Biblical Seductions

Biblical Seductions retells six compelling stories in which women of the Bible become heroines as a direct result of their audacious acts—stories that are often skipped or censored because of their disturbing and provocative subject matter.

First- and fiftieth-time readers alike will be mesmerized by this interweaving of Bible and legend which entertains, reflects and reproves. Through Rapoport’s deft storytelling, readers revisit the story of Lot’s daughters, who seduce their father in a mountain cave and bear his sons. The tale of Dinah, who is abducted and raped by Shechem, the local prince. The drama of Tamar, who disguises herself and seduces her father-in-law. The story of King David’s lust for Batsheva, wife of his prized officer, and of the king’s plot to murder her husband so he can wed her. The tragic account of Princess Tamar, Daughter of King David, who is lured, trapped and raped by her half-brother, Amnon, sparking vengeful fratricide and a civil war. Finally, readers encounter the Moabite widow, Ruth, who seduces Boaz, a tribal leader, and becomes great-grandmother of King David.

Rapoport examines what befalls these women. What made one woman so desperate, another so curious? Why does one commit incest, another risk abduction, and still another seduce a tribal chief? And to what avail? Are they vindicated or are they ruined? And what becomes of the men in their lives?

Biblical Seductions unflinchingly presents these six fraught sagas in a new way, filling in the textual silences with fidelity, imagination and rich detail. In Rapoport’s skilled hands these transformative stories become accessible and relevant, and the women in them unforgettable.

Rapoport is dedicated to understanding the lives and deeds of the women of Hebrew Scripture. . . With the imagination of the novelist but the method of a teacher, Rapoport treats these women as real persons and wonders what motivated them and those around them, always finding a lesson for contemporary readers.------Library Journal, May 1, 2011

Rapoport builds on midrash and classical commentaries to tell these biblical stories in full color, studying in detail the characters’ motivations and feelings at each step. And where the classics still leave unanswered questions, Rapoport fills in the holes through modern literary analysis and creative storytelling. The result is a sensitive, penetrating analysis of biblical stories often overlooked. Rapoport's book is refreshing. Her writing is compelling and her questions are always important points around which to analyze the text. The book is simply indispensable for anyone studying these biblical stories.