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Just a Sister Away: Understanding the Timeless Connection Between Women of Today and Women in the Bible
The "Essence" bestselling author of "Listening for God" reveals the timeless connection between today's women and their biblical sistersand how to live a better life because of it.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
Renita J. Weems
14 books37 followersRenowned Hebrew Bible scholar, academic administrator, ordained minister, and womanist wisdom griot. Her work in biblical studies is frequently cited in feminist theology and womanist theology.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 18, 2012
Wonderful quote on the back:
"We are frequently just a sister away from our healing. We need a woman, a sister, who will see in our destitution a jagged image of what one day could be her own story. We need a sister who will respond with mercy."
Read this long ago with a reading group.
"We are frequently just a sister away from our healing. We need a woman, a sister, who will see in our destitution a jagged image of what one day could be her own story. We need a sister who will respond with mercy."
Read this long ago with a reading group.
November 15, 2018
What a powerful book! I love the connections that Renita Weems draws between women of the Bible and women today, while giving special attention to the experiences of African-American women.
My favorite chapters were the ones on Hagar and Sarah, the daughter of Jepthah, and Elizabeth and Mary.
Truly, an inspiring collection of essays about women "sistering" each other in Scripture.
My favorite chapters were the ones on Hagar and Sarah, the daughter of Jepthah, and Elizabeth and Mary.
Truly, an inspiring collection of essays about women "sistering" each other in Scripture.
December 2, 2018
This book is so good, I put down my borrowed copy halfway through reading to order my very own copy. Renita J. Weems helps us reconsider the Bible through a womanist frame and looks at female relationships as a way for women to exercise spiritual practice. This is a rich, powerful, and accessible book. I feel both challenged and fed at once--definitely a must-read.
2.23 re-read: this was a book club choice, and I feel doubly glad to own this book. The chapter, "A Crying Shame" is the most poignant. But really, a holy fire burns in each of these chapters.
2.23 re-read: this was a book club choice, and I feel doubly glad to own this book. The chapter, "A Crying Shame" is the most poignant. But really, a holy fire burns in each of these chapters.
June 7, 2019
Renita J. Weems’ book Just a Sister Away is a righteous challenge to women to heed God’s calling. She does this through telling her own story, weaving it in through retellings and assessments of biblical stories featuring women. I especially appreciated her story retellings with imagined details, more than her conjecturing. Some seemed like greater reaches than others (the Queen of Sheba chapter for example).
I also questioned the use of the questions at the end of each chapter. Granted, they are fantastic questions. But too many were phrased, “as a woman, how do you….?” This could have been better employed in a separate workbook, and helped the book relate better to a wider audience. Because men do need this message. And the book grew on me as it went along. The chapter on Jephthah’s daughter came highly recommended and did not disappoint.
A favorite quote: “We will continue to raise our daughters to stand up and to speak up for themselves. And we resolve to equip our sons to know how to love such women as equals and partners in God’s creation, women whom they will respect and want to be surrounded by because they demand to be heard rather than to be tolerated. We hope for sons confident and courageous enough to know that sometimes the best man for the job is a woman” (184). Mic drop.
I also questioned the use of the questions at the end of each chapter. Granted, they are fantastic questions. But too many were phrased, “as a woman, how do you….?” This could have been better employed in a separate workbook, and helped the book relate better to a wider audience. Because men do need this message. And the book grew on me as it went along. The chapter on Jephthah’s daughter came highly recommended and did not disappoint.
A favorite quote: “We will continue to raise our daughters to stand up and to speak up for themselves. And we resolve to equip our sons to know how to love such women as equals and partners in God’s creation, women whom they will respect and want to be surrounded by because they demand to be heard rather than to be tolerated. We hope for sons confident and courageous enough to know that sometimes the best man for the job is a woman” (184). Mic drop.
June 13, 2022
This was an interesting retelling of Bible stories from the perspectives of female characters , however minor. Though the author takes liberties with interpretation at times, it was refreshing to see women's stories told.
December 14, 2024
An easy entry into a reading female biblical relationships through a womanist lens. A bit dated (1988) but a good read!
