Pharaoh’s goal is to use wise and shrewd political policies to keep Israel under control. However, his plans backfire, in no small part because of the wisdom and shrewdness of the Hebrew midwives (Exodus 1:17–19) as well as that of Moses’ mother and sister (Exodus 2:2–9). Despite his power and prestige, the wisdom of Pharaoh is put to shame by the wisdom of these faithful Hebrew women. God indeed destroys the wisdom of the wise (Isaiah 29:14; 1 Corinthians 1:19).
There is a further irony related to Pharaoh’s insistence on keeping Israel in Egypt (which his successor continued; see Exodus 5:2–9). He thought it would be detrimental to Egypt if they were to leave. Ultimately, it was more detrimental that they stayed—this led to the destruction of Egypt and Pharaoh, first in the ten plagues and then in the Red Sea. By preventing God’s people from leaving, the pharaohs were setting themselves against God himself who would arise to defend his people.
10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.”