer to “THE LORD/YHVH” (יהוה), it would be unusual for the text to avoid explicitly stating that “the midwives feared THE LORD” (the God of the Hebrews). The absence of YHVH suggests a tilt away from Israel’s deity and toward one of the Egyptian gods.
It is impossible to determine which interpretation of the ancient Hebrew text is original. Midwives may have been Hebrew or Egyptian, or, perhaps, they were Egyptian women who feared Israel’s God. The text may intentionally retain ambiguity to encourage readers or listeners to consider the implications in various contexts, a known and often deliberate feature of the Hebrew Bible.
The failure of evil
In Exodus 1:15–20, Shiphrah and Puah exemplify moral courage triumphing over tyrannical evil. Defying Pharaoh’s decree to murder Hebrew newborn boys (Exodus 1:16), they feared God above human authority, sparing countless lives through deception (Exodus 1:19). Their act of civil disobedience, rooted in reverence for life, thwarted Pharaoh’s genocidal intent. God rewarded their faithfulness, blessing them with enduring dynasties/households (Exodus 1:21), while the Israelite population multiplied, growing “exceedingly mighty” despite oppression (Exodus 1:20). This divine favor underscores a profound truth: evil, though formidable, is ultimately powerless against those aligned with God’s moral order. Pharaoh’s subsequent decree, commanding all Egyptians to drown Hebrew boys (Exodus 1:22), reveals his desperation and acknowledgment that his initial plan failed due to the midwives’ heroism. Shiphrah and Puah’s actions demonstrate that courageous deception, when preserving life, aligns with divine justice.
Conclusion
The story of Shiphrah and Puah stands as a timeless testament to the power of civil disobedience rooted in moral conviction. Whether Hebrew or Egyptian, these midwives defied a tyrannical decree, choosing to honor the sanctity of life over the demands of an oppressive ruler. Their courage, driven by a profound fear of God—whether the God of Israel or a deity of their own tradition—demonstrates that true righteousness transcends cultural, ethnic, and even religious boundaries. By sparing the Hebrew boys, the leaders saved the nation of Israel from extinction and preserved the line of Judah, which would one day give the world Christ, the Savior and King. This narrative challenges us today to reflect on our response to injustice. The midwives’ actions remind us that even in the face of overwhelming power, acts of defiance, grounded in faith and moral clarity, can unravel the schemes of evil. Let their story ignite your resolve. Stand firm against injustice, wield truth as your shield, and act with the audacity of faith. Will you, like Shiphrah and Puah, dare to defy the Pharaohs of today in order to protect life? Take courage; reshape the world.
In my opinion, any woman, midwives in particular, regardless of their ethnicity, are called to give birth, to help their sisters at birth, and then to protect the child. Moses’ case is the only one described in the Bible, yet I dare to believe that many egyptian midwives of that time had disobeyed the pharaoh’s orders. Yet I am asking myself, does any disobedience, even the one having the best outcome at first sight, demand that the original OBEDIENCE OF THE RULERS AND GOVERNORS be executed?
IS IT O.K. TO REBEL AGAINST OUR LEGAL AUTHORITIES, when the laws are against what is right? Is it why many countries allow abortions today? We should protect life at any cost, and women are losing their battle in this battlefield.
When an unprepared person becomes pregnant, selfishness often prevails, resulting in both disobedience and murder in a single act.
Of the world’s greatest advocates of unborn life was gunned down last week. May his memory be blessed. Charlie Kirk you were a real hero!
So glad you could discover this.
Thank you, Connie!
Great lesson Dr Eli L Eyzenberg and thank you.
Thank you, Richard!
A well considered analysis of one of many Biblical ambiguities. I feel motivated to address a bit of a side issue. The Masoretes worked for at least three centuries to ‘clean up’ the Scriptural text. As with later monastery scribes laboriously producing copies of the New Testament text, Jewish scribes over the centuries made copying errors or even editorial additions to the original text. The Masoretes were dedicated spiritual scholars and prayed fervently for guidance in restoring the Scriptural text to its original existence. The result is the Masoretic Text, the ‘authority’ for our modern Old Testament. The ‘miracle’ of this sincere effort is when the Masorah could be compared with the Dead Sea Scrolls of six to eight centuries earlier, they showed a good instance of correspondence.
Yes.
informative and inspiring writings
This is an amazing commentary on this event! None of these aspects of thought have I seen in any other discussion, including the title– that they were civilly disobedient. Thank you so so much, Dr Eli.
You are most welcome. We are pushing ourselves here to think differently, but within the boundaries of the Holy Bible.
I agree with you. Very insightful, I dare say provocative too.
