Tirzah: The Woman
I frequently get asked what is the meaning of Tirzah? This is because I run a non-profit with the name, as well as assisting Yelena with editing. In the past, I used to say “Oh, it means she is my delight”. Everyone would talk about how that is such a delightful name - especially to make women know that the Lord delights in them. I absolutely agree! However, as I did research recently, the name of Tirzah Magazine took on a new depth.
Have you heard of Zelophehad? I hadn’t ever paid attention to him until I was reading Numbers last week. It stated:
“Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.” - Numbers 26:33
Isn’t that fascinating? Typically, in the Old Testament, the male heirs are listed for generations. I became curious about these women, especially Tirzah. That brought me into the next chapter of Numbers. Check out these verses:
“Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: “Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed] from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”
So Moses brought their case before the Lord. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’ ” And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment, just as the Lord commanded Moses.” -Numbers 27:1-11
To understand the significance of this passage, you have to understand the culture of the Old Testament. Male heirs were the only ones to receive inheritances. Women were dependent upon the males in their family to be provided for. Tirzah and her sisters had no one. They petitioned Moses and he granted them the request of having their father’s possessions.
Isn’t that amazing to see these women stand and have the Lord grant their petition? Tirzah and her sisters are one of the first examples you see in the Old Testament of God standing in the gap for women. They were bold and approached Moses asking for their survival. The story doesn’t end there either.
“Zelophehad's daughters - Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milkah and Noah -married their cousins on their father's side.” - Numbers 36:11
These brave women did go on to get married. If you continue to read in Numbers, Moses required the women to marry within their father’s tribe, Manasseh (one of the 12 tribes of Israel), so that the tribe’s lineage would not die out. The women did what was required of them and followed the Lord’s command. After learning all of these things, I had a couple of thoughts.
The first thought is that these women stood up and had a law changed for all females who found themselves in similar predicaments. They changed the lives of many women because of their ability to stand in the gap. My other thought is the lie that some women believe that their calling does not come until they are married. Yelena has written articles on being told that her boldness in pursuing a career would limit her options for a husband. I have been told the same thing before. The story of Tirzah and her sisters stands out to me because they did not wait when a need arose. They rose to meet that need.
My petition to you is this. Be a woman who follows where God leads. Follow Tirzah and her sisters. Stand in the gap when you see a need. God wants to use your voice. Pray about how He wants to use you. Maybe you are the Tirzah who will change generations of women to come. Believe that God can provide for your needs. Believe God can fulfill your desires as you seek Him first. Be a Tirzah.
Study Tirzah and 11 other women of the Bible that don’t make it into the usual women’s Bible studies in our newly released Bible study devotional:
A devotional Bible study on the supporting women of the Bible – women like Hannah, Deborah, Tirzah and Rahab – who are often overshadowed by their more well-known sisters like Ruth, Esther and Mary. Includes a downloadable 32-page PDF study with accompanying video studies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alycia Marie is a free-spirited wanderer and follower of Christ. She spends her days exploring around the city with the unique family that God has given her. At this time, she is currently working with non-profits and churches to tackle rebuilding families in the city of Milwaukee. In her free time, she plays with preschoolers, writes in coffee shops, and travels the world.