RBL 02/2011 Shectman, Sarah Women in the Pentateuch: A Feminist and Source- Critical Analysis Hebrew Bible Monographs 23 Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2009. Pp. xiii + 204. Hardcover. $85.00. ISBN 9781906055721. Suzanne Boorer Murdoch University Perth, Australia This book brings a fresh contribution to pentateuchal studies, and potentially beyond, by bringing together in constructive interplay feminist criticism and source criticism, approaches to the text that have been traditionally conceived of, and practiced, separately. Shectman applies a feminist perspective primarily to the narrative texts in Genesis Exodus carefully analyzed into non-priestly and Priestly sources and with an eye to possible levels of tradition within these, and in so doing makes an insightful contribution both to feminist, and historical-critical, scholarship in relation to the Pentateuch. This revised doctoral thesis consists of five chapters, framed by a brief introduction and conclusion. In the introduction there is only a short discussion of the history of interpretation of source and redaction criticism, since this is well-documented elsewhere; it is specifically tailored toward the ensuing discussion, with the assumption of a non-p preexilic source and an exilic/postexilic P source providing a starting point. Chapter 1 comprises a detailed history of interpretation of feminist biblical scholarship in relation to the Pentateuch, since this has not been well-documented elsewhere. This is followed by two chapters analyzing the non-priestly material and two chapters analyzing the Priestly material in a way that bridges feminist and source- and tradition-critical analysis of the
texts. The conclusions at the end of each chapter give helpful summaries of the pertinent points that have emerged, as does the final conclusion with regard to the findings overall. In the introduction and chapter 1, as well as the history of interpretation surveys, Shectman sets out her approach and what she hopes to accomplish. Observing that, on the one hand, feminist analysis of the Pentateuch has tended to be synchronic and in particular has failed to take into account the ideology of the sources as a whole and that, on the other hand, historical-critical scholars have largely avoided feminist criticism, she seeks to address this gap within scholarship and to analyze and compare the attitude toward, and treatment of, women in the non-p and P sources. Bringing a feminist perspective to source and tradition criticism of the text means, for Shectman, describing how the women are depicted in each source, with an emphasis on the amount of material devoted to women, rather than seeking to make positive or negative judgments regarding their treatment. Such a descriptive task means situating the depiction of the women within, and in relation to, the larger ideologies and theologies of the sources or cycles of tradition within these. What is accomplished in doing this is the gaining of insight into the attitudes toward women found in the sources and, in comparing the sources diachronically, the changes in women s status over time within Israelite society as reflected in these sources and their traditions. There is also a reciprocity here, in terms of how such analysis of the depiction of women within, and the differences between, sources can contribute some nuances to the understanding of the sources that has emerged on the basis of other broader historical-critical considerations, particularly regarding what constitutes them, their ideologies, and their relative chronology. The description of feminist scholarship s relation to the Pentateuch in chapter 1 that, along with source criticism, provides the background against which Shectman unfolds her approach, is exhaustive and in and of itself extremely useful for those wishing to understand the various nuances and perspectives that have grown up under the umbrella of feminist criticism, beginning especially in the 1970s. Her discussion is divided into three main categories: feminist theological criticism (e.g., P. Trible); feminist historians (e.g., C. Meyers, S. Niditch, S. Ackerman, N. Steinberg); and feminist literary critics (in the sense of newer literary criticism, including narrative criticism, deconstructionism, and reader-response criticism, e.g., A. Brenner, M. Bal, J. C. Exum). She not only describes the work of each of the feminist critics but offers a helpful critique. Chapter 2 analyzes the matriarchs portrayed in the non-p material in Gen 11 35, in particular Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel. Non-P, the material differentiated from P, contains within it various traditions that have been put together by an author, and this chapter seeks to tease out the ideology of the traditions and the author regarding women. Shectman identifies a cycle of traditions contained within non-p that has its origins in
