WOMEN: COMPARISON BETWEEN ANCIENT HEBREW WOMEN AND EGYPTIAN_04

III. The Roles of women in civic
The role of ancient women in civil matters was depended upon their husband’s involvement in the community. It is crucial to understand women’s legal rights in order
to understand their roles in civic.
A. Egyptian women: Legal rights
When it comes to law, legal correspondences show that (in theory) women stood as equals to the men of the same class. Egyptian women could inherit, she could purchase and own property and slaves, and she could sell her property and slaves as she wished. There were several ways for an Egyptian woman to acquire possessions and real property. Most frequently, she received it as gifts or as an inheritance from her parents or husband, or else, she received it through purchases--with goods which she earned either through employment, or which she borrowed. However, in the event of divorce her property had to be returned to her, in addition to any divorce settlement that might be stipulated in the original marriage contract. Egyptian women had the right to bring lawsuits against anyone in open court and this inscription is the actual court record of a long and drawn- out private land dispute which occurred in the New Kingdom.
B. Hebrew Women
Women in the Old Testament were not the social or economic equals of men. A married woman would be largely subject to the wishes of her husband, and an unmarried one to the wishes of her father. For example a husband or father had to consent before a woman could take religious vows (Numbers 30:3-5). The most significant role of Hebrew women in family and outside of the family is obeying to the commandment of God and submissive to the husband. Therefore, their
role is to fulfill God’s original purpose for a woman that is to be a helper of the husband. One of their responsibilities is to nurture children at home. Hebrew women are mainly
educator for children and manager for their husband’s property. Wright said, “ The Hebrew wife therefore, as the proper mistress of the home, far from being a slave
in her own world, was something decidedly more like a queen it.”
III. The Roles of women in civic
The role of ancient women in civil matters was depended upon their husband’s involvement in the community. It is crucial to understand women’s legal rights in order
to understand their roles in civic. A. Egyptian women: Legal rights When it comes to law, legal correspondences show that (in theory) women stood as equals to the men of the same class. Egyptian women could inherit, she could purchase and own property and slaves, and she could sell her property and slaves as she wished.