Faith Theological Seminary

A Paper Presentation (Women in Hebrew Laws)

Introduction
This paper deal mostly with the role of women in the Hebrew bible which will reflect our
understanding on women and their contribution towards their society. This paper will direct us
to re-read the bible and change our perspective towards women.
1. The Wise
Edmund Jacob described ‘wise’ as a special class distinct from the priest and the prophets who
by their counsel have an active influence on the course of events. Such function was often
found in the hands of women.1 The word ‘wise’ in the Hebrew have a few applications that
often refers to a social administration, political administration, economic affairs and an advisor
or counsellor in the royal court or in the state matter. It also loosely refers to craftsmen in
general. The person describe as ‘wise’ or whoever possess the quality of wise are often refer to
men. It is our sold task to examine and compare the usages of wise which refers to men and
applied to women whether it belongs to the categories.2
1.1. The Wise Women
The wise women are identified as those who have the skills to spin and weave fine multi-
colored cloth while men are describe in the same term in various parts of the narrative (Exodus
28:3, 31:6, 35:10, 36:1,2, 8) as skilled worker, builders, carpenter etc. Therefore, women
wisdom is also refer to their skills which include within the range of the Hebrew term (as found
in Jer. 9, Exo. 36:4 2 Chro. 2:6, 11) which is applicable to the description of males and females
alike. The wise woman mentioned in Exo. 35: 25 are to those skillful craftswomen as they are
respected as also the virtuous woman in proverbs 31.3
1.1.1 Wisdom Personified as a Woman
The wisdom by nature is relatively connected to the secular aspect which shows and teach the
inexperience or amateur how to secure a social and economic position around him. While, in
the Hebrew tradition it refers to associate wisdom with ‘fear of God.’ The two concepts of

1
Edmond Jacob, Theology of the Old Testament, translated by Arthur W. Heathcote and Philip J. Allcock
(New York: Harper and Row, 1958), 251.
2
Athalya Brenner, The Israelite Woman: Social Role and Literary Type in Biblical Narrative (Sheffield:
JSOT press, 1985), 33.
3
Brenner, The Israelite Woman: Social…, 38.

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wisdom are describe in the form of two women, each with their own characteristic quality. The
first represent the one who advertises her goods in the streets and market places (prov. 1:20-
21). Secondly a teacher who instruct the amateur and the foolish in the right path of life (prov.
1:24 onwards). The description of the abstract concept of wisdom in the form of woman and
the metaphor uses is peculiar in the collection of the first nine chapters. Some scholars opines
that the Hebrew word Hokma ‘wisdom’ is in feminine gender grammatically which may have
provide the initial motivation for personifying the womanly figure. There are four passages
which warn against the ‘foreign woman’ which pictures them as dangerous, immoral and
faithless but the differences between wisdom is obvious. The former one as immoral, corrupt
and the latter one as moral and even divine. Despite the differences the depiction of the foreign
woman may have inspire the literary creation of wisdom in reshaping into something new and
virtuous.4
1.1.2 Women as wise
In the Hebrew bible there are numbers of women who are accountable, trustworthy, influential
and had contribute in saving the history of Israel. Some of the pertinent personalities shall be
examine in the followings.
a) Deborah (From the book of Judges 4-5)
In judges 4:4 Deborah was known as the “woman of Lappidoth” or “woman of torch” She was
known as the mother of Israel. Deborah plays a major role in the history of Israel as prophetess
and judges of Israel.5 Before Deborah was known throughout Israel her role seems
insignificant. Initially she served as the keeper of the tabernacle lamps yet when her faith grew
in God, she became the spiritual guide for Israel and finally become the deliverer from the
hands of the Canaanite who had torture them for several years. Deborah was able to influence
the most competent military men, Barak to go against the Jabin’s army that the God of Israel
would ensure them victory over their enemy.6
The prophetic victory over the Canaanites by Deborah is similar to that of the anonymous
prophet that pronounced to king Ahab against Ben-Hadad king of Aram. There is no
information regarding the oracle how she received whether by dreams or by entering an ecstatic
state however, Deborah claimed divine guidance when she counsels Barak. Therefore, it can
be noted that her constant devotion and trust in God led her to believed that victory is in their
hands.7
b) Esther
The story of Esther was recorded in align with the enmity between Mordecai (Jew’s: gate
keeper) and Haman the second in command (prime minister) after king of Persia. 8 When the

