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A History of Interpretation of Exodus 1:15-21 from Antiquity to The

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A History of Interpretation of Exodus 1:15-21 from Antiquity to The The Enigmatic Meyalledot Haᶜivriyyot: A History of Interpretation of Exodus 1:15-21 from Antiquity to the Medieval Period Briah Cahana Department of Jewish Studies McGill University, Montreal August 2017 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts © Briah Cahana 2017 Abstract The biblical narrative of the meyalledot haᶜivriyyot (Exod 1:15-21) recounts the story of two heroic God-fearing midwives, named Shiphrah and Puah, who defy Pharaoh’s order to kill Hebrew male infants. They are ultimately rewarded by God for their efforts and are given battim. From their portrayal in the biblical text and from the perspective of most commentators, the midwives are important figures who acted righteously. But who were they? And what exactly is their role in the Exodus narrative? This study will examine a large sample of mostly Jewish and some Christian interpretations of Exodus 1:15-21 from the ancient to the early medieval periods. Attention will be placed on how the midwives’ identities and roles have been shaped and reshaped through the pens and visions of Bible commentators from the 4th century BCE to the 14th century CE. Le résumé Le récit biblique du meyalledot haᶜivriyyot (Exod 1. 15-21) raconte l'histoire de deux sages- femmes héroïques, Shiphrah et Puah, qui craignent Dieu et qui défient l’ordre du Pharon de tuer les bébés hébreux. Elles sont finalement récompensées par Dieu pour leurs efforts, et elles reçoivent des battim. De leur représentation dans le texte biblique et du point de vue de la plupart des commentateurs, il est clair que les sages-femmes ont agi avec rectitude et qu'elles sont des personnages importants. Mais qui étaient-elles? Et, quel est leur rôle dans le récit de l’Exode? i Cette étude examinera un grand échantillon d'interprétations principalement juives et quelques commentaires chrétiens d'Exode 1. 15-21 de l’antiquité jusqu’à l’époque médiévale. Une attention particulière sera accordée à la façon dont les identités et les rôles de ces sages- femmes ont été façonnées et remodelées à travers les visions de commentateurs de la Bible. ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................................. 1 The Verses: Exodus 1:15-21 (JPS) ......................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Methodology .................................................................................................................................................... 5 Brief Overview of the Textual Problems in the Midwife Episode ..................................................................... 7 Part 1: The Biblical Period ................................................................................................................................... 13 1.1 Highlighting Broader Themes in Exodus Chapter 1 .................................................................................. 14 1.1.2 Increased Population and Midwives ................................................................................................. 15 1.1.3 Identity .............................................................................................................................................. 16 1.1.4 Women .............................................................................................................................................. 17 1.2 Biblical Intertextuality ............................................................................................................................... 17 1.2.1 Key terms ........................................................................................................................................... 18 1.3 Mythological Comparisons to the Midwife Episode from the Ancient Near East .................................... 22 1.3.1 Egyptian Mythology ........................................................................................................................... 22 1.3.2 Representations of Midwives’ Roles in Ancient Near Eastern Texts ................................................. 23 Part 2: The Greco-Roman Period ........................................................................................................................ 25 2.1 Extra-Biblical Texts: Pseudepigraphical and Apocryphal References to Exodus 1 ................................... 26 2.1.2 Pseudepigrapha: Apocalypse of Elijah ............................................................................................... 29 2.2 Where Shiphrah and Puah are Mentioned in the Retelling of the Exodus Story ..................................... 30 2.2.1 The Septuagint (LXX) and the Vulgate ............................................................................................... 31 2.2.2 Philo, Josephus and Origen................................................................................................................ 35 Part 3: The Early Rabbinic Period ........................................................................................................................ 45 3.1 Excursus on the Dating of the Midrashim ................................................................................................ 46 3.2 The Midwives’ Identity ............................................................................................................................. 47 3.2.1 Mishnah ............................................................................................................................................. 47 3.2.2 Targumim........................................................................................................................................... 48 3.2.3 Talmud and Exodus Rabbah .............................................................................................................. 50 3.2.4 Other Midrashic Compendia ............................................................................................................. 53 3.2.5 Dura-Europos Mural .......................................................................................................................... 56 3.3 Other Themes Addressed in the Midrashic Cluster .................................................................................. 59 3.3.1 Pharaoh’s Foolishness and the Midwives’ Wisdom (v. 16 and v. 19) ................................................ 59 3.3.2 The Midwives’ Virtuosity and Piety (v. 17) ........................................................................................ 62 3.3.3 The Midwives’ Rewards (vv. 20-21) ................................................................................................... 64 iii 3.4 Analysis of the Midrashic Cluster ............................................................................................................. 67 3.4.1 Halakhic/Cultural Motivations ........................................................................................................... 67 3.4.2 Hermeneutical Motivations ............................................................................................................... 68 3.4.3 Theological and Moral Motivations ................................................................................................... 70 3.4.4 Political/Polemical Motivations ......................................................................................................... 72 Part 4: The Medieval Period ............................................................................................................................... 74 4.1 The Masoretes .......................................................................................................................................... 75 4.2 Grammar and Semantics .......................................................................................................................... 76 4.2.1 V. 15 ................................................................................................................................................... 76 4.2.2 V. 16 ................................................................................................................................................... 77 4.2.3 V. 17 ................................................................................................................................................... 79 4.2.4 V. 20 ................................................................................................................................................... 80 4.2.5 V. 21 ................................................................................................................................................... 80 4.3 Exegesis that Supports the Traditional Midrashic Interpretations ........................................................... 81 4.3.1 The Midwives’ Identities ................................................................................................................... 81 4.3.2 Midrashic Views on Watteḥayyena (v. 17) ........................................................................................ 84 4.3.3 Maduᶜa- A Rhetorical Question (v. 18) .............................................................................................
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