Exodus

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NASB	Exodus 1:15 ¶ Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah;
AMPLIFIED 2015	Exodus 1:15 ¶ Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah (beauty) and the other named Puah (splendor),

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Subject: Hebrew?

Bible Note: Greetings Susan!

I did find one historical reference that claims the midwives were Egyptian, the Jewish historian Josephus in his Antiquities of the Jews (Ant. 2. 9, 2), says that the midwives were themselves Egyptians. According to the MT text, however, they were Israelites. Modern research would seem to support this since their names appear to be of NW Semitic, not Egyptian, origin.

No one knows for sure, but I would say they were Hebrew. In response to your points, I would say:

1) He didn't show them respect. He simply ordered them to do something immoral.

2) He may have expected compliance simply because they were slaves. The alternative being death.

3) There undoubtedly were more than 2 midwives. These may have simply been the leaders among them.

I think the case would have been stronger if Ex. 1:15 had not called them Hebrew midwives and then referred to helping the Hebrew women in v. 16. As it is, if they were Egyptian, there would have been no point in using the term 'Hebrew' at all in v. 15.

Your Brother in Christ,

Tim Moran