Exodus 1:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The phrase, ‘For this cause God dealt well with the midwives,’ indicates that their lineage was multiplied; by doing good to the Hebrews, they themselves earned God's favor; they spared their children from death, and for this, God granted them the blessing of multiple marriages.

The Scripture clearly indicates that God had a unique favor toward the Hebrew women who were tasked by Pharaoh with overseeing the male infants born. This divine favor was evident through their experiences, as they did not deceive Pharaoh. Instead, they demonstrated a profound reverence for God and dedicated themselves to honoring Him as their Creator and Sustainer. Although instructed by the king to take the lives of Hebrew male infants at birth and to spare the females, this command clashed with reason, contradicted their consciences, and was opposed to human decency. It revealed the oppressive nature of a malignant ruler rather than the righteousness of an authority aligned with justice. Therefore, these women, motivated by an inner fear of God, were steadfastly prevented from committing such an evil act. They honored God and refused to comply with the orders of the king of Egypt, preserving the male children (v. 17).

Furthermore, Moses does not clarify whether the midwives lied to Pharaoh when they chose to defy the king’s decree. However, it is evident that God, through His providence, enabled the Hebrew women to give birth without the assistance of midwives, allowing them to deliver quickly without waiting for help. Although the midwives may not have conveyed the exact truth of the births, they cannot be accused of falsehood due to the following points:

a) To lie in its proper sense signifies any verbal or physical actions intended to deceive and conceal true justice. If deceptive words cause harm to many and offend one’s neighbor, they categorize as perjury, which is prohibited by divine law. b) Perjury, which harms others, can occur in legal settings or through casual conversations. In legal matters, it manifests when one damages another's reputation through false accusations or unjust judicial decisions influenced by bias, thereby offending God alongside harming their neighbor. g) Falsehoods in everyday interactions take various forms and can be seen in hurtful remarks, sarcastic humor, or disingenuous communications that misinterpret others’ words or actions. Such deception proves the unreliability of a deceitful person. d) There are instances where withholding the truth may actually serve the public good better than disclosing it. In scenarios involving public peace and welfare, the concealment of truth can be justified and should not be regarded as harmful perjury.

Considering these factors, along with their loyalty to God and faith, the Hebrew women did not breach the law by withholding the full truth; rather, they clearly displayed their compassion for humanity by protecting the lives of male infants.

Overall, they spoke untruths to Pharaoh, and while their intentions may have stemmed from a place of righteousness, such deceit cannot be morally justified. Indeed, Scripture states that "the abomination of the Lord's mouth is lying" (Proverbs 12:22), and falsehoods align one with the Father of lies, the devil (John 8:44). The midwives should have refrained from any falsehoods by either avoiding Pharaoh entirely to steer clear of moral corruption or presenting the truth in a manner that highlighted their good intentions. Ideally, they should have bravely confessed their refusal to comply with Pharaoh’s demands, echoing the sentiment of the Apostles: “It is fitting to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29).

If untruths are displeasing to God, we may wonder why He, as mentioned later, favored these women by protecting them from adversity and granting them blessings. God’s favor towards the midwives stemmed not from their untruthfulness, but from their fear of Him and their compassion toward others, even though their moral understanding was imperfect and mingled with dishonesty. The following verse affirms that it was their reverence for God and love for humanity that earned them divine favor, leading to prosperity within their families, correspondingly rewarding their humane treatment of others' newborns. Augustine notes, “God rewards the women not because they lied, but because they were merciful to God's people and for this good, God forgave their sin (i.e., lies).” The people thus multiplied and grew strong.

In the face of severe persecution, God’s favor toward the Israelites became evident as they flourished despite Pharaoh’s malevolent intentions. Even amid trials that seemed insurmountable by human efforts, the Israelites developed a spirit of faith and dependence on God and cried out for deliverance, which He acknowledged (Exodus 2:23-25). However, while living among the Egyptians, many Israelites fell prey to surrounding superstitions (Ezekiel 20:23-24). Yet, the Egyptians’ oppression ultimately drew them closer to their liberation, both from physical enslavement and from these errant beliefs. This passage marks the beginning of readings from the book of Exodus during Holy Week. The readings scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are particularly relevant to the final days of our Savior’s earthly life, while those read on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday do not directly correspond to those events. It suffices to note that all three readings about Moses’ birth, upbringing, and exile correlate with the Gospel narratives shared by all Evangelists. The Holy Church intentionally includes the Gospel readings of Christ’s entire earthly life to highlight that His suffering was not for His sinless self but for our transgressions.

As the Old Covenant prophet and leader of God’s people, Moses serves as a foreshadowing of Christ, the prophet and established leader of the New Covenant Church. Thus, it is fitting for the Church to read selected passages during Holy Week that reflect on the arrival of Christ, illuminating His life and the salvation He brings. The plight of the Hebrews in this passage, suffering under the harsh rule of Pharaoh, symbolizes the moral and spiritual distress of humanity before Christ, enslaved by the ruler of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4), the prince of this world (John 12:31), and the one who holds the power of death, the devil (Hebrews 2:14). Therefore, theological teachers draw parallels between the liberation of the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage through Moses and the deliverance of humanity through Christ from Satan’s dominion.

The torment inflicted by Pharaoh on the Hebrews ignited their longing for God’s intervention. Parallelly, in the pre-Christian world, filled with evil and idolatry, a yearning for divine enlightenment and transformation surged among its finest representatives, who anticipated the advent of a Savior.