Exodus 1:21 says that God rewarded the two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, with families of their own because they feared him more than they feared the king of Egypt. The verse explains why these women refused Pharaoh’s order to kill newborn Hebrew boys, and it shows that their courage was counted as faith in God rather than simple rebellion. The narrator of Exodus, traditionally thought to be Moses, is describing events in Egypt, so the verse is a historical note about God’s response to the midwives’ choice.
Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
Exodus 1:21 (WEB)
What Exodus 1:21 Means
The verse begins with the word “because,” which tells you the reward follows directly from the midwives’ action. They were not promised safety or wealth for obeying God. Instead, they chose to respect God more than the threat of Pharaoh, and the text records that God responded by giving them families. The phrase “feared God” in the Bible usually means reverent trust and loyalty, not terror, so the midwives were acting from devotion to the Lord.
The reward itself, “he gave them families,” is best understood as God blessing them with children and a household line. In the ancient world, a family was a major source of security, honor, and continuity. The verse does not say the midwives became rich or escaped every danger, and it does not promise that faithfulness will always be rewarded in this specific way. It shows God noticing and honoring a costly act of conscience.
The Context of Exodus 1:21
Exodus opens with a people who have grown numerous in Egypt, and a new king who fears their strength and orders the death of their sons. Verse 21 sits inside a short scene where Pharaoh summons the midwives and demands an explanation. Their answer in verse 19 is clever, but verse 20 makes clear that God was the one who “dealt well” with them, so the blessing comes from God, not from their cleverness. Verse 22 then shows Pharaoh escalating his command to the whole nation, which makes the midwives’ courage stand out even more.
Because the surrounding verses frame the midwives as God’s instruments in preserving Israel, verse 21 reads less as a private reward and more as part of God’s larger plan to keep his promise to Abraham’s descendants alive. The verse therefore connects personal faithfulness with God’s wider purpose in the story of the exodus.
Key Phrases in Exodus 1:21
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
(WEB)
This verse says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, which helps explain why the midwives’ reverence led to wise and courageous action. It shows that fearing God is not a feeling alone but the starting point for living well.
Acts 5:29
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
(WEB)
Peter and the apostles speak here about obeying God rather than human authority, echoing the midwives’ decision to put God’s command above Pharaoh’s. The two passages together show a consistent pattern of faithful disobedience to unjust rulers.
A Short Prayer From Exodus 1:21
Lord, you see the choices I make when pressure and fear push me toward the easier path. Give me the same reverent courage that moved the midwives to honor you above the powerful people around them. Help me trust that you notice faithfulness, even when no one else does, and that you can bless the people I love through the decisions I make today. Keep my heart steady in your fear, and let my life reflect your goodness to those who depend on me. Amen.
