A Study on Exodus 1:15-22
Pharaoh’s desperate policy of Genocide against the Hebrew
Slaves
King’s anxiety is intensified seeing the increase of the
slave population. He is not satisfied by the imposition of forced labor, which
was his plan A, on the slave community, but now, he brings out his plan B to
eliminate them through a programmatic genocide. The term Hebrews in the
historical context of this text does not generate a sense of national identity,
but a general reference to people who lead a marginal existence without any
rights to land or social status in any of the west Asian societies of that
time. They are
“low-class folks” who are feared, excluded and despised.[1]
Biblical Scholars see a correspondence between the Hebrews and hapiru of
the contemporary non-biblical texts. Hapiru was a reference for the
lower social class of the times. King speaks three times in this passage. The
first time to the Hebrew midwives who help with birthing among the slave
community. The command is that all boy babies newly born in the slave community
should be stealthily eliminated.
Hebrew midwives counteract the genocide by their habitual compassion
for life
It is
interesting to note that in this narrative the name of the king is not
mentioned and on the contrary, the names of the seemingly insignificant midwives
are mentioned. They are Shiphrah (the fair one) and Puah (fragrant one). Their
fairness and fragrance are derived from their obedience to the will of God. This
distinction may be a deliberate effort from the biblical narrator’s part to
highlight the obedience of midwives in comparison with the hubris of the king. The
king tries to deal with death to the poor slaves and the midwives try to preserve life
that is a gift from the Almighty God. The midwives are putting themselves in
great risk by deliberately disobeying the royal order. They are counteracting
the genocide by their habitual compassion for life. They have allowed the male
children of the Hebrews to live (v.17). The reason for their disobedience of
the king’s decree is mentioned as their fear of God. Their disobedience further
annoys and frustrates the king. He does an inquiry to find out the reason for
their disobedience. The midwives are not speaking to the king about their fear
of God but speak about the vigorous power of life present among the Hebrew
slaves. Hebrew babies, they say, are born with such vigor and at such a rate
that the midwives simply cannot be present in time for each birth.[2]
They only asserted their innocence and never accused the Hebrew mothers of any
wrongdoing. The miracle of such unmanageable births is not the fault of any
human agencies but the doing of a mighty God who is the source of the power of
life in Hebrew people’s life. A power that cannot simply be deterred by the
decree of the king. The king appears to be desperately fearful and on the other
hand the midwives unafraid. The king’s fear shoots up from his dependence on
his own resources, whereas the midwives' courage derives from their dependence
on the life-giving power of God. The midwives and Hebrew mothers are depicted
by the text as “carriers of liberation” for the Hebrews and through whom, God’s
liberative life-giving power is operative.
Despite all
his shrewd and stealthy policies the people kept on multiplying. Verse 22 picturizes
an arrogant king who goes crazy in knowing that his plans A and B are been
defeated by the power of life vigorously present in the slave community’s life.
Now he resorts to plan C, the intention is more vocal and universal here that “Every
boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall
let every girl live.”[3]
It is doubtful how much this policy is going to help the empire with its ambitious
building projects. The empire will lose its labor force if this programmatic
genocide becomes a reality. The rage and hubris drive the king into insanity.
Around the world, we hear about socio-economic nobodies are being perceived as a threat by
established governments. We hear about such people being eliminated through
wars, pogroms, hate campaigns, or stamping as an illegal presence to deny them
their rights to live. In all these incidents we can see little people like
Shiphrah and Puah acting as the carriers of God’s liberation for the people.
Church’s responsibility is to partner with them to strengthen such acts of
defiance against the forces of death.
[1]
Brueggemann, W. (1994–2004). The Book of Exodus. In L. E. Keck (Ed.), New Interpreter’s Bible (Vol. 1, p.
695). Nashville: Abingdon Press.
[2]
Brueggemann, W. (1994–2004). The Book of Exodus. In L. E. Keck (Ed.), New Interpreter’s Bible (Vol. 1, p.
696). Nashville: Abingdon Press.
[3] The Holy Bible: New
Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Ex 1:22). Nashville: Thomas
Nelson Publishers.
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