Rebekah as shepherdess? Gen Ch 19

[atassina]

Rebekah is a shepherdess in Genesis 19? I didn’t realize women could shepherd sheep in the old covenant. I thought this was a man’s job because it was dangerous work that required physical strength. In short, I was surprised.

 

[Stillsosola]

I’m sure both genders had to at some point especially if the woman had no brothers and her father was sickly or had such numerous flocks as they needed more than one shepard.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I’m sure both genders had to at some point especially if the woman had no brothers and her father was sickly or had such numerous flocks as they needed more than one shepard.

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

Exodus 2:16 seems to be such a case.

 

[atassina]

Joe,
That’s not what I’m thinking of. Those women drew water at the well, a woman’s job. How do we adjust for the physical dangers of being a shepherdess? A woman alone in a remote area with wild animals and other dangers.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Joe,
That’s not what I’m thinking of. Those women drew water at the well, a woman’s job. How do we adjust for the physical dangers of being a shepherdess? A woman alone in a remote area with wild animals and other dangers.

I presume that watering the flocks was a task of those who were shepherding them.

 

[atassina]

Oh, I understand what you mean. I was thinking more along the lines that shepherds brought the flocks out to wild areas. Perhaps there is information hidden between the lines that the original readers/hearers of the text already understood.