The few popular Bible stories about women are often presented in black and white—the women were good or bad, Ruth or Jezebel. But most of us fall somewhere in between these two extremes. Good Girls, Bad Girls invites readers to take a more nuanced look at 12 women in the Old Testament, to explore their lives more deeply in historical context, and to grasp what these stories might mean to women today. T. J. Wray, a biblical scholar, asks readers to consider whether Jezebel was really as bad as generally believed, and includes women ranging from the infamous Delilah to the mysterious Witch of Endor. Impeccably researched and beautifully written, Good Girls, Bad Girls will appeal to both individual readers and groups interested in learning what the Bible really has to say about these twelve important women.
T. J. Wray is associate professor of religious studies at Salve Regina University. She is the author of several books, including The Birth of Satan and Surviving the Death of a Sibling, and lives in Rhode Island.
Table of Contents
Introduction Section One: Liars, Lawbreakers, and Lovers Chapter 1: A Woman with a Plan: Rebekah Chapter 2: The Hooker With a Heart of Gold: Rahab Chapter 3: Tricks and Tryst: Delilah Chapter 4: The Girl Next Door: Ruth Chapter 5: Not a Ghost of a Chance: The Witch of Endor Chapter 6: The Menace Beneath the Mascara: Jezebel Section Two: Victims, Volunteers, and Vindicators Chapter 7 Baby, You Owe Me: The Widow Tamar Chapter 8 Big Sister is Watching: Miriam Chapter 9 The Lamb With A Plan: Bathsheba Chapter 10 One Sick Brother: Tamar, Sister of Absalom Chapter 11 A Womb With a View: The Shunammite Chapter 12 Dirty Old Men: Susanna Conclusion Resources
What People are Saying About This
Richard Freund
T. J. Wray's book presents some of the most important women of the Hebrew Bible in a context that brings them to life. A must-read for every student of the Bible.
Carol A. Newsom
Wray's lively and well-written presentation of the women of the Old Testament will make readers wonder how they could have overlooked these extraordinary women and their stories. And for once, the good girls are as complex and interesting as the bad ones. Wray shows how these stories will not permit any simple moralizing about these women. Their own struggles to survive and flourish in a world often stacked against them truly provide 'enduring lessons' for women attempting to make sense of their lives today.
Lisa Sowle Cahill
Good Girls, Bad Girls, is a wonderful, lively book that is based on good bible scholarship but is far from pedantic. Wray shows how important women in the bible subverted their patriarchal culture, and were tacitly acclaimed for doing so by the biblical writers. Without whitewashing the violent elements in the stories, she makes these figures come to life as key actors in Israel's faith and history.
Carol Meyers
Good Girls, Bad Girls is a lively, informative, and thoughtful presentation of twelve of the most fascinating female figures in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Wray looks at these women with fresh eyes and describes them in clear and engaging language. She succeeds admirably not only in explaining the ancient context of the biblical narratives about these women but also in providing sensitive insights into the contemporary relevance of their stories.
