Women In The Hebrew Bible

The use of women, by Biblical authors, offers a fascinating insight into the ideas and ideals of the Jewish people within the author 's own historical context, not necessarily the canonical texts supposed period. The ideas and ideals of the Jewish people that are most embedded within the characters of women are ancestry, honor, and holiness. Women, for these authors, become plot devices to establish authority, honor, and sacrality on behalf of men, as their daughters, sisters, or wives, but these women are not afforded the ability to carry their own plotlines as characters worthy of their own honor and authority regardless of their relations to men. Through Biblical women, men’s stories of honor, triumph, desperation, sinfulness are further

Sex and sexual assault within the Hebrew Bible can be seen narratives of honor and ancestry; the stories of Dinah, Susanna, Judith, and Sarah can be seen as prime examples. The story of Dinah centers around her alleged rape by Shechem, who was the son of the Hamor, the regional prince. After, Hamor had arranged Shechem’s marriage to Dinah, whom he had supposedly already dishonored, the sons of Jacob, Levi and Simeon, enacted revenge on the behalf of their sister. Yet, the honor of Dinah is intrinsically linked to the honor of her father and brothers. Thus the dishonor of Dinah extends beyond her, it is the dishonor of Jacob, of Israel, and his sons. Hamor and Shechem dishonored the family of Israel, the actions of Levi and Simeon, while drastic, were inasmuch about their own honor, as it was about Dinah 's honor. The story of Dinah’s rape was not about her, it was a story of the dishonor shown to Israel’s family by those with official authority. Hence, Jacob 's sons avenge their honor they take life and property in order to revitalize their

The attempted assault of Susanna tells of the corruption of the elders and lays the foundation for later narratives of Daniel as wise and just. While, Susanna does posses agency within her own story, she is unable to testify to her own innocence, to her own honor and holiness. Instead, it is only when Daniel intervenes are the words of the elders questioned and interrogated; Susanna is not a valid witness to her own attempted assault. Daniel, in speaking to Susanna’s innocence, acquires a reputation of honor, holiness, and wisdom. Yet, unlike Daniel, Susanna’s own reputation, thoughts, and feelings about the attempted assault, the trial, and/or her acquittal are irrelevant to the function of her story:

“Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, and so did her husband Joakim and all her relatives, because she was found innocent of a shameful deed. And from that day onward Daniel had a great reputation among the people.”

While, this story may focus on the actions done to Susanna, on her reputation, the true narrative belongs to Daniel and his reputation, involving his own honor and his own holiness; Susanna is a plot device to advance and accords authority to Daniel’s plot. The corruption of the elders and the deception of Israel’s people are conveyed by Biblical authors through Susanna’s narrative of assault and prosecution, and the message of God’s justification for the current Maccabean Revolt through Daniel’s tale of honor, wisdom, and