Guide
Writings
By Carol Bakhos
Related Primary Sources
Primary Source
Job’s Suffering
b. Sotah 11a
[Pharaoh said:] Come, let us deal wisely with him [the Israelites—Ed.], [lest he multiply, and it come to pass that when there befalls us any war, he will also join our enemies and fight against us…
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Job’s Daughters
Testament of Job 46–50
His [Job’s] property was brought forth and divided among his seven sons, but he did not give anything to his three daughters. Very…
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Mordecai and Esther Wall Painting, Dura-Europos
This wall painting from the Dura-Europos synagogue in Syria depicts Mordecai on a horse, being led by Haman. Ahasuerus and Esther are seated on the right. Ahasuerus and his courtiers are dressed and…
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Esther
Esther Rabbah 6:5, 9
5. He fostered Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, and the girl was fair and beautiful; and with the death of her father and her…
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Orpah as Mother of Goliath
Biblical Antiquities 61.6
And David went out to Goliath and said to him, “Hear this word before you die. Were not the two women, from whom you and I were born, sisters? And your mother was Orpah, and my mother Ruth. And Orpah…
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Orpah as Mother of Giants
b. Sotah 42b
And they fell into the hands of David and his servants (2 Samuel 21:22). [Why? It is because of the acts of their forebears,] as it is written: And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and Ruth cleaved to…