Women's Roles in the Bible

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all (Proverbs 31:29).

As we approach Mother's Day and consider the women in our lives, it's interesting to look at the roles of women in the Bible. Women were an important part of Jewish society, and their roles weren't as lowly as many people have been led to believe. Women had the important jobs of managing households and overseeing the children. Even though men made all the public decisions, a woman was often considered an equal partner in daily life. Jewish women in general were treated much better than those in neighboring societies.

It's true that single women without a male responsible for them were frowned upon, but Jewish societal laws tried to avoid this, declaring the line of responsibility. The story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz is a good illustration of this. Women in Israel had the right to be consulted about their marriage, and they could buy, sell, and own property, as well as make contracts. 

Esther

Some women held high positions of respect. Deborah was a judge as well as a prophetess, and Barak refused to go to war without her. Sarah, Miriam, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther are considered female prophets too. Records also show that there were female scribes (see Guardians of Letters by Kim-Haines-Eitzen). Overall, the life of a Jewish woman in the Bible wasn't so bad for their time.

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