Exodus 1:19 (WEB)
The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women aren’t like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”
Fathers and councils · 3
“But, as for that which is written, that God did good to the Hebrew midwives, and to Rahab the harlot of Jericho, this was not because they lied, but because they were merciful to God’s people.” — editor's note: Exod. i. 17–20; Josh. ii., and vi. 25
Read the whole comment“Many lies indeed seem to be for some one’s safety or advantage, spoken not in malice, but in kindness: such was that of those midwives in Exodus, who gave a false report to Pharaoh, to the end that the infants of the children of Israel might not be slain.” — editor's note: Exod. i. 19.
Read the whole comment“…that of the Egyptian midwives, who to save the Hebrew infants from being slain at their birth, told a lie, and that with God’s approbation and reward: and many such like instances they pick out, of lies told by persons whom you would not dare to blame, and so must own that it may sometimes be not only not…” — editor's note: Exod. i. 19, 20
Read the whole comment
Cross-references · 3
Cited together in Against Lying Chapter 32.
Cited together in On Lying Chapter 5.
Cited together in On Lying Chapter 5.