The Tanakh: The Women Within The Hebrew Scriptures

From Adam to Abraham to Isaac and Jacob, the Tanakh is full of male’s who have played key roles within not only the primary formation of Judaism but within the very history of the Jewish people. These individuals while being flawed are mostly are written as being brave, loyal, God fearing, wise and chosen by God himself. However, where does that leave the woman within the Holy Scriptures? How are they portrayed and characterized within these stories? I focus on three women (Eve, Sarah and Rachel) and their narratives from the Bereishit to examine and better understand the female portrayal within the Hebrew Scriptures.
God saw that Adam lacked a suitable companion and by removing a piece of Adam’s rib, God created Eve the first woman. In Chapter …show more content…
However, the primary aspect of her narrative begins in chapter sixteen of Genesis. Sarai sees that she has not given her husband any children and so tells Abram to sleep with her maidservant Hagar. Hagar becomes pregnant, but Sarai feels that her position has been threatened because of this. Sarai tells Abram to choose between Hagar and herself, but Abram tells her that Sarai should decide what to do with Hagar. Sarai then chooses to treat/act harshly toward Hagar. In chapter twenty-one of Genesis, Sarah, in her old age, becomes pregnant with Abraham’s son Isaac. However, after Isaac’s birth Sarah noticed Ishmael, Abraham and Hagar son. Sarah orders Abraham to kick him and Hagar out, which Abraham does. Sarah does not want Isaac to share an inheritance with a son of a slave woman. There are two key examples of Sarah’s narrative that portrays her in a negative light. The first example can be observed within her relationship with Hagar. The relationship started off okay, but quickly degenerated after Sarah felt her position within the household being threatened. As mentioned above Hagar is tormented by Sara. Once again we have the woman being cast in a negative and wicked light. Sarah is seen being petty, vengeful and hateful toward Hager However, Abraham, the man, is able to wash his hands of the situation without consequence and be portrayed as being kinder. Another example of how Sarah is portrayed in negative light is that she is characterized as being selfish, cold and haughty which are all negative attributes. An example of this within the text is when she sees Ishmael, who is the son of Abraham and Hagar. Sarah orders for him and his mother to be removed from the home. In these two situations Sarah, the woman, is given very little positive characterizations, but Abraham is afforded emotions of concern,