Harlots and Heroines: Women in the Old Testament

Diane Jacobson

 

Women in the Life of David: the Personal, the Political, and the Artistic

 

The Texts:

I.                    Hannah joins with Ruth and Naomi to begin the story of David

(though David is not at issue!) – I Samuel 1-2

II.                 Michal – Saul’s Daughter who loves David - I Samuel 14:49; 18:14-30;

19:11-17; 25:44; II Samuel 3:13-16; 6:16-23

III.               [Jonathan – Saul’s Son who loves David and whom David Loves –

I Samuel 18:1-9; 19:1-7; 20; 23:15-18; II Samuel 1]

IV.              Abigail – David Encounters Wisdom –

I Samuel 25; 30-4-6; II Sam.2:2; 3:3; I Chr.2:16-17

V.                 Bathsheba – Uriah’s Wife whom David covets// Solomon’s Mother –

II Samuel 11:2-12:24; I Kings 1; 2:13-25

VI.              Tamar – David’s Daughter/Amnon’s Sister  - II Samuel 13:1-22; 14:27

VII.            Abishag – David’s Story Ends – I Kings 1:1-4, 15; 2:13-25

 

The Lens We Use to Read the Texts

I.                    Political Lens -- marriage as empire building

II.                 Literary Lens -- Women as central to text and story (Adele Berlin and Others)

 

David’s Wives

Wife’s Character*

David’s Character*

David’s Stage 

      in Life*

Other Husband**

Michal

Complex, nuanced

Filled with contrasts

Emotionally cold, but uses her to political advantage

The cold, calculated gaining of power

Paltiel -- the besotted and loyal

Abigail

Wise, clever, in control, embodied wisdom

Eager but gentlemanly response

Self-assurance as a popular leader

Nabal -- the fool, rich and harsh

Bathsheba

As wife, objectified

As mother, active

Lust, grasping what is not his

Desire to increase his holdings, expand his empire

Uriah -- the virtuous, loyal and good

Abishag

A warm body

Impotence

Loss of control of the kingdom

Adonijah --the rejected

 

*Berlin, Adele. “Character and Characterization” in Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative. Eisenbrauns: Indiana, 1994, p.33.

** Kessler, John. “Sexuality and Politics: The Motif of the Displaced Husband in the Books Of Samuel.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 68 (2000): 409-423.

     

III.               Artistic Lens -- Watching the text