The Biblical Roots of Civil Disobedience

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; 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.