Harlots and Heroines: Women in the Old Testament – Diane Jacobson
Women in Judges and Ruth: Women as a Reflection of Israel
Brief Traditional Chronology:
| Book | Subject |
Date |
|
Gen.1-11 12-50 |
Primordial History Ancestors: Abraham & Sarah; Isaac & Rebecca; Jacob & Leah; Joseph |
1700 BC on |
| Exodus | Moses and Israel in Egypt |
1250 BC |
|
Numbers (Leviticus, Deuteronomy) |
Wandering in the Wilderness |
|
| Joshua | Conquest of Canaan |
1200 BC |
| Judges |
Government by charismatic leaders |
|
| Ruth | Ruth, Naomi, & Boaz | |
| I Samuel | Samuel
as prophet/priest/judge Saul as king |
|
| II Samuel | David, king of Israel & Judah |
1000 BC |
| I Kings |
Solomon, king of Israel
& Judah |
922 BC on |
| II Kings | Fall of Israel (northern kingdom) |
721 BC |
| Fall of Judah (southern kingdom) |
587 BC |
Outline of the WOMEN (& men) in the Book of Judges
| Chap.1-2 | Introduction – ACHSAH, Caleb’s daughter & Othniel’s wife |
| Chap.3 | (Othniel, Ehud) |
| Chap.4 |
DEBORAH (Lappidoth,her husband; Barak,her general; Sisera, Canaanite general) |
| Chap.5 | Song of Deborah - JAEL & THE MOTHER OF SISERA |
| Chap.6-8 | (Gideon) |
| Chap.9-10 | (Abimelech) A CERTAIN WOMAN - ABIMELEK’S NEAR-KILLER |
| Chap.11-12 |
JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER
(Jephthah); |
| Chap.13 | MS.MANOAH, Samson's mother (Manoah, Samson) |
| Chap.14 | SAMSON'S WIFE (Samson) |
| Chap.15 | YOUNGER SISTER (Samson) |
| Chap.16 | UNNAMED HARLOT; DELILAH (Samson) |
| Chap.17-18 | (Micah) |
| Chap.19-20 | CONCUBINE, VIRGIN DAUGHTER (Levite) |
| Chap.21 | 400 VIRGINS OF JABESH-GILEAD; DAUGHTERS OF SHILOH |
Ruth
I. Placement after Proverbs or Judges
II. Background laws: Deut.25:5-10; Lev.19:9-10; Deut.10:17-19; Lev.25:25
III. Vocabulary to watch: worthy woman, woman of worth (liyax hf<i)); prominent rich man,
man of worth (liyax rObig $y)); return, repent (bU$); redeem, next-of-kin, kinsman (l)g).
IV. Themes to watch: family; blessing; food and nature; contrasting characters; names