Scripture provides insights into, and examples of, the way in which girls have a place in the purposes of God. Although the OT tends to portray girls mainly as potential wives or sexual partners, Jesus Christ's raising of Jairus' daughter can be seen as a symbol of the positive value placed on them.
The portrayal of girls in the OT
As potential wives
Judges 21:21–25 See also Genesis 24:12–51; Judges 11:29–40; 1 Samuel 18:17–27
and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’” The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them. And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
As sexual partners
Judges 19:24 This way of treating girls as mere sexual objects illustrates the moral corruption of the men of Gibeah. Though not condemned in this passage, such behaviour was totally contrary to OT law. See also Genesis 19:1–8, Genesis 34:1–4
Look, let me bring out my virgin daughter and the man’s concubine, and you can use them and do with them as you wish. But do not do such a vile thing to this man.”
Chaste girls were to be protected but promiscuous girls were to be punished
Girls undertaking various kinds of work
As slaves or servants
Exodus 21:7–9 See also Ruth 2:8–9; 1 Kings 1:1–4; Acts 12:13–14
And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do. If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her. And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter.
Drawing water and tending animals
Exodus 2:16 See also Genesis 24:15–20; 1 Samuel 9:11
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.
Repairing the walls of Jerusalem
And next to them, Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of the other half-district of Jerusalem, made repairs, with the help of his daughters.
In domestic service
And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
The place of girls in serving the purposes of God
Girls receive ministry from Jesus Christ and the apostles
Mark 5:35–43 parallels Matthew 9:23–25, Luke 8:49–56 See also Matthew 15:21–28 parallel Mark 7:24–30; Acts 16:16–18
Girls receive and use spiritual gifts
Acts 2:16–17 See also Joel 2:28; Acts 21:8–9
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Examples of girls serving the purposes of God
2 Kings 5:2–6 The example of this servant girl, instrumental in Naaman's healing, shows that girls have a value and a status before God not generally acknowledged in OT culture; Esther 2:1–18 Having become queen under the providence of God, Esther, chosen while a young virgin, is later able to use her influence to save the Jews from fierce persecution; Luke 1:26–33 Mary should be regarded as a girl, as she is a virgin betrothed and not a woman married.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.