Then the king of Egypt
The phrase introduces us to the ruler of Egypt, often referred to as Pharaoh. In the historical context, Pharaohs were considered divine figures, ruling with absolute power. The Hebrew word for king, "melek," signifies a sovereign authority. This sets the stage for the unfolding narrative of oppression and deliverance, highlighting the contrast between earthly power and divine intervention.

said to the Hebrew midwives
The Hebrew word for "said" is "amar," which implies a command or decree. The midwives, "meyalledot," were responsible for assisting in childbirth, a role of significant importance in ancient societies. The mention of "Hebrew" specifies their ethnic identity, indicating their connection to the Israelites, who were living in Egypt at the time. This phrase underscores the tension between the Egyptian authority and the Hebrew people, setting the stage for the midwives' courageous defiance.

whose names were Shiphrah and Puah
Naming the midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, is significant. In Hebrew culture, names often carry deep meanings and reflect character or destiny. "Shiphrah" can mean "beauty" or "brightness," while "Puah" may mean "splendid" or "fragrant." Their inclusion by name in the biblical text highlights their importance and valor. These women, though seemingly insignificant in the eyes of the world, play a crucial role in God's plan for His people, demonstrating that God often uses the humble and obedient to fulfill His purposes.

(15) The Hebrew midwives.--Or the midwives of the Hebrew women (???? ?????? ??? ???????, LXX.). The Hebrew construction admits of either rendering. In favour of the midwives being Egyptians is the consideration that the Pharaoh would scarcely have expected Hebrew women to help him in the extirpation of the Hebrew race (Kalisch); against it is the Semitic character of the names--Shiphrah, "beautiful;" Puah, "one who cries out;" and also the likelihood that a numerous and peculiar people, like the Hebrews, would have accoucheurs of their own race.

Verses 15-22. - some time - say five or six years - having elapsed and the Pharaoh's first plan having manifestly failed, it was necessary for him either to give up his purpose, or to devise something else. Persevering and tenacious, he preferred the latter course. He bethought himself that a stop might be put to the multiplication of the Israelites by means of infanticide on a large scale. Infanticide was no doubt a crime in Egypt, as in most countries except Rome; but the royal command would legitimate almost any action, since the king was recognised as a god; and the wrongs of a foreign and subject race would not sensibly move the Egyptian people, or be likely to provoke remonstrance. On looking about for suitable instruments to carry out his design, it struck the monarch that something, at any rate, might be done by means of the midwives who attended the Hebrew women in their confinements. It has been supposed that the two mentioned, Shiphrah and Puah, might be the only midwives employed by the Israelites (Canon Cook and others), and no doubt in the East a small number suffice for a large population: but what impression could the monarch expect to make on a population of from one to two millions of souls by engaging the services of two persons only, who could not possibly attend more than about one in fifty of the births? The midwives mentioned must therefore be regarded as "superintendents," chiefs of the guild or faculty, who were expected to give their orders to the rest. (So Kalisch, Knobel, Aben Ezra, etc.) It was no doubt well known that midwives were not always called in; but the king supposed that they were employed sufficiently often for the execution of his orders to produce an important result. And the narrative implies that he had not miscalculated. It was the disobedience of the midwives (ver. 17) that frustrated the king's intention, not any inherent weakness in his plan. The midwives, while professing the intention of carrying out the orders given them, in reality killed none of the infants; and, when taxed by the Pharaoh with disobedience, made an untrue excuse (ver. 19). Thus the king's second plan failed as completely as his first - "the people" still "multiplied and waxed very mighty" (ver. 20). Foiled a second time, the wicked king threw off all reserve and all attempt at concealment. If the midwives will not stain their hands with murder at his secret command, he will make the order a general and public one. "All his people" shall be commanded to put their hand to the business, and to assist in the massacre of the innocents - it shall he the duty of every loyal subject to cast into the waters of the Nile any Hebrew male child of whose birth he has cognisance. The object is a national one-to secure the public safety (see ver. 10): the whole nation may well be called upon to aid in carrying it out. Verse 15. - The Hebrew midwives. It is questioned whether the midwives were really Hebrew women, and not rather Egyptian women, whose special business it was to attend the Hebrew women in their labours. Kalisch translates, "the women who served as midwives to the Hebrews," and assumes that they were Egyptians. (So also Canon Cook.) But the names are apparently Semitic, Shiphrah being "elegant, beautiful," and Puah, "one who cries out." And the most natural rendering of the Hebrew text is that of A. V.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Then the king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Egypt
מִצְרַ֔יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

said
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to the Hebrew
הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת (hā·‘iḇ·rî·yōṯ)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine plural
Strong's 5680: Hebrews -- perhaps descendant of Eber, also another name for an Israelite

midwives,
לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת (lam·yal·lə·ḏōṯ)
Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

whose
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

names were
שֵׁ֤ם (šêm)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8034: A name

Shiphrah
שִׁפְרָ֔ה (šip̄·rāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8236: Shiphrah -- 'fairness', a Hebrew midwife

and
הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית (haš·šê·nîṯ)
Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular
Strong's 8145: Second (an ordinal number)

Puah,
פּוּעָֽה׃ (pū·‘āh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6326: Puah -- an Israelite midwife


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OT Law: Exodus 1:15 The king of Egypt spoke to (Exo. Ex)