Reading the Women of the Bible:
A New Interpretation of their Stories
By
Tikva Frymer-Kensky

If the ancient Hebrews were a patriarchal society and the Bible is a man-centered text, why do so many of the Old Testament stories revolve around women? Why are there so many memorable women in the Bible? And does the Bible deal differently with women than other ancient texts?

The Jewish scholar and biblical theologian Frymer-Kensky addresses these and other questions involving the role of women in the Bible, and she comes up with some surprising answers. The Bible views women in the ancient world as powerless and subordinate, but it is never misogynistic, it does not view women as inferior, and it never endorses the status quo. In effect, women in ancient times were very much like the nation of Israel, weak and vulnerable in comparison to the nations and empires surrounding it. In the hands of the biblical writers, Frymer-Kensky writes, women became “a paradigm for understanding powerlessness and subordination without recourse to prejudicial ideas.” In many cases, she argues, the stories of women became a way to gage Israel‘s own moral and spiritual status. In her view, then, women are a mirror to the nation of Israel.

The Women‘s Bible Study Group has scheduled four classes to review and discuss this book. They will be on Tuesday evenings, at 7:30 to 9:00, from April 15 to May 6. Dr. Michael Parker will lead the study. Coffee and dessert will be served following the classes. All are welcome, both men and women. Please sign up in the narthex for the classes and indicate whether you want to purchase the book. The price will be about $12.00.

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