[Smith]
The position of women in the Hebrew commonwealth contrasts favorably with that which in the present day is assigned to them generally in eastern countries. The most salient point of contrast in the usages of ancient as compared with modern Oriental society was the large amount of liberty enjoyed by women. Instead of being immured in a harem, or appearing in public with the face covered. The wives and maidens of ancient times mingled freely and openly with the other sex in the duties and amenities of ordinary life. Rebekah travelled on a camel with her face unveiled until she came into the presence of her affianced. (
Genesis 24:64,
65) Jacob saluted Rachel with a kiss in the presence of the shepherds. (
Genesis 29:11) Women played no inconsiderable part in public celebrations (
Exodus 15:20,
21;
Judges 11:34) The odes of Deborah,
Judg 5, and of Hannah, (
1 Samuel 2:1) etc., exhibit a degree of intellectual cultivation which is in itself a proof of the position of the sex in that period. Women also occasionally held public office, particularly that of prophetess or inspired teacher. (
Exodus 15:20;
Judges 4:4;
2 Kings 22:14;
Nehemiah 6:14;
Luke 2:36) The management of household affairs devolved mainly on the women. The value of a virtuous and active housewife forms a frequent topic in the book of Proverbs. ch. (
Proverbs 11:16;
12:4;
14:1;
31:10) etc. Her influence was of course proportionably great.
[Nave]
–Creation of
Ge 1:27 ;
2:21 ,
22
–Named
Ge 2:23
–Fall of, and curse upon
Ge 3:1-16 ;
2Co 11:3 ;
1Ti 2:14
–Promise to
Ge 3:15
–Had separate apartments in dwellings
Ge 24:67 ;
31:33 ;
Es 2:9 ,
11
–Veiled the face
Ge 24:65
–See VAIL
–Vows of
Nu 30:3-16
–When jealously charged with infidelity, their guilt or innocence
was to be determined by an ordeal
Nu 5:12-31
–Took part in ancient worship
Ex 15:20 ;
21 ;
38:8 ; 1Sa
2:22
–In chorus
1Ch 25:5 ,
6 ;
Ezr 2:65 ;
Ne 7:67
–Worshiped in separate compartments
Ex 38:8 ;
1Sa 2:22
–Consecrated jewels to tabernacle
Ex 35:22
–Mirrors
Ex 38:8
–Required to attend to the reading of the law of Moses
De 31:12 ;
Jos 8:35
–Purifications of
.After menstruation
Le 15:19-33 ;
2Sa 11:4
.After childbirth
Le 12 ;
Lu 2:22
–Difference in ceremonies made between male and female children
Le 12
–Religious privileges of, among early Christians Ac
1:14 ; 12:12 , 13 ;
1Co 11:5 ;
14:34 ;
1Ti 2:11
–Domestic duties of
Ge 18:6 ;
Pr 31:15-19 ;
Mt 24:41
–Cooked
Ge 18:6
–Spun
Ex 35:25 ,
26 ;
1Sa 2:19 ;
Pr 31:19-24
–Embroidered
Pr 31:22
–Made garments
Ac 9:39
–Gleaned
Ru 2:8
–Kept vineyards
So 1:6
–Tended flocks and herds
Ge 24:11 ,
13 ,
14 ,
19 ,
20 ;
29:9 ;
Ex 2:16
–Worked in fields
Isa 27:11 ;
Eze 26:6 ,
8
–Was a doorkeeper
Mt 26:69 ;
Joh 18:16 ,
17 ;
Ac 12:13 ,
14
–Forbidden to wear men’ s costume
De 22:5
–Wore hair long
1Co 11:5-15
–Rules for dress of Christian
1Ti 2:9 ,
10 ;
1Pe 3:3 ,
4
–Ornaments of
Isa 3:16-23
–Weaker than men
1Pe 3:7
–Are timid
Isa 19:16 ;
Jer 50:37 ;
51:30 ;
Na 3:13
–Are affectionate
2Sa 1:26
–Are tender to her offspring
Isa 49:15 ;
La 4:10
–Are mirthsome
Jud 11:34 ;
21:21 ;
Jer 31:13 ;
Zec 9:17
–Are courteous to strangers
Ge 24:17
–Could not marry without the consent of parents
Ge 24:3 ,
4 ;
34:6 ;
Ex 22:17
