Women in the Bible – Ahlai – Daughter of Sheshan

Women in the Bible – Ahlai – Daughter of Sheshan

1 Chronicles 2:31-35 (ESV) The son of Appaim: Ishi. The son of Ishi: Sheshan. The son (KJV says children) of Sheshan: Ahlai. The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother: Jether and Jonathan; and Jether died childless. The sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the descendants of Jerahmeel. Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters, but Sheshan had an Egyptian slave whose name was Jarha. So Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to Jarha his slave, and she bore him Attai.

This may be one of the saddest stories I’ve read in scripture in quite a while. It’s the history of Ahlai, the next Women in the Bible we will consider. It is sad to me, mainly because my Western mind does not understand the customs of her day.

Ahlai’s father was Sheshan, a descendent of Kind David. The lineage we read in 1 Chronicles 2 is filled with “sons”. Ahlai is simply listed as “children” of Sheshan, not daughter. Her name comes from the Hebrew word ʾaḥlāy and means “wishful”. Having a son meant everything to a father in those days. We don’t know if that is why Sheshan named his daughter “wishful”, but he certainly wanted a son.

Ahlai lived her life as an only child, a daughter, in a man’s world. She knew the reality of her situation, and that life would most likely not go well for her. Because her father had no sons, he did something similar to the scheme Abram and Sarai tried by having Abram father Ishmael through Sarai’s handmaid, Hagar. Sheshan gave Ahlai to his Egyptian slave for a wife. It did result in a son, but at what price? Instead of allowing his daughter to “marry up” with a potential dowry he chose to give her to his slave.

My Western mind does not understand all of this. I have to believe that Ahlai remained wishful. Perhaps she was able to love her husband. By giving birth to a son her name was included in the Bible. That’s more than most in her day.