The example of these women reminds us of strong women through time

By Dean Collins

The exodus story begins with five brave women, but it also tells the story of five lesser-known women who stumped Moses with a question that determined their future and set a precedent for Jewish women in the future. I think if Joshua and Caleb had taken this second set of five to spy on the Promised Land, the results would have been different!

Ten women

First a review: Exodus begins with the bravery of Shiphrah and Puah, the midwives who disobeyed Pharaoh’s edict to kill the newborn male babies birthed by the Hebrew women. If it wasn’t for these women, Moses and many other little boys would not have made it past day one of their lives. Then we find Jochebed, the mother of Moses, who made the waterproof basket where she placed baby Moses for his hopeful delivery from death. Miriam, the older sister of Moses joined the team to watch over Moses until he was discovered by the fifth heroine who was the daughter of Pharaoh! Without these five the exodus wouldn’t have happened.

Without these five the exodus wouldn’t have happened.

We learn about the second set of five in Numbers 27. They were sisters who had together stumped Moses with a question that would determine their future and set a precedent for Jewish women in the future. Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tizrah were their names. They were never included in the top 100 baby names for girls, but they were champions of fairness for women in the end.

In Numbers 26 the Lord ordered a census to be taken. It appears that part of the reason for the census was to determine land distribution for the 12 tribes. It was nearly time to move into the Promised Land. Each of the tribes would be represented by name in establishing the new and long-anticipated land. Keep in mind that earlier in Numbers 13 the Lord told Moses to pick a man from each of the 12 tribes to go spy out the land to discover what was in store for the Jewish people on the other side of the wilderness. Those 12 men went and saw wonderful treasures of rich farmland with ample provision. But they also saw opposition. Of the 12, 10 reported fearfully when they came back; only Joshua and Caleb called for faith in God’s plan.

It got so bad the men spent a night crying in the wilderness, followed by a rebellion against Moses and nearly everyone wanting to pick another leader and head back to Egypt. Moses and Aaron did a lot of praying while Joshua and Caleb called for courage and faith in God to proceed into the Promised Land. Ultimately, the rebellion grew to 250 chiefs who chose Korah to be their rebel leader and were about to oust Moses when God had enough of this nonsense and proved again who was in charge and who would lead the people to the Promised Land. A lot of people died for their foolishness and rebellion against God. Rebellion against God never goes well.

Rebellion against God never goes well.

By the time we get to Numbers 27, the rebellion is resolved and inheritance is being established in preparation for taking the Promised Land. We don’t know the details leading up to the courage of these five women, but they had clearly done their homework. All of the other tribal leaders had birthed sons except their father who had raised five brave daughters. Brave and smart and also honorable, in that they wanted their father’s name listed among the landowners in this new land. So they went to Moses and Eleazar to establish their case. They presented the facts clearly and fairly. Their dad wasn’t associated with Korah the rebel. He died a sinner but was not a part of the rebellion. He had no sons. And then these ladies posed the question and the request:

“Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.”

One idea

Moses and Eleazar listened. They stared at each other and scratched their heads. They were used to tough questions and had settled many disputes, but today these five women had them stumped, so they did what all of us should do when we don’t know the answer. They took the matter to the Lord and asked him what to do. And God answered clearly and affirmed the women in the process.

“The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.”

These five daughters demonstrated wisdom, diligence, determination, and courage. They stepped into a man’s world with clarity and perfect timing, and God demonstrated fairness for them and established protection for other women in the future.

This is another of many examples in Scripture that teach us we have much to learn from Godly women of faith. What we see in Bible examples like these is reflected in the women who sit around you at church and work side by side with men every day.

Women’s History Month may end today, but the legacy of women goes on until eternity.

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭27:1-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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