Founding mothers of the Abrahamic line, and the shelf where the three traditions diverge most plainly. Jewish tradition counts four matriarchs, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, and does not place Eve among them; early Christian writers read Eve and Mary as a pair; the Qur'an tells of Abraham's household without naming his wife. Which women belong here is itself part of what the traditions disagree about, so the readings are kept attributed rather than merged.
Facts
Overview
What Defines This GroupingThe founding mothers of the biblical narrative, honoured alongside the patriarchs as ancestresses of the covenant community. In Jewish usage the Matriarchs are four, and the title does not extend to every woman of Genesis. 2 Size of the Traditional SetFour: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah. 2Tradition: Judaism Learn More
The matriarchs
This group gathers the matriarchs, the founding mothers of the Abrahamic peoples, whose stories run alongside those of the patriarchs and who are honoured as ancestresses of the covenant community.
The browser will find figures such as Eve and Sarah of the biblical narrative. The entries describe each as scripture presents her, noting their place in the tradition's memory.
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Sources
1. Divinity Atlas Directory Taxonomy, First Edition Category Tree
2. Encyclopaedia Judaica, 2nd edition
Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik (eds.), Macmillan Reference USA, 2007on the matriarchs of the Genesis narrativesView the Source Divinity Atlas Directory Prose, First Edition Category Descriptions
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