Shiphrah and Puah: Living in the Fear of God

Do you believe God can use your vocation to make a difference? The story of Shiphrah and Puah found in Exodus, chapter 1, shows God working His divine purposes through these two Hebrew midwives.

When the Israelites first came to Egypt, the king was friendly to them and welcomed them because they were the family of Joseph whom he had placed in charge of all the land. However, after a few generations passed, a new king arose over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph and did not have any connection to the people of Israel. 

The king began to view the Israelites as a threat.

He saw how they increased in number, and feared they would fight against him if war broke out. He appointed slave masters over the Israelites to suppress them. The people were forced to build great store cities for the king.

However, the more the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites, the more the Israelites multiplied. 

Desperate to control the Israelites, the king gave a command to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah.  He told them to kill the baby boys as they helped the Israelite women give birth. By doing so, the strength of the Israelite people would fade over time as the number of their men decreased. 

How did Shiphrah and Puah respond to the order from the king? 

They disobeyed the king because of their fear of God.

“The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.” – Exodus 1:17 

When the king asked the midwives why they let the boys live, they told him that the Hebrew women gave birth quickly before they could arrive to help. God protected Shiphrah and Puah from the king’s anger and He caused them to prosper.

“So, God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.” – Exodus 1:20-21 

What will you take away from the story of these women?

The importance of fearing God more than any other thing is easy to overlook. However, living in the fear of God is critical to gaining wisdom and making right choices.

As you live in the fear of God, He will use you in whatever vocation you find yourself. Your choices have far greater consequences than you may realize. God used the choice of the Hebrew midwives to preserve the nation of Israel for many more generations.