May 30, 2026
This was good. There was a bit of wandering repetition, but I didn’t mind it. Unfortunately, I read it while I listened to a similar book by Mary E. DeMuth, and I find myself forgetting which book had which insights. This book was a little weaker I think. I really enjoyed both books. I love the concept of a sisterhood sticking together.
September 21, 2026
USING VARIOUS WOMEN IN THE BIBLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF ‘SISTERHOOD’
Renita Weems (b. 1954) is the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Old Testament Studies in the United States; She has taught at American Baptist College, Spelman College, and Vanderbilt Divinity School.
She wrote in the Foreword to this 1988 book, “[This book] was written unapologetically with African American women in mind as a way of reminding us that we are not an afterthought to salvation, that the first step toward satisfying the gnawing hunger within us is to pick up a pencil. [This book] attempts to combine the best of the fruits of feminist biblical criticism with its passion for reclaiming and reconstructing the stories of biblical women, along with the best of the Afro-American oral tradition, with its gift for story-telling and its love of drama. For this reason… Alice Walker’s term ‘womanist’---referring to a black feminist; a courageous woman who is committed to WHOLE people, both men and women. [It] is an audacious attempt to probe beneath the surface of biblical texts to discover a place for everyone in the Kingdom.” (Pg. ix)
She wrote in the first chapter, “For black women, Hagar’s story is peculiarly familiar. It is as if we know it by heart. The easiest thing in the world would be to make a case out of the ethnic differences that separated Hagar and Sarai---differences today which would manifest themselves between an African woman and a Hebrew woman, a woman of color and a white woman… [Certainly, ancient people were aware of one another’s color (e.g., in Song of Solomon 1:5, the writer … speaks of [being] ‘dark and comely’; and in Numbers 12:10 it was as much that her skin turned ‘white as snow’ as it was that Miriam was a leper… But there is no evidence that race and color as we understand them today especially as a way of stratifying people, prevailed at that time.”] (Pg. 1)
She points out, “recently, white women within feminist and Christian feminist circles continue to speak as though theirs is the universal experience. In doing so, they betray their persistent belief in their superiority and sovereignty over women of other races. The truth is, very few black women manage to make it through adulthood without a footlocker of hurtful memories of encounters with white women.” (Pg. 8)
She observes, “At some times in our lives, whether we are black or white, we are all Hagar’s daughters. When our backs are up against a wall; when we feel abandoned, abused, betrayed, and banished; when we find ourselves in need of another woman’s help (a friend, neighbor, colleague, relative, stranger, another man’s wife); we, like Hagar, are in need of a woman who will ‘sister’ us, not exploit us.” (Pg. 17)
She notes, “Ruth and Naomi’s story … is a story of friendship between a woman and her grieving mother-in-law, Their friendship is a welcome contrast to the numerous other stories in the Bible which portray women competing against one another for status, power, and men… Ruth and Naomi’s story is one of the oldest testimonies in the Old Testament to female bonding. Their relationship typifies the special friendship that can often develop between women, despite differences in age, nationality, and religions. Ruth and Naomi’s legacy is that of a seasoned friendship between two women, a friendship which survived the test of time despite the odds against women as individuals, as friends, as women living without men.” (Pg.24-25)
She continues, “Gradually, Ruth began to occupy the place in Naomi’s heart once filled by a husband and sons. Each woman, in her own way and at her own pace, reached out to the other, nurturing when called upon, mothering when necessary, sistering when needed. They eventually found the healing power of God in each other’s love and forbearance. As it so often happens---if we are patient---in time the two women, who were once strangers, become friends. And sometimes, just sometimes, a friend, a sister in a time of need, can make all the difference in the world.” (Pg. 31)
She points out, “There is a sorrow known only to women; a sorrow so profound and so bottomless, it can only be shared with a woman; a sorrow that only another woman can help you bear. It comes from the feeling of having been violated, betrayed, and abandoned by a force much stronger than yourself. And when that force is someone you trusted, the sorrow can be unbearable. Hence, it should come as no surprise that Jephthah’s daughter called her girlfriends together to lament her life. We can thank her for initiating one of the earliest recorded female professions: mourning women.” (Pg. 58)
