Exodus 1:16

"and he said, “When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”"

Key Reflection

In Exodus 1:16, Pharaoh's directive orders the midwives to discriminate between male and female Hebrew births, reflecting Egypt’s attempt to diminish the population of Israelites by targeting male infants for death. This command highlights the oppressive measures taken against the Hebrews, setting the stage for Moses' miraculous birth and survival.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Upon the stools -Literally, “two stones.” The word denotes a special seat, such as is represented on monuments of the 18th Dynasty, and is still used by Egyptian midwives.

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