What is the meaning of Exodus 1:17?

The midwives, however

• Exodus introduces Shiphrah and Puah in 1:15, ordinary women whose actions create a sharp contrast with Pharaoh’s brutal decree (Exodus 1:15-16).

• The word “however” signals a decisive break from the cultural pressure of Egypt. Their obedience to God does not start with grand speeches but with a quiet, courageous refusal.

• God often works through unexpected people—compare the unlikely heroes of Judges 4:17-22 or 1 Corinthians 1:27, where “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

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feared God

• “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). The midwives’ reverence for God eclipsed any fear of a human king.

• This attitude echoes later examples:

– Joseph refuses sin because “How could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9).

– The apostles declare, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

• True fear of God produces moral clarity; it anchors courage when commandments from men collide with commandments from heaven (Matthew 10:28).

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and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed;

• Pharaoh’s order was clear: kill every Hebrew boy at birth (Exodus 1:16). Obedience to that command would have made them accomplices to murder.

• Civil disobedience becomes righteous when earthly authority demands what God forbids (Daniel 3:16-18; Hebrews 11:23).

• The midwives’ refusal demonstrates that allegiance to God limits all lesser loyalties. Their resistance is active, not passive—they intentionally reshape their work around God’s purposes.

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they let the boys live.

• The phrase spotlights life preserved, not merely resistance. In saving the infants, the midwives participate in God’s unfolding plan to raise up a deliverer—Moses himself is among the spared boys (Exodus 2:1-10).

• Scripture consistently links fearing God with protecting the vulnerable (Psalm 82:3-4; Proverbs 24:11-12).

• Their action foreshadows later deliverances: Rahab sheltering the spies (Joshua 2), Obadiah hiding prophets (1 Kings 18:4), and Joseph protecting Mary and Jesus by fleeing to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15).

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summary

Exodus 1:17 reveals two humble women who chose to honor God above a tyrant. Grounded in holy fear, they resisted an evil command and actively preserved life. Their courage shows that faithfulness often begins in small, hidden decisions, yet those decisions can redirect history for God’s glory.