4
Brenner, The Israelite Woman: Social Role…41- 45
5
Carol Meyers, Women in Scripture: A Dictionary of Named and Unnamed Women in the Hebrew Bible,
The Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, and the New Testament, (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, 2000),
66,67.
6
Edith Deen, All the Women of the Bible (New York: Castle Books, 1955), 69-71.
7
Brenner, The Israelite Woman: Social Role… 63 & 64.
8
Lottie Beth Hobbs, Daughters of Eve, (Fort Worth: Harvest Publications, 1963), 154.

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tension between Haman and Mordecai escalated Haman go to the extend of destroying the race
of the Jews. Under such circumstances Esther was compel to approach the king which is against
the law yet in (4:16) she undertook the risk defying the law of the land.9 Esther selfless sacrifice
for the Israelite had fit into God’s plan. However, Esther sets a certain condition that the Jew’s
must fast for her three days which shows her complete dependence upon God. The wisdom that
God had bestowed upon Esther was able to convince the king for a favor and successfully
expedite the plans to defend themselves from the hands of the Persians army on the set day for
the Hebrews doomsday.10
The festival of ‘purim’ is celebrated in the month of March on the fourteen and fifteen recalling
the deliverance from the massacre plan by Haman. Esther last decree was that this feast be held
annually which became a law even to this day (9:32). She became of the greatest queen or
heroine since her service to her people was served with selfless, political intelligence and
wise.11
c) Huldah
Huldah was known widely as the prophetess in the kingdom of Judah during the reign of king
Josiah. She possessed the quality of being righteousness and have the prophetic insight
although her fellow Hebrews turn astray from God and commit idolatry. There are two tradition
that talks about Huldah in the Jewish tradition. Firstly, it is said that she taught in the school
and the other tradition said that she taught and preached to women.12
King Josiah trusted Huldah intellectual and spiritual discernment for he sends five of his
personal messengers to inquire the authenticity of the law or the manuscript which was
discovered during the reconstruction of the Jerusalem temple. It is one of the unusual incidents
that happen as king Josiah send the high priest Hilkiah and Shaphan (scribe) to Huldah
(prophetess) for the confirmation of the law. Huldah not only confirmed authenticity of the law
but prophesied the future of Judah about the wrath of God for their idolatry. Huldah prophesied
in a way that it is the lord that speak to her by saying the phrase “Thus saith the Lord” four
times and thus it was the only channel through which the word of God came.13 It is important
to note that the authentication of the manuscript by Huldah had become the requirement for
establishing the text as authoritative or canonical. 14
1.2 Strange women and harlot in proverbs
The phrase ‘Strange woman’ has a complex meaning depending on what or who is being called
as strange. In the book of proverbs, the word ‘strange’ used by father to son is to warn against
the danger of the woman who is describe as ‘zarah’ which in Hebrew term means ‘strange

9
Esther Samuel John, Bible women, Vol iii (Tilaknagar, Mysore: Grace printing House, 1997), 85 &
86.
10
Hobbs, Daughters of Eve, 156, 159 & 160.
11
Deen, All the Women of the Bible, 151.
12
Deen, All the Women of the Bible, 143.
13
Deen, All the Women of the Bible, 143-145.
14
Meyers, Women in Scripture: A Dictionary of Named and Unnamed Women in the Hebrew Bible, The
Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, and the New Testament, 96.

