When the king of Egypt gave the edict to kill the male child of the Hebrews, to the Hebrews midwives, they feared God instead and did not follow the edict. One of the midwife’s name was Shiphrah and the other was Puah (Exodus 1:15). For their faithfulness in fearing God, God dealt well with the midwives.
What can we learn from Shiphra and Puah?
When earthly rulers give us commands to obey that contradict the requirements of God, like Shiphra and Puah and the other unnamed midwives, we must fear God and follow him, instead of heeding to the commands of man. God, being faithful, would deal well with those who deal well with others, as he did with the midwives.
Exodus 1:15-22 (KJV)
15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
