Shelomith bat Dibri () is the only woman named in the

Book of Leviticus The Book of Leviticus (, from , ; , , 'And He called'; ) is the third book of the Torah (the Pentateuch) and of the Old Testament, also known as the Third Book of Moses. Many hypotheses presented by scholars as to its origins agree that it de ...

. Her story is found in Leviticus 24:10-23. The focus of the passage is on Shelomith's son who committed

blasphemy Blasphemy refers to an insult that shows contempt, disrespect or lack of Reverence (emotion), reverence concerning a deity, an object considered sacred, or something considered Sanctity of life, inviolable. Some religions, especially Abrahamic o ...

and was stoned to death.

Shelomith in biblical narrative

Leviticus 24:10–23 tells the story of a half-Israelite man whose name is not noted in the text. He was the son of an

Israelite Israelites were a Hebrew language, Hebrew-speaking ethnoreligious group, consisting of tribes that lived in Canaan during the Iron Age. Modern scholarship describes the Israelites as emerging from indigenous Canaanites, Canaanite populations ...

mother, Shelomith, a daughter of Dibri of the

tribe of Dan The Tribe of Dan (, "Judge") was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, according to the Torah. According to the Hebrew Bible, the tribe initially settled in the hill lands bordering Tribe of Ephraim, Ephraim and Tribe of Benjamin, Benjamin on the ...

. His father, an Egyptian, goes unnamed, as well. Shelomith's son, in a quarrel with another Israelite, blasphemed against God, using the

Divine Name There are various names of God, many of which enumerate the various qualities of a Supreme Being. The English word ''god'' (and its equivalent in other languages) is used by multiple religions as a noun to refer to different deities, or speci ...

. As a result, the Israelites brought him to

Moses In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...

, and he was held in custody until a decision could be made (verse 12) about his punishment. Leviticus states that the Lord instructed Moses that he should be stoned. Therefore, Shelomith's son was stoned to death by the Israelites.

Rabbinic tradition

The rabbis in

Vayikra Rabba Leviticus Rabbah, Vayikrah Rabbah, or Wayiqra Rabbah is a homiletic midrash to the Biblical book of Leviticus (''Vayikrah'' in Hebrew). It is referred to by Nathan ben Jehiel (c. 1035–1106) in his ''Arukh'' as well as by Rashi (1040–1105 ...

learn from her name that she would speak to everyone. "She would say ''doveret'' "Shalom to you, shalom to you."

Midrash Tanchuma Midrash Tanhuma (), also known as Yelammedenu, is the name given to a homiletic midrash on the entire Torah, and it is known in several different versions or collections. Tanhuma bar Abba is not the author of the text but instead is a figure to wh ...

relates that Shelomit was raped by the Egyptian taskmaster who was in charge of her husband. One night, the Egyptian instructed Shelomit's husband to round up his team of men. While he was out of the house, the Egyptian entered his home, impersonated her husband and raped Shelomit. Afterwards, her husband realized what had happened, and the taskmaster beat him severely. Moses saw the beating and said, "Was it not enough that this wicked raped his wife, he should not return and beat him?" Immediately, "And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand," (Exodus 2:12).

Popular culture

Wilda Gafney Wilda C. Gafney, also known as Wil Gafney, (born 1966) is an American biblical scholar and Episcopal priest who is the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Te ...

's book ''Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne'' Shelomith is one featured woman. Gafney presents Shelomith’s story from a womanist point of view. Gafney describes Shelomith's identity as a woman from the tribe of Dan, the only woman named in the book of Leviticus, a mother, and a possible victim. Gafney writes, "Shelomith is the mother of a child who was accused - rightly or wrongly - of a crime, imprisonment, and executed." This interpretation leads Gafney to connect Shelomith with

women of color The term "person of color" (: people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is associated with, the United States. From th ...

in the United States, especially mothers of children of color who have found themselves in the criminal justice system.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shelomith of Dibri Book of Leviticus Women in the Hebrew Bible