“But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.”
Introduction
The verse Exodus 1:17 invites us into a moment when two midwives choose reverence for God over fear of earthly power. Their courage is given not as a loud triumph but as a quiet faithfulness that shapes a people for generations. In a time when oppression pressed hard, their small act of defiance becomes a powerful testimony to trust in God’s justice and providence.
Historical-Cultural Context and Authorship
Exodus is set in the ancient world of Egypt, likely during a period of Pharaoh’s rule when the Israelite population was growing under harsh oppression. The midwives—identified not by personal names here but by their faithful action—are depicted as agents through whom God begins to fulfill his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The text presents a tension between human authority and divine authority, showing that God honors faithfulness to him even when it costs in human terms. The authorship is traditionally attributed to Moses, with the book of Exodus as part of the Pentateuch, recounting how God rescues his people from slavery and establishes a covenant people.
Characters and Places
The key figures in this moment are the two Hebrew midwives, often named in later tradition as Shiphrah and Puah, though the biblical text itself does not give their names in this verse. Their actions occur within the court of Pharaoh in Egypt, a setting of political power and fear of population growth. The central “place” is the Nile region and the Egyptian household where royal commands would otherwise dictate life and death. Their decision is framed as obedience to God above obedience to human decree.
Explanation and Meaning of the Text
The verse highlights a defining moment: the midwives fear God more than they fear Pharaoh. Their courage is not a public spectacle but a faithful act of protecting innocent lives against a policy of oppression. The phrase “feared God” indicates reverence, trust, and fidelity to God’s moral order. By disobeying the king’s command to destroy male infants, they align with God’s own care for the vulnerable and uphold the sanctity of life. God’s response—reward and blessing—signals that divine approval rests on acts of mercy and justice, even when they are performed by people who are not in formal religious leadership.
Devotional
In everyday life, we may face moments where pressure pushes us toward compromise. The midwives’ example invites us to cultivate a quiet fear of the Lord—a trust that God’s standards of life, dignity, and justice outrank human decrees. Let us ask God for discernment to recognize when obedience to him requires courage in small, consistent ways, and to find strength in knowing that God notices and honors faithful acts, even when they occur in the shadows of a dominant culture.
The Lord who safeguards the innocent remains the same today. As you go about your day, invite his presence into ordinary decisions—speaking truth with gentleness, protecting the vulnerable, choosing mercy over fear—and trust that your faithful steps join a larger, divine story of liberation and grace.