What kind of woman was considered a plague of Israel in ancient times?

Les explains that the ancient attitude labeled a talkative widow, or a virgin who wasted her time in prayer, as a plague of Israel. He says people would never dream of saying that today, but that was the attitude then. He insists Paul should not be accused of being anti-feminist, because Paul's doctrine opened the world of freedom to the woman; Christianity is what set womanhood free. Les also points to Middle Eastern culture: an unveiled woman is open to verbal abuse, snide remarks, and even attack, while a veiled woman retreats into a world of her own and is not to be touched. So the culture must be kept in view when reading what Paul writes to the Corinthian believers, so they would not misinterpret, and the same care applies in many areas today.