This week, I’m so pleased to have my friend Barbara Britton on the blog and her new book Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey. I have so enjoyed her other Biblical fiction books that I can’t wait to read it. Before she tells us the story behind it, here’s a little about the book.
While the Israelites struggle to occupy the Promised Land of God, Mahlah bat Zelophehad is orphaned and left to care for her four sisters. But daughters of the dead are unable to inherit land, and it will take a miracle for Mahlah to obtain the means to care for her sisters and uphold the vow she made to her dying mother.
Mahlah must seek Moses, the leader of her people, and request something extraordinary—the right for a daughter to inherit her deceased father’s land. A right that will upset the ox-cart of male inheritance and cast her in the role of a rebel.
But, God is the protector of the orphan and the widow, and five orphaned daughters need His help. With God, anything is possible. Even changing man’s tradition.
That sounds fascinating. How did you come up with the idea for the story?
I wish I had known the story of the daughters of Zelophehad when I was teaching chapel at a Christian school. I had taught about young people in the Bible who had done great things and had highlighted David fighting Goliath, Gideon battling the enemy, and the servant girl in the story of Naaman who had faith in the healing powers of the prophet of Israel for her enemy. I missed the story of groundbreaking sisters who changed history. I even missed their story after doing a read through the Bible challenge at my church. I must have been reading the book of Numbers before bed and slumbered through the story.
Imagine my surprise when a friend brought up the story of five orphaned sisters who petitioned Moses to inherit their deceased father’s land. What? Where had I been? I raced home and read about Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, and how they went to Moses and asked to inherit land. Girls did not inherit land in those days. Especially, unwed women.
Moses sought God’s wisdom and God said the girls were right. If a man died without a son, his daughters would inherit his land. God set out a whole inheritance structure. Later, the girls were brought before Moses again. The elders of their tribe of Manasseh were worried that when the girls did marry, some of the land allotted to Manasseh would be siphoned off to other tribes. Moses goes to God—again—and God says the girls can marry whomever they wish as long as the men are within their father’s tribal clan. Manasseh’s land would remain intact.
These girls did not doubt God’s provision. Their response to the requirements for marriage is found in Numbers [36:10], “So Zelophehad’s daughters did as the Lord commanded Moses.”
I am so glad I discovered this amazing story of five orphaned sisters who had a bold faith in God and carried that faith into God’s Promised Land. I was so enamored with these girls that I turned one book into a three-book series. How could I leave the girls without their inheritance? I just wish it didn’t take over 7 years to conquer Canaan.
You can read about Zelophehad’s daughters in Numbers [26:33], 27:1-11, 36:1-12 and Joshua 17: 3-6.
Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. Barb brings little-known Bible stories to light in her Biblical fiction. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. She is published by Harbourlight Books an imprint of Pelican Book Group. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Find out more about Barb and her books at www.barbarambritton.com.
Barb is on Facebook and twitter.
You can find “Lioness” on Amazon and B&N and at other retailers.
Barbara is giving away a copy of Lioness. Just follow the directions below to enter.
Thanks once again for joining us, Barbara!
Yes, I was aware of the daughters request for land. In that day they were very brave in their request. I love Biblical fiction. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Hi Linda,
Thanks for joining us. You are one of the few people I have encountered who remembers their name and what they did. They were very brave indeed. I couldn’t leave them after one book, so I wrote them through the book of Joshua until they got their land.
Thank you for sharing about Barbara’s newest novel. It’s a winner.
Thank you, Lisa. I appreciate your encouraging words. I’m glad you joined us.
I think it is awesome when authors write.Biblical fistion. This book sounds so good. I do remember about the daughters requesting land. It must of been very hard!
Hi Rose,
Thanks for joining us. I don’t know how the girls got the notion to ask for land, either. I’m wondering if they remembered God’s love for orphans. I would love to ask them their thoughts.
I don’t remember reading about Zelophehad’s daughters. Their story sounds fascinating.
Hi Caryl,
I say their story is like a David and Goliath story with girls. Although, the more I think about it, they didn’t have King Saul and his army behind them. To be unwed, and orphans, and asking for land that would have gone to your elders, puts them in a precarious position. Yet, God says they were right. It is a story that should be in more Sunday School lessons–in my opinion. It’s good seeing you again.
I have never heard of this. It sounds great.
Hi Virginia. This story was new to me and I have been a believer for a long time. I am glad I discovered it. The girls were fun to write about. Thanks for joining us.
I had read the Biblical account but I didn’t think about how brave they had to be to ask for their inheritance. I look forward to reading this book.
Hi Bev. I wonder what made the girls believe that they could ask for land when no other women were inheriting land. That’s a question I would like them to answer in glory. I’m glad you stopped by.