The Matriarchs of Genesis: Seven Women, Five Views

by David J. Zucker, Moshe Reiss

Sarah. Hagar. Rebekah. Leah. Rachel. Bilhah. Zilpah. These are the Matriarchs of Genesis. A people's self-understanding is fashioned on their heroes and heroines. Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel--the traditional four Matriarchs--are important and powerful people in the book of Genesis. Each woman plays her part in her generation. She interacts with and advises her husband, seeking to achieve both present and future successes for her family. These women act decisively at crucial points; through their actions and words, their family dynamics change irrevocably. Unlike their husbands, we know little of their unspoken thoughts or actions. What the text in Genesis does share shows that these women are perceptive and judicious, often seeing the grand scheme with clarity. While their stories are told in Genesis, in the post-biblical world of the Pseudepigrapha, their stories are retold in new ways. The rabbis also speak of these women, and contemporary scholars and feminists continue to explore the Matriarchs in Genesis and later literature. Using extensive quotations, we present these women through five the Bible, Early Extra-Biblical Literature, Rabbinic Literature, Contemporary Scholarship, and Feminist Thought. In addition, we consider Hagar, Abraham's second wife and the mother of Ishmael, as well as Bilhah and Zilpah, Jacob's third and fourth wives.

282 pages, Paperback

First published August 27, 2015

Reviews

[Doug Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a helpful examination of the lives of the wives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Sarah and Hagar, Rebekah, Leah and Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah. The discussion is organized according to the "five views" in the subtitle: (1) the basics from the text of Genesis; (2) "rewritten Bible" from the Second Temple period--e.g., Jubilees, Josephus, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs; (3) rabbinic tradition, including Genesis Rabbah and insights from the medieval commentators; (4) contemporary scholarship, bringing in the Ancient Near Eastern context; (5) feminist perspectives.

The book brings together valuable information from many sources, and it has an extensive bibliography. I enjoyed learning about David Zucker's proposal that Rebekah and Isaac were working together in Genesis 27 to steer Jacob and Esau toward their proper roles. (I don't know if this proposal is true, but I'm convinced that it doesn't contradict Genesis.) I also enjoyed getting a better understanding of the perspective of the Book of Jubilees, and thinking in more detail about the possible contributions of Bilhah and Zilpah. All in all, this is a fine compilation of material that will benefit both Jewish and Christian readers.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the attention paid to bias - both in text and analysis. My only real complaint is that the organizational structure - while helpful in understanding - led to some repetition. Definitely recommend to anyone interested in religious study, of any faith!

[April Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

so helpful!

I used this book to plan Sunday School lessons on the book of Genesis. So helpful to give a deeper look at the women’s perspectives.