READING תְּגָ֣רְשׁ֔וּן (təgārešûn) IN MICAH 2:9 THROUGH A FEMINIST LENS:

Deconstructing the Violence of Land-Grabber against Women in Indonesia

Abstract

This article examines Micah 2:9 through a feminist perspective lens by focusing on the Hebrew verb תְּגָרְשׁוּן (təgārešûn), commonly translated as “to drive out,” “to expel,” or “to evict.” While feminist biblical interpretation has extensively engaged the prophetic texts, such readings rarely concentrate on the theological and ideological weight of a single Hebrew term. This study addresses that gap by analyzing תְּגָרְשׁוּן as a linguistic marker of structural and gendered violence, particularly against women. The research aims to demonstrate that Micah 2:9 articulates a prophetic critique of forced eviction that resonates strongly with contemporary practices of land dispossession. Methodologically, This article uses an in-depth feminist analysis of Micah 2:9, without adhering to any particular feminist theory, so that the text itself can guide the interpretive framework. The thesis advanced is that təgārešûn functions as a ”grammar of violence” that exposes how legal, economic, and religious authority converge to expel women from their homes and social belonging. The findings suggest that Micah's condemnation of eviction is not merely social or economic but profoundly theological, challenging any system that claims absolute ownership over land and bodies. By placing Micah 2:9 in dialogue with the phenomenon of land mafia violence in Indonesia, this article argues that the prophetic text offers a critical theological resource for resisting patriarchal land regimes and affirming women's rights to land, home, and dignity