By Rev. Martha Martin
St. Andrew's United Church, Halifax

Five Brave Women

Exodus 1:8-2:10

It would probably be hard to find a person in our tradition who hasn't heard the story of the baby Moses in the basket amongst the bullrushes. Over the ages there have been endless Sunday School crafts made and pictures drawn of this foundational story in our faith tradition - a story that I would guess many of us who attended church as a child heard at a very early time in our lives. It's a great story, about a baby who became a great leader, a liberator of his people.

But how many of us know the stories of the five women who each conspired to ensure this baby's survival? How many of us have really imagined the risks, the courage, the terror they must have each felt at some point in their story? Certainly I didn't know the stories of these women until much later in my life, although I always knew the story of Moses in the basket, in the bullrushes.

So today, I'd like to invite you into these womens' stories … the women who, as Miriam Therese Winter says, "… come together in solidarity to save a child. 1" For a few moments, let's imagine what it might have been like for each of them respectively …

First, there's Shiprah and Puah, the midwives. Now, this summer we have been following the early stories of the Hebrew people in the book of Genesis … Abraham and Sarah, Rebecca and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, and most recently, Joseph and his brothers. We have skipped ahead many generations for today's story … the Hebrew people in this story are the great, great, great, great …. grandchildren of Joseph and his brothers. Four centuries have passed since Jacob's family entered Egypt.

The Hebrews had become a significant ethnic group, living free, settled and prosperous lives in the fertile delta region of Egypt. We are told in verse 7 of Exodus 1 that " … the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them."

Now the Pharaoh, who doesn't know his history very well, and doesn't know that many generations ago it was Joseph, a Hebrew, who saved Egypt from famine and drought, decides that the Israelites are too much of a threat, and put them to work as slaves. But they still multiplied, and that's when the Pharaoh got really mean, and ordered that all the Hebrew boys be killed the moment that they were born. Of course, to do this, he needed the cooperation of the midwives.

Now, there is some speculation as to whether the women he ordered to do this were Hebrew or Egyptian. The bible says that they were "Hebrew midwives", but that could also mean they were midwives to the Hebrews. Apparently they have Egyptian names. Who else would the Pharaoh trust to carry out his dirty work? At any rate, imagine the horror they must have felt when the Pharaoh issued this terrible order. Their job is to bring life into the world, not take it away.

Can you imagine their furtive conversations on the way to a birthing? They devise a very ingenious plan … when they are finally brought before the Pharaoh and challenged about not doing their job … they claim that by the time they get to the household, the Hebrew women have already given birth and hidden the baby. And they do this, it says, because they obey a higher law, the law of God. They will not kill a baby boy because it is against the will of God. And they defy the Pharaoh and his unjust law. Shiprah and Puah. How many of us know their names? These are the first women who saved Moses.

The Women's Bible Commentary suggests that the midwives are the only women in the book of Exodus that act in an overtly political sphere. They are the first to assist in the birth of the Israelite nation. And, they understand the connection between transformation and risk. 2

Next, we meet the mother of Moses. She has given birth, and has successfully hidden her baby for three months, but he's getting too big, too noisy, too hard to hide. And now, the Pharaoh has issued a new order, that anyone who finds a baby boy must throw him in the river. She can't let her two older children, Miriam and Aaron and their friends, play with him. She can't put any of his little clothes out to dry anywhere, she can't take him visiting like any proud new mom would do, she can only invite her most trusted friends in to visit … she's awake every night with worry … the baby's starting to laugh and giggle now … what is she going to do? Now, what's in her mind as she puts her baby in a waterproofed basket at the edge of the river, who can tell? But, it's her first act of trust and risk. And then, she asks the baby's sister to keep watch … to make sure nothing bad happens to the baby. And they put the baby in the river.

Now - the big sister, Miriam. Well what big sister hasn't at some point imagined floating her baby brother down a river? But this is the real thing, and can you imagine the fear, guilt, sadness … the range of emotions that Miriam must have felt as she stood watch from a distance. And then, the Pharaoh's daughter and her entourage approach … and to Miriam's horror, the baby starts crying and the basket is found. The Pharaoh's daughter picks up the baby and declares that she will keep him.

