A fictionalized retelling of the Maccabean uprising against Syrian rule.

Seeking peace and safety after a hard childhood, Leah marries Judah, a strong and gentle man, and for the first time in her life Leah believes she can rest easily. But the land is ruled by Antiochus IV, descended from one of Alexander the Great's generals, and when he issues a decree that all Jews are to conform to Syrian laws upon pain of death, devout Jews risk everything to follow the law of Moses. Judah's father resists the decree, igniting a war that will cost him his life. But before dying, he commands his son to pick up his sword and continue the fight--or bear responsibility for the obliteration of the land of Judah. Leah, who wants nothing but peace, struggles with her husband's decision--what kind of God would destroy the peace she has sought for so long? The miraculous story of the courageous Maccabees is told through the eyes of Judah's wife, who learns that love requires courage . . . and sacrifice.

A fictionalized retelling of the Maccabean uprising against Syrian rule.

This exploration of Genesis 38 in three interpretive writings shows how new meanings emerge through encounters between the biblical text and later Jewish communities. A literary reading within the canon suggests that the story of Judah and Tamar points to the morally ambiguous origins of David's lineage. Ancient Jewish exegesis, however, challenges this understanding. The Testament of Judah interprets Genesis 38 as the story of a warrior king's tragic downfall. Targum Neofiti develops it to illustrate the concept "sanctification of the (divine) Name". and Genesis Rabbah portrays it as a series of providential events issuing in the royal and messianic lineage. Esther Marie Menn pioneers a fresh approach to the study of biblical interpretation by analyzing the relation between interpretative genre, altered plot structure, and cultural values.

'Tamar, Tamarites, and Judah-like Tamar', unveils one of the greatest mysteries surrounding the subject of greatness, inheritance and, or succession, even when the inheritor or heir is not fully aware of the force of destiny at work in his life and experiences. Tamar, though a daughter-in-law, became appreciably more prominent than the sons of Judah that she married when the genealogy of Judah and mankinds Messiah from Abraham through to David and beyond was traced. She broke the tradition that denied her the right of strong-say in the matters of inheritance in the family she married into and become a reference point. This is a great lesson for mankind. There is the story of a man allotted his only house (a one story building) to his eldest sons wife because he claimed she was the only person closest to him who made it a duty to bring his meals to his home for the remaining years of his life that he lived as a widower. He said he had shared the legacy of education up to the university level to all his biological children and owed them nothing else. He placed a curse on whoever would not allow the favoured daughter-in-law to enjoy the inheritance he gave her. Meanwhile, the daughter-in-law merely took to heart the counsel or teaching of her parents to care for her parents-in-law like she would do for her own parents if she desired to enjoy her marriage. They had taught her that as long as she went out of her way to care for her parents-in-law, they would protect her marriage from unbearable bad treatment by her husband and other family members. She gained more than she anticipated from heeding this parental counsel.

Many things have competed for the attention of the Beloved of the Lord. Religion is ever waving its tentacles, trying to detain her. The Spirit of this age assaults her defenses with ever increasing ferocity. At times, it has seemed like her attention has been completely captured by inferior suitors. Now, God's patience is exhausted. And many can hear His Roar reverberating in the heavenlies. And it is not the sound of an approaching storm front... although it may be accompanied by one, both in the natural and spiritual realm! It's a demand, a shout of ownership that cannot be silenced. It is not a request, nor a gentle suggestion. It is the righteous demand of the Conqueror; the Lion of Judah Bridegroom King; Who comes to claim the one who is rightfully His. He doesn't beat around the bush or employ diplomatic negotiating strategies! The Bridegroom WILL have what He purchased with the Bridal Price of His precious Blood! And so, with a bone-rattling, earth-shattering roar, He bellows: "GIVE ME BACK MY WIFE!"