Introduces the Book of Lamentations, examining its characteristics, historical context, and theological messaging, as well as in relation to trauma studies.

In this guide, Jill Middlemas introduces students to the Book of Lamentations by examining the book's structure and characteristics, covering the latest in biblical scholarship on Lamentations, including historical and interpretive issues, and considering a range of scholarly approaches. In particular, the guide provides students with an introduction to Hebrew poetry as it relates to Lamentations and includes insights from the field of trauma and postcolonial studies.

With suggestions of further reading at the end of each chapter, this guide will be an useful accompaniment to study of Lamentations.

"This beautifully written work bristles with theological insight and exegetical acuity. Students and teachers will appreciate Jill Middlemas’s attention to the text’s poetic artistry, cultural setting and reception history, along with her focus on feminist and post-colonial criticism. A perfect primer for university and seminary classes!" - Louis Stulman, University of Findlay, USA

"This guide is rich with information, not only on the Book of Lamentations, but also on themes in current biblical interpretation such as poetry, composition, reader response and theology. Jill Middlemas takes her point of departure in the poetry of the book and this leads to a thorough reading of Lamentations as both a work of art and a source of theological reflection for readers." - Else Holt, Aarhus University, Denmark