The women in Genesis played a vital part in shaping Israel's foundation, growth, and development, but most exegetes have not given the women adequate attention--until now. Through a fresh, close reading, respected Hebrew scholar Tammi Schneider examines the roles and functions of these women who, with the men, form the basis for the future of Israel.  
  
Schneider looks at each woman's story from various angles and within the context of her relationships and the message of Genesis as a whole. Allowing the details of the text to challenge traditional readings, Schneider also includes ancient Near Eastern background material and archaeological insights for a fresh reading of familiar stories. The result is a creative and reliable discussion to supplement studies of Genesis and the roles and importance of women in the Bible.  
  
"You might be tempted to think that over the past couple of decades everything that could be said about the women in Genesis has been said. Tammi Schneider shows that this is not so, bringing a whole new set of questions and making it possible for us to see some quite new things."--__John Goldingay__, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary  
  
"With remarkable clarity, precise detail, lucid thought, comprehensive research, and careful attention to text and translation, Tammi Schneider offers scholars and students a marvelous and intriguing volume that brings to life the women of Genesis. This beautifully crafted text raises new questions and presents new insights, especially with regard to the male characters in Genesis. Schneider's work makes a brilliant contribution to the field of biblical and gender studies."--__Carol J. Dempsey__, associate professor of theology, University of Portland  
  
"Tammi Schneider has marshaled impressive amounts of raw data to re-examine two dozen female characters in the book of Genesis. Using an innovative method that focuses primary attention on the precise wording of each woman's appearance(s) in Genesis, Schneider investigates each character with both passion and rigor. Readers who have grown too complacent in their putative understandings of these literary figures will find fresh breezes rustling every page of this study."--__R. Christopher Heard__, associate professor of religion, Pepperdine University

__Tammi J. Schneider__ (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) is professor of religion at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California. She is the author of Sarah: Mother of Nations and a commentary on Judges in the Berit Olam series.

Eve, Noah's wife, Sarah, Tamar, Asenath, and others played a critical role in shaping the nation and faith of Israel. But we need to look closely at their stories to fully understand their impact. Respected Hebrew scholar and archaeologist Tammi Schneider takes us into the biblical account by carefully reading the stories of all the women in Genesis and illuminating the text with cultural background and archaeological insights. Her careful and creative approach challenges traditional ways of seeing these women and gives a fresh perspective on familiar stories. The result is a readable, thoughtful, and biblically grounded look at the roles and functions of Genesis women and a solid resource for studies of Genesis, women in the Bible, and women's issues.

A prominent scholar of the Hebrew Bible offers a close reading of the women in Genesis to discover their roles in shaping ancient Israel.

Introduction  
Part 1: Matriarchs  
1\. Sarah  
2\. Rebekah  
3\. Leah  
4\. Rachel  
5\. Conclusion  
Part 2: Mothers of Potential Heirs (or Slaves, Concubines, Daughters, and Daughters-in-law)  
6\. Hagar  
7\. Esau's Wives  
8\. Zilpah  
9\. Bilhah  
10\. Dinah  
11\. Judah's Wife  
12\. Tamar  
13\. Asenath  
14\. Conclusion  
Part 3: Mothers Whose Children Predate the Promise  
15\. Eve  
16\. Adah and Zillah  
17\. Milcah  
18\. Lot's Wife  
19\. Lot's Daughters  
20\. Conclusion  
Part 4: Women Who Do Not Bear  
21\. The Woman in the Garden  
22\. Deborah  
23\. Potiphar's Wife  
24\. Conclusion  
Conclusion  
Indexes

Schneider, Tammi J.

Cover Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

Acknowledgments 

Introduction 

Part 1: Matriarchs 

1. Sarah

2. Rebekah

3. Leah

4. Rachel

5. Review of Part 1

Part 2: Mothers of Potential Heirs (or Slaves, Concubines, Daughters,  and Daughters-in-Law)

6. Hagar

7. Esau's Wives

8. Zilpah

9. Bilhah

10. Dinah

11. Mrs. Judah

12. Tamar

13. Asenath

14. Review of Part 2

Part 3: Mothers Who Predate the Promise 

15. Eve

16. Adah and Zillah

17. Milcah

18. Mrs. Lot

19. Lot's Daughters

20. Review of Part 3

Part 4: Women Who Do Not Bear 

21. The Woman in the Garden

22. Deborah

23. Mrs. Potiphar

24. Review of Part 4

Conclusions 

Bibliography 

Tammi J. Schneider (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) is professor of religion at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California. She is the author of Sarah: Mother of Nations and a commentary on Judges in the Berit Olam series.

The Good Book Stall

The author’s final comment: ‘The book of Genesis is filled with impressive women,’ is true of the Bible and of this book. Since Tammi Schneider deals with so many characters, named and unnamed (‘The woman in the garden,’ Mrs Judah,’ ‘Mrs Potiphar,’) and fits them into a framework of analysis, each one can be considered in depth. The disadvantage of this approach for the reader is that it can become dull, even tedious, to be told yet again that so and so, like other so and so’s, is a subject, is an object, and is then looked at via relationships. Get over that, and the book’s real value becomes apparent.

Mothers of Promise

Mothers of Promise [eBook]

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