Pharaoh, you see, had a problem. He was terrified of the growing Israelite population in Egypt. His solution? A truly horrific decree: kill all newborn Hebrew boys. But even the cruelest plans sometimes have flaws.
The text tells us, "though a man may marry many wives, each woman can marry but one husband." So, the thinking went, reducing the number of men wouldn’t be as devastating to the Israelite future as reducing the number of women. It was a twisted, calculating logic… thankfully, it wasn’t going to work.
Enter Jochebed, the mother of Moses, and Miriam, his sister. These weren't just any women; they were midwives, entrusted with bringing life into the world, even as Pharaoh sought to extinguish it. They were commanded to kill the baby boys, but they feared God more than Pharaoh, and refused. As Exodus 1:17 puts it: "But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive."
When they were summoned before Pharaoh, Miriam, young as she was, didn't hold back. Imagine this scene. According to Legends of the Jews, Miriam, filled with righteous anger, cried out, "Woe be to this man when God visits retribution upon him for his evil deeds!"
Talk about speaking truth to power!
Pharaoh, unsurprisingly, was enraged. He wanted her dead. But Jochebed, quick-thinking and wise, stepped in. "Why dost thou pay heed to her words?" she pleaded. "She is but a child, and knows not what she speaks."
Now, here's where it gets even more amazing. Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews tells us that Miriam was only five years old at this time! Five years old! And yet, she possessed the courage to stand up to the most powerful man in Egypt.
And even at that tender age, Miriam was already helping her mother. While Jochebed washed and bathed the newborns, Miriam, this little girl with a lion's heart, gave food to the babies. She was already a guardian of life, a protector of her people.
It’s a powerful image, isn't it? This tiny girl, filled with such fierce love and loyalty. It reminds us that courage isn't about age or size. It's about conviction, about standing up for what's right, even when it's terrifying. Miriam's story, even before the Exodus, is a testament to the strength and resilience of the women who helped shape the destiny of the Jewish people. What can we learn from her example today?