Seven Brave & Courageous Women Who Saved The World!

By Brian Conaway

As we continue our yearlong ‘stroll’ reading the Bible we recently encountered a familiar and significant Biblical figure. When we think of the book of Exodus, our minds often go straight to Moses standing before Pharaoh, staff in hand, declaring, “Let my people go.” Yet long before Moses ever spoke to Pharoah as God directed him, his life was preserved through the courage, faith, and decisive action of some amazing women! In the opening chapters of Exodus, seven women—some named, some unnamed, Hebrew and Egyptian alike – became God’s instruments of deliverance. Their stories remind us that God often begins His greatest works through quiet faithfulness and moral courage.

The Women Who Defied Pharaoh

The first two women we meet are Shiphrah and Puah, Hebrew midwives living under Pharaoh’s brutal regime. Pharaoh, fearing the growing numerical strength of the Israelites, commanded them to kill every Hebrew boy at birth! These two women faced an impossible choice: obey the most powerful ruler in the world or obey God. Scripture tells us they “feared God” and refused to carry out the king’s command by allowing the male babies to live (Exod. 1:17). Their reverence for God led them to civil disobedience and because of their faithfulness, many lives were spared. God honored Puah and Shiphrah’s actions by giving them families and using their courage to frustrate Pharaoh’s plans.

A Mother’s Faith and a Sister’s Courage

That same courage continued in the home of a Levite woman named Jochebed, Moses’ mother. When her son was born, she hid him for three months, protecting him from discovery as long as she could. When hiding him was no longer possible, she crafted a basket, sealed it, and placed her child in it and placed it among the reeds of the Nile River. This was not an act of despair but of faith—entrusting her son to God’s care. That very river, used to drown Hebrew babies, became the place of Moses’ salvation.

Nearby the river stood Moses’ sister, Miriam, watching and waiting to see what would happen. Though young, she showed remarkable boldness and wisdom. When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the baby, Miriam stepped forward and suggested finding a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. Her courage ensured that Moses would be raised and nurtured by his own mother during his earliest years and even be paid wages for doing so! In that moment, God used a young girl’s bravery to preserve both family and future.

Mercy Inside the Palace

Then comes an unexpected and ironic heroine: Pharaoh’s daughter! She knew exactly who this baby was—a Hebrew child born under a death sentence. Yet when she saw him, Scripture says ‘she was moved with compassion’. Defying her father’s murderous decree, she chose mercy over obedience to evil. She adopted Moses into the royal household, giving him protection, education, and opportunities that would later prepare him to confront Pharaoh himself. Alongside Pharoah’s daughter was her maidservant, an unnamed woman whose obedience and participation made the rescue possible. Though history does not record her name, God saw her faithfulness, reminding us that unseen service still matters in God’s plan.

Zipporah and the Covenant

The last of the seven women is Moses’ Midianite wife, Zipporah. On the journey back to Egypt, Scripture tells us in Exodus 4:24 that God directly confronted Moses to kill him because one of his son’s had not been circumcised. In that critical moment, it was Zipporah who acted decisively and swiftly. She quickly circumcised their son and saved Moses’ life*, enabling him to continue the mission God had given him. Her decisive action showed that obedience to God’s covenant was not optional.

Why These Seven Women Matter

Taken together, these seven women form a powerful testimony!  They were midwives, mothers, sisters, servants, daughters, and wives. Some were Hebrews, some Egyptians. Some are remembered by name, others are not. Yet each one played a crucial role in God’s plan of salvation!

Before Moses ever stood before Pharaoh, these women stood for life. Before miracles and plagues, there was faith, compassion, courage, and obedience. Their stories remind us today that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary purposes—and that faithfulness can change the course of history!

Final Encouragement

May we, like these amazing women, fear God more than human power, choose compassion over convenience, and trust that God can use our obedience—no matter how small it may seem—to bring about His kingdom plans.

Why Was God Going to Kill Moses?

* The big question raised by Exodus 4:24-26 is why was God going to put Moses to death? Here are some plausible reasons why:

1. Circumcision was the sign of the covenant, and it was non‑negotiable to God. In Genesis 17, God tells Abraham that circumcision is the physical sign of belonging to the covenant people. God says: “Any male not circumcised “shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” (Gen 17:14)

2. This is unusually strong language. Circumcision was not a cultural custom; it was the identity marker of God’s people. To refuse it was to reject the covenant itself. So, when Moses, of all people, failed to circumcise his son, it signaled a serious covenant breach. 

3. Moses was going back to Egypt from his time in Midian to represent God to Pharaoh. This moment happens right after God calls Moses to confront Pharaoh and lead Israel out of Egypt.

4. For Moses to act as God’s representative, while ignoring God’s covenant command, would be a contradiction. In other words, how can Moses lead if his own household is not living under the covenant?

5.  The Hebrew text suggests God was enforcing the covenant penalty. The text says God “sought to kill him.”  Scholars debate whether “him” refers to Moses or the uncircumcised son, but the logic is the same either way:

• The covenant penalty for refusing circumcision was death (Gen 17:14).
• God as enforcing the seriousness of that covenant violation.
• This wasn’t random anger. It was God acting consistently with His own covenant terms.

6. Zipporah immediately circumcises the boy and touches the foreskin to Moses’ feet (a symbolic act of atonement or covenant restoration). Her words — “You are a bridegroom of blood to me” show:

• She understood the danger and that the ritual was necessary

• She recognized it restored Moses to covenant standing

• She saw blood as the means by which Moses’ life was spared

7. Before Moses can confront Pharaoh, before he can lead Israel, before he can speak for God, his own household must be in order.

Want to Go Deeper?

In closing, if you found the topic of this article interesting and want to learn more, I highly recommend listening to this podcast – link below.  It is easy to listen to, very enjoyable, and informative.

https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/seven-women-who-rescued-mosesand-israel/