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A woman architect in ancient times?

She’erah’s family is mentioned in five verses in 1 Chronicles 7:20- 24. In this brief detour from the list of genealogy, we learn some interesting facts.

She’erah is the granddaughter of Joseph (yes that Joseph with the coat of many colors, vizier to Pharaoh)

Two of her brothers get themselves killed for cattle rustling.

Her father, Ephraim, goes into deep mourning  for his sons.

There is a late-in-life baby (as a result of dad’s mourning)

and She’erah built Lower and Upper Beth Horon and Uzzen She’erah.

Then we are right back to the begats.

Wait, hold on. That’s all we get? What is the story behind her building these towns (two of which are still standing today)? What was the reaction of those around her?

Something I find helpful to remember is that when you know about someone’s family, you in a way know the person. With her grandfather being Joseph, suddenly we have opened a whole new world of what we know. She’erah and the clan would have had access to all of Egypt’s knowledge and resources. Where she still might have gotten backlash from her more Hebrew clan, Egyptian women had more independence, managing their husband’s estates, or even their own.

We also know the generational legacy that was passed down of the younger sibling being favored above the older. Ephraim over Manasseh, Joseph over his ten elder brothers, Jacob over Esau, Rachel over Leah, Isaac over Ishmael. I’m sure sibling rivalry could have been present.

So now we can see She’erah’s picture a little more clearly. A brilliantly minded woman determined to prove herself and her abilities. Raised in Egyptian courts, yet also Hebrew. A strange mix of cultures and dynamics that shape She’erah and nurture her gifts.

She’erah’s legacy is not only the towns she builds for  generations to come, but also how she starts the work of unearthing the deep-seated rivalry that is entrenched in her family.

I pray you’ll enjoy She’erah’s adventures, as she learns to trust the Lord and those around her.

Best Regards

Naomi

Author Interview with Naomi

1. What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

In my community in the south-eastern mountains of Arizona, there is an excavated archaeological park showing the 200-room town from the Salado tribe in the 1200-1400 ad. It’s been well preserved and/or restored, and I took my laptop there to get away from modern distractions and imagine the towns She’erah built. This of course was the wrong era for Old Testament, but it seems like building techniques and tools didn’t change much.

I also visited Mesa Verde in Southwestern Colorado this summer, and the cliff dwellings brought into perspective the ingenuity and determination of planning a community from ground up.

2. What is your favorite childhood book?

Each summer I spent a week up at my grandma’s house. I’d reread her Janette Oke books and The House of Winslow books by Gilbert Morris. Those summers developed my love for Christian Historical Fiction.

3. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I’m very involved at church. I help out with the children, youth and audio/visual team. I also love going on road-trips and exploring. My family and I have a standing date on Friday nights for homemade pizza, homemade icecream and a movie.

4. What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

I just finished The Wanderer Scorned by Natasha Woodcraft. It is excellent Biblical Fiction about Cain and Able and the first family. Very convicting and beautiful descriptive writing embracing some of the challenges the first family might have had.

5. How do you select the names of your characters?

Many of my characters are already named in the Bible. For those who aren’t, I like to write down names from the lists of genealogies. Sometimes I look at the personality that the character demonstrates and search for the Hebrew (or Greek or Egyptian or whichever nationality) name that means the same thing.

Thank you for letting us get to know you better!

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