The Matriarchs of Genesis

Sarah. Hagar. Rebekah. Leah. Rachel. Bilhah. Zilpah. These are the Matriarchs of Genesis. A people's self-understanding is fashioned on their heroes and heroines. Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel--the traditional four Matriarchs--are important and powerful people in the book of Genesis. Each woman plays her part in her generation. She interacts with and advises her husband, seeking to achieve both present and future successes for her family. These women act decisively at crucial points; through their actions and words, their family dynamics change irrevocably. Unlike their husbands, we know little of their unspoken thoughts or actions. What the text in Genesis does share shows that these women are perceptive and judicious, often seeing the grand scheme with clarity. While their stories are told in Genesis, in the post-biblical world of the Pseudepigrapha, their stories are retold in new ways. The rabbis also speak of these women, and contemporary scholars and feminists continue to explore the Matriarchs in Genesis and later literature. Using extensive quotations, we present these women through five lenses: the Bible, Early Extra-Biblical Literature, Rabbinic Literature, Contemporary Scholarship, and Feminist Thought. In addition, we consider Hagar, Abraham's second wife and the mother of Ishmael, as well as Bilhah and Zilpah, Jacob's third and fourth wives.

Even in a time when gender-related scholarship is growing exponentially, The Matriarchs of Genesis: Seven Women/Five Views is an invaluable contribution. Zucker and Reiss explore the narratives of seven biblical women: Sarah, Hagar, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah. These narratives are examined from five unique perspectives, which offer thought-provoking analysis and introspection. I highly recommend this volume as a learning tool for students and laypersons.
--Dr. Dina Ripsman Eylon, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Women in Judaism: A Multidisciplinary Journal

""A fine effort providing many insightful comments, and showing a variety of views about Genesis' Matriarchs.""
--Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, Rabbi, Professor of Bible, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion]

""The Matriarchs of Genesis: Seven Women/Five Views is an excellent primer, offering a vast array of exegetical material (from ancient to modern) on each of the seven biblical matriarchs. Well researched and designed, this book is the perfect shortcut for researchers and students alike - just don't tell my students!
--Rabbi Dr. Deborah Kahn-Harris, Principal, Leo Baeck College, The Sternberg Centre

""Zucker and Reiss open a window into the lives of the Matriarchs. They give these esteemed women a voice and present them as dynamic, emotional, and articulate individuals whose family relationships were complex and unpredictable. Through their careful research in biblical and extra-biblical literature, [they] bring the Matriarchs to life, expose their relentless emotional struggles and give them the acclaim they most certainly deserve. A fascinating read for anyone interested in biblical women!""
--Helene Dallaire, Professor of Old Testament, Denver Seminary


David J. Zucker, PhD, is a retired rabbi and chaplain living in Aurora, CO. He is the author of five previous works, including The Bible's Writings: An Introduction for Christians and Jews (2013) and The Bible's Prophets: An Introduction for Christians and Jews (2013). Many of his writings are available at www.DavidJZucker.org.

Moshe Reiss is a retired businessman, rabbi, and teacher of Judaism. He has been widely published, including in the Jewish Bible Quarterly, Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, Women in Judaism, Reform Jewish Quarterly, Asbury Seminary Journal, Louvain Studies, Biblical Interpretation, Interreligious Dialogu