SHIPHRAH

(Shiphʹrah) [Agreeable; Polished; Elegant].

The Greek Septuagint reads Sepphora in both Exodus 1:15 and 2:21; the Masoretic text, however, reads Shiphrah and Zipporah respectively. The Aramaic form of the name is Sapphira.

Shiphrah was one of the Hebrew midwives who, together with Puah, was commanded by Pharaoh to kill all the Hebrew male babies immediately at birth. Being a God-fearing woman, however, and having respect for the sanctity of human life (Ge 9:6), she preserved the boy babies alive and was blessed by Jehovah with a family of her own.​—Ex 1:15-21; see MIDWIFE.