But here's where it gets interesting, and frankly, disturbing. According to Legends of the Jews, specifically Ginzberg's retelling, Job, yes, that Job, of suffering and faith, somehow wormed his way into Pharaoh's inner circle and offered… advice.
Chilling advice.
Job suggested that instead of the Egyptians directly killing the Israelite children, they should use the midwives.
Why? Because, as Ginzberg tells us, Pharaoh and the Egyptians were more afraid of divine punishment if they committed the murders themselves. Let that sink in. They weren't concerned about the morality of the act itself, just the potential consequences for them personally.
So, Pharaoh, swayed by this… logic… summoned the Hebrew midwives, Shifra and Puah, and issued his dreadful command: kill the male babies, but spare the females.
Now, why spare the girls? It wasn't out of any sense of mercy. The Egyptians, as the text bluntly states, were incredibly sensual and desired as many women as possible for their own pleasure. A truly disgusting motive, and a stark illustration of the dehumanization at the heart of slavery.
It’s a chilling reminder of how easily fear and self-interest can override basic human decency. And it forces us to ask ourselves: where do we draw the line? How far would we go to avoid consequences, even if it means sacrificing our own humanity? The story of Shifra and Puah is just beginning, and their courage in the face of this evil will soon shine brightly. But first, we have to acknowledge the darkness that they were up against.