Hammolecheth
Hammolecheth, the sister of Gilead, was the mother of Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.
Biography
Hammolecheth was a woman of the tribe of Manasseh, identified in 1 Chronicles 7:18 as the sister of Gilead and daughter of Machir son of Manasseh. Her name may mean "the queen" or "she who rules," suggesting a figure of notable standing within her clan. She bore three sons: Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. Of her sons, Abiezer became the ancestor of the Abiezrites, the clan of Gideon (Judges 6:11, 34), making Hammolecheth a matrilineal ancestor of one of Israel's most celebrated judges. Though the biblical text preserves only her genealogical data, her inclusion in the Chronicler's tribal records indicates she was regarded as a foundational figure within the Manassite lineage, recognized as a clan mother whose descendants shaped Israelite history.
Significance
Hammolecheth's significance emerges primarily through her descendants. As the ancestral mother of the Abiezrites, she stands in the lineage that produced Gideon, the judge who delivered Israel from Midianite oppression through famously unconventional means (Judges 6–8). Her inclusion in the Chronicler's careful genealogical records reflects the biblical pattern of honoring women whose maternal roles shaped the ongoing story of God's people. She represents those largely unnamed or briefly mentioned figures whose legacy outlived their historical moment, woven into the fabric of Israel's tribes and the unfolding of God's purposes through them.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Chr
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]