Review by RachelEmmanuel -- The Legacy of Job's Wife

[RachelEmmanuel]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Legacy of Job's Wife" by Cynthia Koelker.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Now and then you come across a book that refuses to stop speaking to you after the last page is turned. You think about the characters long after the book is finished, your imagination extending their story long after the author has ended it. They become part of your life experience because of what you have learned from them. The Legacy of Job's Wife by Cynthia J. Koelker is one of those books.

As a Christian, I have read the book of Job many times. In all those times I have never given Job's wife more than a fleeting thought. She seemed to be a bitter, hard woman with a sharp tongue and little love in her heart. Her words, "curse God and die," have been preached from many a pulpit as the ultimate indignity a woman could direct toward her already broken husband. In my mind, such a woman was not worth my time or interest. Then I read The Legacy of Job's Wife.

In Koelker's portrayal of Job's wife, we meet a beautiful and well-loved young girl growing up in ancient times. The sights, sounds, smells, and tastes in the land of Uz are described in vivid and colorful detail as her story unfolds. We follow her life as she grows into a woman and falls in her love with her best friend, Job. We smile at her joy as she bears his children, each one being so special to her. And with each joyful chapter you read, your heart constricts just a little more because you know what lies ahead.

When the fictional story finally intersects with the actual Biblical account, you read with horror as everything Job's wife has is stripped away from her in the span of a few hours. Their business is destroyed. Her beloved husband is covered with puss oozing sores while she lies beside him. She loses all her precious children in one horrific accident. And for the first time, it occurs to you - whatever Job was going through, his wife was going through too.

Koelker does a masterful job at humanizing a person that most accounts portray as detestable. You begin to see Job's wife as human, broken, and hurt beyond belief. In her agony, she says those infamous words that have made her the object of scorn in so many Biblical commentaries. As I read through the last chapters of the book, a brand new thought occurred to me. God asked Job to make atonement for his friends because of their words. Yet there is no record of God asking Job to make atonement for his wife's words. God is not offended by our anguished words, nor is He offended by our anger and our hurt. He is a God who understands, forgives, and restores. He did it for Job and He did it for Job's wife.

The Legacy of Job's Wife is very well edited and the narration flows effortlessly. I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. The book made me smile and it made me weep, it spoke to my heart and strengthened my faith. I wouldn't change anything in it. It is, however, geared towards those of the Christian and Jewish faith; readers of other faiths or those who are unfamiliar with the Biblical account of Job may find the book confusing. To any believer that has known heartache or suffering in their own lives, I would say, read the book. May it bring you the comfort and hope that it brought me.

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The Legacy of Job's Wife
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