What an AUDACIOUS example to follow!
Thank you, Dr. Eli
Amen!
Could the possibility of the Hebrew women,aware of what is to become of their sons, remove themselves to hidden places before the birth of their child to evade the decree of pharoah. Perhaps in the rushes along the banks of the nile, hence the order to drown them when found.
Jon, the scenario of Hebrew women hiding to protect their sons from Pharaoh’s decree is plausible. In ancient Egypt, Pharaoh’s order to drown Hebrew male infants (Exodus 1:22) aimed to curb their population. Aware of this threat, resourceful women could have sought secluded spots, like the Nile’s rushes, to give birth in secret. The Nile’s dense vegetation provided natural cover, ideal for evading detection. This aligns with the story of Moses, hidden in a basket among reeds (Exodus 2:3), suggesting a broader strategy of concealment. The decree to drown boys found in such places could reflect Pharaoh’s suspicion that women were hiding there. This act of resistance would demonstrate the Hebrew women’s courage and ingenuity, using the environment to subvert oppressive edicts. Such actions fit the cultural context of survival under tyranny, where desperate measures ensured the safety of their children.
Jon, in the next days i plan to go to iSrael and see the TRUTH closely at my own eyes. I do not dare to judge. But you do. So you may as well join me. The Truth is worth of our comodity, isnt IT.
Informative and Inspiring. What wonderful women they were – ultimately more important than Pharoah.
(The date for The Exodus seems questionable, sadly – given the period of 490 years for The Judges – Saul, David the building of The Temple.)
Indeed far more important that pharoah.
Thanks. That was interesting.
Thank you!
So deeply sweet!
God bless every single one
Who does what is truly right of God!
❤️🙌🌹
Amen!
Thank you, Dr. Eli. You never cease to amaze me with your articles and information.
You never cease to encourage me to write more. Thank you.
This is very inspiring and educative. Thanks for the deep thoughts.
Rotimi Fabanwo
You are most welcome. May we continue to be enlightened!
This is an awesome encouragement to me as a law abiding person increasingly frustrated by the laws being written here in Australia like what we can and can’t pray for and where as Christians we can and cannot do prayer walks through our streets and it’s time to stand up for what is true and right and Godly regardless of consequences. I mean respectfully of course and under Holy Spirits leading. Thankyou
Indeed! We must resist all ungodliness in an overwhelming majority of cases with commitment to non-violence.
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story; it open my eyes to how flaky we are when facing real trials. We must stand up to the truth of so many terrible things that are happening in our world today, and we are so afraid of speaking the truth. Let’s worry about what G_od has to say not what people think of us.
Thank you
How can someone not say AMEN to that?!
Thanks for the insight. I think Shiphrah and Puah were the chief matrons of other midwives. The instruction was given to them which they’re expected to cascade down to midwives. But maybe they didn’t.
This is almost certainly the case (whether or not they were Hebrew or Egyptian).
Thankful for your diligent knowledge and study that you share, blessed by it.
So happy to hear it!
This reminded us how precious is life. All life is a gift from The Almighty and treated with reverence and awe.
Indeed.
Good account, Dr. Eli; and so very interesting the different arguments regarding the ethnicity of these two midwives! As it culminates, however, the end results are properly met in the saving of the lives of thousands of Hebrew baby boys and the line of Messiah! Blessing upon blessing to these two midwives! What a fabulous example they were of great courage in an area of such importance!!
May their memory be blessed! THank you, Ruth!
God also rewards them by putting their names in The Holy Bible while no one knows who Pharaoh is 😂.
Our God always rewards those who fear Him.
Praise the Lord.
Amen!
A wonderful account Dr Eli, thank you so much.
It occurred to me that these two women Shiphrah and Puah, one could have been Egyptian and the other Israelite. From a political point of view this would have been a wise choice by the Pharaoh to achieve acceptance and reduce hesitancy among the Israelites and indeed the Egyprians.
Are we seening similar situation played out today from world leaders as they attempt to achieve their own political ends.
Thanks for your comment, Alan. Indeed.
Thank you for giving a clear understanding of the midwives and of the necessity to always do what is right in the eyes of Yahuah. Thank you, too, for the grammatical explanation and the clarity concerning the gods.
May YHVH give us all light.
I concur with disobeying authorities when it conflicts with the scriptures. We often forget that we don’t belong to this world.
Regrettably, society has succumbed to Satan’s deceit. God’s Word is being silenced, but there is still hope. I’ve noticed a significant interest in the Truth among younger adults.
We are citizens of our Lord’s kingdom.
