The Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, are significant because they demons/”>demonstrated courage, faith, and obedience to God in the face of great danger. Their account is found in Exodus 1:15–17:
“Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives… and he said, ‘When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women… if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.’ But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.”
Pharaoh’s command placed the midwives in a life-threatening position: obey the king and commit murder, or obey God and risk their own lives. Their decision to fear God rather than man shows that faith involves prioritizing God’s authority above all human authority (Acts 5:29).
Because of their courage, God honored the midwives and blessed them, as seen in Exodus 1:20–21:
“Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them.”
Their example teaches that even ordinary people in humble roles can make extraordinary impacts when they act in faith. Shiphrah and Puah resisted evil at great personal risk, proving that faith is active, costly, and rooted in reverence for God.
This story encourages believers to stand firm in righteousness even when pressured to compromise. It reminds us that God sees and rewards faithfulness, and that His purposes cannot be thwarted by the schemes of men.
