Shows / A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
You can learn a lot about authors from the stories they write. Even biblical authors. Biblical authors were regular people, like you and I, even though their stories, poems and laws have gone on to shape our world. They lived in very dramatic times, which is why their texts are so dramatic. Join Hebrew-speaking writer and editor Gil Kidron on a journey of biblical proportions, going over the biblical books in order, and leaving no stone unturned
Episodes
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Researching Zoroastrian Influences on the Hebrews (w/ Dr. Gad Barnea)
For decades, scholars believed that ancient Hebrew letters from 419 BCE proved the continuity of Passover, but a new study shows that, if anything, Passover…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: Study Validates Passover Zoroastrian Origins
A new study into the so-called "Passover Letters" reveals the depth of Persian-Zoroastrian influences. I spoke to Bernie Maopolski from the Fan of History…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: The Great Reform of 2 Kings, 23
2 Kings, chapter 23, is one of the most fascinating chapters in the Bible and contains more layers than would seem at first sight. Rabbi Adam Chalom joins Gil…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Debunking Richard Friedman's Levite Exodus Theory
Now that we finished going over the book of Exodus, it's time to go over the most famous Exodus theory, offered by the famed scholar Richard Elliot Friedman in…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
79 - Summary: The Making of Exodus
In this summary episode of our work on the book of Exodus, we go over again all the important things we found in Exodus and how we found them Join our tribe on…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
78 - The Ark, the Tent and the Tabernacle
In our final Exodus episode, we tackle the final 15 chapters of the book, which contain mountains of priestly lists. If you thought lists are boring, then wait…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
77 - Bringing Justice to the Hebrew People
The Exodus code of civil and economic laws was a radical overhaul of Hebrew society meant to turn it from elitist to populist. When? In 140 BCE. Join our tribe…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
76 - Who Wrote The Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments were written at a particular place and time to change Hebrew society from a statue-worshiping elitist priestly society to a monotheistic…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
75 - Moses the Horned Murderer
The two priestly Mount Sinai stories star two very different Moses(es), and these differences tell the epic tale of the fall and comeback of the priestly…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
74 - The Face of God
After getting to Mount Sinai, Moses and the Hebrew VIPs get to *see* their God. What does he look like? And why is he standing on sapphire? Join our tribe on…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: If People Wrote the Bible, What Then?
What meaning can we derive from the Bible if we look at it as written by people? Rabbi Adam Chalom, Dean of North America at the International Institute of…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
73 - The Calf and the Tablets
The story of the Golden Calf and Stone Tablets is one of the most famous stories ever written, and when we read it in context we can appreciate it to its…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
72 - The Manna Scroll
The Manna from Heaven story is not an account of the Hebrews eating magical bread in the desert, but a story about the destruction of Jerusalem (587 BCE) and…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Episodes Coming Back Next Week!
The regular episodes are coming back starting next week, and n the ensuing weeks we will finish up the book of Exodus! Join our tribe on Patreon! To give Gil a…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Theories Collab: Semitic Germanic and Follow the Shoe
Gil discusses interesting theories with Bernie Maopolski from the Fan of History podcast and Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible podcast. Listen here…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: The Making of the New Testament
Gary Stevens of the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to discuss when and in what context was the New Testament written and compiled. There are currently…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: The Passover Layers
I went on the History of the Papacy podcast to discuss the evolution of Passover, from a 538 BCE agricultural festival to a 140 BCE nationalistic one. Join our…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: What's Most Facinating About Ancient World
In one episode, three ancient history podcasters discuss what's most fascinating about the ancient world. Garry Stevens of the History in the Bible podcast and…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
New Plan After Oral Surgery
I had oral surgery and cannot record new episodes for the coming 2-4 months. BUT we're going to turn these lemons into lemonade. Join our tribe on Patreon! To…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
71 - Moses the Natural Born Leader
The depiction of Moses and his leadership style in the parallel populist Exodus narrative is a rare ancient story written by and for the people. Join our tribe…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
70 - Who Wrote The Song of the Sea?
