Exodus 1:15-22
II. The Egyptians’ wickedness to them, 1. Oppressing and enslaving them (v. 8–14). 2. Murdering their children (v. 15–22). Thus whom the court of heaven blessed the country of Egypt cursed
15Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah;
16and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”
17But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.
18So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?”
19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.”
20So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.
21Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.
22Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”
Summary:
Commentaries and Study Bible Notes:
The Egyptians’ indignation at Israel’s increase, notwithstanding the many hardships they put upon them, drove them at length to the most barbarous and inhuman methods of suppressing them, by the murder of their children.
Two bloody edicts are here signed for the destruction of all the male children that were born to the Hebrews.
Key Points/Application:
God’s People Threatened
Note, 1. There is more cruelty in the corrupt heart of man than one would imagine, Rom. 3:15, 16. The enmity that is in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman divests men of humanity itself, and makes them forget all pity.
Note, 1. There is more cruelty in the corrupt heart of man than one would imagine, Rom. 3:15, 16. The enmity that is in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman divests men of humanity itself, and makes them forget all pity.
Fear of the Lord
17But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.
29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
Their pious disobedience to this impious command, v. 17. They feared God, regarded his law, and dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh’s and therefore saved the men-children alive. Note, If men’s commands be any way contrary to the commands of God, we must obey God and not man, Acts 4:19; v. 29. No power on earth can warrant us, much less oblige us, to sin against God, our chief Lord. Again, Where the fear of God rules in the heart, it will preserve it from the snare which the inordinate fear of man brings.
20So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.
21Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.