Manoah’s Wife

I am from the tribe of Dan. For as long as I can remember, we have been under the rule of the Philistines. My mother taught me that the reason for our submission to the Philistines was because of the misbehavior of our ancestors. For being the Children of God, Israel has a history of […]

Woman with the Lost Coin

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell […]

Miriam

It was very strange watching my mother put my brother into the river. I was six years old then, and curious. My mom and dad never talked about it, but I knew that Hebrew babies were in trouble. We stopped celebrating when a baby was born. I wasn’t allowed to talk about my new brother […]

#ChurchToo

Trigger warning: This article addresses various forms of sexual abuse, including rape. The #MeToo movement has inspired lay and clergy members to begin to break the silence surrounding sexual harassment and abuse in and surrounding the church. It is very rare to hear a pastor or priest speak about sexual abuse – in the twelve […]

Cozbi: The Midianite Affair, Part 2

As the eldest child of tribal chief Zur, I took my responsibilities seriously. I would help my father when he had to judge cases. I helped to maintain peace in our tribe. I knew how to care for livestock. And when I would pray to Asherah for fertile soil she would always answer my prayers. […]