–Not to be given in marriage was considered a calamity
Jud 11:37 ;
Ps 78:63 ;
Isa 4:1
–Taken captive
Nu 31:9 ,
15 ,
17 ,
18 ,
35 ;
La 1:18 ;
Eze 30:17 ,
18
–Punishment to be inflicted upon men for seducing, when betrothed
De 22:23-27
–Punishment for seducing, when not betrothed
Ex 22:16 ,
17 ;
De 22:28 ,
29
–Treated with cruelty in war
De 32:25 ;
La 2:21 ;
5:11
–Virtuous, held in high estimation
Ru 3:11 ;
Pr 31:10-30
–Fond of self-indulgence
Isa 32:9-11
–Fond of ornaments
Jer 2:32
–Subtle and deceitful
Pr 6:24-29 ,
32-35 ;
7:6-27 ;
Ec 7:26
–Silly, and easily led into error
2Ti 3:6
–Zealous in promoting superstition and idolatry Jer
7:18 ;
Eze 13:17 ,
23
–Active in instigating to iniquity
Nu 31:15 ,
16 ; 1Ki
21:25 ;
Ne 13:26
–Guilty of sodomy
2Ki 23:7 ;
Ro 1:26
–As rulers
Isa 3:12
–Deborah
Jud 4:4
–Athaliah
2Ki 11:1-16 ;
2Ch 22:2 ,
3 ,
10-12
–Queen of Sheba
1Ki 10:1-13
–Queen Candace
Ac 8:27
–A Persian queen sat on a throne beside her king Ne
2:6
–Patriotic
.Miriam
Ex 15:20
.Deborah
Jud 5
.The women of Israel
1Sa 18:6
.The women of the Philistines
2Sa 1:20
–Help in defensive operations
Jud 9:53
–As poets
.Miriam
Ex 15:21
.Deborah
Jud 5
.Hannah
1Sa 2:1-10
.Elisabeth
Lu 1:42-45
.Mary
Lu 1:46-55
–As prophets
.Miriam
Ex 15:20 ,
21 ;
Mic 6:4
.Deborah
Jud 4:4 ,
5
.Huldah
2Ki 22:14-20 ;
2Ch 34:22-28
.Noadiah
Ne 6:14
.Anna
Lu 2:36-38
.Philip’ s four unmarried daughters
Ac 21:9
–False prophets
Eze 13:17-23
–In business
Pr 31:14-18 ,
24
–Property rights of
.In inheritance
Nu 27:1-11 ; 36 ;
Jos 17:3-6 ;
Job 42:15
.To sell real estate
Ru 4:3-9
–Sold for husband’ s debts
Mt 18:25
–First to sin
Ge 3:6
–Last at the cross
Mt 27:55 ,
56 ;
Mr 15:40 ,
41
–First at the gravesite
Mr 15:46 ,
47 ;
16:1-6 ;
Lu 23:27 ,
28 ,
49 ,
55 ,
56 ;
24:1-10
–First to whom the risen Lord appeared
Mr 16:9 ; Joh
20:14-18
–Converted by preaching of Paul
Ac 16:14 ,
15 ;
17:4 ,
12 ,
34
–Social status of
.In Persia
Es 1:10-22 ;
Da 5:1-12
.In Roman customs
Ac 24:24 ;
25:13 ,
23 ;
26:30
–UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Ge 2:18 ,
21-24 ;
3:16 ;
Es 1:20-22 ;
Pr 11:16 ,
22 ;
12:4 ;
14:1 ;
18:22 ;
19:13 ,
14 ;
21:9 ,
19 ;
25:24 ;
27:15 ,
16 ;
30:21-23 ; 31:10-31 ;
Ec 7:26-28 ;
Isa 3:16-24 ;
32:9-12 ;
Eze 13:17-23 ;
1Co 11:3-15 ;
14:34 , 35 ;
1Ti 2:9-15 ;
3:11 ;
5:1-16 ;
2Ti 3:6 ,
7 ;
Tit 2:3-5
.See WIDOW
.See WIFE
.See also HUSBANDS
.See PARENTS
–GOOD
.INSTANCES OF
.Deborah, a judge, prophetess, and military leader Jud
4 ; 5
.Mother of Samson
Jud 13:23
.Naomi
Ru 1 ;
2 ;
3:1
.Ruth
Ru 1:4 ,
14-22
.And
Ru 2 ;
3 ;
4
.Hannah, the mother of Samuel
1Sa 1:9-18 ,
24-28
.Widow of Zarephath, who fed Elijah during the famine
1Ki 17:8-24
.The Shunammite woman, who gave hospitality to Elisha
2Ki 4:8-38
.Vashti
Es 1:11 ,
12
.Esther
Es 4:15-17
.Mary
Lu 1:26-38
.Elisabeth
Lu 1:6 ,
41-45
.Anna
Lu 2:37
.The widow who put her two mite (small coins, Greek: leptas) into
the treasury
Mr 12:41-44 ;
Lu 21:2-4
.Mary and Martha
Mr 14:3-9 ;
Lu 10:42 ;
Joh 11:5
.Mary Magdalene
Mr 16:1 ;
Lu 8:2 ;
Joh 20:1 ,
2 ,
11-16
.Pilate’ s wife
Mt 27:19
.Dorcas (Tabitha)
Ac 9:36
.Lydia
Ac 16:14
.Priscilla (Prisca)
Ac 18:26
.Phoebe
Ro 16:1 ,
2
.Julia
Ro 16:15
.Mary
Ro 16:6
.Lois and Eunice
2Ti 1:5
.The Philippian Christians
Php 4:3
–FIGURATIVE
.Of the body (ekklesia) of Christ
