Antje Labahn - Ehud Ben Zvi, «Observations on Women in the Genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1–9», Vol. 84 (2003) 457-478

These observations address the construction of women and their roles in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1–9. References to women in these chapters construed them as fulfilling a variety of roles in society, and characterized and identified them in various ways. To be sure, the genealogies reflected and reinforced the main construction of family and family roles in a traditional ancient near eastern society. But, numerous references in these genealogies indicated to the early (and predominantly male) readers of the book that ideologically construed gender expectations may and have been transgressed in the past and with good results. By implication, these references suggested to the readers that gender (and ethnic) boundaries can and even should be transgressed on occasion, with divine blessing, and resulting in divine blessing.

2. Mother - Concubine

        Concubines are mentioned as mothers in Chronicles³⁴, and although their numbers in the book is not large, a total of four individuals, besides the generic reference to David’s concubines³⁵, three of them are mentioned by name, even if and perhaps particularly when the name of the main wife is omitted. As for the fourth, although her name is not given, it is explicitly stated that she was an Aramean (1Chr 7,14; on "foreign mothers", see above)³⁶.

        Turning to the other three, Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, and their sons are mentioned in 1 Chr 2,46³⁷, and those of Maachah, another concubine of Caleb, in 1 Chr 2,48-49. They and their children are presented as an integral part of the family structure, even if they and their sons are listed subsequently to the descendents of Caleb and an unnamed implied wife (2 Chr 2,43-45).

        The most remarkable instance of the construction of the role of a concubine in these genealogies concerns Keturah³⁸. First, the precise choice of wording closely links 1 Chr 1,32 to 1 Chr 1,28. The connoted message conveyed to the readers is clear: Keturah, "Abraham’s concubine", takes, as it were, the structural role of Abraham, and her sons (i.e., the sons of Abraham and her) are to be identified with her (see 1 Chr 1,32-33). To be sure she and ‘her’ descendents are still listed