stories primarily about women. They belong to a particular genre that she calls matriarchal childbirth narratives, which have to do with the promise and/or birth of a specific child. These traditions, with their primary motifs of childlessness, annunciation (which may include a divine messenger, announcement of a birth or impending birth, and etiology), and the birth of the child, were an originally independent group of traditions that were only secondarily linked with the promises to the patriarchs, with which they still remain in narrative tension, by the author of non-p. Over and above these matriarchal narratives, the wife-sister stories, the genealogical material, and other material concerning Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah are analyzed. Shectman concludes that these matriarchs as portrayed in the non-p material are significant characters, yet even here were never entirely independent of the patriarchs in these stories where male characters are also prominent; indeed, in these narratives women s prominence is inversely proportional to the prominence of men they play opposite, and, foreshadowing her later discussion, Shectman alludes to the fact that, as Moses and Aaron become prominent, women will disappear completely. Chapter 3 describes the rest of the women and their roles within non-p: the women in the primeval history, such as Eve; other women in the ancestral history, such as Lot s daughters, Keturah, Dinah, and Deborah; women in the Joseph cycle (Tamar, Potiphar s wife, and Asenath); and women in Exodus and Numbers, including the women mentioned in Exod 1:15 2:10 and Num 25:1 5, and Zipporah and Miriam. Shectman is careful to take into consideration the primary purpose of each story and to interpret the portrayal and role of each of the various women in relation to this. Her conclusions at the end of this chapter sum up her findings within both chapters 2 and 3 regarding the depiction of women in non-p. These include that in non-p women s active involvement is often critical to the narrative; their roles go beyond the biological; they appear in a variety of motifs and settings and may be depicted positively or negatively, as also are men; they are depicted as prominently and colorfully as the men; and they are quantitatively prominent in non-p. In addition, it seems that women are portrayed more prominently and actively in Genesis than in Exodus and Numbers, where Moses takes precedence over women. Moreover, Shectman concludes that her analysis of the material concerning women suggests that this non-p material cannot be divided into J and E, since, for example, this contradicts her analysis of the matriarchal childbirth narratives. It also is suggestive of relative dating: citing the view of many biblical feminist historians that with the process of centralization the status of women diminishes, the prominence of women in non-p suggests that its traditions developed in a less-centralized time but that centralization was emerging when the non-p author put the traditions together, since at that level it is more patriarchal, especially in terms of the promise to the patriarchs and the roles of Moses and Aaron. This leads on to the discussion of the Priestly material in
the following two chapters, where the role of women is significantly reduced, thus reflecting a later time when centralization was more deeply entrenched. Chapter 4 analyzes the portrayal of women in the P material in Genesis. In defining what constitutes Priestly material in Genesis, Exodus Numbers, Shectman relies primarily on I. Knohl s identification of P and H material, and this influences her discussion of levels within the Priestly material. As an initial general observation, Shectman states that women appear more often in P s Genesis than in the Priestly material in Exodus Numbers (as in non-p), with the latter, however, comprising the majority of the Priestly material. Also, P s theology influenced the treatment of women in P: nearly all P material concerning women relates to some other topic, such as genealogical pedigree, indeed, specifically to the concerns of men. The analysis of women in P s Genesis specifically is divided into two parts: genealogical material (as found within Gen 5; 11; 25; 35; 36; 46); and narrative material, including Gen 1:1 2:4a, P material within Gen 6 9; 16; 21:1 5; 23; 26:34 35; 27:46 28:9, and, most importantly, Gen 17, which Shectman sees as particularly important in showing the Priestly attitude toward women. The point of Gen 17 is the covenant God establishes with Abraham and his descendants and to establish Abraham s rightful heir. Within this, Sarah is the right mother but little more than this; in relation to the parallel in Gen 18, Sarah s role is diminished. It is clear here that the women s childbirth tradition that still shows independence in non-p has been subsumed organically under the covenant and promises to the patriarch. Shectman concludes that within P s Genesis little is left of the birth narratives that focused on mothers and of independent actions of women as in the older traditions: women exist here almost entirely as mothers and wives necessary for the building of the nation of Israel. In chapter 5 the women in the Priestly material in Exodus Numbers are described as they occur primarily within the narrative material, with only a brief section on the laws. In Exodus Numbers there is a shift to a focus on Moses. P s Exodus offers significantly fewer references to women than P s Genesis, and the women are depicted less colorfully than in non-p. In Leviticus and Numbers, there is much more H material. Again the discussion is divided into genealogical material (including Exod 6:14 25; Num 20:1; 26:46, 59) and narrative material (including Exod 35:20 36:7; 38:8; Lev 24:10 16,23; Num 25:6 18; 26:33; 27:1 11; 36:1 12; 31). The mention of women in Exod 6:14 25, for example, is to validate the priestly lineage, and although the narratives regarding Zelophehad s daughters appears to protect the rights of women, it is really the inheritance of men that is being protected, since it reverts back to another male in the next generation. Throughout the discussion of these texts, Shectman is careful to distinguish between various possible levels within this material. The laws bear out what can be observed in the narratives: women have a secondary status to men. Shectman concludes not only that there is a more limited vision of the role of women in P s Exodus Numbers than in P s
