Women in Israelite Religion

The State of Research Is All New Research

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3320577
AutoresBeth Alpert Nakhai (0000-0002-9144-7128, University of Arizona, autor de correspondencia)
Año2019
Volumen10
Número2
Páginas122
Fecha de publicación2019-02-19
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaReligions (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
EditorialMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel10020122
OpenAlexW2916757675
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas30

Historically, those studying Israelite religion have ignored the existence of women in Iron Age Israel (1200-587 BCE). They have, therefore, accounted neither for the religious beliefs of half of ancient Israel's population nor for the responsibilities that women assumed for maintaining religious rituals and traditions. Such reconstructions of Israelite religion are seriously flawed. Only in the last four decades have scholars, primarily women, begun to explore women's essential roles in Israel's religious culture. This article utilizes evidence from the Hebrew Bible and from archaeological sites throughout Israel. It demonstrates that some women had roles within the Jerusalem Temple. Most women, however, resided in towns and villages throughout the Land. There, they undertook responsibility for clan-based and community-based religious rituals and rites, including pilgrimage, seasonal festivals, rites of military victory, and rites of mourning. They fulfilled, as well, essential roles within the sphere of domestic or household religion. At home, they provided medico-magical healing for all family members, as well as care for women and babies throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. They, and the men in their communities, worshipped Yahweh, Israel's primary deity, and the goddess Asherah, as well; for most people, these two divinities were inextricably linked

Ancient history · Archaeology · Clan · Judaism · Land of Israel · Pilgrimage · Political science · Politics · Population · Sociology · Victory · Anthropology · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Demography · Gender Studies · History · Law · Mormonism, Religion, and History · Philosophy · Religious studies