Exodus 1:15

"The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,"

Key Reflection

This passage introduces Shiphrah and Puah, whose names—Shiphrah meaning "beauty" and Puah meaning "wind"—symbolize their pivotal roles in resisting Pharaoh's decree. By giving birth to Hebrew babies, they embodied the enduring beauty and life of God's people, even as Egypt sought to stifle it through infanticide.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Hebrew midwifes -Or “midwives of the Hebrew women.” This measure at once attested the inefficacy of the former measures, and was the direct cause of the event which issued in the deliverance of Israel, namely, the exposure of Moses. The women bear Egyptian names, and were probably Egyptians.

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