God organized Israel by fathers, not mothers. He doesn't bow to the world's expectations or standards. He didn't ask our opinion on the matter and doesn't care.

On the other hand, in #numbers 1, Israel's leaders are listed in order of Jacob's wives, free wives first, then the concubines. Many years later, God would appoint a woman as judge over Israel when no man was available. God's order is patriarchal, but that doesn't mean women don't matter. It's not necessarily a sin for women to be in positions of authority. Sometimes God anoints women for leadership. Sometimes they assume leadership out of necessity. Women in leadership is a symptom of underlying cultural problems, but not necessarily the problem itself. It's just not normative. It's not an ideal to which anyone should aspire.

#patriarchy #feminism