But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
The midwives feared God ... Their faith inspired them with such courage as to risk their lives by disobeying the mandate of a cruel tyrant; but it was blended with weakness, which made them shrink from speaking the truth. Numerous examples are furnished in the history of the patriarchs of strong faith being exercised along with many moral infirmities.