“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,”
Colossians 1:13 NKJV
Amazing insight to this passage of scripture. Can see it in different light now. Thank you
Great to hear!
Thank you for the grammatical analysis and the depth of the commentary.
Indeed, we have sometimes sought the origin of the two midwives, without, however, reaching a conclusion.
Nevertheless, regarding false justifications, as with Rahab concerning the two spies, I believe that God, in His pedagogy, works with man until he attains the faith of Jesus Christ.
Merci pour l’analyse grammaticale et la profondeur du commentaire.
En effet, il nous est arrivé de chercher l’origine des deux sages-femmes, sans pour autant parvenir à une conclusion.
Cependant, en ce qui concerne les fausses justifications, comme pour Rahab au sujet des 2 espions, je crois que Dieu, dans sa pédagogie, compose avec l’homme jusqu’à ce que celui-ci parvienne à la foi de Jésus-Christ.
May the Lord bless you and keep you!
These two women were Egyptian midwives handling both Hebrew and Egyptian women at birth because they knew the characteristics of Egyptian women at times of birth, so they used that weakness to cover their disobedience to do evil to Hebrew women.
Like the insights
Blessings!
A question: what do you think of ghe revolt against Seleucid Empire by Maccabees? Its civil disobedience?
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) against Antiochus IV’s Seleucid decrees—banning Torah, enforcing Zeus worship, desecrating the Temple—was a righteous armed resistance, not mere “civil disobedience.” Judas Maccabeus led a guerrilla war to restore Jewish worship (1 Macc 2:44–48), recapturing and rededicating the Temple (Hanukkah’s origin). Unlike passive non-compliance, it combined piety, nationalism, and military force; the Hasmoneans later established an independent dynasty.
Theologically, it’s celebrated in Jewish tradition as divine deliverance (Zechariah 4:6 echoed). Yet, later Hasmonean corruption (priestly-kingship fusion) drew rabbinic critique. Politically, it preserved monotheism amid Hellenism. Not Gandhi-style satyagraha, but covenantal fidelity through force when faith was outlawed—judged biblically legitimate (cf. Exodus 1:17; Acts 5:29).
So contrasting to today and how the world today perceive the Jewish / Hebrew nation. To eradicate the nation. Yet still are not able to achieve this ancient goal, to destroy the nation chosen by YHVH.
It didn’t work back then. It will not work now 😉
I think, to me, the greatest mystery is Pharaoh’s command, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” What on earth was pharaoh thinking? True that women make good household servants BUT men are best for heavy labor, especially working with stone. Pharaohs are best known for their desire to build stone monuments to themselves. Why would one consider limiting his slave stone workers? Presumably Egyptian workers would have to be paid and shown some respect.
Pharaoh’s decree (Exod 1:16, 22) wasn’t economic folly but genocidal fear. He dreaded Hebrew population growth—“lest they multiply… and fight against us” (1:10)—echoing ancient siege paranoia: more males meant future warriors, not just laborers. Killing boys crippled long-term rebellion while sparing girls ensured assimilation (via intermarriage or servitude). Stonework? Egyptians had skilled, paid guilds; Hebrews were corvée conscripts for mud-bricks (5:7–8), not elite masons. Daughters could serve households and bear mixed children, diluting identity. Pharaoh prioritized security over workforce math—classic tyrant logic: neutralize threat, exploit the rest. God flipped it: the spared “seed” (Moses) toppled the regime.
This is an interesting scripture. If it was the Egyptian women who were in charge of seeing to it that they destroyed all the male child. These women would fear the God of the Hebrew because from the onset they would have seen the mighty acts of Yahweh the sovereign Lord . So driven by this fear they would rebel against the Laws of the Egyptian king, knowing that the sovereign power of God stands forever against all the king and kingdom of the earth. So we see the Fear of God which cause them to rebel against the King’s law and this to a mighty resolve of God people triumphantly prevailed.
Indeed. Thank you, Paulette.
Hi DrEli,
The context of this account brings to my mind the judgement of Solomon over the two mothers claiming the one child as their own and the wisdom Solomon used to reveal the true mother, who would give up her child so he might live. Any thoughts?
Jon, personally I think that in this case it is a coincidence.
Profound! Civil disobedience is NOT a response limited to the ’60s…YHVH is HUGE & in CONTROL
Thank you, D!
Shalom Dr. Eli,
How could there be any ambuguity regarding whom the midwifes feared? It had to be the G-d of Israel since He rewarded the midwifes with families of their own. Something the gods of Egypt (the death cult) were completely unable to do. The Holy One of Israel showed the impotency of their idols and the futility of trusting in them as it is written and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the LORD.
