Lost Hazzelelponi

How would you feel if you barely made it into the family history books? What if ancestry missed your name in the blood line? How would you feel if Bible discussions went on for centuries and no one ever mentioned your name?

That is exactly what happened to Hazzelelponi, who is mentioned only once, as a sister. That in itself is odd, because women aren’t often mentioned in Bible ancestry. 

These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi. (1 Chronicles 4:3, NASB)

On line searches reveal that Hazzelelponi means 1/ Shade Facing 2/ Give Shade, thou who turnest to me or 3/ The Shadow looking at me. Her name might have come from Psalm 122. 

The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand. (Psalm 122:5, NASB)

As a daughter of Etam she was a descendant of Judah. Rabbinic tradition says that she was also called Zelelponith, married Manoah, bore Samson and his sister Nishyan or Nashyan.

Why do I care? I care because so many of us are like Hazzelelponi, lost to history and even family ancestry.

Don’t despair friends. God knows who you are, where you are and how you are. He loves us when others don’t even know we are alive. You matter to God.

Prayer-God, thank you that you care who I am and that you love me anyway. Amen.

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