Miriam's going, "… think fast, think fast, think fast…", what should she do? As quick as anything, Miriam's over to the princess, and she says, "You're going to need someone to nurse that baby … I know a Hebrew woman who could nurse him for you." How smart is that? It's a stroke of brilliance, not to mention incredible courageousness in even speaking to the princess. And the princess takes her up on the offer. Miriam runs to get her mother, the princess gives the baby back to his mother, and then says "I'll pay you to nurse him." Then, we are told that Moses' mother actually gives him back to the princess when he grows older, who raises him as her son. That's Moses' mother's second act of trust and risk - she trusts the Pharaoh's daughter to raise her son.

Now, let's just examine the Pharaoh's daughter for a moment. She realizes instantly that the baby is one of the Hebrew babies … she is under orders, as is everyone, to automatically kill the baby, to throw him in the river. But she doesn't. That's the first act of defiance. She knows her father's law is unjust, … perhaps she realizes she can't save all of the babies, but she thinks … "I can save this one baby, this one life, I can save." She actually agrees to pay the Hebrew woman to nurse him, to keep him alive. That's the second act of defiance. Then, she eventually brings him to the palace as her own. Her father's hated enemy, and she brings him into his own household. That's the third act of defiance.

Five women who, at great risk to their own personal safety, conspire to save a child. Now, I don't want to take anything away from Moses - he was a great leader of his people. A reluctant leader, which is next week's story, but he rose to the challenge and followed God's way, and he led his people out of bondage into the Promised Land. I don't want to take anything away from Moses, or his story.

But, I do think that we should know the stories of these brave women as well. From these five unlikely women, we can learn to face the unexpected, to act with faith and courage in adversity. We can learn to use our wits when we are afraid, and we can learn to use our own power to challenge injustice.

A year ago today, there were 14 of us from St. John's United Church, youth, young adults and adults, in Guatemala for a 10 day exposure tour. It's hard to believe that a year has passed. Although as Linda said earlier this month, it's amazing what you can get done over the summer when you are not planning a trip to Guatemala. I feel the same way.

But a year ago we were all moved to tears on a daily basis by the stories with which we were entrusted. Stories much like the stories of the five women today. Stories of folks defying unjust laws, stories of unlikely survival, stories of community resistance, stories of incredible sadness. stories of creativity, wit, and wisdom. And especially, stories that challenged us, Canadians of privilege and power, to act out of that power. To be like the Pharaoh's daughter, and to take initiative here in Canada to challenge unjust laws that affect oppressed and marginalized peoples of the world.

The women in the front of this picture had begun a cooperative restaurant and an organic community garden in San Lucas Toliman, much against the wishes of their husbands. But the operation had grown and was experiencing success, giving the women independence and sense of worth, and employing other women in the community. We had wonderful evening meals there for three days.

Throughout our trip we met many children and youth who showed us the wisdom, resilience, craftiness and strength of spirit that Miriam showed. We met children and youth who, like Miriam, are offering leadership in their families and in their communities. When we wait for children to grow up, we miss the leadership and gifts, the creative energy that they can offer us today.

And, we met many mothers. You can see them in the background of this picture, like any parent, watching their children proudly. Mothers, who, like Moses' mother, just want the best for their children, mothers who will do anything to ensure their children's survival, even if it means working hours into the night making intricate weavings to sell to tourists, or traveling hours in the back of a pickup truck each day to work for a pittance in the city. Mothers who know that sometimes they need allies in countries of power halfway across the world to challenge the injustices that they face on a daily basis. Mothers, who, like Moses' mother, have to trust that other women who have more political power than they will do the right thing.

In the Seasons of the Spirit materials for today, it says "… the Hebrew women and the Pharaoh's daughter were crucial in fulfilling God's promise to Abraham. The secured a future for Israel, and modeled virtues of courage, resistance, loyalty, and faithfulness. These courageous women chose to serve God, subverting Pharaoh's plans. Pharaoh used political power, social policy and prejudice. God used the awesome powers of nature and courageous, resourceful women." 3

The Good News is that God hears the cries of the oppressed, the downtrodden, the vulnerable, and responds through the actions of people …. men and women, children, you and I. Thanks be to God.



1 WomanWitness, Mriam Therese Winter
2 Women's Bible Commentary, Exodus
3 Seasons of the Spirit, Congregeational Life, Pentecost 1, p. 130