A very interesting read! I knew about a few of these women, but I enjoyed seeing them from another angle and I very much enjoyed reading about the women who were new to me. The writing style was clear and conversational, easy to follow and understand. I enjoyed the historical information as well.

A very interesting read.

An empowering read, and a different way of looking at tales often told. In these dark days, this is a beacon

A fascinating look at some of the female characters in the Bible, some which are often overlooked. It was refreshing to re-read the accounts and encouraged by the author's reflections and challenges.

What a fantastic book! I think you’ll love Women in a Patriarchal World, which grew out of Elaine Storkey’s articles here in Woman Alive. She highlights twenty-five accounts of women in the Bible who use their courage, strength and faith to serve God in the male-dominated cultures where they lived. Elaine doesn’t have an agenda to topple the men in the stories, but rather to uncover, gently, the voices and character of women that we’ve missed or misunderstood. Her knowledge of the Bible is vast, but she writes as a friend and the book is clear and easy to read (but of course her fine scholarship underpins her insights). It’s such a joy to recommend a book so wholeheartedly.
Take the familiar story of the Samaritan woman at the well, whom Jesus asks for a drink. Elaine gives much interesting background to the woman and helps us reframe how we see her. In sermons this woman is often cast as someone who is promiscuous, jumping from husband to husband. But Elaine points out that men had the power to divorce their wives, and not the other way round. This woman likely has been widowed and abandoned over the years. And Jesus sees the real person: “To him, she was not immoral, an outsider or of no consequence. She was intelligent, trusting and a faithful seeker after God’s truth.” Jesus reveals himself to her as the Messiah; she was one of the first to receive the gift of this revelation.
I hope you’ll be inspired to pick up this book. I’ve heavily underlined my electronic copy and I would like a printed version too. It’d be a great resource for small groups; you could read one Old Testament and one New Testament character together each week. Buy this book!

This book is a series of devotional readings. Focusing on women in the Bible, It is centred on a bible reading and includes; an inspirational summary and questions. It would be a great devotional aid, either for; personal daily worship or for group study.