Book Review: The Woman’s Study Bible, Thomas Nelson, 2016

I am really excited to review The Woman’s Study Bible because it is a nice study bible written specifically for women. 

It opens with the customary pages for writing marriage details and a brief family history.  The marriage page introduces the Ketubah which is the Jewish marriage contract and there is very interesting historical information given there. 

Quotations from women famous and little-known (at least to me) are scattered throughout the book and are though provoking and inspiring.  Of course each book is introduced with details of the Title, Date of writing and Background as well as Themes and a general Outline of the book. 

The two elements of The Woman’s Study Bible that I found most interesting and helpful were the articles aimed directly at issues relevant to Christian women and the character profiles.  Articles cover topics such as marriage, prayer, goal setting and feelings of unworthiness.  Certainly these are good subjects for both men and women but they seem to speak directly to a woman’s heart.  The character profiles pull out women that I read right over in the scriptures.  In 2 Chronicles, Jehoshabeath the wife of Jehoiada who “risked her own life to save the life of an innocent child marked for murder.”  In Romans the character of Junia is brought outwho was a friend of Paul’s and a woman who “exemplifi[ed] the already established fact that Christ commissioned both women and men to proclaim the gospel.”

There is also a great index among the appendices which points the reader to the special features of this bible.

The copy I received is bound in bright, floral fabric over board.  It is beautiful but I am a little concerned with on-going use this binding will show ugly dirt. 

Everytime I review a study bible I’m tempted to keep it for my own and The Woman’s Study Bible”  is no different.  I try not to stock pile these bibles but share them with folks who are in greater need.  But I must confess I’m particularly tempted with this one.

Thomas Nelson, publisher of The Woman’s Study Bible, supplied a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and impartial review.