Sisters: The Five Daughters of Zelophehadናሙና

Right thing, Right Way, Right Heart

Once again, the story of these women captivates me. I love their courage. I love their understanding of what they were asking. I love they were unapologetic in asking for what was rightfully theirs. Here is what their names actually mean, and I believe this gives us an insight into who they were as individuals:

Mahlah - a harp, a pardon

Noah - repose, rest

Hoglah - His festival or dance

Milcah - queen or ruler

Tirzah - delight, pleasantness, or cypress tree

In the Bible, Tirzah is the name of a city of Israeli kings and was also the name of the first woman to inherit property from her father. These women walked in gentleness, harmony, and cascading rhythms of life, just like when you hear the undeniable sound of a Harp playing.

They walked in rest, not in anger or resentment, as we said on day one. They were light-footed (dance), queens (royalty), and pleasant, much like a cypress tree that brings shade to others. I imagine these girls standing tall amongst the men of their community, and rather than getting tough and edgy, they walk confidently in the fullness of who they were.

The other thing I noticed here was as they went back to make sure the inheritance was coming their way, the Lord replied through Moses that the women were to only marry with their father's tribe and clan so that their inheritance remained in their family legacy. And so Zelophehad’s daughters did as the Lord commanded.

There is a lot of wisdom packed in here. For the sake of the future generations, the girls stood up for what was right and followed the Lord’s decree. This is our mandate and mission; to do what is right, in the right way, with the right heart.

This is also exampled in 2 Samuel. David had sinned when he tried to fudge the numbers of the census of Israel, and when he finally admits to his wrongdoing, the Lord allows him to choose his punishment. This example shows a person trying to do things their way and with a wrong agenda. The prophet Gad gave David the instruction from the Lord; to build an altar. Once erected, the Lord would stop the plague upon the people.

David transforms this place where chaff was separated from wheat into a place of sacrifice and worship. It would remain a place of sacrifice and worship because this land purchased by David became the site of Solomon’s temple (1 Chronicles 21:28-22:5).

All of our actions have consequences. On the one hand, you can do what seems good to those around you, or you can do with is right in the sight of the Lord. Our five sisters chose to stand up for injustice, in the right way, for the right reasons, and the generations reaped the benefits.

The way of the Kingdom is found in the fruits of the spirit. Galatians 5 talks of some attributes of God: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” And all of this comes from a person who knows who they are in Christ.

My question today is this; what is the Holy Spirit asking you to tend to again? Yet this time, tend with deep confidence in who you are in Christ and with the Grace of God. The right thing, the right way, the right heart.

With much love Darls xx