The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ‘When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.’ But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, ‘Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?’ The midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.’ So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
Reflection
Shiphrah and Puah – two women who, until recently, I had completely overlooked. But now, I love them. I love their quiet defiance. Their clarity as to who it is they fear; who it is they serve.
The Israelites were becoming too numerous in Egypt. Pharaoh was afraid – what if they take over? So he ordered these two Hebrew midwives to be part of his plan to limit numbers: Kill all the boys at birth; that will solve the problem! Shiphrah and Puah are not openly defiant. They don’t vocally refuse. To do so would have landed them in a whole heap of trouble and would not have benefitted the cause! Pharaoh would surely have got rid of these disobedient women and replaced them with others who would follow his orders. How would that help the Israelites and their baby boys? So, they quietly disobey, coming up with a plausible excuse for why things aren’t going to Pharaoh’s plan.
I wonder…how many of us – in our working lives, or elsewhere – receive instructions which go against our grain, which we inherently disagree with…and how many of us do it anyway – because it’s what we’ve been told to do? (I wonder if that’s what goes through the minds of ICE agents in America, or their equivalents closer to home?!?) ‘The boss said…!’ ‘It’s just the way it is…!’ ‘I don’t have a say…!’ But how do we know, if we don’t try? How does anything change if no one bucks against the current trend? If we really want to see injustice overturned, someone has to start the process…and as the old saying goes, we must be the change we want to see.
When I think of Shiphrah and Puah, the term ‘quiet resistance’ comes to mind. Sometimes, being courageous doesn’t require kicking up a fuss, or overtly drawing attention to our protest – but quietly refusing to toe the unjust line, remembering who it is we actually fear, and living according to our convictions.
Prayer
Loving God, when I am faced with difficult choices, when the world asks me to choose between justice and self-preservation, give me courage to choose well. Remind me who it is that I should fear, and help me tread the paths that lead to you. Amen
Today’s writer
Karen Campbell, Head of Global & Intercultural Church.
