One of the hardest things for me to wrestle with about the Bible is how little women are given attention and honor. Those women who are focused on are often only significant as bearers of sons. One sometimes wonders if there is room for a holistic and affirming perspective in the scriptures. This is the subject of the classic article by J. Cheryl Exum, “Mother in Israel”: A Familiar Figure Reconsidered. Although there seems to be a clear Patriarchal perspective that domonates the scriptures Exum believes “Within the admittedly patriarchal context of the biblical literature, we find strong countercurrents of affirmation of women: stories that show women’s courage, strength, faith, ingenuity, talents, dignity, and worth.”
Exum shows that these countercurrents emerge in pockets of text where the narrative takes notice of the women. In these places the the Women of the Bible emerge as fully formed characters who operate within the framework of a Patriarchal society and sometimes as even standing over against it. In these places the life in struggle of Women is made bare.
Exum examines first the Matriarchs of the Torah and shows that, although subjugated and marginalized, the Mothers of Israel are crucial . We see that women in patriarchal societies are pitted against one another for honor and love (in the case of Sarah/Hagar and Rachel/Leah). We see women devising plans to aid their children, often against the patriarchs that control their worlds (for example the intervention of Rebecca on behalf of Jacob and the women who acted to save Moses from the hand of Pharaoh).
Judges also sheds insights into the paradoxical marginalization/vitality of biblical women. Here we see two women who manage take the helm of situations that bring about the deliverance of Israel. First there is the mother of Samson, who we only know as the wife of Manoah. Although the author of Judges does not even give her a name, she is the one to whom the Angel of the Lord gives instructions. Deborah, too, guides the trajectory of Israel in battle, but must engage in a struggle against the patriarchal powers of her time.
I think Exum is right on in her assumption and would love to hear some more insights that she has on other Biblical characters, particularly Eve and Mary. The article assumes that the Bible and the world of the Bible are both Patriarchal which is not really touched on, and could rub some readers the wrong way.
Some Questions:
- The article does not attempt to enter into the discussion on whether or not this is a valid assumption. I would love to have more discussion on this whole issue.
- I would also love to hear what people have to say about how to reconcile having a holy text that makes cultural assumptions that are so different from the values that we in the west hold today.
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