Five Daughters Surveying the Situation

May I introduce you today to Mahlah [MAH-lah); Noah [NO-ah]; Hoglah [HAW-glah]; Milkah [MILL-kah]; and Tirzah [TEER—as in “doe a deer”—tzah].* They were five daughters of a man who had no sons. They surveyed a challenging situation and found a way to do something about it!

In the biblical days in which they lived, land was inherited through the eldest male in the family. Their father Zelophehad [tzuh-loh-FAH-hahd] had died. So, to present their claim to the land where they lived, they petitioned the priest and other men of high importance.

Ultimately, their petition prevailed and they were granted a tract of highly desirable fertile land. In the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, Deuteronomy 11:9 describes it as “a land flowing with milk and honey.” Numbers 13:27 relates the view of Hebrew spies who had gone into Canaan with that same description. That meant the land would be life-sustaining with milk from goats, sheep, and cattle; and bees’ honey plus delectable fruit syrups.

Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah were trail-surveyors and trail blazers. As such they provide for modern women an example of surveying, contemplating what may be done, and putting plans into meaningful action.