Irene Nowell, OSB, is a Benedictine of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas, where she has lived for almost sixty years. An accomplished theologian and biblical scholar, Nowell is a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association and the author of Numbers (of the New Collegeville Bible Commentary); Sing a New Song: The Psalms in the Sunday Lectionary; Women in the Old Testament; and Pleading, Cursing, Praising; all published by Liturgical Press. She is also a member of the editorial board of Give Us This Day (Liturgical Press).

• CONTENTSAbbreviations    5Introduction    7THE SONG OF SONGSIntroduction    9Text and Commentary    11A Declaration of Love (Song of Songs 1:1-6)    11A Conversation between the Lovers (Song of Songs 1:7–2:7)    12Her Lover’s Visit Remembered (Song of Songs 2:8-17)    14Loss and Discovery (Song of Songs 3:1-5)    17Solomon’s Wedding Procession (Song of Songs 3:6-11)    18The Beauty of the Woman (Song of Songs 4:1-11)    19The Lover’s Garden (Song of Songs 4:12–5:1)    20A Fruitless Search (Song of Songs 5:2-8)    21The Lover Lost and Found (Song of Songs 5:9–6:3)    22The Beauty of the Woman (Song of Songs 6:4-10)    24Love’s Meeting (Song of Songs 6:11-12)    25The Beauty of the Beloved (Song of Songs 7:1-6)    25Love’s Desires (Song of Songs 7:7–8:4)    26Reprise (Song of Songs 8:5-14)    28THE BOOK OF RUTHIntroduction    31Text and Commentary    33Naomi in Moab (Ruth 1:1-18)    33The Return to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:19-22)    35The Meeting (Ruth 2:1-23)    36Ruth Again Presents Herself (Ruth 3:1-18)    41Boaz Marries Ruth (Ruth 4:1-22)    43THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONSIntroduction    48Text and Commentary   50The Desolation of Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:1-22)    50The Lord’s Wrath and Zion’s Ruin (Lamentations 2:1-22)    54The Voice of a Suffering Individual (Lamentations 3:1-66)    58Miseries of the Besieged City (Lamentations 4:1-22)    62The Community’s Lament to the Lord (Lamentations 5:1-22)    68THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTESIntroduction    71Text and Commentary    74Setting the Theme (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11)    74Qoheleth’s Investigation of Life (Ecclesiastes 1:12–6:9)    76Qoheleth’s Conclusions (Ecclesiastes 6:10–11:6)    88Poem on Youth and Old Age (Ecclesiastes 11:7–12:8)    100Epilogue (Ecclesiastes 12:9-14)    101THE BOOK OF ESTHERIntroduction    103Text and Commentary    105Prologue (Esther A:1-17)    105Esther Becomes Queen (Esther 1:1–2:23)    107Haman’s Plot against the Jews (Esther 3:1-15; B:1-7)    113Esther and Mordecai Plead for Help (Esther 4:1–5a; C:1–D:16)    117Haman’s Downfall (Esther 5:b–8:2)    123Jewish Victory and the Feast of Purim (Esther 8:3–9:23; E:1-24)    128Epilogue: The Rise of Mordecai (Esther 9:24–10:3; F:1-11)    136Review Aids and Discussion Topics    139Index of Citations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church    142Maps     143

“Sr. Irene Nowell is an engaging, perceptive, articulate and astute teacher and reader of biblical texts. Her commentaries on the Megilloth display the literary artistry of the text, as well as the theological and spiritual riches to be found in them. One of Nowell’s finest gifts is her ability to take complex and intricate ideas and express them in ways that are both engaging and enlightening. These commentaries provide gems of information and insight to enhance one’s appreciation of these rich biblical texts.”            Abbot Gregory Polan, O.S.B., Conception Abbey/Conception Seminary College