She notes, “There are other women in the Bible… whose only crime was to love foolish and dangerous men, are strewn across the pages of salvation history with their mangled bodies and wasted blood: women such as Tamar, who was seduced and raped by her half brother Ammon (2 Samuel 13:1-22)… and Gomer, wife of the prophet [Hosea], whose husband threatened to beat and publicly humiliate her into loving him (Hosea 1:1-2, 13). The real tragedy is that the violence each of these women suffered is, in fact, incidental to the point of the story. Someone really ought to call for the mourning woman... [It] deserves to be said again: the stories of these women are rarely stories about these women. Their mutilation is often a part of a larger story about someone else—namely men.” (Pg. 64-65)
She recounts, “the new woman in the camp was more than an outsider; for [Moses’ sister] Miriam, she was a threat. The Ethiopian woman threatened Miriam’s position among her own people. Unlike the former days when Miriam could go in and out of Moses’ tent to confer whenever she needed… consequently, Miriam’s influence and visibility suffered… Hurt, frustrated, insecure, envious, and feeling displaced, Miriam set out to make life for her Ethiopian sister-in-law miserable. She knew she could depend on her kinswomen for their support…” (Pg. 76-77)
She reports, “In Mary [Magdalene] there were seven demons to be exact. We do not know the specific nature of Mary Magdalene’s illness; however, we do know that once she was healed, Mary proved to be an able leader among the women: articulate, loyal, and persuasive. And because, once she was healed, she was so charismatic, it is not far-fetched to suppose that at least some of Mary’s illness was brought on by her inability to express herself fully. That would be attributed to the lifestyle she was forced to live because she was a woman in 1st century Palestine. Imagine: Here was an otherwise gifted, intelligent, bright, charismatic woman living in a society which had no place for gifted, intelligent, bright, charismatic women.” (Pg. 89)
She explains, “For those of us raised during the age of 20th century feminism---where we have witnessed and been the beneficiaries of significant social, political, and economic gains made by women in both the public and private sector---it may appear somewhat old-fashioned, if not downright counterproductive, to talk about women whose status and position are a function of their roles as wives of public men, women whose power and influence are derived from their relationships with men… Some of the women who have made the greatest contributions in our history have been wives of public figures. Sometimes they have exceeded their husbands in talent; many times they have continued the work begun by their husbands; other times they have surpassed their husbands in popularity.” (Pg. 105)
This is a highly interesting presentation of many female biblical figures.
Renita Weems (b. 1954) is the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Old Testament Studies in the United States; She has taught at American Baptist College, Spelman College, and Vanderbilt Divinity School.
She wrote in the Foreword to this 1988 book, “[This book] was written unapologetically with African American women in mind as a way of reminding us that we are not an afterthought to salvation, that the first step toward satisfying the gnawing hunger within us is to pick up a pencil. [This book] attempts to combine the best of the fruits of feminist biblical criticism with its passion for reclaiming and reconstructing the stories of biblical women, along with the best of the Afro-American oral tradition, with its gift for story-telling and its love of drama. For this reason… Alice Walker’s term ‘womanist’---referring to a black feminist; a courageous woman who is committed to WHOLE people, both men and women. [It] is an audacious attempt to probe beneath the surface of biblical texts to discover a place for everyone in the Kingdom.” (Pg. ix)
She wrote in the first chapter, “For black women, Hagar’s story is peculiarly familiar. It is as if we know it by heart. The easiest thing in the world would be to make a case out of the ethnic differences that separated Hagar and Sarai---differences today which would manifest themselves between an African woman and a Hebrew woman, a woman of color and a white woman… [Certainly, ancient people were aware of one another’s color (e.g., in Song of Solomon 1:5, the writer … speaks of [being] ‘dark and comely’; and in Numbers 12:10 it was as much that her skin turned ‘white as snow’ as it was that Miriam was a leper… But there is no evidence that race and color as we understand them today especially as a way of stratifying people, prevailed at that time.”] (Pg. 1)
She points out, “recently, white women within feminist and Christian feminist circles continue to speak as though theirs is the universal experience. In doing so, they betray their persistent belief in their superiority and sovereignty over women of other races. The truth is, very few black women manage to make it through adulthood without a footlocker of hurtful memories of encounters with white women.” (Pg. 8)