Ps 45:2-15 ;
Ga 4:26 ;
Re 12:1
.Of saints
Mt 25:1-4 ;
2Co 11:2 ;
Re 14:4
–WICKED
2Ki 9:30-37 ;
23:7 ;
Jer 44:15-19 ,
25 ;
Eze 8:14 ;
Ro 1:26
.Zeal of, in licentious practices of idolatry
2Ki 23:7 ;
Ho 4:13 ,
14
.Full of deceit and licentiousness
Pr 2:16-19 ;
5:3-20 ;
6:24-29 , 32-35 ; 7:6-27 ;
Ec 7:26 ;
Eze 16:32
.Commits forgery
1Ki 21:8
.Silly and wayward
2Ti 3:6
–INSTANCES OF
.Eve, in yielding to temptation and seducing her husband
Ge 3:6 ;
1Ti 2:14
.Sarah, in her jealousy and malice toward Hagar
Ge 21:9-11 ;
with 21:12-21
.Lot’ s wife, in her rebellion against her situation, and against
the destruction of Sodom
Ge 19:26 ;
Lu 17:32
.The daughters of Lot, in their incestuous lust
Ge 19:31-38
.Rebekah, in her partiality for Jacob, and her sharp practice
to secure for him Isaac’ s blessing
Ge 27:11-17
.Rachel, in her jealousy of Leah
Ge 30:1
.Rachel, in stealing images
Ge 31:19 ,
34
.Leah, in her imitation of Rachel in the matter of children
Ge 30:9-18
.Dinah, in her fornication
Ge 34:1 ,
2
.Tamar, in her adultery
Ge 38:14-24
.Potiphar’ s wife, in her lascivious lust and slander against Joseph
Ge 39:7-20
.Zipporah, in her persecution of Moses on account of his religious
obligations
Ex 4:25 ,
26
.Miriam, in her sedition with Aaron against Moses Nu
12
.Rahab, in her harlotry
Jos 2:1
.Delilah, in her conspiracy against Samson
Jud 16:4-20
.Peninnah, the wife of Elkanah, in her jealous taunting of Hannah
1Sa 1:4-8
.The Midianite woman in the camp of Israel, taken in adultery
Nu 25:6-8
.Michal, in her derision of David’ s religious zeal 2Sa
6:16 , 20-23
.Bath-sheba, in her adultery, in becoming the wife of her husband’ s
murderer
2Sa 11:4 ,
5 ,
27 ;
12:9 ,
10
.Solomon’ s wives, in their idolatrous and wicked influence over
Solomon
1Ki 11:1-11 ;
Ne 13:26
.Jezebel, in her persecution and destruction of the prophets of
the Lord
1Ki 18:4 ,
13
.Jezebel, in her persecution of Elijah
1Ki 19:2
.Jezebel, in her conspiracy against Naboth, to cheat him out of
his vineyard
1Ki 21:1-16
.Jezebel, in her evil counsels to, and influence over, Ahab
1Ki 21:25 ; with 21:17-27
.And
2Ki 9:30-37
.The cannibalistic mothers of Samaria
2Ki 6:28 ,
29
.Athaliah, in destroying the royal household and usurping the
throne
2Ki 11:1-16 ;
2Ch 22:10 ,
12 ;
23:12-15
.The sodomites of the southern kingdom (Judah)
2Ki 23:7
.Noadiah, a false prophetess in attempting to intimidate the Jews
when they were restoring Jerusalem
Ne 6:14
.Haman’ s wife, in advising him to hang Mordecai
Es 5:14 ;
6:13
.Job’ s wife, in suggesting to him that he curse God and die
Job 2:9 ;
19:17
.Gomer, the adulterous wife of Hosea
Ho 1:2 ,
3 ;
3:1
.Herodias, in her incestuous marriage with Herod Antipas
Mt 14:3 ,
4 ;
Mr 6:17-19 ;
Lu 3:19
.Herodius, by indirectly causing John the Baptist to be decapitated
Mt 14:6-11 ;
Mr 6:24-28
.The daughter of Herodias, in her complicity with her mother in
securing the death of John the Baptist
Mt 14:8 ;
Mr 6:18-28
.Sapphira, in her blasphemous falsehood
Ac 5:2-10
.The woman caught in the act of adultery and brought to Jesus
in the temple
Joh 8:1-11
–FIGURATIVE
.Of backsliding
Jer 6:2 ;
Re 17:4 ,
18
.Of evil people
Isa 32:9 ,
11 ;
Mt 25:1-13
–SYMBOLICAL
.Of wickedness
Zec 5:7 ,
8 ;
Re 17 ;
19:2
.See WIFE