Digital Logos Edition
Some of the Bible's most memorable characters are the women in the book of Judges. From Deborah and Jael to Delilah and Samson's mother, these women led the Israelites in battle, used their wits to defeat the enemy, their wiles to seduce mighty men, and their wisdom to prevail on God.
In Warrior, Dancer, Seductress, Queen author Susan Ackerman offers a keen analysis of the main types of women found in Judges and examines other biblical books and ancient Near Eastern literature to demonstrate how these types recur elsewhere. Thorough yet entertaining, her study leaves readers with an understanding of what roles these women played in Israelite society and religion. The first female author to be published in the Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library (29 vols.), Ackerman and her cutting-edge biblical scholarship are a valuable addition to the venerable series.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
If you like this title be sure to check out the Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library (29 vols.).
Susan Ackerman finds in the book of Judges ancient Israel's memory of itself in the era before the monarchy. Ackerman's work is informed by an enormous body of recent scholarship that reflects feminist concerns and questions. She moves regularly from her starting point in Judges into the later books of the Hebrew Bible and beyond, into the Apocrypha and the New Testament.
—M. O'Connor, Catholic University of America
Ackerman analyzes the biblical presentations of six different types of women in Judges and links them to gender themes in the religious literature of the Canaanites, Egyptians, Greeks, and early Christians as well as in other biblical books. Using a history-of-religions approach, she ingeniously illuminates the complexities of women's multiple roles in the literature and life of Ancient Israel.
—Carol Meyers, Mary Grace Wilson Professor in Religion, Duke University
With Ackerman as our very capable guide to the times, the reader moves inside the complex thought world behind the women of the Bible. Warring and bumbling males may command the arena at times, but Ackerman deftly rescues from historical and literary oblivion a remarkable range of fascinating female 'types.' The diverse women she gives us are not only struggling mothers demanding new life; in other words, women of mythic power and sexual autonomy. This book is a must read for those who want to go beyond the stereotypes about women in the Bible and the ancient world.
—J. David Pleins, professor of biblical studies, Santa Clara University