And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses.
וַיְהִ֕י כִּֽי־יָֽרְא֥וּ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Lord honored the Hebrew midwives and Raab, the harlot from Jericho, as it is written. Their reward was not due to any falsehood, but stemmed from their compassion for the people of God. Thus, they were recognized for their virtuous intentions and the purity of their hearts, rather than for any sinful act of deception.
Out of reverence for the Lord, they constructed dwellings. Hence, a home truly cannot be established without the fear of the Lord. Those women, who had remained sinless, fulfilled the will of God by building in His fear. And for us, who are ensnared by sin, what action should we take? Listen closely, sinner: we must have reverence for God so that we do not fall into sin. Even after the storm, a piece remains: repentance. Following our bondage, the house was raised; it is important to note that the term used is not simply ‘raised,’ for there is no end to repentance. The righteous set aside repentance as if they are beyond it; however, whenever sin is present, the conscience is perpetually troubled. Therefore, it is affirmed that this exaltation is not restrained by time: as long as one lives, there is always the opportunity for repentance.
What is the significance of the phrase, ‘And because the women feared God, they made themselves dwellings’ (Ex. 1:21)? Pharaoh had issued a decree to kill the male infants, yet these women, out of their reverence for God, refused to take part in this act of murder. In response to their faithfulness, God blessed them abundantly.
The Scriptures refer to the midwives who preserved the male infants of Israel, indicating that ‘because the women feared God, they built themselves houses.’ What kind of dwellings are being referenced here? What does it mean to construct houses as an expression of the fear of God? In contrast, we are guided to sometimes abandon even our existing homes out of reverence for the Lord. The passage here does not refer to physical dwellings but rather to the spiritual house of the soul, which individuals create for themselves by adhering to God’s commandments. This conveys that the fear of God motivates the soul to observe the commandments, and through these commandments, the spiritual house of the soul is formed.
Let us, dear brethren, remain vigilant about our own souls and fear God, thereby creating homes for ourselves that will shield us during harsh winters and storms; for great misfortune strikes those who are without shelter in such times. How is the soul's dwelling established? The construction of a physical house provides a parallel for understanding this process. Anyone wishing to build a solid house must ensure it is fortified on all sides, paying equal attention to each wall rather than neglecting any part; otherwise, all efforts—intentions, expenses, and labor—will be in vain. The same principle applies to the soul: one who seeks to establish a spiritual dwelling must not overlook any aspect but should build it uniformly and appropriately.
This aligns with what Abba John taught: ‘A person should strive daily to acquire a bit of every virtue,’ rather than fixating on a single virtue while ignoring the others. Some may possess a particular virtue perhaps due to skill or inherent nature, which shields them from related vices, but they may find themselves subtly drawn to other shortcomings and fail to address them, mistakenly believing they have achieved something great. Such individuals are like a person who constructs only one wall, focusing solely on its height without realizing that a single unsupported wall is vulnerable to collapse at the slightest wind, as it lacks reinforcement from surrounding walls. Furthermore, relying on just one wall for protection is unwise; instead, anyone desiring a true stronghold must build on all four sides and establish a comprehensive defense.
The phrase signifies a multitude of descendants and joy. It is noted that the midwives, in their role of aiding in the growth of God's chosen people out of reverence for Him, were themselves rewarded with children and blessed with happiness.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS