Title: Rahab and Joshua: A Biblical Love Story
Author: Rivka Gonen
Genre: Biblical, Religious Fiction, Romance
Age Group: Adult
Rating: 3,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
An ancient riddle waiting to be solved
The story of Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, and the Israelite spies she hid in her home is well-known to readers of the Bible. Nevertheless, readers are left not knowing who Rahab really was and why did she betray her own people.
Rahab, the harlot of Jericho: A tale of survival, courage, and loveRahab and Joshua – A Love Story
follows the story of Rahab, who was raped when she was a young girl and had to spend her life as a concubine and a prostitute. Growing up among a clan of Hebrew shepherds near Jericho she had always felt a connection to her religious heritage. A dramatic encounter with Joshua and Caleb, two of the twelve spies sent by Moses to Canaan, challenges this special bond. Will this primordial cord help create an allegiance between Rahab and her clan of shepherds and their fellow Israelites?
A dangerous promise and an epic love story
When Rahab and her father, on a pilgrimage to their ancestral tomb of Abraham at the Cave of Machpela in Hebron, meet Joshua and Caleb, the old Hebrew bond rekindles. Rahab’s father makes a promise that will jeopardize the safety of his entire family. Against all odds, Joshua and Rahab fall in love during the encounter in the cave. In the face of the risks of hiding in Jericho and during the bloody conquest of the city, will the promise be kept? Will their love endure? In Rahab and Joshua – A Love Story, the Biblical story comes to life in a beautifully written and lucid prose.
In Rahab and Joshua: A Biblical Love Story, as the title suggest, we get a retelling of the story of Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, and the Israelite spies she hid in her home. I’ve only read this bible story once or twice, and I didn’t remember much of it, but I liked that this book dove deeper into the story and expanded it, turning Rahab into a genuine person with a background story, ambitions and desires.
Rahab was raped as a young girl, and since then, spent her life as a concubine and prostitute. She’s always felt a connection to her religious heritage, a bond that is severely challenged when she meets Joshua and Caleb, two spies sent by Moses to Canaan. Rahab’s father pormises something to the spies that could jeapordize the safety of Rahab’s entire family. Rahab and Joshua fall for each other… But is their love strong enough to withstand the conquest of Jericho?
The story is well-written, multi-layered and complex. The only part I wasn’t convinced about was the love story. I’m not a fan of insta-love, and don’t really find it very credible, so I wasn’t too convinced about it here either. The editing could also be a little tighter throughout the book.
Nevertheless, it offered an interesting background story for one of the most unique characters mentioned in the Bible, with a solid historical setting and decent writing.
