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

198 | WOMEN AT WORK IN THE DTRH
Although much has been discussed about their prophetic roles, especially that of
Miriam, I believe one important chore, especially in Exod 15, is interpreting
God’s actions in their immediate setting—a clear prophetic task. At any rate,
they should not be deeply discussed here, for their role belongs to the religious
and political realms. Yes, it is important to recall their role as “mothers” of
singing and processional dancing (Miriam), thus opening the way for female
authors and performers from Israel’s earliest times.
The semantic field of “music” includes many more terms than thought at
first, including nouns related to musical notation (pausing, intonations, etc.),
musical instruments, narratives about different moments and types of dancing or
playing (processions, festivals, signals by trumpets and so forth); songs of
different kinds, and verbs describing some action. What concerns us here is only
what can tell us anything about professional musicians of any kind. And, if
possible, in the DtrH. Perhaps the biblical lists leave other musicians’ functions
unattested. Two short references to musicians as enchanters have made me think
of one of my favorite stories. In 2 Kgs 17:24 starts the story of the “idolatrous”
origin of the Samaritans. Within this Deuteronomistically-charged story, verses
24–28 tell how, after Assyrian destruction of Samaria, a priest of YHWH had to
be returned because there had appeared lions roaming and killing people; a fact
interpreted to mean that the Lord of those lands was angry and required proper
sacrifices. I just wonder whether a tradition of musicians who would control
beasts could not lie behind the story, even though that is not in the returned
priest’s job-description. Amélie Kuhrt describes a plaque of Ur-nanshe of Lagaš
(now in the British Museum), in which under each figure (the king, his wife and
children, cup-bearer, musicians) the name or function is inscribed. One of the
male figures is “a functionary entitled ‘head snake-charmer’ … The ‘snakecharmer’
appears in lists of musicians, and this is perhaps his titular court
function; why this should be so is puzzling.” 111 And Karen Nemet-Nejat asserts
that “[m]usicians included among their ranks snake charmers and bear wardens
as part of a ritual circus performance.” 112 A quick perusal in the internet gives
plenty of colorful stories about snake charmers in Egypt, who respond to drum
beating and other techniques; these come, apparently, from very early times. I
do not know whether lions were also tamed from early times in order to perform
in circuses and, again, I cannot assert that is what lies behind the colorful story
in 2 Kgs 17. The two quotations brought up, almost as an aside to their themes,
have made me think that perhaps also in ancient Israel musicians (male or
female?) might have acted as charmers.
The following terms and texts comprise the evidence available in the
Hebrew Bible, to be briefly considered:
111 Kuhrt, Ancient Near East, 1:36.
112 Nemet-Nejat, “Women,” 109.