Read or hear the story from Joshua 17:3-6

The 70's hit song by Sister Sledge would make a great sound track for the story of...

(Catch these names...)

(Are you ready?)

(These are WOMEN, in case it isn't clear...)

According to Robert Boling:

Mahlah means "weak one" and maybe even "barren"

Noah is not to be mixed up with the flood hero from Genesis

Milcah means "queen"

Tirzah was a city of Canaanite royalty

Thank you Robert for these insights, but what about Hoglah???

Who are sisters for you? What word or phrase would you use to identify them?
Click here to add your response and/or read others' responses.

In typical biblical fashion, Mahlah, Noah, Milcah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, are not remembered for their relationship to women -- as sisters -- but for their relationship to a man -- their father Zelophehad.
They live in a patriarchal society, where men have the power to name...
relationships
people, places, animals, objects
how things will be done

So in the Scriptures these five sisters are known as
the Daughters of Zelophehad.

What are the gender dynamics of your name?
How are you identified in relationship to men?
How might you name yourself in relation to women? Try doing that, and then consider if it makes any difference.

The background of this story is found in the book of Numbers, where the Israelites are wandering in the wilderness approaching the Promised Land:
Sisters receive special listing in the census
        Numbers 26:28-34
Sisters assert their rights; the Lord says Amen
        Numbers 27:1-11
Sisters compromise with needs of patriarchal culture
        Numbers 36:1-12

This is an obscure, but remarkable story of normally silenced persons
	who speak out to the authorities who insist on justice: even when that means challenging the authorities even when that means changing the system
This is an obscure, but remarkable story of a time when
	the authorities listened (Moses took the issue to the Lord) the system changed (women gained the right to inherit land) justice was done
Stories of justice are never obscure, because God loves hearing them.
	The Bible repeatedly describes the God of Israel as a God of justice, in contrast to the idols of other peoples. Idols are false gods because they do not care about the poor or about justice. Those who ally themselves against the poor and commit acts of injustice worship idols; in the Book of Joshua, they are condemned to total annihilation. Those who ally themselves with the poor and do acts of justice worship God; in the Book of Joshua, they receive land. Similar dynamics are present in the New Testament: see Jesus' description of the final judgment. God in the biblical tradition is portrayed as noticing and rewarding even the most obscure acts of justice, and of noticing and punishing even the most obscure acts of injustice.

When have you experienced the doing of justice, however obscure?
Click here to add your response and/or read others' responses.

               

"Patriarchy" is a way of organizing society:
1. where the roles of men and women are sharply differentiated
2. men have most of the decision-making power

All the cultures of the Ancient Near East were patriarchal.
The story of Five Sisters highlights specific realities of life for women in patriarchal society regarding legal rights pertaining to inheritance and marriage. Roy May discusses these realities as conveyed in the stories of Sisters and Achsah in his section on "Women and the Land."

A case study of:

• self assertion - they asked for what they believed they had a right to receive
• solidarity - the fearsome five stood up together in mutual support
• stamina - their follow through to the initial request was years later

Did you notice?
This story has a lot of similarities to the story of Caleb who also received special treatment when the time came for land distribution based on past promises. The people of Israel remember the experiences of the wilderness and honor the promises made then.

Mahlah, Noah, Milcah, Tirzah, and Hoglah are a powerful group of women who boldly claim for themselves what they need to live full lives. They are spiritual sisters of the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.

The Women's Division is an organization of women committed to bettering the lives of women around the world. The Women's Division has built an inheritance for women, from women. To learn how you may contribute to this inheritance for the women of the future, click on the image.

In the days of the five Sisters, land was a key to cultural success.

In the days of tomorrow's sisters, computer competence is a key to cultural success.

This Joshua website was developed by the Women's Division to encourage computer competence among women. Visit sites of other organizations with this goal: (note*)

• WomenNet -- Network of women's organizations
  
• Women'space -- Women activists explore how the Internet is being used as a powerful tool for women
  
• TAP: The Ada Project -- Tapping Internet Resources for Women in Computer Science
  
• Canadian Women's Internet Association -- Providing a Community on the Internet for Canadian Women