Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 1:19
And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
19. Too much cannot be inferred from the midwives’ excuse with regard to the facts in question; but it is at least true that Arabian women are delivered very quickly (Knob., with references to travellers). As to whether the Egyptian women were delivered more slowly, there appears to be no independent evidence.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 19. The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women] This is a simple statement of what general experience shows to be a fact, viz., that women, who during the whole of their pregnancy are accustomed to hard labour, especially in the open air, have comparatively little pain in parturition. At this time the whole Hebrew nation, men and women, were in a state of slavery, and were obliged to work in mortar and brick, and all manner of service IN THE FIELD, Ex 1:14, and this at once accounts for the ease and speediness of their travail. With the strictest truth the midwives might say, The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women: the latter fare delicately, are not inured to labour, and are kept shut up at home, therefore they have hard, difficult, and dangerous labours; but the Hebrew women are lively, chayoth, are strong, hale, and vigorous, and therefore are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. In such cases we may naturally conclude that the midwives were very seldom even sent for. And this is probably the reason why we find but two mentioned; as in such a state of society there could be but very little employment for persons of that profession, as a mother, an aunt, or any female acquaintance or neighbour, could readily afford all the assistance necessary in such cases. Commentators, pressed with imaginary difficulties, have sought for examples of easy parturition in AEthiopia, Persia, and India, as parallels to the case before us; but they might have spared themselves the trouble, because the case is common in all parts of the globe where the women labour hard, and especially in the open air. I have known several instances of the kind myself among the labouring poor. I shall mention one: I saw a poor woman in the open field at hard labour; she stayed away in the afternoon, but she returned the next morning to her work with her infant child, having in the interim been safely delivered! She continued at her daily work, having apparently suffered no inconvenience!
I have entered more particularly into this subject because, through want of proper information, (perhaps from a worse motive,) certain persons have spoken very unguardedly against this inspired record: “The Hebrew midwives told palpable lies, and God commends them for it; thus we may do evil that good may come of it, and sanctify the means by the end.” Now I contend that there was neither lie direct nor even prevarication in the case. The midwives boldly state to Pharaoh a fact, (had it not been so, he had a thousand means of ascertaining the truth,) and they state it in such a way as to bring conviction to his mind on the subject of his oppressive cruelty on the one hand, and the mercy of Jehovah on the other. As if they had said, “The very oppression under which, through thy cruelty, the Israelites groan, their God has turned to their advantage; they are not only fruitful, but they bring forth with comparatively no trouble; we have scarcely any employment among them.” Here then is a fact, boldly announced in the face of danger; and we see that God was pleased with this frankness of the midwives, and he blessed them for it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They are lively, or, vigorous and active in promoting the birth of their own children; or, like the beasts, which without any help of others bring forth their young. So the Hebrew word signifies; and so there is only a refe of the particle of similitude, which is frequent, as I have noted before.
This might be no lie, as many suppose, but a truth concerning many of them, and they do not affirm it to be so with all. And so it might be, either because their daily and excessive labours joined with the fears of the execution of the kings command, whereof they seem to have gotten notice, did hasten their birth, as the same causes do commonly in other women; or because they, understanding their danger, would not send for the midwives, but committed themselves to Gods providence, and the care of some of their neighbours present with them. So here was nothing but truth, though they did not speak the whole truth, which they were not obliged to do.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women,…. Not so tender, weak, and feeble, nor so ignorant of midwifery, and needed not the assistance of midwives, as the Egyptian women:
for they [are] lively; or midwives themselves, as Kimchi k says the word signifies; and so l Symmachus translates the words, “for they are midwives”; or are skilful in the art of midwifery, as Jarchi interprets it; and so the, Vulgate Latin version is, “for they have knowledge of midwifery”; and so could help themselves; or, “for they are as beasts” m, as animals which need not, nor have the assistance of any in bringing forth their young; and so Jarchi observes, that their Rabbins n explain it, they are like to the beasts of the field, who have no need of a midwife; or they were so lively, hale, and strong, as our version, and others, and their infants also, through a more than common blessing of God upon them at this time, that they brought forth children as soon as they were in travail, with scarce any pain or trouble, without the help of others: nor need this seem strange, if what is reported is true, of women in Illyria, Ireland, Italy o, and other places p, where it is said women will go aside from their work, or from the table, and bring forth their offspring, and return to their business or meal again; and especially in the eastern and hotter countries, women generally bring forth without much difficulty, and without the use of a midwife q:
and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them; which doubtless was true in some cases, though not in all, because it is before said, they saved the men children alive; and had it been so at all times, there would have been no proof and evidence of their fearing God, and obeying his commands, rather than the king’s; and in some cases not only the strength and liveliness of the Hebrew women, and their fears also, occasioned by the orders of the king, might hasten their births before the midwives could get to them; and they might not choose to send for them, but use their own judgment, and the help of their neighbours, and do without them, knowing what the midwives were charged to do.
k Sepher Shorash. “sie alii”, “quia obstetrices ipsae”, Pagninus, Montanus; so the Syriac version. l , Symmachus apud Drusium. m In T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 11. 1. Chronicon Mosis, fol. 2. 1. n Vid Wagenseil. Sotah, p. 249. & Varro & Gataker in ib. o Posidonius apud Strabo. Geograph. l. 3. p. 114. p See Harte’s History of the Life of Gustavus Adelphus, vol. 1. p. 233. q Ludolph. Ethiopic. l. 1. c. 14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(19) The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women.This was probably true; but it was not the whole truth. Though the midwives had the courage to disobey the king, they had not the courage of their convictions, and were afraid to confess their real motive. So they took refuge in a half truth, and pretended that what really occurred in some cases only was a general occurrence. It is a fact, that in the East parturition is often so short a process that the attendance of a midwife is dispensed with.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 1:19. And the midwives said unto Pharaoh Fully satisfied that it was better to obey GOD than man, the midwives disobeyed this unjust command; and vindicated themselves to Pharaoh, when accused by him, for so doing. I see no sufficient reason to suppose, that there was the least prevarication in the midwives: for is it not natural to believe, that the same Divine Providence which so miraculously interposed for the multiplication of Israel, might grant an easy deliverance to the Hebrew women, and cause them to dispense with the assistance of midwives? So that, upon this supposition, the midwives not only delivered the truth, but delivered it with great magnanimity, avowing the protection which God gave to their nation: and accordingly we find their proceeding approved and rewarded; for God dealt well with them, Exo 1:20.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
Ver. 19. For they are lively. ] By that “voice of the Lord which maketh the hinds to calve.” Psa 29:9 Lady Faith was their midwife: and she hath delivered the graves of their dead; Heb 11:35 how much more wombs of their quick children! But we need the less wonder at the matter here reported, if that were true which Varro writeth of the Illyrian women; who, being at harvest work in the field, when they were near their time, would but step aside, and return again, bringing a child with them, as if they had found it behind the hedge. a
a Var., De Agric., lib. ii. cap. 10.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 2:4-24, 1Sa 21:2, 2Sa 17:19, 2Sa 17:20
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew {g} women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
(g) Their disobedience in this was lawful, but their deception is evil.