שִׁפְרָה (shiph.rah)
shiph.rah
Shiphrah
N:N-F-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-F-P
Word Overview
The name Shiphrah, or shiphrah in Hebrew, translates to "fair" or "beautiful." It appears only once in Scripture, serving as the identifier for one of the two Hebrew midwives in Exodus 1:15. Alongside her colleague Puah, she was tasked by Pharaoh with a cruel mandate: to kill every male infant born to the Israelites.
These women are notable not for their title, but for their quiet defiance. They refused to carry out the king’s order, choosing instead to let the boys live. The biblical text highlights their reverence for God as the motive behind this disobedience, presenting them as early examples of civil resistance against unjust authority. Their story preserves the lineage of Israel during a time of systematic persecution.
While the name itself is simple, its context carries significant weight. Shiphrah represents the courage of ordinary people who stand firm in their conscience against state power. Her brief mention anchors a pivotal moment in the Exodus narrative, reminding readers that history is often shaped by those who choose mercy over compliance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Shiphrah means "fair" or "beautiful," yet its biblical significance lies not in appearance but in action. In Exodus 1:15, she is introduced alongside Puah as a midwife tasked by Pharaoh to kill Hebrew newborns. Instead of complying with this cruel decree, they chose to let the boys live, fearing God more than the king.
This story reminds us that faithfulness often looks like quiet resistance. Shiphrah and Puah were ordinary women who stood firm in their conscience against unjust authority. Their choice preserved the lineage of Israel and showed that mercy can outweigh fear of power.
When we face pressure to compromise our values, their example invites us to trust God’s protection over human approval. It is a gentle encouragement that doing what is right, even when it is difficult, honors God and shapes history in ways we may never fully see.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] Shiphrah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שִׁפְרָ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 1:15
The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,
This verse introduces Shiphrah by name, establishing her identity as one of the two midwives who defied Pharaoh’s order to kill Hebrew male infants.