Micah 3 contains a passage that challenges hypocritical prophets. The Hebrew language of this chapter is biting and intense. What follows this section of judgment is an unexpected message hope. Micah 3-4 is a great section of the prophets that illustrates two important themes of the prophets of the Hebrew Bible. Matthew (M.A. Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages) breaks down these chapters and does an analysis of some of the interesting Hebrew insights in these chapters. 0:27-1:19: Intro 1:...
Nov 27, 2023•30 min•Ep. 68
How do we make sense of the Hebrew Prophets? The Latter Prophets of Isaiah-Malachi are some of the most enduring books of the Hebrew Bible. While this literature is full of meaning, these books can be some of the most difficult to understand. We interviewed a scholar on the prophets to learn more about how to approach this part of Scripture. Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer is Professor of Old Testament Exegesis at ALT School of Theology, Sweden. She holds a PhD in Divinity/Hebrew Bible from Oxford, and comp...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 67
How do we do responsible and holistic exegesis of the Hebrew Bible? What are principles and methods that we can apply reasonably and consistently? In this unique interview, Dr. Matthieu Richelle wrote responses to questions that we sent him about his book on the subject. In this episode we share our correspondence with him and also share our own thoughts. Dr. Matthieu Richelle is Professor of Old Testament Exegesis at the Universitè catholique de Louvain (Belgium). Link to Book "Interpreting Isr...
Oct 09, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 66
Making sense of narrative books of the Hebrew Bible. We interview Dr. Gary Schnittjer about his latest book and questions related to narrative books of the Hebrew Bible. See below for episode timestamps and information for the giveaway. Old Testament Narrative Books: the Israel Story: https://www.amazon.com/Old-Testament-Narrative-Books-Connections/dp/108774752X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2URGDYR3D8NVQ&keywords=old+testament+narrative+books&qid=1694998120&sprefix=old+testament+narrative+books%2...
Sep 18, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 65
Who are the Nephilim in Genesis 6? The answer to this question plays a key role for the plot of the Hebrew Bible. This rabbit hole is deep and fascinating. Our journey takes us to comparing ancient manuscripts, analyzing Hebrew text, and exploring the Mesopotamian tradition of divine beings and a flood. The conversation finishes with how this topic is related to the important theme of divine sonship in the Bible. 0:25-1:27 Intro1:28-8:37 Comparing Variant Manuscripts of Deut 328:38-10:10 Context...
Sep 04, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 64
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Iosif Zhakevich about his new commentary on the book of Zechariah. See more about Iosif below. Link to Iosif’s book: https://www.gracebooks.com/zechariah-motc.html We talk about a number of topics Nathan and Iosif share memories studying at Hebrew University of Jerusalem together Iosif Zhakevich’s commentary on Zechariah What does it mean when God “remembers”? What are the visions of Zechariah? Why is there a unique Priest-King in Zechariah even though they were...
Aug 21, 2023•55 min•Ep. 63
What did the life of women actually look like during the time of the Hebrew Bible both in Israel and in the surrounding ancient Near East? Dr. Hélène Dallaire gives us a taste of her newest course that she teaches at Denver Seminary. Dr. Dallaire brings the world of the Hebrew Bible to life by giving vivid pictures of both the general life of women as well as specific women. She talks about the woman who is the first named scribe in world history, how archaeology paints a picture of life in the ...
Jul 24, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 62
Deuteronomy has one of the most famous lines in all of Scripture that Jesus quotes as part of an answer to the question: "What is the greatest commandment?" The Shema is the core of a Jewish prayer that is one the of the oldest prayers in the world. Deuteronomy 6:4 and following are famous for good reason...but what is the entire book of Deuteronomy about? What was supposed to be a Bible study on Deuteronomy 32 quickly became a discussion about the form and message of the book as a whole. Here i...
Jul 10, 2023•56 min•Ep. 61
Introductions matter. They give purpose for the book, orient readers to the trajectory of the work, and show important themes. Unfortunately, many do not realize that Psalm 1 AND 2 together form the introduction to Psalms. This has major implications for how we approach this book.JC from Bite Size Seminry joins Matthew in a Bible Study on Psalm 1-2, the introduction to the book of Psalms. They cover a number of topics. * What is the significance of the introduction of Psalms?* What does it mean ...
Jun 12, 2023•50 min•Ep. 60
We interviewed Gary Schnittjer about his new book about the Torah “Torah story, Second Edition: An apprenticeship on the Pentateuch” We talk about a number of topics related to the Torah How the Torah is the foundation of the Bible and the foundation of the Gospel Misconceptions about the Torah Understanding the meaning of the Hebrew word for Torah Does the New Testament have more commands than the Torah? Why are there so many connects and parallel stories between Exodus and Numbers? What is the...
