What is the meaning of Exodus 1:19? The midwives answered Pharaoh Pharaoh has just demanded an explanation for the survival of Hebrew boys (Exodus 1:18). • The midwives speak directly to the most powerful man in Egypt, yet they first and foremost “feared God” (Exodus 1:17), placing divine authority above royal authority—much like Peter and the apostles who later said, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). • Their reply is an act of courageous faith. Proverbs 29:25 reminds us that “the fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.” The midwives prove that point in real time. • God uses ordinary, even socially marginalized people (two women with no weapons) to frustrate a tyrant, echoing 1 Corinthians 1:27 where God chooses the weak things of the world to shame the strong. “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women By contrasting the two groups, the midwives highlight God’s special covenant favor on Israel. • Exodus 1:12 has already noted that “the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied.” This physical fruitfulness flows from the earlier promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:2. • The distinction also foreshadows later separations God will make—Plagues that strike Egyptians but spare Israelites (Exodus 8:22; 9:4). • Psalm 115:14—“May the LORD cause you to flourish, both you and your children”—is quietly being fulfilled in the maternity wards of Goshen. for they are vigorous “Vigorous” points to strength and resiliency. • Deuteronomy 34:7 notes that Moses’ strength did not diminish; that same vigor appears already in his people. • Isaiah 40:31 promises those who wait on the LORD will “run and not grow weary.” The Hebrew mothers embody that promise physically. • This vigor is not merely genetics; it is divine empowerment, the very opposite of the back-breaking oppression Pharaoh intends (Exodus 1:13–14). and give birth before a midwife arrives.” The midwives present a practical impossibility for Pharaoh’s slaughter order. • In God’s providence the babies are born so swiftly that human intervention cannot halt them, recalling Psalm 33:10–11: “The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.” • Job 42:2 affirms, “No purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” Pharaoh’s purpose is genocide; God’s purpose is life. • The statement may well be factually accurate—hard field labor often accelerates delivery—but even if it is a partial truth, God still commends their God-fearing stance (Exodus 1:20–21). • The result? “God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous” (Exodus 1:20). Obedience and reverence lead to blessing. summary Exodus 1:19 records a simple yet profound reply that turns a murderous decree on its head. By fearing God, the midwives speak courageously, highlight God’s favor on His covenant people, showcase divine empowerment, and demonstrate that no earthly power can outmaneuver the Creator’s plan for life. |
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