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 … 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 thrust her into 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.
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For her sisters she’ll do anything…
I’m always a little skeptical when I try new-to-me Biblical fiction. There’s just so much out there that is either not Biblically/historically accurate or the quality of writing is not the highest. I, had, however, heard good things about Barbara Britton so I went into listening to this Lioness with some hopes. I wasn’t disappointed. Not only does this book bring forward a fascinating but little known story of the 5 sisters who changed history, a story I must have read but totally didn’t remember, but it also brings insight into what it might have been like to be one of the Israelites who are on the cusp of entering the Promised Land after 40 years of desert wandering. I found Lioness to be interesting and entertaining and it left me looking for more of Barbara Britton’s fiction.
With things being so different right now I’ve been listening more audiobooks, of which Lioness was one. I felt that the audio production was pretty good. The narrator was well chosen, she brought Barbara Britton’s nineteen year old Mahlah to life. There were a few mispronounced words but they didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the audiobook. I’m definitely looking forward to listening to the next book in the Daughters of Zelophehad series.
(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
5 things from Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey
by Barbara M. Britton
1)Mahlah is the firstborn daughter of Zelophehad with a promise to care for her sisters.
2)An unprecedented ask for inheritance reserved for sons.
3)Balaam (from Balaam and the talking donkey)
4) Missing goats, sisters in peril, obstinate tribal leaders: Mahlah faces all obstacles with courage and strength from the Lord.
5)”Remember, Daughter of Zelophehad. The Lord watches over the orphan and the weak. You should not fill yourself with concern.” [Moses] scanned the distant crags from where he had ventured. “A righteous woman armed with the truth is a frightful opponent. Fear not as you go forth with God . . . Remember, there are always faithful men and women fighting the Lord’s battles.”
Though shorter in page count, Barbara’s books are deep and don’t feel like a short book. I enjoyed seeing the courageous acts of the
daughters of Zelophehad. Mahlah is fierce in her faith. She
trusts in the Lord Almighty with unwavering courage.
There were a couple minor things I would have
liked to see developed, but all in all, an excellent book.
My favorite Biblical Fiction novels explore lesser recognized passages of the Bible. This book is a crowned jewel in that regard, creating a back story to Numbers 26: 33, Numbers 27: 1-11, Numbers 36, Joshua 17: 3-6. The book highlights the struggles of these five young women and their unstoppable faith in God. This story is fast-paced and full of heart-pounding action.
I love plunging into little known Old Testament stories and getting the feel of what it was like to live back then, in the early days God’s covenant people. Barbara Britton is a master of making this happen, with just the right amount of evocative imagery that places you front and center with the protagonist. In this case, Mahlah, daughter of Zelophehad–someone I didn’t remember! Somehow I bypassed this story even with numerous Bible readings over the years.
The Israelites are en route to the Promised Land when Mahlah’s father dies with no male heir, leaving Mahlah and her sisters without male protection, and without land of their own.
While God is doing big important things like sending manna and quail daily, defeating enemies, and moving His people cross-country, these supposedly insignificant girls and their plight do not escape the Almighty’s attention.
The action is fast paced and the characters seem like real and distinct people. Not only does Barbara hone in on Mahlah’s story while staying true to the Biblical text, she also stays true to the cultural context without projecting modern day attitudes about the empowerment of women onto the Biblical account. Though Mahlah is a strong and admirable character, one who takes initiative with resolve and integrity, the focus remains on God’s power and what He is able to do as Champion of the weak and oppressed.
When you get to the end, be sure to read the Numbers and Joshua passages straight from the Bible (listed in the author’s note).
I’ve read the Bible for as long as I can remember, but I never really understood the importance of the chapters about the daughters of Zelophehad. Barbara Britton has crafted an engaging story of Biblical fiction. She has taken some little-known women and helped us understand the strength it took, especially in a patriarchal society, for five orphaned sisters to boldly ask for their family’s inheritance of land. Mahlah certainly must have been a Lioness, bravely protecting and providing for her family after her parents’ deaths. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series about Noah, one of Mahlah’s sisters. I highly recommend this work of Biblical fiction.
What an amazing journey author, Barbara Britton, takes the reader on. She takes us back to when Moses leads the Israelites in the desert for forty years, and they are about at the end of their grueling journey.
It felt as though I was there, experiencing the five sisters’ fear when their father’s actions orphan them. Mahlah is the oldest and fights so hard to keep all of her sisters together. They pray fervently for God to help them. She knows their faith in Him is the only way to survive in a world where the rules are against them.
Trust that God will be with her when she faces Moses to ask for their inheritance.
