What if Puah and Shiphrah Listened to Pharaoh?

“Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them. The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” 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 comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.” Exodus 1:8-22

The story is familiar to many – after Joseph brought his entire family to Egypt, the Israelites began to grow in numbers, and in strength. In fact, they became so numerous they began to be a threat to Pharaoh and his peace of mind. Therefore, he ordered the Israelites to be enslaved and placed under undo burdens as slave labor. But the more they were worked and the more they were oppressed, the more they grew in number. It seems counter-intuitive to us – people who are placed under heavy burdens seemingly thriving under those heavy burdens. But these are no ordinary people.

So Pharaoh comes up with a plan – when the midwives assist the Hebrew women in childbirth, they are supposed to kill the boys, but allow the girls to live. But because two of the midwives Puah and Shiphrah fear G-d, they do not listen to Pharaoh – and so he must devise another plan. But, what if Puah and Shiphrah did not fear G-d?

Pharaoh would come up with many different ideas for oppressing the Hebrew people – and he would be thwarted by G-d at every turn. And G-d would continue to harden the heart of Pharaoh until he finally relents and allows the people to leave. Our G-d is a G-d who will soften the hearts of some (like Puah and Shiphrah), will harden the hearts of others (like Pharaoh and Manasseh), and has Grace enough for all people. It may sound contradictory, but our G-d is a G-d we cannot know completely. But we should always remember that our G-d can and will act in time, in G-d’s time, to bring about G-d’s will – and will use the people necessary for G-d’s purposes. As such, if we remain open to G-d’s will, like Puah and Shiphrah, we may find ourselves part of one of G-d’s amazing plans.

Pastor Dave