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 F11 says the word
signifies; and so F12 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" F13, as
animals which need not, nor have the assistance of any in
bringing forth their young; and so Jarchi observes, that their
Rabbins F14 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 F15, and
other places F16, 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 F17:
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.