The Dead Sea Scrolls are one of the most fascinating and important archaeological discoveries for understanding the world of the Bible. In this episode, we sit down with Dead Sea Scrolls scholar, Dr. Andrew Perrin, to explore the rich and complex world of these ancient texts. From the famous Isaiah Scroll and the commentary on Habakkuk to Aramaic dream visions, scribal traditions, and the Pseudepigrapha, this conversation uncovers the diversity of writings found at Qumran. We also dive into the ...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 98
What happens after Israel escapes Egypt? In part two of our exploration of “service” in Exodus, Matthew Delaney and Dr. Nathan French pick up where the story left off—moving from liberation to covenant, from slavery to worship. We trace the development of this theme through key moments in Exodus 15–40, including the image of God vs. the images of idols, the meaning of Sabbath, and the construction of the tabernacle. Along the way, we reflect on the relationship between salvation and obedience an...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 97
What does it really mean to “serve” in the book of Exodus? In this episode, Matthew Delaney and Dr. Nathan French explore how a single Hebrew word weaves through the early chapters of Exodus—from Israel’s oppression under Pharaoh to their calling to worship Yahweh. By tracing this vocabulary across key moments in Exodus 1–14, we uncover a powerful theme: the Exodus is not just about escaping slavery—it’s about being set free to worship. Along the way, we also explore fascinating connections with...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 96
Dive into the diverse roles of biblical prophets with Dr. Todd Hibbard. In this episode, we discuss his book "Prophets and Prophecy," examining the phenomenological aspects of prophecy and its implications for economic and legal criticisms in ancient Israel and Judah. Dr. Hibbard also connects these insights to modern Christian perspectives and the teachings of Jesus, offering a transformative look at how these ancient messages influence our understanding of justice and righteousness today. Todd...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 95
Read 1 Enoch with us in the Hebrew Bible Book Club: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights In today's episode, we explore the significance of the Book of 1 Enoch and its impact on early Christian thought. Although most Christians today do not consider this book canonical, 1 Enoch offers valuable insights into Jewish eschatology and its influence on the New Testament. It is even quoted by Jude who says that Enoch prophesied. We delve into how early Christians, including church fathers like S...
Feb 10, 2025•56 min•Ep. 94
Read 1 Enoch with us in the Hebrew Bible Book Club: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights In today’s episode, we tackle an important question: How should we evaluate biblical characters? Are they flawless heroes, irredeemable villains, or something more complex? We explore how to move beyond simplistic views by looking at the actual text and learning from the wisdom of St. John Chrysostom. We also discuss themes of exile, repentance, and restoration. This conversation is all about embracin...
Jan 27, 2025•47 min•Ep. 93
Join a Hebrew language cohort with Matthew Delaney: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights In today’s episode, we chat with Bobby about his fascinating journey into the world of biblical languages and dive deep into his work on a Hebrew dictionary. What inspired him to create it? How do we understand Hebrew words beyond the Bible? And what’s the deal with Paleo Hebrew? We also get a behind-the-scenes look at the joys and challenges of putting together a dictionary and how the process shaped...
Dec 16, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 92
Enroll in the "What is Biblical Wisdom" Video Course: https://hebrewbibleinsights.teachable.com/p/biblicalwisdom In today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Alexander Kirk to explore his book, Agur's Wisdom and the Coherence of Proverbs 30. Who is Agur, and why does he stand out as an eccentric genius? What can we learn about wisdom literature from the history of its interpretation? And how do we approach the humor, structure, and deeper meanings in Proverbs 30? Dr. Kirk also shares his journey in ...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 91
Enroll in the "What is Biblical Wisdom" Video Course: https://hebrewbibleinsights.teachable.com/p/biblicalwisdom We interview the authors of a new intermediate Hebrew grammar: “Going Deeper with Biblical Hebrew.” Dr. Chip Hardy and Dr. Matthew McAffee give insights and methods for how students can learn during the unique intermediate phase of the Hebrew language journey. They also give thoughts for professors and teachers who are instructing others in intermediate Hebrew. 0:00-2:14 Intro 2:15-6:...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 90
In this episode Rabbi Eisen shares insights about the connections and differences between Torah and Wisdom in the Hebrew Bible. Rabbi Chaim Eisen is joining us from Israel! He has been teaching, editing, and publishing on the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, Midrash, Medieval Jewish Philosophy, and more for over 40 years. In this episode, we talk about the relationship between Torah and wisdom. To learn more and Rabbi Chaim Eisen and connect more with his content, check out https://zionbiblestudies.org Cha...
