Or so the commonly held theory goes. And let's face it, it's not an entirely untrue assessment of the Old Testament. As far as anyone can be sure, none of the books of the Old Testament were written by women. The society described (or should we say 'societies' since the Old Testament covers a period of over a thousand years) is decidedly patriarchal. The laws given in the books of the Pentateuch sometimes seem to treat women as second class citizens. The focus is frequently on political struggles, battles, wars, and rapine. Why would any woman want to read it?
Yet that isn't the whole story. In the midst of all the accounts of kings and armies and male machinations we find episodes in which women are the chief protagonists. Their stories are told in a way that makes clear that these women's actions have changed history and promoted God's purposes. They are the stories of women who respond when the men around them are complacent or fearful.*
So, for instance, Moses is saved from an early death by the fearlessly defiant Hebrew midwives and the quick thinking of both his mother Jochabed and his sister Miriam. Miriam is mentioned along with her brothers Moses and Aaron as a leader of Israel.
The faithful and courageous actions of Ruth and Esther each become the focus of an entire book because of their importance in the history of Israel. Ruth leaves her family and homeland to go with her mother-in-law Naomi, and thus unwittingly becomes the forebear of the future line of kings. Esther risks her life to save her people from the malevolent schemes of Haman.
We could also mention the sharp-witted Rahab, who is also a forebear of King David and thus of the Messiah. Then there's Bathsheba who intervenes to ensures that Solomon succeeds his father David as king.
Not only do women sometimes take a leading role, their role is neither questioned nor marked out as an aberration by the writers. Amongst the many judges mentioned in the book of Judges, Deborah stands out as a powerful, wise and faithful figure. Despite the patriarchal times in which she lived (and the time in which the text was written), no explanation or excuse is given for having a woman as judge over Israel, it is simply stated as a fact.
When King Josiah is troubled by what he reads in the newly re-discovered Book of the Law, he doesn't turn to the prophet Jeremiah, but to Huldah, a female prophet. And unfazed by the arrival of a group of highly important officials from the court, she gives her message from God to be conveyed to "the man who sent you", that is, the King. Again, the text says nothing to suggest that the presence in Jerusalem of a female prophet needs explanation.
Each of these women is portrayed as an individual who thinks for herself, trusts God and acts with courage. Each plays a key role not only in Israel's history, but in the history of salvation. Yes, the Old Testament does describe a patriarchal society and a male-dominated political history. Yes, there are stories in which women are treated appallingly. But the Old Testament, no less than the New, never tries to hide or belittle the importance of women in fulfilling God's plans. When read from this wider perspective there is much to encourage women.
*See "On Women's Equal Standing in the Bible-a Sketch: A Feminist Re-Reading of the Hebrew Bible: A Typological View" by Amnon Shapira (From: Hebrew Studies Volume 51, 2010 pp. 7-42 | 10.1353/hbr.2010.0038)
This post is part 7 of a series on reading the Old Testament:
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