Freddy Lam’s Reviews > A Woman's Place Is in the Story: Seeing Women in the Biblical Narrative > Status Update

Chapter 7 speaks of the Shummamite woman who may be a beneficiary of owning her land, having agency in a patriarchal society to make decisions and offer Elijah hospitality, and blessed with a son she didn’t necessarily need. The other half is about Job who through his suffering, the author argues, learned empathy and compassion so the prologue and epilogue reveals his transformation from patriarchy to reform.

Chapter 6 on Manasseh’s descendant Zelophehad five daughters could easily be overlooked but plays such an important role in showing the faithfulness of the second generation despite Korah’s rebellion to God’s covenant and their determination to ensure the promise land and father’s name is not erased. Moses seek God and amended the law, but these five names forever part of canon for us to study.

The book of names is fully tested on the reason for the unnamed women, who are nameless because of their subversive role in Moses’ deliverance from death as an infant. Be it his mom, sister, and Pharaoh’s daughter, they show a pattern of rescue in full view of the harsh policies and God himself the one who is unnamed allies and orchestrated rescue. Miriam in Ex 15, Zipporah, another rescue type, completes it.

Chapter 3 on Shiprah and Puah’s subversion of Pharaoh’s plans to eradicate the Jewish population is rich with credible reasons for why these Egyptian women would go to great lengths to subvert the blind and hostile Pharaoh, who is unnamed. Names is Exodus’ Jewish title, and the named are honoured godfearers. Their heroic act against injustice and credibility to foil Pharaoh is a blueprint against oppression.

This first chapter opens up narrative in a fascinating way, through narrator, setting, plot, characterization. Who knew land can say so much about a story, or characterization of flawed or imperfect followers is a feature, not a bug, and the presence and absence of a name can mean dishonour or honour, depending on the context. Genealogies, Judges, Ruth, Kings, and the gospels all have purpose portraying women too.

So far, just reminding me as a male pastor how easy we overlook the women in the Bible or applications to both is worth the introduction. But the examples of common misreadings outside of story, larger narrative and context is eye opening. And how we mistreat or mishandled women and have double standards compare to sinning men reminds me I am often a more functioning mutalist, lots to unlearn and relearn.