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@article{ART001298837},
author={Jae Gu Kim},
title={The Female Abrahams},
journal={Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies},
issn={1229-0521},
year={2008},
volume={14},
number={4},
pages={31-51},
doi={10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31}

TY - JOUR
AU - Jae Gu Kim
TI - The Female Abrahams
JO - Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
PY - 2008
VL - 14
IS - 4
PB - Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
SP - 31
EP - 51
SN - 1229-0521
AB - This paper is intended to find out the distinctive characteristics of Abraham's faith, the contributions of his faith throughout Israel's history, and the reflections of his faith on the people after him, especially, on women. And it wants to reveal the history formed by the voice of the faith of the women who possess the Abrahamic images. For this research, one of the literary approaches, the so-called 'intertextua- lity', is employed by which the close relations of the crucial expressions appearing both in Abraham's story and in the two women's stories are compared in word and theme. Abraham's faith is not just for himself. His faith must be alive in the lives of his descendants. Especially, as a response of God's order, the absolute faith of Abraham which, without a murmur, leaves his country, people and father's household and goes to the land where he has never been before paves the way to give a right identity to his kinsmen and a new identity to the pagans. Now the people who actualize the same faith of Abraham deserve the epithet 'a new Abraham' without regard to men or women, and Jews or pagans. Rebekah never falls short of receiving the epithet 'the first female Abraham.' Since Rebekah is one of Abraham's kinswomen, she emphati- cally proclaims through her Abrahamic life toward other kinswomen that to enjoy God's blessings they need to leave their parents and relatives. And they should unite themselves with the people of God in the Promised Land. The life of Ruth means to other pagan women what it is like having the Israelite identity. That means abandoning their own gods and parents, and forgetting their own lands. Now the God of Israel becomes their own God and the people of Israel become their own people. Those who execute these acts are to be reborn as a new Israelite and to be called 'a female Abraham.' And through them, the Abrahamic blessings will come true in their household and, furthermore, they may change the fate of Israel by building the (Davidic) dynasty. These comparisons clearly proclaim the fact that Rebekah and Ruth can co-exist in spite of their ethnic differences. And through this research, it is contended that in the post-exilic period, Israel did not always demand the ethnic-religious exclusivism, but open the door for the possibility of inclusivism toward those who have the Abrahamic faith.
KW - Abraham; blessing; exclusivism; female Abraham; inclusivism; Rebekah; Ruth
DO - 10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31
ER -

Jae Gu Kim. (2008). The Female Abrahams. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 14(4), 31-51.

Jae Gu Kim. 2008, "The Female Abrahams", Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, vol.14, no.4 pp.31-51. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31

Jae Gu Kim "The Female Abrahams" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 14.4 pp.31-51 (2008) : 31.

Jae Gu Kim. The Female Abrahams. 2008; 14(4), 31-51. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31

Jae Gu Kim. "The Female Abrahams" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 14, no.4 (2008) : 31-51.doi: 10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31

Jae Gu Kim. The Female Abrahams. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 14(4), 31-51. doi: 10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31

Jae Gu Kim. The Female Abrahams. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies. 2008; 14(4) 31-51. doi: 10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31

Jae Gu Kim. The Female Abrahams. 2008; 14(4), 31-51. Available from: doi:10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31

Jae Gu Kim. "The Female Abrahams" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 14, no.4 (2008) : 31-51.doi: 10.24333/jkots.2008.14.4.31