AN EXCELLENT WOMAN, AMONG WOMEN.

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*AN EXCELLENT WOMAN, AMONG WOMEN.*

*Scripture Treasure.*

1 Chronicles 7:20-24

*And the sons of Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son,*

*And Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle.*

*And Ephraim, their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.*

*And when he went in to his wife, she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house.*

*(And his daughter was Sherah, who built Bethhoron the nether, and the upper, and Uzzensherah.)*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Prov 14:1 *"Every wise woman buildeth her house..."*

*Scripture Commentaries.*

1 Chron 7:24 introduces a woman called Sheerah.

She was the granddaughter of Ephraim. Ephraim was one of the sons of Joseph, the second born of Joseph. His senior brother was Manasseh, but Ephraim was blessed above Manasseh. They were both born in Egypt, Gen 46:20.

Tragedy struck the Ephraim family.

They made some bad choices. They were killed by the men of Gath because they stole their cattle.

After the tragedy, Ephraim mourned. His children, grandchildren, and perhaps great-grandchildren were wiped out, 1 Chron 7:21-23.

After the death of these sons, Ephraim had another son called Beriah, and Beriah gave birth to Sheerah.

Sheerah was a dream come through for the family of Ephraim.

Sheerah impacted the Ephraim family in a few ways.

First, she wiped out the sorrow over the loss of the male children in the Ephraim lineage.

She became a touch bearer.

Sherah dared to dream in a way that blessed her future generations.

She was born to wipe away the sorrow of her family

Second, Sherah became an heiress by building three cities.

She built to bless her future generations.

Sherah built both the"*.... Lower and Upper Beth-horon, and Uzzen-sheerah.”*

Sheerah remains the only woman written in the bible to have founded and built cities.

She built and ruled a total of three cities.

She is credited with having repaired, fortified, and enhanced them for habitation. 

The cities were credited and turned to the Ephraim family as their inheritance and caused the Ephraim family to be enlarged.

Third, the cities she built became a major fortress in Israel.

They lasted to the days of Solomon.

They were good and important enough for Solomon to protect and fortify.

In 2 Chro 8:5, Solomon enhanced the works of Sheerah with *".....walls, gates, and bars....”* (2 Chr 8:5; cf. 1 Kgs 9:17).

*Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars;*

Fourth, one of the cities she built was named after her: Uzzensherah, 1 Chro 7:24.

Fifth, she had all the qualities of Prov 31.

A great builder: Prov 31:16

*She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.*

She built the house of Ephraim. What the men could not do, she did more, Prov 14:1.

A great builder *"Every wise woman buildeth her house..."*

Sheerah did not only change the story of the Ephraim family, she also taught us lessons about womanhood.

First, female children can give us joy as much as male children and, at times, more.

Ephraim hoped on his sons to do great and unforgettable things for the family.

The sons were to uphold the family name, but they all fell and died in battle, but the birth of a female child turned things around.

Second, Sherah is considered to have operated under divine blessing.

The cities she built were on the promised land. This was very rare and a highly remarkable success

Third, her remarkable act was a turnaround that gave and restored Ephraim's family good standing.

Her work in this regard surely granted her a high social status.

Her work engraved her name in history and among great achievers in the tribe of Ephraim and among the leaders of other tribes.

Fourth, the cities that Sherah built remains made the Ephraim family to have the only female recorded in any tribe to achieve those major landmarks

It guaranteed her a privileged place in Ephraim’s genealogy traceable to Jacob to Rachel to Joseph.

Fifth, She was a pillar.

Sherah was not only a major consolation for the loss of Ephraim's male children. Her work would later be a point of victory and military exploits for Israel under Joshua.

One of the cities she built, Beth-horon, became a strategic point to subdue and capture Israel's enemies, Joshua 10:10.

There in Beth-horon, *"......the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon unto Azekah..."* the enemies of Israel and they died.

Single yourself out as a woman out of other women to do great exploits!

Let me be outstanding!

*Remorse corner.*

You can be a great woman.

*Call to Word action.*

You can be a great woman leader.

*Call to Word action.*

You can be an excellent woman leader.

*Prayer*

Lord, raise me as a woman excellent above all women who will do great exploits in my generation, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and a *HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY* to all our women.

Be blessed as you come into His presence today.

God bless you.