Milcahs

Milcah is a biblical name that appears for at least two distinct women in the Hebrew Bible. The two Milcahs are not related in the narrative, but both are cited in genealogies or legal episodes, contributing to the broader biblical picture of family lines and inheritance.

Milcah, wife of Nahor. In Genesis 11:29, Milcah is named as Nahor’s wife and the daughter of Haran. Nahor and Milcah are ancestors in the line leading to Rebekah, Abraham’s wife. Genesis 22:20-24 lists their descendants, including Bethuel, who is identified as the father of Rebekah, and several other sons such as Uz, Buz, Kemuel, Aram, Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, and Jidlaph in various textual traditions. The Milcah–Nahor line thus anchors a major genealogical branch within the Abrahamic narratives.

Milcah, daughter of Zelophehad. In Numbers 27, Milcah appears as one of the five daughters of Zelophehad, along with Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, and Tirzah. When their father died without a son, they petitioned Moses to secure inheritance for his family. Moses and the leaders supported their request, and the case helped establish a precedent that daughters could inherit property. Numbers 36 later addresses how such inheritance should remain within the proper tribal boundaries.

Etymology and usage. Milcah is a Hebrew name whose precise meaning is uncertain in modern scholarship. The name is relatively rare in contemporary usage but appears in biblical genealogies and legal narratives, underscoring its presence across different periods and contexts in the biblical text.