Men, Masculinities and Intermarriage in Ezra 9–10 Offering a reading of the intermarriage debate and expulsion of the foreign women in Ezra 9–10, this book engages with the production and performance of masculinities in this biblical text, shifting the focus away from the ‘foreign women’ to the men who are the primary actors in this work. This approach addresses the diversity of masculinities and the ways in which they are implicated in the production of power relations in the text. It explores the ‘feminized’ masculinity of the peoples-of-the-lands, the unstable masculinity of the golah, Ezra’s performance of penitential masculinity and the rehabilitation of divine masculinity. The rejection of the marriages and the call for the expulsion of the women and children are addressed as sites on which masculinities and power relations are configured. In doing so, this book sheds light on how women and the traits and performances culturally ascribed to women, femininity and inferior masculinities are appropriated to produce masculinities and negotiate power relations between men. It posits that the debate in Ezra 9–10 is not, ultimately, about the women themselves, but about bringing the masculinities, bodies and practices of dissenting men under the ‘management’ of those who wield the Torah in the narrative world of the text. Men, Masculinities and Intermarriage in Ezra-9–10 is of interest for scholars and students working on the book of Ezra specifically, as well as the Hebrew Bible and its world more broadly. It is also a valuable study for those working on masculinities and gender in the biblical world and ancient Near East. Elisabeth M. Cook is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Biblical Interpretation at the Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana in San José, Costa Rica where she has held the position of Rector since 2017. Routledge Studies in the Biblical World Routledge Studies in the Biblical World publishes edited collections and monographs which explore the Hebrew Bible in its ancient context. The series encompasses all aspects of the world of the Hebrew bible, including its archaeological, historical, and theological context, as well as exploring cultural issues such as urbanism, literary culture, class, economics, and sexuality and gender. Aimed at biblical scholars and historians alike, Studies in the Biblical World is an invaluable resource for anyone researching the ancient Levant. Masculinities in the Court Tales of Daniel Advancing Gender Studies in the Hebrew Bible Brian Charles DiPalma Religion, Ethnicity, and Xenophobia in the Bible A Theoretical, Exegetical and Theological Survey Brian Rainey Job’s Body and the Dramatised Comedy of Moralising Katherine E. Southwood Male Friendship, Homosociality, and Women in the Hebrew Bible Malignant Fraternities Barbara Thiede Embodiment of Divine Knowledge in Early Judaism Andrei A. Orlov Cultures of Mobility, Migration, and Religion in Ancient Israel and Its World Eric M. Trinka Men, Masculinities and Intermarriage in Ezra 9–10 Elisabeth M. Cook For more information about this series please visit: https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Studies-inthe-Biblical-World/book-series/BIBWORLD Men, Masculinities and Intermarriage in Ezra 9–10 Elisabeth M. Cook First published 2024 by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2024 Elisabeth M. Cook The right of Elisabeth M. Cook to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-1-032-34217-7 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-34218-4 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-003-32106-4 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/b23091 Typeset in Times New Roman by Apex CoVantage, LLC In loving memory of my mother, Beverly Jean Steike (1932–2022) Contents Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Preface 1 Introduction: the problem with the foreign women in Ezra 9–10 Introduction 1 The problem with the problem of the foreign women 3 The ‘real’ women of Yehud 6 Embracing ambiguity 9 Outline of the book 11 References 18 ix x xii 1 2 What masculinities do to help Introduction 23 Gender matters 24 Men and masculinities in the Hebrew Bible 26 Gendering otherness 28 References 33 23 3 Gendering otherness in Ezra 9–10 Introduction 38 The men of the golah 38 The enemy is a ‘she’ 40 Daughters of the Canaanites 42 People of menstrual impurity 44 Golah masculinity and its discontents 46 References 52 38 viii Contents 4 Mourning and masculinity Introduction 56 Ezra the man 56 Ezra the mourner 59 The power of mourning 63 Problematizing priestly performance 67 References 75 56 5 The masculinization of Yhwh Introduction 79 The silent god of Ezra 9–10 79 The problem of the exile for the masculinity of Yhwh 82 The supreme monarch 85 The benevolent provider 88 The imperial lawgiver 92 References 101 79 6 Intermarriage, foreign women and masculinities Introduction 105 Intermarriage and masculinities 105 Managing men 110 Foreign women and golah masculinities 116 References 125 105 7 Conclusion: masculinities matter Introduction 128 On men and masculinities in Ezra 9–10 129 Managing men 131 Beyond the text 132 References 135 128 Index 137