Most scholars see the Song of the Sea poem as one of the oldest in the Bible. But in the past, they all agreed it was actually one of the newest texts in the…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
69 - Let The Complaining Begin
After centuries of oppression, Yahweh takes the Hebrews out of Egypt. And the first thing they do is complain about being taken out of Egypt. Why? Desert…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
538 BCE: A Giant Leap for Humankind
The period known as the Axial Age began right after the establishment of the Persian empire. Gil and Dr. Rutger Vos, an evolutionary biologist and history…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
68 - The Crossing of the Red Sea
This is the most epic story in the Bible. Since most scholars agree it was written in Persian times, what could have inspired the writer of this story? Was…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
67 - The Hebrew Odyssey
The first thing God does after finally freeing the Hebrews from their Egyptian captivity is to send them the wrong way. Why? And why are they carrying with…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
66 - The Passover Backlash
The Hebrew priests had used Passover to make themselves rich and powerful, and their enemies added new rules meant to persecute the priests into oblivion. Join…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Exodus Recap: The Layers of Passover
In our mini-series into the origins of Passover, we have learned that it has two layers of rules: a universalist seasonal layer, and a nationalistic layer…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Exodus Recap: The Writers
Before we get back to Exodus, we need to refresh our memories about who are the people who wrote and edited Exodus. To join our tribal Barley Chapati Festival…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: Intelligence in the Ancient World
After learning in our Revisiting Genesis episodes that Jeremiah was working for the Babylonians to undermine Jerusalem, we host Bernie from the Fan of History…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Revisiting Genesis 7 - The Promised Land
In our Revisiting Genesis series finale (for now): While in prison, Jeremiah gets a very suspicious visit from his "cousin" - fateful visit that would change…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Revisiting Genesis 6 - Sodom, part 2
In Genesis 19 we can find an action-packed thriller story about an extraction operation of a righteous man from an evil city. We just need to forget about…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
REPOSTING: 15 - Operation Sodom and Gomorrah
This episode was posted three years, before we knew that the Sodom story was actually about the destruction of Jerusalem. And still, we nailed it anyway. Enjoy…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Revisiting Genesis 5 - Sodom, part 1
The second Genesis story about the destruction of Jerusalem is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, evil cities that Yahweh had to destroy for their sins. Exactly…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Revisiting Genesis 4 - The Flood
When we read the tale of Noah and the flood in its own context and in the original Hebrew, we meet an ancient sci-fi story with an incredible twist. To read…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: The History of Judges vs Priests
The conflict between judges and priests is at the core of Hebrew history, and that of human civilization as a whole. And its started as a feud between herders…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Revisiting Genesis 3 - Cain and Abel
Where did the writer of the most famous murder story of the Bible get his inspiration? Probably from the second most famous murder in Bible, which he himself…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: Looking for Political Jesus
Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to talk about the possible inspirations for the political stories of Jesus: the overthrowing of…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Revisiting Genesis 2 - The Garden of Eden
The story of the Garden of Eden is about two people who broke the law and have to stand trial in front of a God judge. What kind of people view their God as a…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Revisiting Genesis 1 - Second Creation
We are kicking off our Revisiting Genesis series with the second creation story and its big star - a God who lies. The God Yahweh lies to man that if he eats…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
REPOSTING: 36 - The Biblical Authors of Genesis
In anticipation for the Revisiting Genesis series, I am reposting the episode from February 2022 about Baruch and Jeremiah, whose Genesis stories we will be…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: Hebrew Origins - Stories vs DNA and Archeology
Archeology and DNA testing tell us that the Ancient Israelites were local Canaanites with Israelite culture, but the Hebrew Bible tells us that the Hebrews…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
UPCOMING: New Course + Revisiting Genesis
Happy and proud to anounce two new projects: a joint course with Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible podcast about the verses from the book of Isaiah…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Update: now what?
Family update and thoughts about the future of the podcast. Come on over to our community on Patreon. Join our tribe on Patreon! To give Gil a one-time…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Update: we're sort of OK
My family and I fled the war in Israel. To support my work in these most difficult of times, you can join our tribe here Join our tribe on Patreon! To give Gil…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: The Dead Sea Scrolls (+ personal update)
In this collaboration with Bernie Maopolski of the What's New In History podcast, we go over recent discoveries about the Dead Sea Scrolls and connect to 140…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
65 - The Spring of Salvation
On the seventh day of spring, 538 BCE, the Hebrews agreed on a covenant with Yahweh, with the spoils going to the priests. Salvation came at a price and…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
64 - The Spring of Kindness
In the spring of 538, Cyrus King of Persia showed kindness to the inhabitants of the Persian empire and changed the world forever. Click here to join our tribe…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
63 - The Anti-Priestly Freedom Festival
After going over the first layer of Passover, written by Hebrew priests in Persian times, in this episode, we'll go over the additions to Passover and how…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
62 - The Barley Chapati Festival
The holiday of Passover appears in Exodus and includes two separate celebrations. In this episode, we'll focus on the original layer - a new year spring…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
61 - A Boy For A Boy
We see the plague of the firstborn of Egypt as barbaric, but it is in fact a tragic and poetic tale imbued with elements from Greek tragedies. To join our…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
60 - The Persian Remake
Within the terrible ten plagues of Exodus lies a light-hearted Persian story. And all we need to do to see it is learn about Persian culture and its state…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
59 - Never Trust a Pharaoh
Why is the Pharaoh of Exodus so fickle and can never keep his side of a deal? To answer that question, we have to go back to the sort of Pharaohs that lived…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: Judah the Maccabean Warlord, part 3
In our final installment about Judah the Maccabee, we go over his greatest victories, his dramatic death and how we was immortalized in the Bible. To join the…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: Judah the Maccabean Warlord, part 2
In part 2, Judah the Hammer becomes a living legend after tying together a string of unlikely victories against the Seleucids. These victories turn the ragtag…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
Collab: Judah the Maccabean Warlord, part 1
Judah the Maccabee is known as the hero of the Jewish holiday Hannukah, and his life offers a unique perspective into the mind of a Hebrew warlord in…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
58 - Ezekiel's Magical Diary
Before Ezekiel wrote the Exodus story of the plagues, he wrote a first draft which we can find in his book. Once we go over the first draft, we will be able to…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
57 - The Fifteen Plagues
The Exodus story we know as the Ten Plagues is made up of three stories with a total of 15 plagues, edited down to 10. And 10 is not a Hebrew number - it's a…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
UNRELATED: Israel is in Danger
Far right Israeli politicians are trying to turn Israel into an authoritarian theocratic state. They are using a blueprint financed by two Jewish American…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
56 - The Magical War Against Egypt
In our story for today: after being oppressed for so long, the Hebrews finally fight back against the evil Egyptian empire and start a magical rebellion. To…
- A Podcast of Biblical Proportions
55 - The Glorious Year of 140 BCE
We are looking for the editors of Exodus, and we want to find them by using the available information historians and archeologists have amassed. Can we connect…