Did the Midwives Really Lie? How Can their Story Give Us Courage?

This is important because this biblical story is one that many people use to discredit the Bible and God. Let’s look at this topic.

As is common in many stories in the Bible, the written account doesn’t declare whether a choice is wrong or right, only what occurred. We don’t know if God directly commanded the midwives to disobey the Egyptian king. We only know they “feared God” (Exodus 1:15-21) which empowered their lack of fear for human authority.

But how do we reconcile servants of God lying? After all, we know God never lies (Titus 1:2) and never honors deceitfulness. Yet, God did reward the two midwives who lied. But did they really lie? And did they “lie” at God’s direction?

• Maybe they didn’t actually lie. Possibly they selectively said what was true—the Hebrew women gave birth before the midwives could arrive.

• Maybe the Hebrew women waited until the last minute to call the midwives as a means of protecting a newborn.

Some commentators reason the named midwives may have been the “senior” midwives of the total group of midwives. It’s highly improbable only two midwives could serve the huge Hebrew population. Another possibility is that Shiphrah and Puah didn’t murder the male babies, but others did. We don’t know.

If God doesn’t give us all the details in the Bible, then we don’t have to figure everything out.

Maybe this story is more about teaching us to fear God as the source of our courage. Scripture doesn’t specifically say God rewarded them for lying, but for their fear of him (1:21).

How interesting the two courageous women who feared God are named, but the king of Egypt is unnamed in Scripture. Although Egyptian records indicate Thutmose I (1526–1512 BC) was most likely the Pharaoh at the time, God does not give him any honor by including his name.

Because Pharaoh’s plan for killing the Hebrew male babies wasn’t working, he told the Egyptian population to voluntarily throw Hebrew male babies into the Nile. Although this is horrifying to us, the command would not have been shocking to them. Infanticide was a common practice, because human life was not considered sacred. Whether any baby lived or died was decided by the father of the household. Female Egyptian babies were most often thrown out on the trash or into the river. The Israelites’ value of life was in stark contrast to Egyptian culture and practice.As God provided courage for the midwives, if any of us are called to do something risky, God will give us the courage we need in the moment.

As God provided courage for the midwives, if any of us are called to do something risky, God will give us the courage we need in the moment.

As God provided #courage for the #midwives, if any of us are called to do something risky, God will give us the courage we need in the moment. #biblestudy #spiritualstrength Share on X

We may not know exactly how we will respond, but he will direct us and give us direction in the moment.

Nothing would have culturally motivated the daughter of the Pharaoh (possibly Hatshepsut) to save the Hebrew child. After God gave her the initial curiosity and compassion for the crying baby, we can assume the Pharaoh’s daughter had the power to go against her father’s edicts. She may have convinced herself (and others) she wasn’t going against her father’s rule because she would raise Moses as an Egyptian, not a Hebrew.

But of course, every detail was designed by God to save the Israelites from their slavery decades later when Moses would lead them out of Egypt as a freed people.

We can wonder why the princess concluded quickly the baby was Hebrew. Several reasons tell us why.

• Circumstances: Only the Israelites would have needed to try to save a male child. Rarely was a male Egyptian child abandoned. Girl babies were the ones on the trash heap.
• Circumcision: The baby would be circumcised—a practice Egyptians weren’t performing at that time.
• Characteristics: Differing physical appearance between the two groups.
• Compassion: God enlightened her understanding and sparked her empathy for this baby.

God’s sovereign power is exalted even more as he uses only women to rescue Moses when women were not considered valuable in Egyptian culture. God may be telling us he offers his courage to all, male or female.

As the examples of these women show courage, our courage can grow from trusting God. If we face something dangerous to either our identity or even our life, we can be assured God is with us and orchestrating everything around us.

Even today there are martyrs. Christians around the world are being harmed and their lives disrupted because of their commitment to Christ. God is strengthening them now and will give courage to any of us now and in the future.

Want to gain more courage? Check out my women’s Bible study, Heart of Courage: Daughters of the King Bible Study Series. It includes 10 lessons studying biblical principles and women in the Bible who gained courage and those who didn’t depend upon God. The topics include: representing God, serving, overcoming discouragement, family, church, against popular opinion, against evil, at work, facing temptation.