Cogs In The Wheel: Four Unnamed Women In The Old Testament And Their Impact On The History Of Israel. -- By: Susan T. McCoubrie

Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 14:2 (Spring 2000)
Article: Cogs In The Wheel: Four Unnamed Women In The Old Testament And Their Impact On The History Of Israel.
Author: Susan T. McCoubrie


Cogs In The Wheel:
Four Unnamed Women In The Old Testament And Their Impact On The History Of Israel.

Susan T. McCoubrie

Susan T. McCoubrie is one of the founders of Christians for Biblical Equality and served for ten years in various capacities in the CBE of ce. She lives in nearby Rosemount, MN.

How often has a momentous event in history occurred because of a small deed done or a word spoken? We will never know, but much of history would probably be different had this deed or that conversation never taken place. We want to look at the contributions of four nameless Old Testament women and see how they were involved in the course of Israel’s history.

The Woman Of Thebez: Judges 9:53 (Judges 9:1-57)

Abimilech was the half-Canaanite son of Gideon by a Shechemite concubine (Jud. 8:31). After the death of Gideon, and desiring to be king of the region,

Abimelech went to Shechem to enlist the aid of his mother’s family. With the help of his kinsmen, he hired a band of thugs, proceeded to where his brothers lived, and murdered all but one of his seventy brothers. He proclaimed himself king with the support of the citizens of Shechem and nearby Beth-millo.

After three years, the people of Shechem turned against Abimilech and sided with Gaal. He was the leader of a roving band that had come to Shechem to take advantage of the unrest there. Abimelech responded vigorously, cruelly slaughtering the people of Shechem, razing their city, and sowing the ground with salt. Those who had taken refuge in a nearby fortress tower (about a thousand men and women) were burned to death by Abimelech and his fighting men.

Next, Abimilech and his men went to Thebez and took that city. Thebez also had a tower fortress, and the inhabitants fled to it and shut themselves in; many climbed to the roof ramparts. Abimelech and his followers began to pile brushwood against the door as they had done at the previous town. As Abimelech was engaged in this, a woman dropped on his head an upper millstone (a piece of a hand mill, part of every household [Deut. 24:6]). Mortally wounded, Abimelech begged his armor bearer to thrust his sword through him so it wouldn’t be said that a woman had killed him.

This woman’s action ended the rebellion, delivered her people, and there was peace in the land for many years.

The Female Courier: 2 Samuel 17:17 (2 Samuel 17:1-18)

Absalom was conspiring to create a rebellion in order to dethrone his fat...

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