Women at Work in the Deuteronomistic History - International Voices ...

HIDE AND SEEK: MISCELLANEOUS WOMEN | 189
the masculine singular is used. Of the only two feminine occurrences, one tells
of Delilah’s weaving Samson’s locks into the web, from which we only learn
that she was a dexterous weaver (Judg 16:13). The remaining one will be
considered soon. Two other texts should be mentioned, although their meaning
(and thus, pertinence) is doubtful and their contexts do not ensure a clear
translation. One is David’s curse on Joab because of his murder of Abner. After
his disclaimer, David curses his whole progeny with never-ending discharge and
leprosy, sword and famine. The fifth curse, in the midst of these four, is that
“he” (every male of the family) ךלפב קיזחמ, an expression variously translated
as “holds a spindle” (NRSV), “leaneth on a staff” (JPS), “whose strength is in the
distaff” (JB), “afeminados” (El Libro del Pueblo de Dios). Except for this text,
ךלפ appears only six times in Neh 3, where it is usually understood as a
geographical district. A seventh occurrence, to which we turn now, is weighty.
This is the well-known poem on the Woman of Worth, whose large and rich
household and her respected family owe her much (Prov 31:10–31). The
mistress (or her servants?) makes blankets, belts and all kinds of textiles, either
for her household or to be sold to the “Canaanite.” She is described as putting
her hands to the “distaff” (רושׁיכ) and holding “the spindle” (ךלפ). The problem
is that the first term in this parallelism, רושׁיכ, is also a hapax legomenon, so
biblical Hebrew does not help. 76 Among cognates, the Ugaritic plk, Sumerian/
Akkadian GIŠ bala/pilakku apparently provide the best solution, not only because
of their well-attested meaning of “spindle” but also because of associations with
femininity, both divine and human. 77 If its translation is right, then, use here
confirms the assertion already made of the predominance of textile work
(spinning and weaving) as identified with women and adds one more instance of
ideological diminishing of a warrior by feminization. 78
Incidentally, Prov 7:16 brings up Egypt’s long tradition of textile fine
working. This, as female occupation, is also attested in their own ancient
witnesses. According to Lesko, there is significant evidence that “in the earliest
historical periods weaving workshops were filled exclusively by women,
76 BDB, 507. Note that neither text uses הוט nor גרא. Another difficulty is that the lady in question
is, in my view, not a real woman but Wisdom personified. All these facts notwithstanding, there is
always an “agreement of truth” between writer and reader, so that the story is credible. How much
this poem depicts a household; how much it is a compendium of female virtues and how much it
intends only to point at Wisdom, are all open questions.
77 Scott Layton, “A Chain Gang in 2 Samuel iii 29? A Rejoinder,” VT 29 (1989): 84–85. He rejects
Holloway’s proposal (“Distaff, Crutch or Chain Gang: The Curse of the House of Joab in 2 Samuel
iii 29”) of translating ךלפב קזח on the basis of Neh 3, as “become a corvée worker.”
78 As evidenced also in the blinding of prisoners and their ascription to the mills, see below. Hoffner,
“Treatment,” 67–70.