Puah

Puah is a name of uncertain meaning, found in the Old Testament Hebrew Bible. In the Book of Exodus (1:15–21), Puah is one of two midwives—along with Shiphrah—who defy Pharaoh's order to kill all male Hebrew infants at birth. The name appears in the Masoretic Text as פּוּעָה (Pūʿā), possibly related to a root meaning "to cry out" or "to glisten," but its exact etymology remains elusive. In Hebrew, it is identical to a word for "child-bearing" or "a birthing stool," linking it to the midwives' profession.

Etymology and Meaning

The name Puah derives from the Hebrew root פוע (pū‛, "to cry" or "to make a sound"), or possibly from an unused root meaning "to speak." Some scholars connect it to the Canaanite god of childbirth, or see it as a derivation from פועה (pu‛â), a noun for "a gleam" or "splendor." In the Old Testament, the name is primarily associated with the courageous midwife of Exodus. A variant form appears in Pu'a in Biblical Hebrew.

Biblical Narrative and Significance

According to the Exodus narrative, Pharaoh commanded two named midwives—Shiphrah and Puah—to kill any Hebrew sons they delivered, but "the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the boys live" (Exodus 1:17, NRSV). When questioned, they explained that Hebrew women were "vigorous" and gave birth quickly, before the midwives could arrive. Because of their disobedience, God "dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very strong" (Exodus 1:20). The text further notes that God "made them houses," i.e., established their families, granting them offspring of their own. The story underscores a theme of lying for justice or civil disobedience, and both midwives are venerated as heroic figures in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions.

Notable Bearers and Cultural Legacy

There are no prominent historical bearers of the name Puah outside the Biblical text. The name appears primarily in religious contexts, among Christians and Jews, and as a rare given name in Israel today. Its near-identical masculine form appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of a Judges period figure: a son of Ishmael (later transferred to Benjamin) in 1 Chronicles. The medieval Jewish commentator Rashi gives parvulole (small) etymology, deriving it from a cognate in Exodus, though internal scholarship celebrates it.

Related Names

The most closely related name is Shiphrah, the other midwife in Exodus 1. Shiphrah's name means "beautiful" (from Hebrew שפר). Other variants include Biblical Hebrew Pu'a. The name Pu'el appears as variant in some genealogies but via similar derivative series—compare Psalm, or Mar. Latin transcriptions for biblical tradition embrace patterns.

Key Facts

• Mean gender: F
• Meaning uncertain; possibly "cry" or "gleam"
• National use: English Bible (and Biblical Hebrew via transcription)
• Wider religion contexts spanned yearly festival Lectionaries relevant for male births final later centuries contextualization often via midwifership.”