Tell it on the Mountain: The Daughter of Jephthah in Judges 11

Tell It on the Mountain brings Jephthah's daughter from the periphery into the center of the story using two interpretive methods to examine Judges 11-12:7. Midrashic interpretation--the "filling in" of a story's narrative silences in order to emphasize certain community values, enrich spiritual, ethical, and moral perspectives--is allowed, even expected, in Jewish tradition. Interfacing midrashic interpretation and a feminist viewpoint, Tell It on the Mountain highlights the nature of patriarchal texts and the values behind the culture. Miller engages students in timeless questions about patriarchy and the presence and nature of God, in addition to the characteristics of biblical narrative. Students will gain an appreciation of both methodologies, close reading skills, and an opportunity to create midrash while critiquing their own values. Chapter are "Beginning the Dialogue," "Feminist Critique as a Conversation Partner," "A Midrashic Critique as a Conversation Partner," "The Dialogue Itself," and "Invitation to Creating Modern Feminist Midrash."