JWST 234 Reading Outline Reading Portrayals of Women in the Hebrew Bible Susan Niditch Theme In the Hebrew Bible debates arise over how women are portrayed and one can look at the challenges and problems they faced to understand the social and gender trends I Methodological Challenges a Stories from various periods of time with various tellings b Settings and lifestyles of authors could present women differently c The canon of the bible left out many aspects of Israelite culture II Law and Social Setting a Patrilineal culture b Women are legally governed by their fathers or husbands and should remain in the home as a caregiver c Purity adultery and childbirth i Uncleanliness woman is ineligible for most aspects of cultic life III Women in Narrative Matriarchs and the Private Realm a Archetypal barren women tricksters have power in private realm power associated with fertility b Leads to the pattern youngest sons always inherit and heroes are born under special circumstances i e Sarah and Rebecca employ God s blessings to further the careers of their favorite sons Isaac and Jacob IV Warriors and Wise Women In the Public Realm c a Warriors found in times of social dysfunction and decentralization Deborah as a prophet and military leader and Jael as an assassin both attack Canaanite enemies b Use their wit to achieve their goals escape danger or improve status c Prophetic mediating rule V Power in the Public Realm Queens and Queen Mothers a Negative portraits of the female aristocracy domineering too powerful woman living in control of her weak husband or son i e Queen Jezebel and queen mothers to King Joram and Ahaziah b VI Women and Religion a Female goddesses female personification of Wisdom wise beautiful powerful and primordial i Near East Asherah ii Northern examples date from 8th 7th BCE more naturalistic b Women may have played significant roles in some Israelite religious rituals Israelites may have worshipped female deities VII Troubling Texts a Women as victims neutrality and or lack of sympathy b i e Tamar Dinah Michal presented as heroines
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