Genesis but that her analysis of texts concerning women allows some observations to be made with regard to the nature of P. The inclusion of women for genealogical purposes and the shift toward focusing on men whenever possible suggests an ideological tendency on the compositional level and a high degree of coherence as a source. The existence of competing versions of events such as in Gen 21:1 5 suggests that parts of P at least had an independent existence before being combined with non-p. There is also evidence of later redactions seen within the H material as well as a post-h redaction. Moreover, the composition of Genesis and Exodus seem to have been motivated by different concerns on the part of the author. Finally, in the conclusions to the book as a whole, Shectman brings together her primary findings. With regard to the portrayal of women, they are the difference in treatment of women between the non-p and P sources, with women being depicted in more detail and as much more active, with a greater role in the narrative than in P, even though still largely defined in relation to men as wives and mothers; in both non-p and P the decrease in women s roles as the role of men, especially seen in Moses in Exodus Numbers, becomes more prominent; the very limited role of women in P, primarily for genetic or pedigree purposes. With regard to the implications for the nature of non-p and P: non-p is a collection of older traditions compiled with minimal editing and cannot be divided into J and E; and the layers within P are complex, with some incorporation of earlier material, some representing a composition, with P and non-p at some stage existing separately from each other, and later levels of redaction associated with H. With regard to dating, the analysis of women as portrayed in the sources contributes to the understanding of the ideology of the sources and therefore adds new evidence with regard to the relative chronology of non-p and P as well as the dating of non-p in the preexilic period and P in the exilic/postexilic period, as established by source critics on other grounds. This is in terms of the correlation between centralization and the decrease in the status of women. Shectman argues that non-p reflects the beginnings of centralization in the last half of the eighth century to the seventh century, since in non-p there is the beginnings of the absorption of the women s childbirth narratives into the promises to the patriarchs and prominence is given to Moses and Aaron. P is later, since the roles of women are more diminished, suggesting the later time when centralization had well and truly taken hold under priestly control. Overall, then, Shectman concludes that Feminists and historical critics have much to offer each other, both in terms of reconstructing the history of women in the Hebrew Bible, and in terms of formulating models for the composition of the biblical text (179). Shectman has identified a gap in pentateuchal scholarship and in addressing this makes a valuable contribution both in the area of methodology and with regard to interpretation of pentateuchal texts. Her summary of the history of interpretation is clear and concise;
she captures the nuances of various positions and the fluidity within the debates, especially surrounding source criticism, in a constructive way; and her summing up of the views of feminist critics is enlightening. She carefully defines her method and its parameters and does not claim more than what is possible within these. Her discussion of texts is well-balanced, skillful, and to the point. The feminist perspective Shectman brings is down to earth, and she is careful to steer clear of emotive judgments, which is perhaps a reflection of a later stage of feminism, in a younger generation, with a different perspective and motivation from earlier feminists such as P. Trible. Particularly helpful is her approach of taking into account the primary purpose of the text when describing the depiction and role of women within it. Her arguments with regard to traditions and levels in the text are for the most part carefully constructed. In places, however, she is perhaps too reliant on only one scholarly position, such as C. Westermann in relation to Genesis texts, W. H. Propp in relation to Exodus texts, and Knohl in relation to the definition of P and H texts. This is perhaps an inevitable consequence of choosing to look at all the female figures in the narrative of Genesis Numbers; that is the choice of an overall survey rather than an in-depth analysis of a more limited range of texts. A consequence of this also is that in a few places more evidence could have been marshaled to support an assertion; for example, the view put forward, in polemic against Trible, that Gen 2 3 has nothing to say about the equality of the sexes (94) needs greater justification. At the same time, it must be said that the choice of a broad survey was a good one, as it has yielded some interesting findings and can provide a backdrop and starting point for more detailed work on some of the texts within her method and framework that could take account, especially within P, of other redactional models. Overall, the fresh and valuable contribution that this book makes to pentateuchal studies far outweighs these limitations. It promises to be very helpful to both historical critics and feminist scholars, not just in the area of pentateuchal studies but, in terms of method, for the analysis of other texts in the Hebrew Bible.