Exodus 1:19

“And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women, etc.] 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 f35 says the word signifies; and so f36 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” f37, as animals which need not, nor have the assistance of any in bringing forth their young; and so Jarchi observes,…”

“I see no reason we have to doubt the truth of this; it is plain they were now under an extraordinary blessing of increase, which may well be supposed to have this effect, that the women had quick and easy labour, and the mothers and children being both lively, they seldon needed the help of midwives; this these midwives took notice of, and concluding it to be the finger of God, were thereby emboldened to disobey the king, and with this justify themselves before Pharaoh, when he called them to an account for it. Exodus 1:20”

“1:19 It might trouble us that the midwives were not candid in giving their main reason for keeping the boy babies alive. Comprehensive honesty is less important to God than absolute faithfulness to him and to his believing community.”

“Josh. 2:4-24; Sa1 21:2; Sa2 17:19, Sa2 17:20 Exodus 1:20”