Many students of the Bible and ancient history have heard about Herod the Great. Yet most visitors to the Holy Land never get to see these amazing historical ruins connected to the famous king. There is just so much to see in Jerusalem's vicinity, and Herodion is just...
I stumbled across this animated video on the historical developments of Cannan and was impressed by how simply and easily the author covered the events of history that we know so little about. I loved it, so I decided to share it will all my readers. Please keep in mind...
This is an amazing high-resolution video walk-through of one of the most beautiful archeological ruins in Israel. The views of the 2000-year-old Herodian aqueduct and the detail in this video are amazing. It's almost like being there yourself. Once I watched this video, I knew I had to...
Psalm 3 is a desperate cry for help, praise from the lips of David. God rescued him from the grip of his foes as they sought his life. This poem is full of hope and assurance in God’s miraculous salvation amidst great danger. מִזְמוֹר לְדָ...
This is a fairly long but very informative lecture by Dr. Mika Ahuvia from the Jewish Studies Department of the University of Washington. It focuses on the Jewish difference and how this notion has been historically perceived and treated by non-Jews. Unfortunately, this understanding gave rise to what we call...
Shiloh (שִׁלֹה) is a historic town situated in the lot of Ephraim, where Israel assembled under Joshua during the war of conquest (Joshua 18:1). It served as the location for the distribution of territories among the seven tribes that had not yet received their land allotments. A...
This is the third, final installment of the conversation between Pinchas Shir and Dr. Cyndi Parker about food and the Bible. We move into the Greco-Roman context of meals with questions regarding how Roman families ate and feasted in contrast to Jewish ways. And thinking within that context, why would...
Food shapes culture and identity, so what did it mean for the Israelites to gather and feast at God's table? In this second segment of the dialogue, Professor Pinchas Shir and Dr. Cyndi Parker discuss food and the Bible with a focus on feasting with God and the...
Professor Pinchas Shir joins Dr. Cyndi Parker in dialogue about food and the Bible. What was the Israelite diet like? How does food shape cultural identity? Where do we go to look at food issues (hint: it's practically on every page!)? How did the Israelites think about animals...