A Daughter Better Than Sons?

1 Chronicles 7:21 – Zabad his son

and Shuthelah his son. Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock.

1 Chronicles 7:22 – Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him.

1 Chronicles 7:23 – Then he made love to his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his family.

1 Chronicles 7:24 – His DAUGHTER was Sheerah, WHO BUILT Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.

Ephraim lost his sons Ezer and Elead who were killed during a raid in Gath. To lose all sons in one raid was too much. Their father mourned the loss of sons for too long that the historian noted it in the official records of Israel.

Ephraim couldn’t be comforted by his relatives. He mourned the loss of his sons. God stepped in to comfort him and gave him another son by the name Beriah. That is the last time we hear about Beriah.

Sons are thought to be carriers of the family name. Sons are thought to be outstanding and unforgettable. Yet we never hear about this son. The dead sons were great fighters who died in a raid. The son who comforted the mourning father wasn’t much of a name for the historian to write anything about him.

The daughter of Ephraim, Sheerah, stood out. When Sheerah’s brothers died in the raid, she may not have been considered a child good enough to establish the family name in heroic unforgettable ways. Therefore the father mourned the sons because he had no sons and couldn’t count on the daughter.

The daughter of Ephraim, Sheerah, stood out and in unexpected ways established the family name better than any sons or even Beriah. Sheerah grew up to build cities. She became better than sons that Ephraim thought would carry the family name and history.

Sheerah built communities even in her name. She built territories that people dwelt in. She stood out in unforgettable ways. The son born to comfort the father is never heard of. The daughter ignored when the brothers died stood out.

Sheerah is the only outstanding woman in this genealogy of chapter seven. She is an outstanding woman among men. She is the only woman credit with such a fit in this genealogy.

A daughter does not have a lesser value than sons. Sons and daughters have equal chances of being great, carrying the family name and being great. Daughters and Sons who are brought up well and or have the favor of God, become equally great.

Ephraim should be credited for how he brought up Sheerah to be a great woman. Parents in their parenting can bring up great daughters or bring up intimidated resigned daughters and sons. Treat them equally and let God establish whoever he pleases.

When God gives daughters and not sons or the reverse, He is wise trust Him. When God lets sons or daughters rest in death and one gender remains, He knows best, trust Him. Ephraim mourned his sons but the daughter became the greatest and entered a genealogy that was highlighting men only.

God’s ways are better than our ways. Trust God when it’s dark and unclear. The least expected can be the greatest if well nurtured and left in God’s hands. Dear God teach me to trust You when my formula fails. In Jesus’s name, Amen!

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