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women,’ ‘alien woman,’ or ‘loose woman.’ The strange women are described as one who is
sweet in her words and could sexually seduce a young man (prov 2:16 & 7:5). 15
A strange woman also refers to female from other faith who worship idols or of other nations.
An Intermarriage between the idolaters and the Israelite were forbidden and consider profane
because Israel was a peculiar nation or the holy nation chosen to represent God’s people.16
1.2.1 Attitude towards intermarriage
In contrast to the perception of the foreign woman or the woman of different faith as seductive
in nature have turn out differently. For instances since, the beginning of the patriarch society
in Israel many prominent figures and leaders have taken foreign wives, and foreign wives had
bore great leaders in the history of Israel. However, there are instances when the migrant
Abraham migrate to Canaan refuses to mingle with the foreigners. When the Shechem mite
Hamor ask Dinah hands, Jacob and his sons refuse political relation.
As the migrant begins to gain trust and grows self-confidence there occur inter-marriage
between different culture and political acceptance was developed. Since, the monarchy begins
and the intermarriage between two or more culture prevail until the era of the first temple. From
the time of Hosea, the tide turn resulting to issues a strong verdict regarding the intermarriage
between Israelite and foreigner and the wisdom literature (prov. 1-9) presents the dangers of
foreign women. Nevertheless, people continue to adhere the practiced. During the second era
of the temple in the mid-fifth century BC Ezra and Nehemiah stated an official notice against
those who refuse to send their foreign wife to excommunicate.
In the 1 kings 11 it argues that King Solomon downfall was because of the inclination towards
the cult practiced of the foreign wives. To substantiate the above statement when a woman is
from noble birth and had a good education they tend to stick to their own culture and religion
rather than adhering to Israelite culture and religion. Such wives cause the men to deviate from
right path and follow the pagan ways. This foreign religion had influence the Israelite probably
because of the diplomatic benefits to the Israelite in terms of culture or in political aspects. 17
1.2.2 Strange Woman/ Foreign Woman
Some of the imminent personalities of the strange women shall be discuss in the following
points.
a) Ruth
Naomi’s daughter in-law Ruth was a foreign woman; Ruth is one of the most lovable women
in the Bible. Her decision to get along with her mother in-law despite the tragedy and the vague
future caught the attention of many. Ruth’s determination to love her husband mother and adopt
new culture and tradition, adopt new religion by abandoning her native people and gods are no
small decision. One of the distinct decision Ruth undertake was the decision between her native
gods and the God of Israel. The bible does not speak anything in regards to the beauty
(appearance) of Ruth yet, she won a husband in the land of Judah, a foreign land where Moabite
are overlooked because of their pagan’s way. Ruth distinctive feature among many women
15
Gale A. Yee, “Bible Odyssey,” accessed 06Jul2025, http://www.bibleodyssey.org/The Strange
Woman of Proverbs - Bible Odyssey.
16
John, Bible women, Vol iii, 77 & 78.
17
Brenner, The Israelite Woman: Social…, 115-118.

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from the land was that she is a modest woman and a woman of good conduct. To this Boaz
confess to her that all the people in the land know that she is a virtuous woman. No wonder the
women of the land praise her that she is better than seven sons. Ruth’s decision was lifted to a
place where a divine kinsman a redeemer would be available for her to which the ancestor of
Davidic line originate.18
b) Rahab
Rahab was popularly known as the harlot in Jericho, someone who worshiped different gods
rather than the God of Israel. Nevertheless, in the following narration she became a woman of
faith who worship the God of Israel. Rahab confessed her faith to the God of Israel over the
gods of Amorites. Her faith in the God of Israel was exhibited in the midst of the impending
disaster. Rahab committed herself in deliverance of the Israelite spies at the risk of her own
life. Rahab became the ancestress of Jesus Christ by marrying Salmon who is the progenitor of
Boaz, David and Christ.19
2. Women in the song of songs
In the song of song, the mutuality between the two sexes affirms that there is no male
dominance, female subordination or stereotyping of the sex. The book does not apparently
picture the normal life of Israel. The woman is independent in her lines of work, interest and
are equal in value with man.20
2.1. Authorship of Women in the Song of Songs
It is appropriate to recognized and examine the authorship of the women in prose and poetry
in narrating the stories orally and transmit in written form. Despite the fact that women too
were bless and endowed with the same ability the evident or record of women in the Old
Testament being acclaim in public sphere were very slim. It is believed that though women
were equally capable in the field of literary as man, their works were overlooked in public
sphere or left undocumented by their male counterparts. Therefore, the love lyrics, poem and
prose were possibly written and composed by women are the primary concern in the song of
songs.
Numerous scholars approve that song of songs are a collection of love lyrics and wedding
poems compiled together that none can discern the principle of order apart from the main theme
‘love.’ There are total eight (8) chapters and 117 verses in the book out of which women voice
or point of view were accounted for approximately 53%. It is assumed that the compiler of the
book must have been motivated by the literary merit of the individual poem for surprisingly
high percentage of female love lyrics. If there are any mechanism that can demonstrate the
genuine expression of women/woman emotion and perspective in some certain poems it would
strengthen the likelihood of the authenticity of women/woman as a composer. Despite all the
hypothetical identification of certain versus it cannot be certain about the typical female

