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.

which the literati lived. In addition to the considerations advanced above, one may note that at that time one finds some seals bearing the names of women. Although rare, if such seals were actually used by the mentioned women — and there is no substantial reason to assume that they were not — then they show that some elite women owned property, were involved in trade and financial affairs, and controlled goods owned by or produced by their household⁶². In addition, if the situation in Elephantine is of any relevance to that of Yehud, then one is to assume that some, or at least a few women may have fulfilled these roles there⁶³.

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        A full study of the characterization of women in Chronicles should take into account the entire book. Moreover, the early readers did not approach the genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1–9 in a manner that was uninformed by the rest of the book. On the contrary they read it as an integral part of the Book of Chronicles. Yet the preceding discussion clearly leads to some conclusions.

        The genealogies shape and reflect an ideal and simplified construction of the past. It is a construction based on continuity grounded on lineages that were made possible through a sequence of