Oct 14, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 89
What is Biblical wisdom? Wisdom is such an important topic of life, and it is critical to think about this biblically. In this special episode, Dr. Nathan French asks Matthew Delaney (MA Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages) questions about the first ever Hebrew Bible Insights video course. Matthew shares why he created the course, the methodology behind the research, as well as a number of insights from studying wisdom in the original languages of Hebrew and Aramaic of the Hebrew Bible. Li...
Sep 30, 2024•54 min•Ep. 88
Rabbi Chaim Eisen is joining us from Israel! He has been teaching, editing, and publishing on the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, Midrash, Medieval Jewish Philosophy, and more for over 40 years. In this episode, we talk about the third section of the Hebrew Bible called the “Ketuvim” or the “Writings.” The order of the books of the Hebrew Bible are very different from the order that many experience in Bibles in Christian communities. The way that books are grouped can impact how we interpret the books the...
Sep 16, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 87
Dr. Douglas K. Smith gives a presentation based on his PhD dissertation in which he does a blended discourse analysis of the flood account in both the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT) and Greek Septuagint (LXX). His goal is to validate a holistic methodology that can 1) discern the structure, coherence, and communicative purpose of the discourse and 2) compare the versions to reveal and assess the translation strategies of the translator of Greek Genesis. The presentation is followed by questions from...
Sep 02, 2024•59 min•Ep. 86
What does the Bible have to say about wisdom? Matthew Delaney (MA Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages) discusses a part of Scripture where the English word for wisdom might not show up even though the Hebrew word does appear. This teaching has implications for how we understand Exodus, how we approach career, and has a challenging and encouraging message about our God given gifts and callings. Stay tuned for an upcoming video course on Biblical wisdom! Chapters 0:00-3:00 Intro 3:01-6:17 Th...
Aug 05, 2024•30 min•Ep. 85
We have a conversation with Chad Bird inspired by his new book “Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament.” How do we summarize the Hebrew Bible in a way that is engaging and helpful? How do read difficult Psalms? How do we see Christ in the Hebrew Bible? We talk about all of this and more in today’s episode. Chad’s Book: https://shop.1517.org/products/9781956658866-hitchhiking-with-prophets Chad’s Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hitchhiking-Prophe...
Jul 08, 2024•59 min•Ep. 84
Habakkuk 3 is one of the most unique chapters of all the poetic prophets in the Hebrew Bible. The content and literary genre are both unexpected twists in this powerful book. Matthew Delaney (MA Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages) shares Hebrew language insights from this chapter, reading the chapter in Hebrew along with his own translation with commentary. Chapters 0:00-0:54 Intro 0:55-7:08 Overview of Habakkuk 7:09-10:06 Hebrew Reading - Habakkuk 3 10:07-14:49 Verse 1 - Staggering Verse...
Jun 24, 2024•47 min•Ep. 83
Is the Flood more about “Salvation” or “Judgment”? Dr. Dustin Burlet has researched and published on this question. Following the methodology of rhetorical criticism, Dustin explores the rhetoric of the flood story in its ancient Near Eastern context to explore this question. Dustin G. Burlet is an instructor at Millar College of the Bible in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His reviews and articles have appeared in journals including the Canadian-American Theological Review, Conspectus, the Journal of the E...
Jun 10, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 82
In this episode, we explore the Book of Ben Sira with Dr. Panc Beentjes, who shares the importance and nuance of studying the Hebrew manuscripts of the book. He provides an overview of Ben Sira’s significance, discusses the unique introduction by Ben Sira’s grandson, and explains the importance of the Hebrew manuscripts. Dr. Beentjes also touches on intriguing aspects like the potential reference to Job as a prophet and reads some of his favorite sections of the book. Dr. Beentjes is Professor E...
May 27, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 81
Want to read the Hebrew Bible with Dr. Nathan French and Matthew Delaney? Join the Hebrew Bible Book Club: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights How do we make sense of not only the story of David and Bathsheba, but also the number of scenes that ensue after involving a number a difficult passages relating to David? Dr. Nathan French (PhD Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near East) presents his original academic research on Divine Retribution in the Throne Succession Narrative (2 Samuel 9-20 a...
May 13, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 80
Join the Hebrew Bible Book Club: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights What happened during the approximately 400 years “between the old and new testaments?” Dr. George Athas dispels the myth of the “400 years of silence” that unfortunately breaks apart the flow of the continues Biblical story. George shares insights from his new book “Bridging the Testaments” in which he tells the grand story of this time period, synthesizing scholarship into a narrative style presentation with erudite in...
