If you blink, you may miss these women. So many of us are unfamiliar with the named women of the Bible, so it isn’t surprising when we may miss a few unnamed ones as well. Since the majority of the people named and mentioned in the Bible are men, women become even more extraordinary and significant when they are highlighted. These unnamed women have something to teach us and can serve as role models. We just need to keep our eyes open a bit longer.
The daughters of Shallum are mentioned in one short verse (Nehemiah 3:14); before we get to them though, we need to understand their context. At the time in Israel’s history, the Israelites have occupied the land God promised to Abraham and his decedents hundreds of years earlier; they have experienced leadership under judges and kings. Their relationship with God has been more than a bit fickle as they juggled between worshiping God alone and the gods of neighboring people groups. After multiple warnings from various prophets and opportunities to turn around their ways to follow the one true God of Israel, the Israelites find themselves conquered and kidnapped by a foreign power, Babylon. After some time, the leader Nehemiah was allowed to take a group of Israelites back to Jerusalem, which had been decimated and neglected. This group must rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, despite the political and religious dangers such a feat invited.
Each section of the wall was assigned to a different man and his sons or to a tribe or group from a specific area. Rebuilding, and thus fortifying and protecting the Holy city, was a dangerous task; while the Israelites were away, new people, the Ammonites, began to occupy the area, and they weren’t too excited to see the Israelites’ return. As many people do when they see their power and privilege diminishing, the Ammonites threatened the Israelites with physical violence. Enter the daughters of Shallum.
They are not mentioned by name, just by their father’s name. Shallum was a ruler of a half district in Jerusalem. Presumably, Shallum and his daughters made the 900-mile dangerous trek from Babylon to Jerusalem. Arriving in Jerusalem didn’t make them any safer. In fact, because of the Ammonite threats, Nehemiah would eventually order the builders to take shifts between guarding the project and building the wall. Knowing the history of physical and sexual violence women have endured, Shallum’s daughters faced a different set of dangers than their male counterparts. They built the wall anyway.
We don’t know what happened next for the daughters of Shallum. We do know that eventually, more exiles returned to Jerusalem. The Temple was rebuilt; Israel repented and restored their covenant relationship with God. Whatever happened to them, one thing is certain: these incredible women were more than wall builders; they played a heroic role in building Israel both politically and spiritually. Their example beckons us to reflect on how God may be calling us to be builders in God’s kingdom. Whatever God may be leading us to do, whatever risks there may be, we can build anyway, just like the daughters of Shallum.
Movement Step: How is God calling you to build God’s kingdom in this season? Take some time to pray and reflect. Consider any past dreams you may have. Could this be the time to revisit them? Are there risks you may be hesitant to take, but God is calling you anyway? Pray for confirmation, strategy, and for the courage of the daughters of Shallum. Also, if you haven’t had a chance to read Nehemiah, this would be a great time to read this short book (13 chapters)!
