Exodus 1:17

The midwives feared God. Clearly, the midwives were Hebrews, for they “feared God” and knew that He had forbidden murder. Though they may not have been acquainted with the words of the sixth commandment of the Decalogue, “Thou shalt not kill,” they were familiar with the regulation, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed” (Gen. 9:6). Fearing God more than they feared the tyrant king (see Acts 4:19; 5:29), these courageous women dared ignore the royal command. The fear of men makes a man the victim of circumstances, but the fear of God brings rest in the midst of tumult and peace in the face of mortal danger. This must have been the experience of the two chief Hebrew midwives, upon whose shoulders lay a grave responsibility.