New from Barbara M Britton Lioness Mahlahs Journey

About the Book

While the Israelites struggle to occupy the Promised Land of God, Mahlah bat Zelophehad is orphaned and left to care for her four sisters. But daughters of the dead are unable to inherit land, and it will take a miracle for Mahlah to obtain the means to care for her sisters and uphold the vow she made to her dying mother.

Mahlah must seek Moses, the leader of her people, and request something extraordinary—the right for a daughter to inherit her deceased father’s land. A right that will upset the ox-cart of male inheritance and cast her in the role of a rebel.

But, God is the protector of the orphan and the widow, and five orphaned daughters need His help. With God, anything is possible. Even changing man’s tradition.

~the print edition will release on December 6th.

Ebook $5.99

Buy on  Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Pelican Book Group.

My Review

The Israelites had more to fight than Canaanites on their way to take the Promised Land. Britton brings to light another little known aspect of Bible times as she creates a story based on one family of orphaned young women who request their rightful inheritance of property among the ancestral clans. Although Jewish tradition is strongly patriarchal, stories like these remind us that God is our loving Parent who hears our petitions and acts in our best interest.

While Britton acknowledges the story of how the daughters of Zelophehad became orphaned, she uses recorded incidents such as plagues and snake attacks as God’s swift answer to swiftly quell grumbling, sin, and resultant uprisings. Readers may want to review the Bible journey of Exodus to remind themselves of the perils the Israelites underwent on their escape from Egypt and the forty-year journey to their home. Mahlah, as eldest sister of five girls, watches her father choose death, leaving his daughters in despair. But Mahlah will not allow despair to overwhelm her or her family. She will honor her promise to her mother to watch over her sisters, and she does, fighting sin and tradition alike to ensure their safety and inheritance. Mahlah is willing to sacrifice herself and even her future happiness to prove to this world of men that family matters more. With delight, Britton imagines a biblical beat-down on several fronts, from Baalam’s lesson to show-off boys and conquering respect from tribal elders.

The author makes it clear these Chosen Ones have their own issues of misogyny, death and widowhood, poor choices, sin, and war. Everyday life and peril for these nomads is pictured through Britton’s careful research. Britton’s fans will find a new series to delight in with Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey.

A Brief Interview with the author

What do you love about this book?

I was thrilled to discover a Bible story that was new to me. I’ve been a Christian a long time, but I had never heard the story of the daughters of Zelophehad. How had I missed these groundbreaking sisters? Five orphaned sisters changed history by seeking to inherit their father’s land. This was a bold “ask” in a male-dominated society. Their story is like a “David and Goliath” for girls.

Introduce us to the villain.

The nebulous villain would be the cultural confines of the day that did not allow women to inherit land and the jeopardy women faced if they remained unmarried. My sisters of faith do meet Balaam son of Beor. Balaam is a sorcerer who tried to lead the Israelites into idol worship and sexual immorality. Balaam battles a strong woman of faith in Mahlah.

Share a couple of things you learned while researching this book.

My biggest discovery was the girls themselves and how many Scriptures refer to them and their journey. They are mentioned several times in the book of Numbers and also in the book of Joshua. The sisters are from the tribe of Manasseh which splits—some Manassites stayed on the east side of the Jordan River and some ventured west. I had written a heart-tugging good-bye scene only to discover the girls crossed the Jordan. Joshua 17:2 references the clans that traveled west. I’m sure I would have heard about my mistake had I left the girls on the wrong side of the Jordan.

What do you hope readers will tell others about the story?

My desire is for more people to hear the story of these brave girls and see their strong faith in God. Did they doubt God’s provision of land? We will never know. I’m sure the assembly of men wanted a swift denial of their request. Moses heeds God’s commands to protect the widow and orphan (Deut. 24:17-18, 14:28-29). God is the God of these downtrodden, yet faithful daughters. Deuteronomy 10:18a says that “He (God) defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow.” God shows up in a big way for these orphaned girls.

What are you reading now?

I am reading “What They Meant For Evil” by Rebecca Deng. Rebecca came and spoke to my Sunday School class. She is one of the Lost Girls from Sudan. She talked about being a refugee and how God brought her through some scary and violent times in her life.

What’s next for you?

I planned to only write one book about the daughters of Zelophehad, but there will be two more. “Lioness” ends after the girls cross the Jordan River and before the battle of Jericho. Canaan hadn’t been conquered yet, so the girls couldn’t receive their land. “Heavenly Lights: Noah’s Journey” takes the girls through Joshua 5-8 and “Claiming Canaan: Milcah’s Journey” will see the girls get their land. I also have a WWI historical releasing this year called “Until June.” If you liked “Me Before You” but hated the ending, then this Historical is for you.

About the Author

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. Barb brings little-known Bible stories to light in her Tribes of Israel series. In October she will shine a light on the daughters of Zelophehad with “Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey.” Five orphaned sisters changed history, and few know their names. Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. She is published by Harbourlight Books an imprint of Pelican Book Group. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Follow Barb on Facebook or twitter, or find out more about her books at www.barbarambritton.com.

“Providence: Hannah’s Journey”~ Harbourlight Books~ October 2016
“Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey”~ Harbourlight Books~ February 2017
“Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey” ~ Harbourlight Books~ November 2017
“Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey” ~ Harbourlight Books~ October 2019
“Heavenly Lights: Noah’s Journey” ~ Harbourlight Books~ February 2020
“Claiming Canaan: Milcah’s Journey” ~ Harbourlight Books~ April 2020