Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther: Volume 24

by Irene Nowell OSB

Overview

Irene Nowell's lively and thoughtful exploration of these poetic and powerful books promises to ignite appreciation and understanding in the hearts and minds of readers.

The five books abound with vivid stories of faith. The Song of Songs, dedicated to Solomon, celebrates the wonder of human love. The book of Ruth, a masterpiece of storytelling, tells of two valiant women who move from emptiness to fullness, desolation to redemption. Lamentations, telling of the destruction of Jerusalem, recognizes that the Lord has struck and that only the Lord can heal. Ecclesiastes teaches the futility of vanity and storing up riches. The book of Esther tells the story of a Jewish woman and her uncle who, by their courage and wit, deliver the Jews from threatened genocide.

Gathered together and artfully explored, this volume offers readers a wealth of information to inspire deeper understanding of the human journey and God's presence in the lives of those who trust in him.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814647943
Publisher:	Liturgical Press, The
Publication date:	12/01/2016
Series:	NEW COLLEGEVILLE BIBLE COMMENTARY: OLD TESTAMENT , #24
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Irene Nowell, OSB, is a Benedictine of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas, where she has lived for almost sixty years. An accomplished theologian and biblical scholar, Nowell is a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association and the author of Numbers (of the New Collegeville Bible Commentary); Sing a New Song: The Psalms in the Sunday Lectionary; Women in the Old Testament; and Pleading, Cursing, Praising; all published by Liturgical Press. She is also a member of the editorial board of Give Us This Day (Liturgical Press).

Editorial Reviews

“These particular biblical books are important because they deal with such perennial issues as love, marriage, immigration, tyranny, persecution, war and defeat, as well as our varied religious attitudes toward them, ranging from skepticism and doubt to faith and trust. Important as they are, though, they are not easy to read. Nowell brings an eye for narrative and poetic detail to deal with difficulties in these texts, to explain unfamiliar customs, and to open up the meaning of these books. With her ability to clarify issues by examples that are close to home, readers will have a new appreciation for these texts.”
            Fr. Tom McCreesh, OP
            Professor of Old Testament Studies
            Providence College

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