2021 Catholic Media Association Award third place award in academic studies Qoheleth, also called Ecclesiastes, has been bad news for women throughout history. In this commentary Lisa Wolfe offers intriguing new possibilities for feminist interpretation of the book's parts, including Qoheleth's most offensive passages, and as a whole. Throughout her interpretation, Wolfe explores multiple connections between this book and women of all times, from investigating how the verbs in the time poem in 3:1-8 may relate to biblical and contemporary women alike, to noting that if 11:1 indicates ancient beer making it thus reveals the women who made the beer itself. In the end, Wolfe argues that, by struggling with the perplexing text of Qoheleth, we may discover fruitful, against-the-grain reading strategies for our own time.

Synopsis: This lively commentary encompasses four major books focusing on women in the Hebrew Bible and Apocrypha. Each section in the volume addresses the biblical text in detail, and draws connections from the world of ancient audiences to that of present-day readers. Wolfe's research is motivated by the usual inquiries of biblical scholarship, as well as the questions raised by the many church Bible study groups she has taught. Clergy and laity, students and scholars will benefit from these contemporarily relevant reflections on Ruth, Esther, Song of Songs and Judith. Ruth: The foreign widow who sneaks onto the nighttime threshing floor to find survival for herself and her devastated mother-in-law. Esther: The Jewish orphan-turned-queen who turns Persian banqueting on its head in an effort to defend her people. Song of Songs: The proud and alluring lover who claims her sexuality as her own and joyfully shares it with her beloved. Judith: The pious and beautiful widow who lets the enemy commander's appetite become his downfall in order to save her besieged city. This volume is an opportunity to engage these women's suspense-filled stories, which have sustained faith communities since ancient times. Endorsements: "In her study of Ruth, the Moabite daughter-in-law, Esther, the Jewish queen, Ra'ayti, the young lover, and Judith, the warrior, Lisa Wolfe takes us on a journey through tales about rags-to-riches, the triumph of the underdog, romance, and a widow warrior that challenge traditional gender roles and will keep us reading for more." -Thomas B. Dozeman United Theological Seminary "This remarkably engaging commentary translates solid critical biblical scholarship into forthright, accessible, everyday language that persuasively 'undermines the oft-repeated falsehood that women in the Hebrew Bible had no voice, no power, and no place in society.'" -Kathleen A. Robertson Farmer United Theological Seminary "Well researched, accessibly written, with a deft touch of humor, this book will serve as a fine text for college students, study groups in the church, and as a stimulating guide for pastors preaching on these uppity women." -Tex Sample Saint Paul School of Theology "Lisa Wolfe's readings of Ruth, Esther, Song, and Judith are lively and judicious, a rare combination in the commentary literature. The work reflects extensive experience teaching the books and an impressive command of the scholarly literature. With an engaging feminist critical approach, Wolfe skillfully exploits ambiguities and ironies in the texts, and at just the right moments, introduces a refreshing sense of humor. Accessible and critically astute, this will be an excellent textbook for undergraduate and seminary courses, as well as a fine resource for laypersons." -Harold Washington Saint Paul School of Theology Author Biography: Lisa M. Wolfe is Associate Professor in the Endowed Chair of Hebrew Bible at Oklahoma City University, and an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ. Her DVD Bible study series "Uppity Women of the Bible" (Living the Questions, 2010) is a companion to this book.