The Courage of Shiphrah and Puah

The Bible says to be “strong and courageous” many times. In the NIV translation, there are at least ten verses with this phrase. But what does it mean to be courageous? Shiphrah and Puah give us an example. Their names are mentioned only once in the Bible, and their actions are described in only seven verses. Yet their short story is one of immense bravery and courage. Shiphrah and Puah were midwives during the time Moses was born. The Israelites (also called Hebrews) were slaves in Egypt, and the Egyptian leader (Pharaoh) thought the Israelites were too numerous. He worried they would fight against him if they continued to multiply. So Pharaoh told Shiphrah and Puah to kill all the baby boys who were born to Hebrew women. Can you imagine? These Israelite midwives may have loved their job assisting women in childbirth, but now Pharaoh, the king of Egypt himself, was ordering them to kill some of these defenseless babies. But Shiphrah and Puah followed God, and they knew that killing babies would go against God. So they did something incredibly brave—they ignored Pharaoh’s order and allowed the baby boys to live. The ruler of the most powerful nation in the world had given them this command, yet their allegiance was to the Ruler of the Universe, not to any human or nation. Because they followed God, these women had the courage to completely disobey Pharaoh. They could have faced any kind of punishment for their disobedience losing their jobs or even their lives. But they did it anyway. When Pharaoh found out about this, he asked Shiphrah and Puah why they had done such a thing. The clever midwives told him the women had given birth before they arrived. God saw that Shiphrah and Puah followed Him, and He blessed their actions. Through their bravery, countless lives were saved (probably including Moses’s), and Israel was ultimately delivered from slavery. These women got to be part of what God was doing, paving the way for Jesus to be born centuries later—the One who would deliver the whole world from slavery to sin and from death itself. • Kimberly Brokish • Why do you think the midwives were willing to risk their lives by disobeying Pharaoh? • What can we do when we feel like we lack courage? (Acts 4:23-31) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV)