Women in the Hebrew Bible and Near Eastern Goddesses: A Comparison
1. Introduction
The word “goddess” can be defined as a female god or a divine being that has supreme power over other beings and natural forces (Dictionary.com, n.d.). In a number of societies, goddesses are associated with love, fertility, the earth and family, among other things, which often reflect historical gender roles of that ethnicity.
One example of a polytheistic society with goddesses is the ancient Near East. The Mesopotamian and Canaanite cultures had their own unique goddesses that represented different aspects of life. In this essay, we will take a look at some of these goddesses and then compare them to women in the Hebrew Bible. We will see how the role of women varied in these two cultures and what this can tell us about the status of women in general in the ancient world.
2. Near Eastern Goddesses
a. Mesopotamian Goddesses
i. Ishtar
Ishtar was the Mesopotamian goddess of love, beauty, sex and war (Ishtar, n.d.). She was also known as the “Queen of Heaven” and was one of the most important gods in the Mesopotamian pantheon (Ishtar, n.d.). Ishtar was sometimes portrayed as a young woman, but more often she was shown as an older woman with many breasts, representing her role as a mother figure (Ishtar, n.d.).
ii. Anat
Anat was a Canaanite goddess who was associated with love, fertility and war (Anat, n.d.). She was typically portrayed as a young woman or girl, sometimes with wings (Anat, n.d.). Anat was also known as the “Mistress of Lions” due to her association with lionesses (Anat, n.d.).
iii. Astarte
Astarte was another Canaanite goddess who was associated with love, fertility and war (Astarte, n.d.). She was typically portrayed as a naked woman with large breasts (Astarte, n.d.). Astarte was also sometimes shown riding on a lion or bull, symbolizing her power over these animals (Astarte, n.d.).
b. Canaanite Goddesses
i. Asherah
Asherah was a Canaanite goddess who was associated with love, fertility and motherhood (Asherah, n.d.). She was typically portrayed as a nude woman with large breasts (Asherah, n.d.). Asherah was also sometimes shown with a lion or a serpent, symbolizing her power over these animals (Asherah, n.d.).
ii. Anat
Anat was a Canaanite goddess who was associated with love, fertility and war (Anat, n.d.). She was typically portrayed as a young woman or girl, sometimes with wings (Anat, n.d.). Anat was also known as the “Mistress of Lions” due to her association with lionesses (Anat, n.d.).
iii. Astarte
Astarte was another Canaanite goddess who was associated with love, fertility and war (Astarte, n.d.). She was typically portrayed as a naked woman with large breasts (Astarte, n.d.). Astarte was also sometimes shown riding on a lion or bull, symbolizing her power over these animals (Astarte, n.d.).
3. Women in the Hebrew Bible
a. Eve
Eve was the first woman in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 3:20). She was created by God from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:21-22). Eve is often seen as a symbol of temptation and sin, as she was tempted by the serpent to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-6).
b. Sarah
Sarah was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac (Genesis 17:15-16). She was considered to be a great matriarch of the Hebrew people (Genesis 23:1-2). Sarah was also known for her beauty, as she was described as being “very beautiful” (Genesis 12:11).
c. Rebekah
Rebekah was the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:21-26). She was also considered to be a great matriarch of the Hebrew people (Genesis 35:8). Rebekah is known for her kindness, as she helped Abraham’s servant find a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:50-51).
d. Rachel and Leah
Rachel and Leah were the wives of Jacob and the mothers of his twelve sons (Genesis 29:31-30:24). Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife (Genesis 29:30), while Leah was considered to be his unloved wife (Genesis 29:31). Rachel and Leah are both known for their beauty, as they were both described as being “very beautiful” (Genesis 29:17, 29:32).
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, we can see that there were some similarities between women in the Hebrew Bible and Near Eastern goddesses. Both were associated with love, fertility and motherhood. However, there were also some differences. For example, goddesses were often portrayed as naked or semi-naked women with large breasts, while women in the Hebrew Bible were usually fully clothed. This may reflect the different values that these cultures had regarding women and their bodies.