Biblical World

The Urim and Thumim - Doug Bookman

Episode: For this episode of the OnScript Biblical World podcast, co-host Mary Buck is joined by Dr. Doug Bookman, Professor of Bible Exegesis at Shepherds Theological Seminary. Though Dr. Bookman's research extends across a variety of topics including the Life of Christ and church perspectives of Israel in his recent book Forsaking Israel, his dissertation was focused on the topic of the Urim and the Thumim. In this episode Dr. Bookman walks through the biblical evidence available for the Urim and the Thumim, the Rabbinic views of what this instrument may have been, and provides his own conclusions about what the Urim and the Thumim were (or "was" in his view) and how it was distinct from the "sacred lot." 

 

Guest: Dr. Douglas Bookman

 

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Image: By SuperJew - Own work. This panorama was created with Canon PhotoStitch (stitched images may differ from reality)., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6586028

 

 

Cabul in the Days of Solomon - Kyle Keimer with Chris McKinny

Episode: In this episode Kyle and Chris discuss Kyle's work on Galilee in the book of Kings, and specifically, the site Cabul mentioned in 1 Kings 9. Kyle discusses fortifications in the Solomonic era, site identification, the historicity of Hiram of Tyre, and much more.

Hosts: Kyle and Chris. 

Give: Help support OnScript's Biblical World HERE. Thanks to all of you who have supported us!

The Amarna Letters - Mary Buck and Chris McKinny

Episode Summary: Arguably one of the greatest textual discoveries from the Ancient Near East, the Amarna Letters provide an unparalleled window into the period of international relations in the Late Bronze Age. Co-hosts Chris McKinny and Mary Buck discuss the discovery of these texts, and work through a selection of letters that showcase how great and lesser kings of the period interacted. 

Series: STANE - “Special” Texts of the Ancient Near East. See our Mesha Stele and Introductory episodes in the same series. 

Hosts: Mary Buck and Chris McKinny

Give: Help support Biblical World as we grow and develop. Click HERE.

Image Attribution: By Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95958735

The Mesha Stele - Mary Buck and Chris McKinny

Episode Summary: Perhaps one of the most famous texts from the Ancient Near East, the Mesha Stele, also known as the Moabite Stone, provides an important corollary from the Iron Age for the historicity of the Bible. Co-hosts Chris McKinny and Mary Buck discuss the wild discovery of this text in the 1800s, read the text itself, and discuss what we learn about the Bible and about history from one of the longest texts ever discovered in the Levant. This is the second installment of our STANE (Special Texts of the Ancient Near East) series. 

Hosts: Mary Buck and Chris McKinny

Give: Help support Biblical World as we grow and develop. Click HERE.

Image Attribution: By Unknown artist - Mbzt 2012, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22090379

 

 

Navigating Ancient Near Eastern Texts - Mary Buck and Chris McKinny

Episode: In this inaugural episode of a new series entitled “Texts from the Ancient Near East,” co-hosts Mary Buck and Chris McKinny provide an introduction to the languages and writing in the ancient world. This includes a review of some of the most important languages of the Ancient Near East (e.g., Middle Egyptian, Phoenician, Akkadian, Hebrew) and also discuss how writing and textual media developed over time. All this to help you navigate the literature and world of the Ancient Near East!

Hosts: Mary Buck and Chris McKinny

Give: Help support OnScript’s Biblical World as we grow and develop. Click HERE.

Image: By Daderot - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40839123.

An Archaeological Life: Eric Cline

Episode: In this engaging conversation, Mark and Kyle chat with Eric Cline about his life as an archaeologist and about public archaeology—making scholarship approachable—and why it is important for scholars to engage with the interested public. We draw upon a number of Eric’s recent publications to highlight how this dialogue is possible and how it can be done well.

Guest: Departmental webpage: https://cnelc.columbian.gwu.edu/eric-h-cline

Hosts: Mark and Kyle

Summary: Eric, Mark, and Kyle discuss the following topics: Eric’s academic and public scholarship; how to combat misinformed attempts to explain biblical archaeology/history; the evolution of Eric’s scholarly career and how to make an impact beyond the academy; how/where to find good resources on the archaeology of Israel and the Bible; the importance of dialogue between academics and the interested public.

