His daughter was Sheerah, who built both Lower and Upper Beth-horon, and Uzzen-sheerah” (1 Chronicles 7:24).
One sentence can say so much.
In the Chronicles of the Tribes of Israel, there is one listed among the sons of Israel who was so well esteemed that She made the history of all history books. Who was this woman Sheerah that she would command the acknowledgement of the scribes of Israel? And, what was it they admired her for most?
Very few women are named in the Scriptures (57 to be exact) and even fewer are named in genealogies listed in Scripture because, at that time, the family line was traced through the men. So it is significant when a woman is mentioned, and even named, in one.
A look at her name in Hebrew gives us some clues.
The name Sheerah (שארה) comes from the root group שאר. Within this root group, there are two distinct roots – the feminine (שׁאר) sha’ar, and the masculine (שׂאר) s’r.
The Old Testament use of the root “sha’ar” as a verb, seems to be used almost exclusively to indicate the static action of surviving after an elimination process” (Exodus 10:19, Ruth 1:3, 1 Samuel 9:24). Whereas, the use of the root as a common noun “she’er” means flesh for consumption (Exodus 21:10), and as symbol of physical power (Psalm 78:20). But it also occurs to indicate a blood-relation (surviving in our expression “one’s own flesh and blood” – Leviticus 18:12). In Proverbs 11:17 this word is used to mean self or one’s self.
Within the verb, there are also some obvious derivatives:
- The masculine noun שאר (she’ar), meaning rest, residue or remnant (Isaiah 10:19, 1 Chronicles 11:8).
- The feminine noun שארית (she’erit), meaning remnant or remainder (Isaiah 44:17, Genesis 45:7).
Now let’s go back to the second root in the group, the masculine form s’r (שׂאר).
There is only one derivation of this masculine form of the root in the Bible: the masculine noun שאר (se’or), meaning leaven (Exodus 12:15, 12:19 and 13:7, Leviticus 2:11 and Deuteronomy 16:4 only). Bread, or anything else, that had leaven in it was called חמץ (hames) and the famous unleavened bread of Passover was called מצה (massa).
If you’re having trouble putting it all together, here’s the short version: She’erah was a mighty name, not given over to the timid of heart. She was a woman known for her strength and not just her physical power, like the noun version she’er indicates, but for her resilience to survive one’s own flesh and blood. She was a remnant among her people, in a tribe that would come to symbolize the fate of those polluted by the leaven bread of the Pharisees. Chronicles tells us that Sheerah is either the daughter of Ephraim or his grandaughter, the daughter of his son Beriah.
Old Testament accounts clearly portray the adversity and rebellious nature of Ephraim, together with the tribe of Manasseh, as they were allotted a portion of the youngest of the 12 sons of Jacob. Joseph’s sons were given inheritance in Canaan and consistently sided in opposition to the tribe of Judah and to God. Sheerah would have had to be a strong and wise woman to have survived among her kinsman and risen to such a place of influence, authority, and wealth. Now consider what she was remembered for most, she was a builder of not one, but three cities in Canaan. But God…
And, when one considers the pivotal position the cities she built held, Uzzen-sheerah being named after herself, you will realize even more just how blessed and favored she was among men. Both upper and lower Beth-Huron were fortified by King Solomon with walls and gates. Having laid a solid foundation, Sheerah’s legacy to her people was just as solid making her worthy of being named in the Scriptures. As her name suggests, she was given a position of authority among her tribe to be the good leaven that would one day help to usher in the One who would change the whole loaf. Some translations render her name as “kinswoman.” She was more than an overcomer. To be counted among the remnant of her people, in her day, Sheerah just might have been the original Princess of Power.
How much one sentence can hold when one considers the context of its words. How much revelation is available to those who will become a lover of God’s words!
This is the essence behind Sheerah Ministries.
A collective of women coming together among the remnant of our people, today, in this hour. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are growing ever more in love with the word of God and learning to sing it back to Him in wisdom, power, and grace. We are each called to be strong and powerful women of faith ready to build the future cities for our kinsmen to dwell in and prosper.
WE INVITE YOU to JOIN US! Get to know our Contributing Partners, read, comment and share our posts, join us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, Email us – We want to hear your stories! Share your gifts. Together, we can build the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, one city at a time. This is our story. This is our time. Let the Daughters of Eve awaken. Let the Sheerahs arise!
