Milcah
“Queen, Counsel”
Summary
Two women bearing this name: Nahor's wife and grandmother of Rebekah, and one of Zelophehad's daughters.
☩Nahor's Wife
Milcah was the daughter of Haran (Abraham's brother) who married her uncle Nahor (Genesis 11:29). She bore Nahor eight sons, including Bethuel, 'the father of Rebekah' (Genesis 22:20-23). Thus Milcah was Isaac's great-aunt and Rebekah's grandmother. Her fertility contrasted with Sarah's barrenness until God's intervention.
☩Rebekah's Lineage
When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, Rebekah is identified as 'the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor, Abraham's brother' (Genesis 24:24, 47). This careful genealogy established Rebekah's proper family connection, making her a suitable bride for Isaac.
☩Zelophehad's Daughter
Another Milcah was one of five daughters of Zelophehad of Manasseh who had no sons. These daughters successfully petitioned Moses for their father's inheritance, establishing the precedent for daughters to inherit when there are no sons (Numbers 26:33; 27:1-11; 36:11; Joshua 17:3).