Includes bibliographical references.

"This ground-breaking commentary gathers the work of many outstanding women scholars, who introduce each book of the Bible with an extended discussion of general critical issues of the book and a narrative summary of its content. They follow with a commentary on those sections of the book that have particular relevance to women and enable readers to understand the significance of the presence or absence of women. Specifically, they focus on portions of scripture that deal with female characters, symbols, life situations such as marriage and family, the legal status of women, and religious principles that affect relationships of women and men. Topical articles on biblical women's lives, noncanonical literature, and feminist interpretation are also included."--Jacket.