Uncategorized – Page 2 – Catherine’s blog about Women of the Bible

Joseph – son of Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel

The story of Joseph is important in Genesis and is well-known in popular culture today, largely due to the musical “Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat”. His appearance in this blog “Women of the Bible” is to provide the context for how the descendants of Sarah and Abraham, who first see the working out ofContinue reading “Joseph – son of Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel”

Bath-Shua – Judah’s Canaanite wife

I don’t wish to refer to any woman as a “footnote” but there are some about whom we know considerably less. Judah, the son of Leah and Jacob is noted to have had a wife – the daughter of Shua – a Canaanite woman (ie not from amongst his own family as his father andContinue reading “Bath-Shua – Judah’s Canaanite wife”

Tamar

Named in Matthew’s Gospel in the Geneaology of Jesus With Tamar, we reach the story of the first of the five ancestors of Jesus named in the Genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew. Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah, one of the sons of Jacob and Leah. Her story is recorded in Genesis 38v6-30. ThereContinue reading “Tamar”

Sarah – a woman who waited

During Advent 2020 I have been thinking about the theme of waiting and of the women who waited on God. Three of them – Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth were childless, which was a great sorrow to each of them. They faithfully lived out their lives in obedience to God and each week in Advent IContinue reading “Sarah – a woman who waited”

Dinah – the fate of one girl among many brothers

So far all the women we have looked at have been at the centre of a nuclear or thereabout family, Sarah, who waited a long time for Isaac, Rebekah who left her home to marry Isaac and bore him twins, the workings out of the lives of those children, with Leah and Rachel, Rebekah’s niecesContinue reading “Dinah – the fate of one girl among many brothers”

Rachel – the Beloved, but Barren Wife

Rachel’s world – ten boys, one girl but none of them hers by birth (although the two borne by her maidservant are technically and culturally hers). She, the beloved wife of Jacob, that he worked many long years for (twice over) has to stand by watching as the sister, who their father infiltrated into Jacob’sContinue reading “Rachel – the Beloved, but Barren Wife”

Leah – the Unloved, but Fruitful Wife

Leah, the oldest daughter, was given to Jacob as his wife by her father Laban: “It is not our custom for the younger to be married before the older” Her life for the next few years is marked by the birth of her children. First Reuben – “Yahweh has seen my misery” (now my husbandContinue reading “Leah – the Unloved, but Fruitful Wife”

Rachel – the Beautiful Shepherdess

Chronologically our next significant “Woman of the Bible” is Rachel. Her story is much entwined with that of her sister Leah. Rachel is noted for her beauty and she wins the heart of Jacob, Leah, the other sister, unloved, married by a trick to the trickster Jacob, she however is the ancestor of Joseph theContinue reading “Rachel – the Beautiful Shepherdess”

Rebekah – Domestic Disharmony (part 3)

Domestic life comes to the front again and once again family life is not harmonious. Esau, now forty, has two wives Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. His parents are united in their unhappiness. Their older son’s choice of wives from among the local non-One GodContinue reading “Rebekah – Domestic Disharmony (part 3)”

Rebekah – Mother of Twins

Following the death of Abraham – the narrative now focuses on Isaac. He loved his wife at first sight and now it seems she too is barren, a dreadful echo of his mother’s long struggles. Twenty long years pass and perhaps Rebekah wondered about the wisdom of the path she had taken – but, noContinue reading “Rebekah – Mother of Twins”