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.

caution is certainly warranted. In some cases, the issue might be the prominence of the lineage of the woman or of the woman herself (e.g., 1 Chr 3,19). Moreover, women similarly mentioned were explicitly associated with progeny. For instance, and to illustrate the case, the intended and primary readers of the book most likely thought that Achsah (1 Chr 2,49) did marry, and moved from the household of her father to that of her husband, to which she made a substantial contribution (see Josh 15,16-19; Judg 1,12-15).

        When the readers were asked to imagine cases in which daughters but no sons were born, a number of related issues arose. A case has already been studied above (1 Chr 2,34-35) and there the daughter takes as it were the structural role of the son, and her husband, that of a wife. The reference to the daughters of Zelophehad in 1 Chr 7,15 evoked the memory of a similar case, though the solution reached there is somewhat, although not altogether, different (cf. Num 26,33; 27,1-7; 36,1-12; Josh 17,3-6)⁴⁸.

        As mentioned above, the genealogies include some references to daughters mentioned by name alongside their brothers⁴⁹. For instance, in 1 Chr 2,49 the readers were told of Achsa (see also 1 Chr 2,16-17; 3,9.19; 4,3.27; 7,30.32). At times descendants are attributed to the mentioned daughter (1 Chr 2,16-17; 4,27), but in other instances children are not mentioned. Although some of these women were prominent or their names were, this does not hold true of all of them⁵⁰. Their presence in the text is related to their being part of a household (see above). To be sure, they are mentioned after the brothers or sons, but still it is worth noting that they were mentioned even if a (male) genealogy could have easily omitted them.

        One reference to a sister raises a different set of issues. 1 Chr 7,17-18 mentions Hammolecheth, whose name, incidentally, conveys the meaning of "she who reigns"⁵¹ and who is probably presented as the sister of Machir (1 Chr 7,17), though the text may be understood as construing her as the sister of Giled (1 Chr 7,14)⁵². The intended