Sheerah – Leaving a Legacy

The descendants of Ephraim were Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath, Zabad, Shuthelah, Ezer, and Elead. These two were killed trying to steal livestock from the local farmers near Gath. Their father, Ephraim, mourned for them a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. Afterward Ephraim slept with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Ephraim named him Beriah because of the tragedy his family had suffered. He had a daughter named Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah. (1 Chronicles 7:20–24)

The Chronicler interrupts his lists of descendants to insert this short story about Sheerah. The death of any child who predeceases their parents is tragic and Ephraim seems particularly devastated by the loss of Ezer and Elead. He mourns their deaths with intensity. If these two boys die without children, genealogy records exclude their names, leaving them forgotten by future generations.

A difficulty with these verses concerns the chronology: when does this happen? The Amplified Bible suggests “probably before the Israelites left Egypt” (AMPC). Departure From Family If this story occurs before the Israelites leave Egypt, it means Ephraim leaves his extended family and moves to Canaan, ignoring God’s plan for Jacob’s family to stay in Egypt until he makes them a great nation (Genesis 46:3). A couple of other stories in the Old Testament depict men leaving the place God assigns them, with disastrous outcomes. Judah leaves his family home and marries a pagan Canaanite woman, who bears his three sons. The first two sons die childless, and only Tamar’s unorthodox intervention prevents the family line from ending (Genesis 38). Likewise, Elimelech leaves Israel during a famine to live in pagan Moab. He and his two sons all die in Moab, leaving behind three childless widows. Again, only through God’s miraculous intervention does one of these widows, Ruth, save the family's ancestral line by returning to Israel with her mother-in-law, marrying an Israelite named Boaz, and bearing him a son (Ruth 1–4). Perhaps Ephraim leaves during the famine in Egypt. Rather than relying on Joseph to provide, he decides he can do a better job on his own. So often, we want to provide for our own security rather than remain where God has planted us, whether he’s planted us in a particular town, family, or marriage. God does sometimes call us to leave. Perhaps the marriage is abusive, the family cruel, or the town detrimental to our mental or physical health. Yet, it’s best to pray and wait for God to create the opportunity for us to leave, rather than initiate an exit plan ourselves. In leaving his extended family in Egypt, Ephraim loses two sons. Perhaps Sheerah is God’s miraculous provision. Construction of Towns We know little about Sheerah except that she builds three towns – Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah. A woman building a town represents a surprising undertaking, yet the Chronicler omits any comment on what seems to us an oddity. The writer of Judges similarly avoids explaining how Deborah comes into a leadership position in Judges 4–5. Although Israel operates as a patriarchal society, perhaps women possess more autonomy than we imagine. Building programs often indicate God’s blessings as a nation only undertakes these projects during times of peace. Lower and Upper Beth-horon sit strategically about three kilometres apart on a ridge, forming a major trade and military route between the highlands and the coastal plains in Israel. The towns serve as key lookout points, making them more easily defended – a wise choice ensuring future security. No one builds a town without planning and preparation, especially since builders must secure a water source. Sheerah needs to clear the land, then quarry the stone, and transport it. She might rebuild on a former site, but this still requires much work in clearing the land of rubble and replacing damaged stonework. She cannot accomplish these things on her own. Presumably, Sheerah manages the projects and gives instructions to the labourers, probably men. Building a town requires serious time and commitment. Sheerah demonstrates initiative, resourcefulness, and leadership. Sheerah’s name doesn’t appear again, and we can only learn about her spirituality from the fruit of her work. The first two towns she builds, Lower and Upper Beth-horon, remain for a long time, often known by the single name, Beth-horon. The third town, Uzzen-sheerah, fails to survive. The town’s name likely honours Sheerah because she lives there. In Joshua’s time, we read of a battle that heads towards Sheerah’s towns.

The Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the Lord destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword. (Joshua 10:10–11)

God protects Sheerah’s towns. Furthermore, Joshua later appoints Beth-horon as a Levitical town (Joshua 10:20–22). These towns become places where priests live and minister, teaching God’s law. Sheerah founds not just a physical town but a spiritual centre for learning God’s ways. Sheerah’s Legacy About 250 years later, Solomon turns Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon into fortified cities, with walls, gates and bars (2 Chronicles 8:5). The town rests on a firm foundation, so Solomon only needs to add the walls and gates. He avoids re-laying Sheerah’s foundation. Sheerah’s towns endure through the entire Old Testament period and into the time of the Maccabees, more than a thousand years after she builds them. Today, the road from Jerusalem to the coast no longer travels through Beth-horon. However, more than 3000 years after their construction, the foundations of these two towns remain visible. Sheerah inspires us to take initiative and follow through on our God-given projects, and not leave tasks to others who seem better equipped or more suited to the work. She also teaches us the value of leaving a good foundation, physically and spiritually, that others can build on.

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Susan Barnes is the author of 10 Blessings of God You Won’t Want to Miss. She has also published hundreds of devotional articles and recently started a podcast. She has been involved in pastoral ministry for thirty years, serving in various roles at different churches where her husband was the pastor. After gaining a degree in Christian ministry, she pastored Baptist Churches in Victoria and New South Wales in an interim capacity.

www.susanbarneswriter.com