A comparison of three Biblical heroes with three heroes of early Irish literature, using themes of weakness and strength, gender and power, frailty and ambiguity. Are early Irish stories influenced by the Bible or transcriptions of pre-Christian Celtic lore? Layzer explores the practical and theoretical difficulties of determining 'influence' in ancient writing, and the relationship between the oral and the written, literacy and literature and the disciplines of Irish Studies and Biblical Studies. This fascinating comparative study matches Samson, Jonah and Esther with three Irish heroes for similarities in theme and treatment. Among the features explored are weakness and heroic strength, gender and power, frailty and ambiguity. The sexy, counterintuitive characters of the Irish stories throw a wonderful light on the techniques of ancient Hebrew narrative.