Gender-Play in the Hebrew Bible The Ways the Bible Challenges Its Gender Norms [Hardcover]

Though the Hebrew Bible often reflects and constructs a world that privileges men, many of its narratives play extensively with the gender norms of the society in which they were written. Drawing from feminist, masculinity and queer studies, Gender-Play in the Hebrew Bibleuses close literary analysis to argue that the writers of the Bible intentionally challenge gender norms in order to reveal the dangers of destabilizing societal and theological hierarchies that privilege men and masculinity. This book presents a fascinating argument about the construction and import of gender in the biblical narratives, and will be of great interest to academics in the fields of religion, theology, and Biblical studies as well as gender studies.

Introduction

Chapter 1. Eve and Adam:

Chapter 2. Deborah, Barak, Sisera, and Yael

Chapter 3. Manoah, Manoahs Wife, Samson and Delilah

Chapter 4. Jezebel and Ahab

Chapter 5. The Shunammite and Elisha

Chapter 6. Rebecca and Isaac

Chapter 7. Jeremiah

Conclusions

The close attention paid to character construction in the text is commendable; K. employs a great deal of exegetical skill to highlight specific examples of subversive behaviour in the text, particularly in the relationships between characters.  Holly Thompson, SOTS Book List 2017

Amy Kalmanofskyis an associate professor of Bible at The Jewish Theological Seminary, US. She teaches courses on biblical literature, religion, and feminist interpretation of the Bible.