Description

Ninth century BCE. In the middle of a severe drought, a young Phoenician widow named Arishat is on the brink of starvation. When she prays to her goddess, Asherah, for help, Elijah, a prophet of Israel arrives at her door with bread, oil, and an allegiance to the god Yahweh. Willing to accept Elijah's help, but not his god or his vow of celibacy, Arishat follows him to Israel determined not only to win his love but also to convince him of his need for a goddess. However, as she becomes embroiled in Elijah's mission against the corrupt King Ahab, she soon discovers a cause of her own among Israelite women trying to keep goddess traditions alive against the opposition of their men. Arishat will soon have to choose between her love for a man who rejects the goddess, and her loyalty to her own beloved Asherah. Brimming over with vibrant period detail and peopled with characters who bring these ancient times to life, The Prophet's Woman is a wonderful story and a fresh, well-needed addition to the genre of biblical historical fiction.