May 29, 2023•58 min•Ep. 59
What is the voice of God and how does this impact the revelation of God? The Hebrew word קול can mean sound, voice, and even thunder. We trace this word through important stories in the Hebrew Bible to see what we can learn about God from this. What does קול mean in Genesis? What sound of God did Adam and Eve hear in the Garden of Eden? What does it mean that God walked in the “cool of the day”? What type of sound did they hear? His voice? A different kind of sound? The thunder of the storm of G...
May 16, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 58
Our latest podcast guest is experienced in both academic teaching and practical ministry. JC Schroeder is a clear and peaceful communicator who has a gift for getting to the heart of the matter to touch the heart of people. He is an Instructor at The Ezekiel Project School of Evangelism, a discipleship and ministry training ministry in the metro Detroit, MI area. JC is also an adjunct professor at Cornerstone University. With over 10 years of full-time ministry experience, JC is driven by a hear...
May 01, 2023•57 min•Ep. 57
Dr. Nathan French shares insights from his experience getting a PhD in Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near East back in 2018. Nathan talks about how he felt called by God to pursue deep academic study. This leads us into a discussion about valuing the callings of others even if they are different from ours. Have you ever wanted to know what this journey is like? Perhaps you are thinking about getting a Phd? Or maybe you are just curious about the process and value of deep learning. Whatever your s...
Apr 17, 2023•55 min•Ep. 56
In this episode, Matthew Delaney shares insights about the book of Joel. One of the most famous passages of the entire Hebrew Bible about God pouring out His spirit on all flesh is found in this book...but what is the context of this famous line? Matthew gives a brief overview of the book and its message before sharing a number of Hebrew language insights in the text. The episode concludes by discussing the value of understanding Joel for the New Testament and our lives today. Timeline 0:25-1:10...
Apr 03, 2023•44 min•Ep. 54
We had a conversation with Hebrew Linguist Dr. Kevin Grasso. We discussed a variety of topics His choice to specialize in linguistics to be a better Bible scholar His favorite areas of linguistics The role of comparative semitics for linguistics The word order debate in Biblical Hebrew How we know what Biblical words mean Discourse analysis in Biblical Hebrew Biblingo: the biblical language learning resource that he started And more!Kevin Grasso received his M.A. in Linguistics with a concentrat...
Mar 20, 2023•59 min•Ep. 54
Dr. Nathan French had the amazing opportunity to get a Masters degree at Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel from 2009-2011. He shares a number of highlights from his experience. His unique degree program Stories of what it was like walking in the Holy Land while studying Scripture Some of his favorite classes that he took including everything from Akkadian to Archaeology The tripartite educational strategy: languages, archaeology, and texts Inspiration from his favorite professors The outc...
Mar 06, 2023•44 min•Ep. 53
Dr. Edward Cook is Ordinary Professor of Semitic Languages at the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. His newest book is Biblical Aramaic and Related Dialects An Introduction (2022). (Link below)Aramaic was the lingua franca of the ancient Near East after Akkadian, and it is one of the original languages of Scripture. For biblical and historical reasons, Aramaic is a critical language. Edward Cook is an expert on the Aramaic language. We talk about a number of topics: How underrated and over...
Feb 20, 2023•52 min•Ep. 52
After a decade of research, Jason Staples challenges the surface level assumptions of scholarship from decades ago that is pervasive to this day about Israelite identity in Second Temple Judaism. The implications of the results of his work are vast. Most notably this groundbreaking research adds great depth to the great commission of Jesus. Jason presents a new paradigm for how the words Hebrew, Israelite, Jew, and related terms are used in a key period of the formation of Scripture. Our podcast...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 51
In this episode, I give some big picture thoughts on what makes Genesis such a great book along with some tips for reading. Genesis is the ultimate origin story. Every major group of the Bible is mentioned in the book. How is Genesis 1-11 and 12-50 connected? These feel like two very different types of stories. How are stories of a cosmic scale connected to quaint family dramas? What makes Genesis 12-50 engaging? There are themes that connect all of these family stories that help us in interpret...
Jan 23, 2023•19 min•Ep. 50
Do you have goals of getting more out of your Bible reading plan for 2023? Here are some tips for engaging with the Hebrew Bible this year. Best translations How much to read What order to read in What to do when it gets boring Tips for reading Law, Prophets, and Wisdom and more!WHERE TO FIND USPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hebrewbibleinsightsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLRSNQ7xVw7PjQ5FnqYmSDAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_hebrewbibleinsights/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@hebre...
