Shiphrah and Puah are just two of the many unsung men and women of faith in the Bible. Countless Christians know numerous details of the most famous biblical figures, but hidden among their stories are everyday people who made bold choices demonstrating astounding confidence in God. Moses rightly receives the headlines in Exodus, but there were five underappreciated women around his birth story, two whose names many don’t even remember: Shiphrah and Puah.
Where are Shiphrah and Puah Mentioned in the Bible?
In Exodus 2, God tells the story of Moses’ birth. Centuries earlier in Egypt, the Israelites were honored because of Joseph’s wise and strategic leadership, second only to Pharaoh, that saved them through seven years of famine. Now, however, a new Pharaoh has risen to power, one who doesn’t remember Joseph. He sees the Israelites as a growing threat within his kingdom. He worries that if they continue to prosper, they may side with Egypt’s enemies and overthrow him.
Pharaoh commands his people to oppress and enslave the Hebrew people. They treat God’s people cruelly and force them into labor. Furthermore, Pharaoh escalates his concern by ordering the deaths of all male infants.
It is into this terrible period of Israel’s history that Moses is born. His mother, Jochebed, (in agreement with her husband—Hebrews 11:23), in faith places Moses into the Nile cradled in a reed basket. His sister, Miriam, watches over the basket as the current takes the child until Pharaoh’s daughter spots the infant. Recognizing him as one of the Hebrew children at risk of death, she decides to adopt Moses and raise him in Pharaoh’s household. Miriam offers to find a wet nurse for the child and so Jochebed can care for him until he is weaned. These three women, a mother, a sister, and the daughter of a powerful king make bold choices that deliver the child who will grow to deliver his people.
Now turn the pages back a chapter to Exodus 1. Here, God records the terrible, beautiful story of the other two brave women willing to defy the most powerful leader in their known world at that time—Shiphrah and Puah.
What Did Pharaoh Command Shiphrah and Puah to Do?
Pharaoh was worshiped as a god, and so the Egyptian people went along with Pharaoh’s plan to overpower the Israelites by enslaving them, but their methods weren’t working the way their leader had envisioned.
“Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves” (Exodus 1:11-14 ESV).
This was a terrible time for God’s people but God prospered them and continued to multiply them despite the cruelty of the Egyptians. Pharaoh’s actions became more drastic. “Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ‘When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live’" (Exodus 1:15-16 ESV).
Not only was Pharaoh worshiped as a god, but Egyptians also worshipped many gods, including the Nile. And yet, Pharaoh was not secure in his power. From the reading of this story, it would appear he saw threats everywhere, even from infants.
The Living God of Israel made it clear to Pharaoh that He alone has the power over life and death. No matter how much Egypt oppressed Israel, they thrived under God’s care. Our God is the God of life.
Pharaoh grasped at power and control by contriving death for helpless babies, a foreshadowing to King Herod’s command at the birth of Jesus (“Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men” (Matthew 2:16 ESV).
In both situations, powerful earthly kings were so insecure they felt threatened by infants and ordered their deaths. In contrast, the Living God is so secure in His power that He sent His Son as an infant, helpless and dependent as a child. When He grew to adulthood, this Son of God willingly laid down His life, but rose again to reign forever. That is how powerful God is compared to any human who imagines himself god or any idol humans can manufacture.
But, what about Shiphrah and Puah?
How Did Shiphrah and Puah Defy Pharaoh?
Shiphrah and Puah testified to the power of the Living God with their very lives. Facing an order from a murderous Pharaoh, the most powerful human they could have known, they chose defiance. Their trust that the unseen God saw them was greater than their fear of Pharaoh who they could see.
“But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live” (Exodus 1:17 ESV).
We know nothing about these women’s lives up to this moment but what incredible strength this must have taken, risking their own lives rather than taking the lives of innocent newborns. When Pharaoh called them to task for their neglect of his order, they told him that the Hebrew women gave birth too quickly, before the midwives could arrive.
God did, in fact, not only see these women but clearly wanted them remembered as their names are recorded here in Exodus. Verse 21 says that because the midwives feared God, He gave them families. God rewarded life-giving choices with more life. The Living God is the life-giving God.
Pharaoh, however, responded by commanding the Egyptian people to cast every male Hebrew baby into the Nile. What terrible sorrow this must have created! What horror for neighbors to hear the cry of a newborn only to rip the child from his mother’s arms and drown him in those mighty waters! What faith the people must have had in God to even continue trying to expand their families.
This story provides a stark contrast between an ancient culture that revered a human leader as god, a human leader who celebrated death, opposed to the Israelite culture that celebrated an unseen God who lives and who rewards faith with life.
Why the Story of Shiphrah and Puah is Important/ Included in the Bible
Throughout Scripture, God distinguishes Himself from idols by explaining that He is the God who sees, hears, speaks, and acts. This particular story is vital because it demonstrates God doesn’t just have His eyes on “important” people in the Bible like Abraham and Moses, but His eye is also on humble midwives living under oppression, enslaved by those hostile to God. 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (ESV).
This story echoes the story of Hagar in the desert in Genesis 16. In the time of Abraham, the roles were reversed. Abraham was the powerful leader of the Israelites and Hagar was his wife, Sarah’s, Egyptian handmaiden. Unable to bear a child, Sarah had given Hagar to Abraham hoping to have a child through her. Once she was pregnant, Hagar held it over Sarah, and Sarah, in return, abused Hagar. Hagar ran away into the wilderness but there, the angel of the Lord speaks with her and makes a promise to her about her son’s future. Knowing she is seen by the invisible God of the Israelites, Hagar finds the strength to return. “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me’” (Genesis 16:13 ESV).
The significance of the stories of Shiphrah, Puah, and Hagar cannot be underestimated. They illustrate that God sees us, even those of us that society may overlook or refuse to value. The Living God sees.
Psalm 115:4-8 ESV says, “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”
What Can Christians Learn from Shiphrah and Puah?
There are many lessons we can draw from these brave midwives.
Here are four to consider:
- First, the inclusion of their story in God’s Word is an argument for the validity of Scripture. It would have been highly unusual for men in a patriarchal society to “create” holy books for a faith they invented and include stories of their god visiting those everyone considered the lowest in their society. A mighty God who concerns Himself with women who are slaves or midwives is unique to our faith.
- Second, this story helps us see that the key to finding courage under oppression is remembering that God sees us and that He is Lord above every human power. Jesus was keenly aware of this during His arrest. John 19:10-11 ESV records this exchange. “So Pilate said to him, ‘You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.’” Knowing we are seen by God inspires us to remain calm under great trial and before earthly powers.
- Third, God works through the choices of men and women He places into power but also through those who are almost invisible to the rest of society. Although we may completely lack earthly power, our choices still matter. Our God still sees and rewards.
- Finally, Psalm 115 reminds us that as we follow our God, we become like Him. That means our eyes will be open to those others overlook. Our ears will hear the cries of the oppressed. Our hands and feet can act on behalf of the powerless. It is in becoming like Christ that we become most useful to the hurting and helpless in our world.
This is the legacy of Shiphrah and Puah—women the world may have overlooked but who God saw and rewarded for their courageous acts of faith.
Further Reading
3 Reasons You Should Know the Courageous Story of Shiphrah and Puah
How Egyptian Midwives Teach Us the Value of Motherhood
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Ivan96
