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Parshah Art: The Hebrew Midwives in Egypt

Now the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one who was named Shifrah, and the second, who was named Puah.

And he said, "When you deliver the Hebrew women, and you see on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall put him to death, but if it is a daughter, she may live."

The midwives, however, feared G‑d; so they did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them, but they enabled the boys to live.

So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, that you have enabled the boys to live?"

And the midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are skilled as midwives; when the midwife has not yet come to them, they have already given birth."

G‑d benefited the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong.

Now it was when the midwives feared G‑d, that He made houses for them.

(Exodus 1:15-21)