Books: Check out some of Dr. Cline's recent books!

• 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed (Rev ed., Princeton University Press, 2021)
• Digging Deeper: How Archaeology Works (Princeton University Press, 2020)
• Digging Up Armageddon: The Search for the Lost City of Solomon (Princeton University Press, 2020)
• Three Stones Make a Wall: The Story of Archaeology (Princeton University Press, 2019)

Give: Help support OnScript’s Biblical World as we grow and develop. Click HERE.

Digging Up Israel‘s Past - Cynthia Shafer-Elliott

Episode: We're going back to the dirt in this episode with Cynthia Shafer-Elliott. We talk about bee hives, the Daniel diet, Ezekiel bread, gender & archaeology, and why Cynthia is willing to get up at 4am for weeks at a time each summer. This is a republished episode.

Guest: Cynthia Shafer-Elliott is Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Biblical Studies in the The Faculty of Theology and School of Christian Leadership at William Jessup University. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Dr. Shafer-Elliott is an experienced field archaeologist in Israel and is currently part of the archaeological excavation team at Tell Halif, Israel. She’s the author of The Five Minute Archaeologist in the Southern Levant which is a user-friendly exploration of basic concepts within archaeology and the techniques and methods used by archaeologists in the field. She’s also written Food in Ancient Judah: Domestic Cooking in the Time of the Hebrew Bible (Equinox).

Give: Help support OnScript's Biblical World as we grow and develop. Click HERE.

If you like this: Check out our episode with Jonathan Greer about his co-edited book Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament

Jewish Bible Translations - Leonard Greenspoon with Mary Buck

Episode: For this episode Mary Buck is joined by Dr. Leonard Greenspoon, the Klutznick Chair in Jewish Civilization at Creighton University. Dr. Greenspoon discusses his recently published book, "Jewish Bible Translations," which represents an important contribution to our understanding of translation and transmission history, especially in Jewish communities from ancient to modern times.

Host: Mary Buck

Give: Help support OnScript’s Biblical World as we grow and develop. Click HERE.

 

Ancient Israel in the Digital Age - Bob Cargill

Episode: In this episode Chris and Kyle speak with Robert (Bob) Cargill about digital humanities—what those are and how they are done in the archaeology of ancient Israel and in biblical studies—technology and the potential for cutting edge research, and his recent book on Melchizedek. Along the way, Bob shares stories of travels in Israel, providing quality resources for people interested in the Bible and archaeology, and meaningful moments in Israel. 

Hosts: Chris and Kyle

Summary: Bob, Chris, and Kyle discuss the following topics: the role of digital humanities in archaeology and Biblical studies; Melchizedek traditions; technology and research; public archaeology. Check out Bob's book The Cities that Built the Bible (HarperOne).

Links: www.bobcargill.com/home.html

Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament - Jonathan Greer

Episode: Jonathan Greer joins the show to talk about a big project he just co-edited on the history, context, archaeology, culture, and world of the Old Testament. Jonathan shares from his own work digging at Tel Dan, a very significant site for understanding the Jerusalem Temple and worship in ancient Israel. They discuss major archaeologists, the historicity of events in the Bible, the interaction of faith and critical study, and much more. This episode is republished from our OnScript podcast.

Guest: Jonathan Greer is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Director of the Hesse Memorial Archaeological Laboratory at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He has written extensively on the history and context of the Bible. He's the author of Dinner at Dan: Biblical and Archaeological Evidence for Sacred Feasts at Iron Age II Tel Dan and Their Significance  (Brill, 2013) and the co-editor with John Hilber and John Walton of Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts (Baker Academic, 2018).

Give: Visit our Donate Page if you’d like to support the Biblical World podcast as we grow and develop.

If you like this episode: Check out our OnScript episodes on the Isaiah Seal Impression, and The Ancient World of the Bible.