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Women in the Hebrew Scriptures - Introduction

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In the Hebrew scriptures we meet strong matriarchs Sarah and Hagar. Laughing Sarah lifts our spirits as she waits patiently for God to fulfill the divine promises. Hagar, who suffers exploitation in the house of Sarah and Abraham, is vindicated by God and becomes the only person in the Bible to name God. Daring sisters such as Miriam, Deborah, Ruth, Esther, and Judith, took initiative, collaborated with others in difficult situations, challenged oppression, and affirmed life. Women who study the Bible today can identify and make connections with these convincing, intelligent, activist women. The convincing women whose powerful testimony and activist lives fill the pages of this book are radiant reflections of the feminine face of God. They show us how to be strong witnesses to the Holy One in our midst. These women invite us to experience woman-courage, woman-hope, woman-strength, woman-wisdom, and woman-passion. Their spirit liberates, energizes, and empowers us. Dialogue with th...
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Sarah

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Sarah from Praying with the Women of the Bible by Bridget Mary Meehan Sarah is the first matriarch of Israel. Her story is found in Genesis 12–23. According to the scripture, Sarah is a beautiful woman who marries Abraham . On two occasions Abraham identified Sarah as his sister for his own self- interests. On one of those occasions, when Abraham and Sarah were facing famine, they traveled to Egypt. Abraham came up with a plan for his survival that involved giving Sarah to the Egyptians. He said to Sarah, “I know well that you are a woman beautiful in appearance; and when the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife’; then they will kill me.…Say you are my sister, so that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account” (Gn 12:11–13). The narrative then tells us that the Egyptians take Sarah into Pharaoh’s house, and give Abraham the deal of his life: “sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female slaves, female donkeys, and came...
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Hagar

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Hagar from Praying with the Women of the Bible by Bridget Mary Meehan A ccording to the biblical text, Hagar is Egyptian. She is Sarah’s servant. When Sarah had not conceived at age 76, she followed the practice of her culture and gave Hagar to Abraham as a second wife and surrogate mother. Sarah complained to Abraham about Hagar’s attitude toward her, and Abraham told her to do what she pleased with Hagar. Sarah abused Hagar, and Hagar ran away to the desert. An angel found Hagar by a fountain of water and asked her what had occurred. Hagar told the divine messenger that she was running away from her mistress. The angel directed Hagar to return to Sarah and then announced good news that her child would become the father of a blessed nation: “I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude…. Now you have conceived and shall bear a son; you shall call him Ishmael, for the Lord has given heed to your affliction” (Gn 16:10–11). Then Hagar ...
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Miriam

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Miriam  from Praying with the Women of the Bible by Bridget Mary Meehan At that time the Israelites were slaves working and living in oppressive, dehumanizing conditions in Egypt. Fearing that the Israelite population was growing too quickly, Pharaoh ordered a genocide to reduce their numbers. “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live” (Ex 1:22). When Moses was three months old, Jochebed, his resourceful mother, hid him in a basket. Courageous, big sister Miriam watched as her baby brother floated down the Sea of Reeds. Pharaoh’s daughter noticed the basket and sent her attendant to retrieve it. As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the crying baby, Miriam appeared and asked if she should get a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. When Miriam returned with Moses’ mother, Pharaoh’s daughter offered her wages to nurse the child. Later, Moses became Pharaoh’s daughter’s adopted son. As recorded in Exodus 2:...
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Deborah

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Deborah  from Praying with the Women of the Bible by Bridget Mary Meehan I n the Hebrew scriptures Deborah is portrayed as judge, prophet, warrior, and leader of Israel. She sits under a palm tree in the hill country of Ephraim. There the Israelites come to her to settle disputes and pronounce judgments (Jgs 4:5). The prophet and judge was well known for her wisdom and discernment. The Song of Deborah, one of the oldest texts of the Bible, describes Deborah as a national leader. “For Deborah arose, a leader arose as mother in Israel. Sing of women warriors, of Deborah and Jael.”1 When warrior Deborah issues a call to battle against Canaanite oppression, Barak, the military leader of Israel, refuses to obey unless the woman prophet accompanies him. “Go,” spoke courageous Deborah to the weak Barak, “the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you.” Barak responded, “If you go with me, I will go but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” Deborah speaks confidently t...
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Ruth

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Ruth from Praying with the Women of the  Bible by Bridget Mary Meehan The Book of Ruth tells the story of the relationship between two women from their own perspective. It is the only biblical text where the Hebrew word hesed, or “steadfast love,” is used to define the relationship between two women. It is the story of female bonding between a daughter-in-law, Ruth, and her mother- in-law, Naomi. Naomi and her husband Elimelech and their two sons Mahlon and Chilon moved from their Israelite home in Bethlehem to Moab because of famine. Elimelech died, and the sons married Moabite women. Mahlon married Ruth and Chilon married Orpah. After ten years, the sons died, leaving their wives childless. Ruth decided to return to Israel with Naomi. In the first chapter of the book, Ruth expresses her profound commitment to stay with Naomi in one of the most beautiful passages in the scriptures: “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I w...
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Esther

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Esther from Praying with the Women of the Bible by Bridget Mary Meehan A ccording to biblical scholars, the Book of Esther, one of only two books in the Hebrew scriptures named after the Jewish heroine around whom the narrative develops, is either a historical novel or a vestal legend. This book is one of the most controversial in the Bible because it omits references to God. But its prominence comes from the fact that the story of Esther is a symbol for the triumph of justice for an oppressed people. From the ancient writer’s perspective, Esther’s importance is evident by the appearance of her name fifty-five times in this book—more than any other woman in the Bible. When the existence of the Jewish people was threatened in the Persian Empire, Esther risked her life and took courageous action that resulted in the reversal of an extermination decree against her people. Her victory gave rise to the feast of Purim, an annual Jewish celebration of the deliverance of Jews...
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