Jan 09, 2023•28 min•Ep. 49
The New Testament directly quotes Isaiah 7 as a powerful prophecy that is fulfilled in Jesus. Isaiah 9 also contains a beautiful passage about the Messiah. In this episode, we explore the context of these famous verses and 9 contain verses that are referenced. Do these Christmas verses mean anything to their original, immediate audience? Does this give any insight into how they point to Jesus? Literary Context Isaiah 7-12 as a single literary unit Isaiah 7 as the first chapter after the introduc...
Dec 26, 2022•55 min•Ep. 48
Ben Sira (also known as Sirach or Ecclesiasticus) is one of our most important sources of ancient Hebrew literature. It is also one of 7 books that belong to the Apocrypha/Deuterocanonical books of the Bible. This great source from second temple Judaism has played an important role to the Christianity since the early church. Our guest, Peter Beckman, is completing his PhD at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario and is a pastor at a Lutheran church. We discuss a number of topics: The placemen...
Dec 12, 2022•1 hr 10 min
Genesis 1 has inspired deep study of Scripture and sparked intense debates amongst people of faith. Here are some thoughts from the Hebrew language and the ancient Near East Context to contribute to this age long discussion. We address a number of topics Gap Theory How do we translate Genesis 1:1-2? What is the Hebrew behind “formless and void” (תהו ובהו)? What is this referring to? We look at where the original Hebrew words are used in the rest of the Hebrew Bible An early scholarly theory is t...
Nov 28, 2022•57 min•Ep. 46
I share the first mind-blowing Hebrew language insight that I ever learned.This episode is about two big questions.What is worship?What is work?What if I told you that Hebrew has a word that means BOTH?This Hebrew word launches us into a foundational conversation about core components of life. Our journey takes us to Exodus where this word is the golden thread throughout the entire book…but you probably wouldn’t guess since the word is translated differently throughout the book in most translati...
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 45
We have some fun with a holiday themed episode! We look at some scary and spooky stories in the Hebrew Bible and have some surprisingly deep moments in our conversation. Also, don't worry. We bring it all back to the Fear of the LORD at the end. We discuss a number of topics Who are the Nephilim and the Sons of God in Genesis 6? A witch story in the Book of Samuel A harrowing prophecy by a nameless prophet Bear mauls dozens of people Judgment and the Day of the LORD in the prophets The holiness ...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 44
Dr. Michelle Knight is a professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. She is passionate about reading the biblical text closely, understanding its world, and seeing what it is doing on a literary level. Her expertise and infectious energy inspire students to engage with the Biblical text.TEDS Mdiv: https://www.tiu.edu/divinity/programs/master-divinity/ TEDS MA in Old Testament and semitic languages: https://www.tiu.edu/divinity/programs/master-old-test...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 43
Yitzhaq Feder is a Lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the University of Haifa. He received his PhD from the University of Bar-Ilan University and has been teaching and researching since 2008. He won the 2012 David Noel Freedman Award for Excellence and Creativity in Hebrew Bible Scholarship. Feder’s Book “Purity and Pollution in the Hebrew Bible: From Embodied Experience to Moral Metaphor" Link to his published academic works: https://haifa.academia.edu/YitzhaqFeder We talk about a number of topics wit...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr 5 min
How do the Hebrew authors portray that way that God gets involved in the lives of individuals and communities? How does this look in the New Testament, and how can we grapple with this question today? The hermeneutical principle of retribution is one of the most important worldview concepts of Israel and its neighbors. Reward and punishment (blessing and cursing) based on merit is one of the foundational components of how they viewed the world. In this episode, we discuss this topic at length. W...
Sep 19, 2022•58 min•Ep. 41
Corina Cater is the host of the God-besotted podcast, a devotional podcast that focuses on digging into God’s Word to delight in Him more. Holding a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Belhaven University and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary, Corina’s passion is expositing the Word of God for the people of God through writing and teaching. Corina is an engaging communicator. She talks about the attributes of God in a way that leads us to a place of ...
Sep 05, 2022•52 min•Ep. 40
Dr. Joanna Kline is a professor at Gordon College where she teaches Old Testament. She specializes in literary approaches to the Bible and early interpretation of Scripture. If you enjoy seeing connections between different biblical stories, you will love today’s episode. Joanna talks about narrative analogy: when Biblical stories are written in such a way to make comparisons to other stories that can lead to more avenues of interpretation. She sees connections between the story of David and the...
Aug 22, 2022•52 min•Ep. 39
