Women's Lives in Biblical Times

This volume describes the lifecycle events and daily life activities experienced by girls and women in ancient Israel. It examines recent biblical scholarship as well as other textual evidence from the ancient Near East and Egypt including archaeological, iconographic and ethnographic data. Ebeling synthesizes this research to create a detailed, accessible description of the lives of women living in the central highland villages of Iron Age I (ca. 1200-1000 BCE) Israel. The book opens with an introduction that provides a brief historical survey of Iron Age (ca. 1200-586 BCE) Israel, a discussion of the problems involved in using the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament as a source, and a rationale for the project and a brief narrative of one woman's life in ancient Israel to put the events described in the book into context. It continues with seven thematic chapters that chronicle a woman's life 'from cradle to grave', focusing on the specific events, customs, crafts and technologies and other activities in which an Israelite female would have participated on a daily basis. A unique facet of this book is the woman's life is gauged and considered according to the agricultural calendar by which Israelite women lived. Comprehensive yet accessible to a wide audience, this book is a unique source for anyone interested in engaging the diverse sources available to learn more about women's lives in biblical times.