Harlots and Heroines: Women in the Old Testament –
Women in Judges and Ruth
Brief Traditional Chronology:
Book Subject Date
Gen.1-11
Primordial History
12-50 Ancestors: Abraham & Sarah; Isaac & Rebecca; 1700
BC on
Jacob & Leah; Joseph
Exodus
Moses and
Numbers
Wandering in the Wilderness
(Leviticus,Deuteronomy)
Joshua
Conquest of
Judges
Government by charismatic
leaders
Ruth
Ruth, Naomi, & Boaz
I Samuel
Samuel as
prophet/priest/judge
Saul as
king
II Samuel
David,king of
I Kings
Solomon, king of
Divided
Kingdom 922
BC on
II Kings
Fall of
Fall of
Outline of the WOMEN (& men) in the Book of
Judges
Chap.1-2
Introduction – ACHSAH, Caleb’s daughter & Othniel’s
wife
Chap.3
(Othniel,
Ehud)
Chap.4
DEBORAH (Lappidoth,her husband; Barak,her
general;
Sisera, Canaanite general)
Chap.5
Song of Deborah - JAEL & THE MOTHER OF SISERA
Chap.6-8
(Gideon)
Chap.9-10
(Abimelech)
A CERTAIN WOMAN - ABIMELEK’S NEAR-KILLER
Chap.11-12
JEPHTHAH'S
DAUGHTER (Jephthah);
DISINHERITED
DAUGHTERS OF IBZAN
Chap.13
MS.MANOAH,
Samson's mother (Manoah, Samson)
Chap.14
SAMSON'S WIFE (Samson)
Chap.15
YOUNGER SISTER (Samson)
Chap.16
UNNAMED HARLOT; DELILAH
(Samson)
Chap.17-18
(Micah)
Chap.19-20
CONCUBINE, VIRGIN DAUGHTER
(Levite)
Chap.21
400 VIRGINS OF JABESH-GILEAD;
DAUGHTERS OF
Ruth
I. Placement after Proverbs or Judges
II. Background laws: Deut.25:5-10; Lev.19:9-10; Deut.10:17-19; Lev.25:25
III. Vocabulary
to watch: liyax hf<i) liyax
rObig $y) bU$ l)g
III. Themes to watch: family; blessing; food and nature;
contrasting characters; names