Midwives: Pharaoh kills males, spares females
The king who did not know Joseph keeps inventing new arts against God’s people. He even turns midwives — whose craft is to save life — into instruments of death: kill the male; keep the female alive. They feared God and kept the males alive. Friends of the letter stumble here; we learn that the law is spiritual. Woman figures flesh and its affections; man the rational sense that can seek the things above. Pharaoh, prince of this world, hates that male mind and nourishes only what is carnal. When you see people given to luxury, know he is killing males and sparing females; when you see one of a thousand turn toward God, know Pharaoh pursues him with a thousand devices.
Latin
Multa adversum gentem Dei molitur rex qui non novit Ioseph. Obsetricibus Hebraeorum praecipit: si masculus, occidite; si femina, vivificate. Timuerunt Deum et vivificabant masculos. Litterae amici putant historiam stare; nos legem spiritalem intelligimus. In feminis caro designatur, in viro sensus rationabilis. Pharao odit coelestia quaerentem; carnalia vivere cupit. Qui deliciis fluitant — masculos necat et feminas vivificat. Qui unus ex mille ad Deum convertitur, Pharao persequitur.
About this text
Origen’s Homilia II on Exodus (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–4.
English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VI (GCS 29, 1920), Rufinus’s Latin of Homilia II. Heine FOTC 71 was not used as wording. This page is Homilia II §§1–4 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VI = GCS 29 (1920) (Latin · Homilia II §§1–4)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.