Sex and Violence in the Days of Jael (Part 3)
Part 3 looks at what Jael’s story and the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion have in common, and at why some early and medieval theologians used Jael as a type of Mary the mother of Jesus.
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Tag: Old Testament Women
Sex and Violence in the Days of Jael (Part 2)
In part 2 I look at the sexual and maternal imagery in Jael’s story, and the deadly determination in her actions. What was motivating her? *This article mentions rape.
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Sex and Violence in the Days of Jael (Part 1)
Jael is a popular Bible figure, famous for her brutal act of violence against Israel’s enemy. In part 1 (of 3), I look at her story and her actions as recorded in Judges 4.
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Did Miriam the prophetess only minister to women?
Miriam is clearly identified as a prophet and as a leader in the Bible, but some say her ministry was only to women. Was this the case? What does the Bible say?
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Mary and the Women in Matthew’s Genealogy of Jesus
In Matthew 1, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba) are the only women mentioned in Jesus’ Genealogy. Why these, and only these, women? In this article, I look at three aspects of the lives of these mothers.
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Esther’s Story (2): For Such a Time as This
Young Esther is taken to the harem in the palace and later taken to the king’s bed. What does the Bible reveal about her thoughts and actions?
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Esther’s Story (1): Setting the Scene
In this 3-part series, I provide commentary on the book of Esther, focussing on the heroine at the centre. What kind of story is Esther’s story?
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4 obscure OT passages sometimes used to diminish women
In this article, I look at four passages from the Hebrew Bible: Leviticus 27, Numbers 30, Ecclesiastes 7:28 and Isaiah 3:12. These verses are sometimes brought up in comments that diminish women.
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Women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting
In Exodus 38:8 and in 1 Samuel 2:22, we are told that women served at the entrance of the tent of meeting. Who were these women and what did they do? Did their service involve religious rituals?
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Jealousy and Bitter Water (Numbers 5:11-31)
Numbers 5:11-31 outlines the ordeal of bitter water designed to test the fidelity of a wife who was suspected by her jealous husband of being unfaithful. Just how fair was this trial?
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Periods of Purification after Childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8)
Why does Leviticus 12 say a new mother is unclean for 7 days after the birth of a son but she is unclean for 14 days after the birth of a daughter? Why the difference?
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Gender Roles & Gendered Activities in the Old Testament
Does the Old Testament teach that husbands are to be the leaders of their wives, or that men have authority over women? Are some roles forbidden to women? This is part 1 of a series on gender roles in the Bible.
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