Women and the religion of ancient Israel / Susan Ackerman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ackerman, Susan, author.

Series:

Anchor Yale Bible reference library

The Anchor Yale Bible reference library

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Jewish women--Religious life.

Jewish women.

Women--Religious life.

Women.

Jews.

History.

Religion.

Israel--Religion.

Israel.

Jewish women--Religious life--Israel.

Jews--History--1200 B.C.-953 B.C.

Jews--History--953 B.C.-586 B.C.

Palestine--Antiquities.

Palestine.

Antiquities.

Middle East--Palestine.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xviii, 558 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

New Haven : Yale University Press, [2022]

Summary:

Throughout the biblical narrative, ancient Israelite religious life is dominated by male actors. When women appear, they are often seen only on the periphery: as tangential, accidental, or passive participants. However, despite their absence from the written record, they were often deeply involved in religious practice and ritual observance. In this new volume, Susan Ackerman presents a comprehensive account of ancient Israelite women's religious lives and experiences. She examines the various sites of their practice, including household shrines, regional sanctuaries, and national temples; the calendar of religious rituals that women observed on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis; and their special roles in religious settings. Drawing on texts, archaeology, and material culture, and documenting the distinctions between Israelite women's experiences and those of their male counterparts, Ackerman reconstructs an essential picture of women's lived religion in ancient Israelite culture.

Contents:

Introduction

Part One: Where? The Sites Of Women's Religious Practice

1. "Micah's mother had made a cast-metal figurine": Women and Ancient Israelite household religion, I

2. "The women knead dough": Women and Ancient Israelite household religion, II

3. "She went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice": Women and Ancient Israel's regional sanctuaries, I

4. "She prayed to Yahweh, she wept ... and she made a vow": Women and Ancient Israel's regional sanctuaries, II

5. "This is the King's sanctuary and a Temple of the Kingdom": Women and Ancient Israel's State Temples, I

6. "At the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean": Women and Ancient Israel's State Temples, II

Part Two: When? The Calendar Of Women's Religious LIves

7. "There is a yearly sacrifice .. for all the family": The Israelite women's ritual year, I

8. "You will make three pilgrimage journeys to Me": The Israelite women's ritual year, II

Part Three: Who? Women Religious Functionaries

9. "When the young women of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances": Women ritual musicians in Ancient Israel

10. "The daughters of your people who prophesy": Ancient Israel's women prophets

11. "Find me a woman who is a medium": Ancient Israel's women magicians

12. "The Sọb̄e'̆ot̂ who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting": Determining their religious role

13. The Qed̆es̄ǎ ̂among the Daughters of Israel": Defining her identity within the Israelite Cult

Epilogue.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 447-503) and indexes.

ISBN:

9780300141788

0300141785

OCLC:

1261303513