Apr 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 79
Job is one of the most profound and controversial books of the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew language of its 39 chapters of poetry is the most difficult to understand of the whole corpus of the Hebrew Bible. Yet it is the 3 chapters of narrative that have garnered the most attention - and understandably so - because of a rare setting: the divine council of God. What is the divine council and who is in this group? How does understanding this impact our interpretation of the book of Job? Chapters 0:26-...
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 78
What are some Hebrew language insights from Habakkuk 2? This chapter has famous verses and some hidden gems. Matthew Delaney (MA Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages) shares some insights from this chapter that are rooted in the original language. All insights are shared in such a way that people of any (or no) level of Hebrew can engage with. Join the Hebrew Bible Book Club: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsights 00:27-01:36 Intro 01:37-04:52 Unhelpful Chapter Division 04:53-14:29 Hab...
Apr 01, 2024•49 min•Ep. 77
How do we make sense of Ezekiel? Our guest, Dr. Donna Petter, answers a number of questions about this important book. How do we make sense of graphic and violent sections in the book? What is the big picture structure of the book? Donna gives great insights into the intentionality of the design of the book between its two halves as well as a progression of restoration. You can find a link to her new commentary (which has been made completely free and online) below. Dr. Donna Petter is Associate...
Mar 18, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 76
What are some of the most interesting Hebrew language insights from Habakkuk 1? In this episode Matthew Delaney (MA Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages) shares a variety of insights from this chapter of the Hebrew Bible. Everything is shared in such a way that people with no knowledge of Hebrew will be able to benefit from this. Those who want a visual of the Hebrew as it is being taught might enjoy the YouTube version of this episode. Chapters 0:26-2:04 Intro 2:05-3:54 Unhelpful Chapter D...
Mar 04, 2024•47 min•Ep. 75
Why does Jacob the Patriarch show up in Hosea 12? Hosea makes a number of comparisons between Israel and Jacob the Patriarch in Genesis. On the surface, some of these moments in the rhetoric are confusing. Our podcast guest, Jonathan Finley, wrote his Masters Thesis on this topic. Jonathan shares a number of insightful thoughts on the flow of the rhetoric in Hosea while also pointing out fascinating details in the text. Jonathan has a M.Th. in Biblical Studies from the University of Edinburgh. 0...
Feb 19, 2024•56 min•Ep. 72
Isaiah 7-8 are chapters that contain some of the most enduring and influential words of prophecy of the Hebrew Bible. What insights can be gained by reading these chapters in Hebrew? In this episode, Matthew (M.A. Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages) shares a variety of interesting and meaningful ideas from reading this section of Isaiah in Hebrew. All of the content is shared in such a way that people of all different levels of Hebrew (or no Hebrew at all!) can enjoy this episode. Chapter...
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 73
One of the most popular verses about "vision" that is used in teaching about personal and group vision statements is Habakkuk 2:2, but what is the original context of this verse? Understanding what is meant by "vision" both generally and specifically in the book of Habakkuk is essential to not taking this verse out of context. Unfortunately, Habakkuk 2 also causes confusion due to an unhelpful chapter division. Once the flow of Habakkuk as a book is seen, the themes and message of the book come ...
Jan 22, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 72
What is the context for the famous verse "Where there is no vision, the people perish"? Is this Biblical support for company and personal vision and mission statements? Or is something else going on here? We dive into the context of this verse within the book of Proverbs, analyze the Hebrew language of the text, and talk about the dynamic of the function of the surprising "Sage-Prophet" in the Hebrew Bible. 0:27-3:53: New Year’s Resolutions and “Vision” in the Hebrew Bible 3:54-7:32: Differences...
Jan 08, 2024•56 min•Ep. 71
Samuel has a surprising connection to Christmas. Church lectionaries during Advent are filled with prophets like Isaiah, yet 2 Samuel 7 makes its way into the lineup. Why? Whether or not you are interested in this chapter’s connections to Christmas, 2 Samuel 7 is a pivotal passage for the plot of the Hebrew Bible. Themes of dynasty, presence, servant leadership, and more are on full display in this major movement of the Hebrew Bible. 0:27-2:34: A Surprising Christmas Chapter 2:35-4:36: Character...
Dec 25, 2023•57 min•Ep. 70
What is the actual context behind the famous verse about the virgin giving birth to a son named “Emanuel”? This line comes from Isaiah, and the context opens up deeper layers of meaning. In this episode Matthew (M.A. Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages) shares the story of Isaiah 7-8 and teaches the difference between “prediction fulfillment” and “typological fulfillment.” This topic has wide ranging implications for reading the prophets in general. Chapters 0:27-1:44: Intro 1:45-4:29: Ref...
Dec 11, 2023•30 min•Ep. 69