I’ve never read about Mahlah in the Bible before and had to go back into His word and found them. My advice: read the scriptures to remind you what the people endured because of their disobedience to reach the Promise Land. There you’ll read about Mahlah and her family.
I gave this book five stars because the author kept me engaged throughout the whole story. Barbara Britton’s book has reminded me to trust in the Lord with all my heart as Mahlah did.
This was my first introduction to this author and to YA/MG biblical fiction. And what a great way to open the door! As for the heroine of the story, the title says it all. I loved the journey back to a vital period in biblical history, listening in on conversations with Moses, the unearthing of a strong and relevant female character, Mahlah, oldest daughter of Zelophehad. Her drive to protect and defend and honor God is admirable and offers a fantastic role model for young readers. Thoroughly researched, the writing drew me in with authentic description and attention to all five senses. For those who are searching for story featuring God-honoring young women, well-paced action, and a tender love story, Lioness is a winner.
The Holy Bible is made up of 66 books. Some people are mentioned by name and some aren’t. But there are 5 sister’s in the book of Numbers that Author Barbara M. Britton has made to come to life. In Numbers, their father dies, they ask for his portion of land, and it’s granted to them. But Author Britton has given us a glimpse of what the hardships must have been for those 5 NAMED sisters. Her take on the culture at the time (Biblical) to what the culture is now gives us a more in depth feeling of what their lives must have been like and the dangers they endured. Not only of the land, the enemy nations, but their own clansmen that believed women didn’t have a voice in matters. Very enjoyable and thought provoking! This story is the point of view of the oldest sister, Mahlah. I’m looking forward to the other four sisters stories!
The Israelites had more to fight than Canaanites on their way to take the Promised Land. Britton brings to light another little known aspect of Bible times as she creates a story based on one family of orphaned young women who request their rightful inheritance of property among the ancestral clans. Although Jewish tradition is strongly patriarchal, stories like these remind us that God is our loving Parent who hears our petitions and acts in our best interest.
While Britton acknowledges the story of how the daughters of Zelophehad became orphaned, she uses recorded incidents such as plagues and snake attacks as God’s swift answer to swiftly quell grumbling, sin, and resultant uprisings. Readers may want to review the Bible journey of Exodus to remind themselves of the perils the Israelites underwent on their escape from Egypt and the forty-year journey to their home. Mahlah, as eldest sister of five girls, watches her father choose death, leaving his daughters in despair. But Mahlah will not allow despair to overwhelm her or her family. She will honor her promise to her mother to watch over her sisters, and she does, fighting sin and tradition alike to ensure their safety and inheritance. Mahlah is willing to sacrifice herself and even her future happiness to prove to this world of men that family matters more. With delight, Britton imagines a biblical beat-down on several fronts, from Baalam’s lesson to show-off boys and conquering respect from tribal elders.
The author makes it clear these Chosen Ones have their own issues of misogyny, death and widowhood, poor choices, sin, and war. Everyday life and peril for these nomads is pictured through Britton’s careful research. Britton’s fans will find a new series to delight in with Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey.
Ms. Britton has taken a piece of Biblical history and has turned it into a masterpiece. A story that every 21st-century woman can relate to. Mahlah a strong woman must fight for her land and her sisters in a male dominant society. Her bold tactics lead her to stand before Moses and incur the wrath of the tribal elders. All this Malhlah can bear for her family name and her sisters’ sake. Yet, she desires the love of Rueben, who disapproves of her methods. This book is fast-paced and a page-turner all the way to the end. Don’t miss this one.
A fascinating perspective
One of the reasons I enjoy reading Biblical fiction is the opportunity to take a deeper look at accounts of men and women spoken of in Scripture. And sometimes, being able to see things differently than I had pictured.
I have often read about the daughters of Zelophehad and haven’t actually thought much about them. I mean, they asked Moses for an inheritance, he asked God, God said okay. Not much there, right?
Depends on who is looking, I guess! Barbara M. Britton brought so much out of this Biblical account! I loved seeing her thoughts on what might have driven the girls to make such a bold request. It had never occurred to me that to have them approach Moses instead of the leader of their tribe was a huge break from tradition. Or that the elders just might not have appreciated their request. Or the way this affected them afterward.
I loved the gentle Mahlah who was fierce when it came to protecting her sisters and loved ones. She was given the nickname Lioness by an unexpected source, and it was well deserved. This sweet young girl was an imperfect heroine with a tic in her eye and was considered unattractive by her kinsmen. Quite a difference from many stories where the focus is on perfectly attractive characters! Her faith in the face of danger and difficulty was quite admirable.
Whether you remember mention of the five daughters of Zelophehad or are merely curious about their identity, I highly recommend this delightful story full of insight and history. And a little romance, too!
Read my review of Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey by Barbara Britton at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.