18
Harold J. Ockenga, Women Who Made Bible History, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1962), 75- 86.
19
Ockenga, Women Who Made Bible History…, 53- 61.
20
Mary J. Evans, Woman in the Bible: An Overview of All the Crucial Passages on Women’s Role,
(Carlisle, UK: The Paternoster Press, 1983), 23 & 24.

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perspective that can be confidently identified as the work of women. However, there is no valid
reason to maintain that women were not recognized as great poets in ancient Israel.
It is argued that Miriam the sister of Aaron and Deborah are not only the performer of the poets
and the songs but they must also have been a composer in many circumstances. For instances
when the troops came victorious after the war women folks were involved in reciting the poems
and sing the victorious songs and welcoming them. It seems likely that within the present male
oriented framework of the text women leadership are not presented as distinct which in the
same manner does not depict the creativity in literary area as well.21
Conclusion
In the Hebrew Bible it presents the nature of the wise women to which her worth is more than
rubies. There are able women who are worth recognized as great leaders for their competent
leadership in different aspect and in shaping the history of Israel. In contrary it also warned
against the nature of the strange women or harlot in the book of Proverb to the amateur man
who are yet to experience the harsh reality of the world. There are strange women or foreign
women who led to the downfall in the history of Israel for they are not able accustomed to the
new culture and religion rather they introduced their gods and led their man astray from the
God of Israel. Nevertheless, as perceive of the strange women or the harlot of their seductive
nature there are many instances where they play the major role in the history of Israel victory.
Therefore, it is important to recognized the wisdom of various able women who led the nation
of Israel in spiritual guidance, political wisdom and not overlooked and buried their outstanding
contribution by patriarchal structure.
Bibliography
Brenner, Athalya. The Israelite Woman: Social Role and Literary Type in Biblical Narrative
Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1985.
Deen, Edith. All the Women of the Bible. New York: Castle Books, 1955.
Evans, Mary J. Woman in the Bible: An Overview of All the Crucial Passages on Women’s
Role. Carlisle: The Paternoster Press, 1983.
Hobbs, Lottie Beth. Daughters of Eve. Fort Worth: Harvest Publications, 1963.
Jacob, Edmond. Theology of the Old Testament. Translated by Arthur W. Heathcote and Philip
J. Allcock. New York: Harper and Row, 1958.
John, Esther Samuel. Bible women. Vol iii. Mysore: Grace printing House, 1997.
Meyers, Carol. Women in Scripture: A Dictionary of Named and Unnamed Women in the
Hebrew Bible, The Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, and the New Testament.
Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, 2000.
Ockenga, Harold J. Women Who Made Bible History. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1962.
Yee, Gale A. “Bible Odyssey.” Accessed 06Jul2025. http://www.bibleodyssey.org/The
Strange Woman of Proverbs - Bible Odyssey.

21
Brenner, The Israelite Woman: Social Role…, 46-56.

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