Exodus 1: The Midwives Feared God

Turning the page in the Bible often puts us in a very different situation. The changes that took place after the end of Genesis and by the middle of Exodus one are summed up in verses 1-14. The small family of Israel is now a nation within a nation (Egypt), they are no longer free, and they are governed by a king who is not their friend. They were multiplying so fast that the midwives were commanded to kill all baby boys when they were born. But they “feared God”—which means they knew Him, loved Him, and respected life.