Take a new journey through the Bible you thought you knew.
They may not be quite as you remember them, but each story in this ingenious collection—some whimsical, some serious—finds its roots in a close reading of the Bible and interpretations of it that originated centuries ago.
Take a look through God’s telescope and see how it all really happened: What was it like to be in Joseph’s sandals as his brothers sold him into Egyptian slavery? How did Esther use her pretty face as a tool to save the Hebrew people? And what in the name of … well, you know who … happened to the unicorns included on the ark’s original passenger manifest?
Your guide will be a sassy angel named Gabriella. The territory you cover will be familiar. But the questions and insights that these clever, profound stories will prompt you to grapple with—may surprise you.
Biblical characters explored include:
Adam • Eve • Cain • Abel • Noah • Sarah • Abraham • Isaac Jacob • Esau • Joseph • Moses • Jonah • Mordechai • Haman • Esther Ahasuerus • Naomi • Ruth •Samson • Delilah • David
Praise for Matt Biers-Ariel’s Work
"Matt Biers-Ariel’s The Triumph of Eve and Other Subversive Bible Tales resonates with theological mischief, moral depth, and literary joie de vivre. Each retelling opens a new dimension of religious teaching. In the ancient Jewish tradition of midrash, (it) reminds us that the Bible opens her arms to us all again and again and again."
—Lawrence Kushner, author of Filling Words with Light: Hasidic and Mystical Reflections on Jewish Prayer and Invisible Lines of Connection: Sacred Stories of the Ordinary
"These fresh and delightful stories encourage us to reconsider our assumptions about the nature of God and, in so doing, to look again at ourselves. Biers-Ariel’s language is both quirky and brimming with imagery. A fun read!"
—Mary Cronk Farrell, co-author of Daughters of the Desert: Stories of Remarkable Women from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Traditions
"Matt Biers-Ariel invites us to explore life’s big questions through his innovative and entertaining retelling of biblical stories. He will make you laugh and make you think!"
—Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, author of Adam & Eve’s First Sunset: God’s New Day
“Matt Biers-Ariel is of a new generation of storytellers. Desiring to make the personalities and lessons of the Bible more accessible, Biers-Ariel’s renderings of the conversations between God and God’s partners are humorous, irreverent, unpredictable, maddening, and enlightening—all at once. He bends our minds this way and that into places the Bible never took us before. Some will be offended. Others will see new beauty and understanding. None will be unaffected. Welcome to the world of a great new storyteller, and Biblical stories the likes of which you have never encountered.”
—Larry S. Moses, president, the Wexner Foundation
Matt Biers-Ariel, a popular teacher and storyteller, is author of The Seven Species and Solomon and the Trees as well as co-author of Spirit in Nature. He has taught biblical and rabbinic texts for over fifteen years and lives in California with his wife and two sons.