She observes, “At some times in our lives, whether we are black or white, we are all Hagar’s daughters. When our backs are up against a wall; when we feel abandoned, abused, betrayed, and banished; when we find ourselves in need of another woman’s help (a friend, neighbor, colleague, relative, stranger, another man’s wife); we, like Hagar, are in need of a woman who will ‘sister’ us, not exploit us.” (Pg. 17)
She notes, “Ruth and Naomi’s story … is a story of friendship between a woman and her grieving mother-in-law, Their friendship is a welcome contrast to the numerous other stories in the Bible which portray women competing against one another for status, power, and men… Ruth and Naomi’s story is one of the oldest testimonies in the Old Testament to female bonding. Their relationship typifies the special friendship that can often develop between women, despite differences in age, nationality, and religions. Ruth and Naomi’s legacy is that of a seasoned friendship between two women, a friendship which survived the test of time despite the odds against women as individuals, as friends, as women living without men.” (Pg.24-25)
She continues, “Gradually, Ruth began to occupy the place in Naomi’s heart once filled by a husband and sons. Each woman, in her own way and at her own pace, reached out to the other, nurturing when called upon, mothering when necessary, sistering when needed. They eventually found the healing power of God in each other’s love and forbearance. As it so often happens---if we are patient---in time the two women, who were once strangers, become friends. And sometimes, just sometimes, a friend, a sister in a time of need, can make all the difference in the world.” (Pg. 31)
She points out, “There is a sorrow known only to women; a sorrow so profound and so bottomless, it can only be shared with a woman; a sorrow that only another woman can help you bear. It comes from the feeling of having been violated, betrayed, and abandoned by a force much stronger than yourself. And when that force is someone you trusted, the sorrow can be unbearable. Hence, it should come as no surprise that Jephthah’s daughter called her girlfriends together to lament her life. We can thank her for initiating one of the earliest recorded female professions: mourning women.” (Pg. 58)
She notes, “There are other women in the Bible… whose only crime was to love foolish and dangerous men, are strewn across the pages of salvation history with their mangled bodies and wasted blood: women such as Tamar, who was seduced and raped by her half brother Ammon (2 Samuel 13:1-22)… and Gomer, wife of the prophet [Hosea], whose husband threatened to beat and publicly humiliate her into loving him (Hosea 1:1-2, 13). The real tragedy is that the violence each of these women suffered is, in fact, incidental to the point of the story. Someone really ought to call for the mourning woman... [It] deserves to be said again: the stories of these women are rarely stories about these women. Their mutilation is often a part of a larger story about someone else—namely men.” (Pg. 64-65)
She recounts, “the new woman in the camp was more than an outsider; for [Moses’ sister] Miriam, she was a threat. The Ethiopian woman threatened Miriam’s position among her own people. Unlike the former days when Miriam could go in and out of Moses’ tent to confer whenever she needed… consequently, Miriam’s influence and visibility suffered… Hurt, frustrated, insecure, envious, and feeling displaced, Miriam set out to make life for her Ethiopian sister-in-law miserable. She knew she could depend on her kinswomen for their support…” (Pg. 76-77)
She reports, “In Mary [Magdalene] there were seven demons to be exact. We do not know the specific nature of Mary Magdalene’s illness; however, we do know that once she was healed, Mary proved to be an able leader among the women: articulate, loyal, and persuasive. And because, once she was healed, she was so charismatic, it is not far-fetched to suppose that at least some of Mary’s illness was brought on by her inability to express herself fully. That would be attributed to the lifestyle she was forced to live because she was a woman in 1st century Palestine. Imagine: Here was an otherwise gifted, intelligent, bright, charismatic woman living in a society which had no place for gifted, intelligent, bright, charismatic women.” (Pg. 89)
She explains, “For those of us raised during the age of 20th century feminism---where we have witnessed and been the beneficiaries of significant social, political, and economic gains made by women in both the public and private sector---it may appear somewhat old-fashioned, if not downright counterproductive, to talk about women whose status and position are a function of their roles as wives of public men, women whose power and influence are derived from their relationships with men… Some of the women who have made the greatest contributions in our history have been wives of public figures. Sometimes they have exceeded their husbands in talent; many times they have continued the work begun by their husbands; other times they have surpassed their husbands in popularity.” (Pg. 105)
This is a highly interesting presentation of many female biblical figures.
