Saul is a great her in the bible but is vastly eclipsed by David. However, we delve into the text and the historical evidence to find the real Saul. We find that he was a great hero, possibly betrayed by David. We also look into what we can learn about the relations between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin from this story, and what the motives of the scribes were in writing this narrative. Reasoning Through the BibleTaking a cue from Paul, Reasoning Through the Bible is an expository sty...

The books of Samuel and Kings tell us how a monarchy developed despite the fact that God had serious reservations about it. That led to the institution being ruled over by legendary figures like David and Solomon. But how did the monarchy actually develop? Are these stories historically based? The evidence shows a lot of historically valuable facts in Kings and Saul, particularly about how the authority of kings developed and the role of religion in public life. Reasoning Through the Bib...

Throughout the world, there are many groups claiming to be descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel.  They range from the Samaritans, the modern Jews, to the Mormons, Beta Israel, and others. How accurate are these claims? How have they changed over the years? And why do so many make this claim?  Support the Show.

The twelve tribes did not have much in common at first. However, as the Philistines emerged as a common enemy, they learned to cooperate and developed common political and religious institutions. We examine how the god of Israel became more important, how the gods Israelites worshipped at home or in tribal altars became less central, and why.  CLICK HERE to ignite your metabolism!Watch the fat melt off your body!Support the show

The twelve tribes of Israel come from the 12 sons of Joseph, at least according to Genesis. But the number of tribes and their names change over time and in different parts of the bible. Were there really twelve tribes? When did they cooperated and when did they fight? What does archaeology tell us about their existence? And why did the authors of the Tanakh stress their importance so much? We have the full story.  Support the show

The books of Judges and Samuel in the Tanakh present an anti-monarchical ideology. But the stories of early Israelite leaders like Gideon, Jepetah, and Abimelech have elements of kingship. How historically factual are these stories, and what can we learn about early Israelite society and politics from them?  Support the show

An invasion of mysterious raiders changed the region forever. It destroyed the Hittite empire and nearly brought Egypt to its knees. When the dust settled, a new people, the Philistines, controlled the coast of Canaan.  Where did they come from? How did they change world history and how are they linked to the Trojan War? Support the show

The final days of the Egyptian empire in Canaan saw an increase in inter-cultural influence. A lot of that involved exploitation and slavery. But what was slavery like in those days, and how did the races feel about each other?  Support the show

The Merneptah Stele has the first recorded mention of Israel, in 1207 BCE. But the God of the Israelites was already mentioned earlier. What does that mean? Who were the Israelites and where did they come from? We look at the biblical narrative, Egyptian texts, and archaeological evidence.  Support the show

The highlands of the Judean hills were a lawless land, which even the Egyptians preferred to avoid. Instead, the kings of Shechem and Jerusalem battled for domination, using the local nomadic tribes as political tools. It was in this chaos that the Israelites first emerged.  Support the show

The Land of Israel had long been in contention between Egypt and its great power rivals. But now, a group of nomadic tribes outmaneuvered all the powers to create their own kingdom. How did that happen, and what does a nomadic kingdom look like? Support the show

The saga of Thutmose III's endless quest to defeat Mitanni and its pesky allies ends in this episode. But who gets the upper hand? We also have a dramatic wedding and tragic death. And an impressive array of war crimes. So much drama!  Support the show

Thutmose III had pacified the city-states of Lebanon and Canaan. But in the process, Egypt threatened the lands of Mitanni, the local power. To secure his power in Lebanon and Syria, Thutmose III would have to cross the Euphrates. The final frontier. Would he succeed?  Support the show

Thutmose III took his final steps to subdue and humiliate the kings of Canaan. But now, he was ready to move on to the next conquest. Lebanon. But with long supply lines, mountainous terrain, and treacherous enemies, it would prove a far harder nut to crack. In order to triumph there, Thutmose would have to reinvent warfare.  Support the show

Egypt had no sooner established its dominance in Canaan than it faced its first challenge in the form of a new and threatening empire in the north. Who would end up as the dominant force? And what happened to Canaanite culture as it faced imperial subjugation? 

Egypt had recovered from years of weakness and was poised to take revenge on Canaan for years of Hyksos conquest. But a plucky Canaanite king organized a spirited defense of the land. Who would triumph?

We are used to hearing the Jewish version of the Egyptian Exodus story. But there is also an ancient Egyptian one, where the Jews are the villains. That story played a significant role in the development of antisemitism. 

According to Jewish tradition, the Book of Exodus was written by Moses. But scholars believe it was put together by three different authors. Who is right? Why was the story written and how has its interpretation among Jews changed over the years?

The Exodus from Egypt is one of the most influential in human history. But many archaeologists doubt its veracity. Did it really happen and how did the story become so important? 

It looked like Egypt was on its last legs, occupied by Nubians in the south and Canaanites in the north. But they reunited the country and made Egypt great again. How did they do it, and what happened to the Hyksos after their kingdom fell? Verse by Verse Bible Study Verse by verse Bible study with Randy Duncan. This is an expositional bible study that...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Egyptologists tend to look at the Canaanite rule of Egypt through the Hyksos as a chaotic interlude. But in reality, they had great kings and amazing accomplishments. We also look at Egyptian lore and examine how foreign rule scarred the Egyptian psyche.  Domestic Abuse UnchurchedWelcome to the Domestic Abuse Unchurched podcast. Each week we'll be stepping into the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Is there a historical basis for the story of the ten plagues recounted in the Book of Exodus? There are some scientific explanations for these events. And we also have some idea of who may have witnessed them and passed the stories on for posterity.  Ashley T Lee PodcastAshley T. Lee Podcast will cover many life issues such as overcoming stress, anxiety...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify History AnalyzedHistory Analyzed is a podcast which investigates both history's biggest moments...

The Tanakh, in several places, mentions a practice of running children through the fire for the god Molech. What does that mean? Did the Canaanites sacrifice their children to a bloodthirsty god? And if so, was that tradition ever practiced by the Israelites?

Canaanite mythology sheds light on the roots and motives behind much of Israelite theology and law.  In this episode we look at the story of the golden calf, as told in Exodus, and see how it relates to Canaanite culture as we continue to delve into the roots of Judaism.  Overcomer's ClubA Mother/Daughter podcast where we share our raw detailed testimonies about how Christ...