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What did she do? Rachel married Jacob and bore him two sons, who came to be among the founding heads of the 12 tribes of ancient Israel. Rachel met her future husband while she was tending her father’s sheep. ( Genesis 29:9, 10) She was “very attractive” compared with her older sister, Leah.— Genesis 29:17. Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ‘Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish’” ( Esther 4:15-16).
Although Saul is depicted as an enemy to witches and diviners, the Witch of Endor comforts Saul when she sees his distress and insists on feeding him before he leaves. There has been substantial agreement for over one hundred years, among a wide variety of scholars, that the Hebrew Bible is a predominantly patriarchal document from a patriarchal age. New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III says it "limited women's roles and functions to the home, and severely restricted: (1) their rights of inheritance, (2) their choice of relationship, (3) their ability to pursue a religious education or fully participate in a synagogue, and (4) limited their freedom of movement." [34] Recent scholarship is calling some aspects of this into question.God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation’” ( Genesis 21:17-18). Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing” ( Exodus 15:20). David said to Abigail, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands’”( 1 Samuel 25:32-33). There are hundreds of examples of women from the Bible as characters in painting, sculpture, opera and film. Historically, artistic renderings tend to reflect the changing views on women from within society more than the biblical account that mentions them.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’” ( Luke 1:41-43). What did she do? Martha enjoyed a close friendship with Jesus, who “loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” ( John 11:5) Martha was a hospitable woman. During one of Jesus’ visits, Mary chose to listen to Jesus while Martha attended to household duties. Martha complained to him that Mary was not helping her. Jesus gently corrected Martha’s viewpoint.— Luke 10:38-42. Amnon desires Tamar deeply. Immediately after explaining Amnon's desire the narrator first uses the term sister to reveal Tamar is not only Absalom's sister but is also Amnon's sister by another mother. Phyllis Trible says the storyteller "stresses family ties for such intimacy exacerbates the coming tragedy." Full of lust, the prince is impotent to act; Tamar is a virgin and protected property. Then comes a plan from his cousin Jonadab, "a very crafty man". [49] :39 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, ‘I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel’” ( Genesis 29:18). What did she do? Mary humbly did God’s will. She was engaged to Joseph when an angel appeared to her and announced that she would become pregnant and give birth to the long-awaited Messiah. ( Luke 1:26-33) She willingly accepted her role. After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph had four sons together and at least two daughters. So Mary did not remain a virgin. ( Matthew 13:55, 56) Although she enjoyed a unique privilege, she never sought or received adulation, either during Jesus’ ministry or as a member of the early Christian congregation.Who was Rahab? She was a prostitute who lived in the Canaanite city of Jericho, and she became a worshipper of Jehovah God. What can we learn from Hannah? Hannah’s heartfelt prayers helped her to endure trials. Her prayer of gratitude recorded at 1 Samuel 2:1-10 reflects her deep faith in God. In John 20:1–13, Mary Magdalene sees the risen Jesus alone and he tells her "Don't touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my father." [136] :464 [137] :228 New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III says John is the only evangelist with a "keen interest" in portraying women in Jesus' story, yet, the "only Easter event narrated by all four evangelists concerns the visit of the women to the tomb of Jesus." [138] :161 Mary Magdalene and the other women go to anoint Jesus' body at the tomb, but find the body gone. Mary Magdalene is inconsolable, but she turns and Jesus speaks to her. He calls her by name and she recognizes him. [138] :173,178 Witherington adds, "There are certain parallels between the story of the appearance to Mary and John 20:24–31 (when Jesus appears to Thomas) [however] Mary is given an apostolic task (to go tell the men) and Thomas is not... There is little doubt the Fourth evangelist wishes to portray Mary Magdalene as important, perhaps equally important for Jesus' fledgling community as Mother Mary herself." [138] :179,181 What can we learn from Abigail? Although beautiful and wealthy, Abigail had a balanced view of herself. To keep peace, she was willing to apologize for something that was not her fault. She handled a tense situation calmly and did so with tact, courage, and resourcefulness.
Main article: Jesus' interactions with women The Samaritan woman, meeting Jesus by the well. Orthodox iconThe Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger’” ( Genesis 25:23). Potiphar's Wife, whose false accusations of Joseph leads to his imprisonment. Pharaoh's Daughter, who rescues and cares for the infant Moses. Shiphrah and Puah, two Hebrew midwives who disobey Pharaoh's command to kill all newborn Hebrew boys. God favors them for this. Moses' wife Zipporah, who saves his life when God intends to kill him. Miriam, Moses' sister, a prophetess. Cozbi, a woman slain by Phinehas shortly before the Midian war. I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her” ( Luke 1:38). The story of Jephthah's daughter in Book of Judges begins as an archetypal biblical hagiography of a hero. Jephthah is the son of a marginal woman, a prostitute (zonah), and as such he is vulnerable. He lives in his father's house, but when his father dies, his half-brothers reject him. According to Frymer-Kensky, "This is not right. In the ancient Near East prostitutes could be hired as surrogate wombs as well as sex objects. Laws and contracts regulated the relationship between the child of such a prostitute and children of the first wife... he could not be disinherited. Jephthah has been wronged, but he has no recourse. He must leave home." Frymer-Kensky says the author assumes the biblical audience is familiar with this, will know Jephthah has been wronged, and will be sympathetic to him. [52] :102–115
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