November 24, 2007
This book has a restorative quality to it. All too often women in the Bible are flat and one-dimensional. In this book, Weems restores there humanity and ours by breathing life into their complicated multi-dimensional lives.
June 27, 2020
It's always nice to rexamine well known stories with new insight. This author is a magnificent storyteller. It's not in the least bit "preachy". She honors a females character, turns them into flesh and blood sisters and made me feel a connection with them. Their stories are down to earth. I feel like I am living with them and understanding them as my sister.
I closed the book with a renewed sense of love for my family and the women of my world.
I closed the book with a renewed sense of love for my family and the women of my world.
February 14, 2022
Thought provoking but....
I enjoyed the perspective offered by the author but occasionally she wanders off into what seems to be fantasy land. The chapter on Lots wife is the most significant example. In this chapter Renita Weem added content that I was unable to find any reference to support. I found that distracting.
I enjoyed the perspective offered by the author but occasionally she wanders off into what seems to be fantasy land. The chapter on Lots wife is the most significant example. In this chapter Renita Weem added content that I was unable to find any reference to support. I found that distracting.
August 25, 2018
A book about some of the women from the bible and relationships with other women they were around.
September 10, 2019
This is the second time reading this book. I love the comparison between today's women to the women of the bible. Every woman should read this book.
November 1, 2020
Love this book. Very interesting stories about women on the Bible.
December 5, 2020
A new perspective
This book helped to look at things from a new perspective and a great reminder of being sisters along our walk through life
This book helped to look at things from a new perspective and a great reminder of being sisters along our walk through life
May 12, 2021
Awesome. The thought that went into this book evinces critical thinking and the ability to see both sides of a story. Thoroughly enjoyed.
January 24, 2022
I don’t want nothing if I can’t have it all . 💕😇🙏🏘
January 8, 2023
Excellent.
April 25, 2015
I enjoyed this book. It is written by an ordained elder of the A.M.E. Church and a sister that has residency in Nashville, TN. It was refreshing to read about women of the Bible in such a profound manner. The author was able to point out the connection between today's women and our Biblical sisters. Moreover, the book caused me to reflect on some of the teachings/lessons that others have provided to me. I was able to focus also on some lessons that I have attempted to impart to others.
It has often been said that there is nothing new under the sun. Experiences, trials and concerns that affect us....affected them. They, like us, didn't look like what they went through. We are more alike than different. All in all, there is still work to do.....the soil has been tilled. Thank you Dr. Weems for helping us to better see ourselves.... And to accept the challenge of helping others to see the connection between ourselves and our Biblical sisters.
It has often been said that there is nothing new under the sun. Experiences, trials and concerns that affect us....affected them. They, like us, didn't look like what they went through. We are more alike than different. All in all, there is still work to do.....the soil has been tilled. Thank you Dr. Weems for helping us to better see ourselves.... And to accept the challenge of helping others to see the connection between ourselves and our Biblical sisters.
July 17, 2011
I first read this book for a Lenten Bible study at church about three years ago, and I rarely use this phrase but I fell in love with this book. It covers not just the women that most people are familiar with, like Eve, Sarah, Ruth or Mary but others like Jephthah's daughter, Lot's wife, Vashti and the Daughters of Zelophehad. I would recommend this book to anybody, man or woman, looking for an in-depth look at women in the Bible.
February 28, 2014
I enjoyed a fresh perspective on the relationships between women in the Bible and how we can apply them to modern female relationships. Sometimes, as a white woman, I found that her comments about understanding the story better as a black woman, were a bit offputting. I would rather that she stuck to woman of any race as a unit.
July 18, 2009
Weems is an African American Old Testament scholar, but this book is for a general audience and is very readable. She uses women of the bible to stimulate thought about issues facing all women. Very enjoyable.
June 20, 2008
Beautiful and inspirational stories that reflect the lives of the women in the Bible.
December 31, 2008
I appreciate what my sisters bring to the table a little more. I am blessed with many good women in my life, this book puts it in a biblical perspective.
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April 17, 2009Great Book!
December 4, 2011
Very thought provoking
June 13, 2012
I LOVE THIS BOOK! #period Sisterhood. Love. Understanding!!
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November 6, 2011Call Number: 220.9 WEE (WS)
Available.
Available.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews