III. PUA and Shiphrah, Midwives of Egypt, to whom Pharaoh gave his Commands, that when the Israelitish Women were brought to Bed, the female Children only should be saved alive, and the male Children be destroy’d.1 Josephus2 thinks that these Midwives were Egyptians, in which Opinion he has several Followers. But Aug. cont. Mend. c. 15.the Hebrews, St. Austin, and some others, contend for their being Israelites. The Rabbins even pretend, that Puah was the same as Jocabed, the Mother of Moses and Aaron; and that Shiphrah was Miriam the Daughter of Jocabed, and Sister to Moses and Aaron. But this is beyond all Probability, tho’ it is very likely they were of the Race of the Hebrews, since they shew’d so much Fear of God on this Occasion. Besides, what likelihood is there that the Hebrews, who had so much Aversion to the Egyptians, should employ them to attend their Women when they lay in?
There were, doubtless, more than two Midwives among so numerous a People as the Israelites; but Puah and Shiphrah were Exod. i. 17, 18, 19.the most noted. The Scripture says, that they did not obey the King’s Commands; but that being with-held by the Fear of God, they preserved the Male Children alive. And when Pharaoh expostulated with them about this Matter, they made him Answer, That the Hebrew Women were not as the Egyptian; for they could bring forth of themselves, without the Assistance of a Midwife. The Hebrew Text says, literally, that the Hebrew Women are as wild Beasts; or, are Brought-to-Bed with the same Ease as the Beasts of the Field. Others translate it, They are so strong, as not to need a Midwife to bring them to Bed. ‘Tis thought that they told a Lye,3 in affirming this to the King: For the Egyptian Women, and all the Eastern Women in general, are Brought-to-Bed with great facility, and often have no Occasion for Midwives,4 yet this cannot be said in general of all the Hebrew Women. And when Moses says, that God rewarded them, and built their Houses, in Consideration of the Fear of God, that they had shewn in this Matter; yet he does not commend or approve of Lying, but only their Piety, Compassion, and Fear of God, that they testify’d on this Occasion. Remunerata est benevolentia, non fallacia; benignitas mentis, non iniquitas Aug. lib. cont. Mend. c. 15.mentientis, says St. Austin.
Instead of these Words, God built their Houses; the Hebrew has only, He built them Houses. Which Place some understand, Hebr. Fag. Murs.as if Pharaoh had built Houses on purpose to lodge these Midwives, that the Hebrew Women might come thither to be Brought-to-Bed, in Presence of Officers appointed by the King, who were to examine whether the Children were Male or Female. Others refer this to God himself, who rewarded Ita pleriq; Interp.them, by giving them a numerous Posterity ; for that is the Sense of the Words, Exod. i. 21. יעש להם בתיםHe built their Houses. But the Hebrew Text shews, that this has no respect to the Midwives, but to the Hebrews, whose Houses God built up, by giving them a Multitude of Children.
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