Whether the midwifes were Israelites or Egyptians may be debatable.
When it comes to the rapid rate that Western countries are being over run by Muslims, it should be a matter of great concern for both Jews and Christians.
Yes, I agree there is a lot of ambiguity here.
I disagree about the timing of the Exodus. I think it took place much earlier as new archaeological evidence confirms. Also the Bible states that the Exodus took place 450 years before Solomon’s temple was built.—which places it about 1450 BC. I think the time of the Hyksos is the time of Exodus. You should look at “Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus” by Timothy Mahoney. It’s very compelling!
Thank you, Victoria! 1 Kings 6:1 speaks of 480 years between the Exodus and Solomon’s 4th year, not 450. With Solomon’s 4th year usually dated around 966–967 BCE, this yields an Exodus around 1446 BCE, which is why many conservatives favor a mid‑15th‑century date. Many scholars, however, view 480 as a schematic figure (twelve generations of forty years) rather than a strict chronological statement. The Hyksos ruled c. 1650–1550 BCE, earlier than a 1440s Exodus, and as foreign rulers, they were expelled by Egyptians, not oppressed slaves departing. Mahoney’s “Patterns of Evidence” compellingly presents a conservative case, but it relies on minority chronological revisions and is widely seen by scholars as apologetic rather than neutral.
This brings to mind how those in power are depopulating the world through various means. Both euthanasia and abortion are ever increasing, and the current genocide through the use of bioweapons—we live as if we hang on by a thread, for the current era is death affirming.
It is true in our world we kill each other differently from how we killed each other in the previous time periods. Although it could be argued that if you take WWI and WWII we are (at least in armed conflicts) behaving quite humanly.
There is actually research showing that the oldest belief of Egyptians were in single creator God which is describe virtually identical to YHWH so it could actually be that God that they feared.
Yes, that’s a possibility, although I stubbornly 🙂 still think that what I present as possibility makes even more sense 🙂
Thanks to God to inspire you to study the word of God. God bless you be with you! But today worldly governments allowing the murdering of unborn babies. We need midwives like Shiphrah and Puah those who fear and obey God rather than their leader and beyond their financial benefits.
That’s for sure.
I enjoy it every time, thankyou !
So glad to hear!
Thank you for your reply. But I still think Mahoney is correct about the time of the Exodus. I think it happened about 1450 BC with additional evidence presented by Simcha Yacavobic in “The Exodus Decoded” wherein he advances that the eruption of the San Torini Volcano would have produced the physical effects of all of the ten plagues. Thus providing a true vehicle for Jehovah to have used to serve his purpose. He proposes that Ahmose is the Pharoah of the Exodus. I don’t think it was Rameses II . Although this does nothing to change your point on Civil Disobedience. I think the Bible is a true history and archaeology and geology (the volcano) go a long way to prove it.
Victoria, to tell you the truth, I was never into these kinds of things :-). For me the bigger questions are the ones I dealt with, but I do respect the historical inquiry that you are interested in. Blessings and much peace!
The Septuagint (LXX) significantly reduces two ambiguities found in the Masoretic Text of Exodus 1—namely, the identity of the midwives and the object of their “fear of God.” The Hebrew phrase hamyalledot ha‘ivriyyot can be read either as “Hebrew midwives” or “midwives to the Hebrews,” but the LXX’s ταῖς μαίαις τῶν Ἑβραίων clearly denotes midwives belonging to the Hebrews. This aligns with the narrative, in which Shiphrah and Puah function not as ordinary birth attendants but as supervisors over the Hebrew midwifery system, a structure consistent with Egyptian labor administration. Likewise, the LXX clarifies ha-Elohim by using the singular τὸν θεόν, the standard designation for YHWH, making it unlikely that the reference is to Egyptian deities. Finally, the phrase “He built them houses” reflects a Hebrew idiom for establishing enduring family lines, not Egyptian-style dynasties. Thus the LXX offers a coherent and historically plausible interpretation.
Thank you, Andre. I think it can go either way, my brother. Thank you so much for your thoughtful and competent contribution.
Isaiah 52:4 For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
Shiphrah and Puah knew this was sin and would bring the death penalty: Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. {God} Hebrew: ‘Eth (HSN-) ha-‘Elohiym (HSN-), emphatic for the true Gods of Israel.
Very insightful this story expresses true courage, and defying all odds, their courage enable generations through the ages to trustour sovereign Lord uphold righteousness even in the face of threats. Thank God.
Amen!
Thank you, Dr. Eli for your teaching. I always learn things from you that I missed, or was never taught. I so appreciate your teaching
and insight.
May God richly bless you, Rabbi.
Enjoy!