women in the Pentateuch
Societies in the ancient Near East were of the patriarchal type. Israel no less than other nations was a patriarchal society. Characteristic in those societies was the lower status of women. The basic social and economic unit for Hebrew society was the family, headed by the father it was called beith-ab, literally, the fathers home . The federation, as a whole was organised around male heads of families. In turn, the religious community consisted of circumcised males. This community shaped the laws that aimed to preserve the principles of the family; the male headed family. Laws protected the man's rights and rarely those of his dependants. The tenth commandment with the "you" and " your neighbour": both men, protecting each other's property: house, wife, servants and animals (Ex. 20:17), portrays women as objects. The other laws sometimes gave women and men equal treatment. Laws declared that all human life is sacred. Mothers and fathers could not be hit or cursed and generation took precedent over gender. Other cases show clear inequality: a man servant is set free after seven years a woman servant is not.In this society, the primary role for women was child bearing. In the Pentateuch to be a woman portrayed in a positive li
Leviticus lays out strict laws that addressed purity, these laws made women live not only living from childbirth to childbirth but also from month to month. 'If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. 20 'Everything that she lies on during her impurity shall be unclean; also everything that she sits on shall be unclean. 21 'Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 22 'And whoever touches anything that she sat on shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. 23 'If anything is on her bed or on anything on which she sits, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:19-23) these two verses stigmatised and confined women. Israel revered blood in religious ritual but otherwise blood was a source of contamination. Women were considered unclean, untouchable, and aberrant as humans. Because of this "uncleanness" women were regularly denied access to the temple. This blood taboo outlined in Leviticus was cornerstone of Jewish patriarchal society. Rachel used these laws to take control of her destiny (Gen 31). Before leaving her father, Rachel steals the family gods. Understanding the Levitical purity codes she guards the gods by claiming that she could not get up from her camel because "the way of women was upon her" (Gen 31:34). This threat of uncleanness was enough to deter Laben from searching her camel. Nunnally- Cox believes that by taking the gods, she takes the power of leadership into her own hands . Rachel took the power of an oppressive taboo and turned it for her own gain. Bible, (1984) New International Version, International Bible Society In Exodus the most important story in the Hebrew Bible is told; the story of Moses. This story begins with five heroic, strong women determining the events. The midwives Shiphrah and Puah, Jochebed, Miriam and Pharaoh's daughter all defy the unnamed Pharaoh. These women all appear in their own right, and not primarily because of their The woman's fundamental role of wife and mother meant that the worth of women was judged by their capacity to produce heirs for her husband. Motherhood was expected and honoured . The desire to have many children, especially sons was strong, despite the dangers of childbirth. This demand for children was rewarded with security and prestige (Deut 5:16, 27:16). Barrenness was viewed as the ultimate disgrace and a sign of divine disfavour, always the fault of the woman. Sarai, Rebekah and Rachel were all at one stage barren. The stories of Sarai a
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Approximate Word count = 1793
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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