MIDWIFE (מְיַלֶּ֨דֶת׃֙, one who brings to birth). A woman who helps women in childbirth. A midwife may often have been an older relative or friend of the family. A part of her duties are described in Ezekiel 16:4 as cutting the umbilical cord, washing the baby with water, rubbing it with salt, and wrapping it in swaddling clothes.

A midwife was with Rachel at the birth of Benjamin (Gen 35:17, 18). When twins were born to Tamar, the midwife put a scarlet thread on the firstborn so that it might be known which was the older (Gen 38:28).

The pharaoh of Egypt ordered the midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill the Heb. boy babies, but to let the girls live. The midwives disobeyed the king, and when rebuked replied, “the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and are delivered before the midwife comes to them” (Exod 1:15-22). The birthstool referred to in this passage is illustrated on the walls of the palace of Luxor, in Upper Egypt. A painting shows Queen Mautmes sitting on a stool giving birth to a child while two midwives chafe her hands.

Midwives may be referred to in 1 Samuel 4:20 and Ruth 4:14, 15.