Shiphrah & Puah

Who Were Shiphrah and Puah?

Shiphrah and Puah were two Hebrew midwives whose brief appearance in Exodus 1 makes them among the most significant yet often overlooked figures in the Old Testament. Though they occupy only a handful of verses, their actions helped preserve the future of Israel at a critical moment in redemptive history. Through their resistance to injustice, Shiphrah and Puah became instruments of divine providence in the generation preceding the birth of Moses. Their story provides one of Scripture's earliest examples of faithful civil disobedience and demonstrates how God often works through ordinary individuals to accomplish extraordinary purposes.

The account of Shiphrah and Puah occurs at the beginning of Exodus, after a new Pharaoh arose in Egypt "who did not know Joseph" (Exodus 1:8). Concerned by the rapid growth of the Hebrew population, Pharaoh sought to suppress the Israelites through increasingly harsh measures. When forced labor failed to curb their numbers, he devised a more sinister plan. Pharaoh ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill every male child born to Hebrew women while allowing female children to live (Exodus 1:15–16). This decree represented an attempt at the systematic destruction of Israel's future.

The biblical text records that the midwives refused to comply with Pharaoh's command. Exodus 1:17 states, "But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live." When Pharaoh questioned them about their actions, they explained that Hebrew women gave birth before the midwives could arrive. Whether this explanation was entirely factual or partially strategic remains debated among scholars, but the narrative's primary emphasis falls not upon their words but upon their motive: they feared God more than they feared Pharaoh.

Scholars frequently highlight this fear of God as the central theological theme of the passage. According to Terence E. Fretheim (1991), Shiphrah and Puah represent individuals who recognize a higher authority than earthly rulers, demonstrating that obedience to God takes precedence when human commands contradict divine morality (p. 38). Likewise, Brevard S. Childs (1974) argues that the narrative contrasts Pharaoh's abuse of power with the quiet but effective resistance of two seemingly insignificant women (p. 20).

One of the greatest strengths of Shiphrah and Puah is their moral courage. They possessed little social or political influence, yet they stood against the most powerful ruler in the ancient world. Unlike many biblical heroes who perform dramatic miracles or lead armies, their faithfulness was expressed through everyday obedience in their vocational responsibilities. Their actions remind readers that courage often consists not in extraordinary displays of power but in refusing to participate in evil despite personal risk.

Another significant contribution of their story is its affirmation of the value of human life. By protecting vulnerable children, the midwives demonstrated a profound commitment to the sanctity of life. Their actions ultimately helped preserve the generation from which Moses would emerge. In this sense, their faithfulness became an essential part of God's larger plan to deliver Israel from slavery.

The story does raise certain interpretive questions. Scholars continue to debate whether the midwives deceived Pharaoh and whether such deception is ethically justified (Enns, 2000, p. 91). Some argue that their response constituted a legitimate act of resistance against tyranny, while others maintain that the text neither condemns nor explicitly endorses their explanation. Regardless of one's conclusion, the narrative clearly commends their fear of God and their protection of innocent life (Durham, 1987, p. 43).

Theologically, Shiphrah and Puah contribute significantly to biblical studies by illustrating themes of divine sovereignty, civil disobedience, and faithful resistance to oppression. Their story demonstrates that God often advances His purposes through ordinary people whose names would otherwise be forgotten by history. Long before Moses confronted Pharaoh, these two women quietly defied evil and helped preserve the future of God's covenant people. Their example continues to challenge readers to place obedience to God above all other allegiances.

References

• Childs, B. S. (1974). The Book of Exodus. Westminster Press.

• Fretheim, T. E. (1991). Exodus. Westminster John Knox Press.

• Enns, P. (2000). Exodus. Zondervan.

• Durham, J. I. (1987). Exodus. Word Books.

Thank you Garrett Fish for writing this article!