This is one of the few occaisions in the bible where it appears to be okay for a believer to lie. I have often wondered about those extreme circumstances - like being tortured for information that would lead to further suffering - and about whether lying there would be counted as sinful. It think in those extreme cases it would probably be alright, but I live in Melbourne, one of the safest cities in the world so I can't really forsee me ever being in a situation such as the Jewish midwives were.

Exodus 1:19-20