A Podcast of Biblical Proportions

As we are moving on from the Torah portion of the Bible, it's a good opportunity to broaden the scope and discuss the life of the Torah in the last 2,000 years, after it was completed. For that, we have a special guest: Dr. Jonathan Friedmann is a scholar of ancient Hebrew and Jewish music, vice president of Ezzree Institute, associate professor at the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism, president of the Western States Jewish History Association, director of the Jewish Museum of the American West, and co-host of the podcast & YouTube interview show, Amusing Jews. He's also the author or editor of over 30 books on music, Jewish history, and popular culture.  Check out Dr. Friedmann's book Goliath as Gentle Giant Check out his YouTube interview channel Amusing Jews Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this Torah summary episodes, we're reviewing Moses. Moses is the great hero of the Torah, the Pentateuch and one of the most popular and important characters in human history, but his character episodeis a combination of several characters sewn together Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In 140 BCE, the Maccabees and Levites broke apart the priestly narrative and drowned it out in their own to create the Torah we have today Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this first Torah summary, we're looking back at the writers who lived between 600 BCE and 450 BCE, their lives, circumstances and iconic biblical stories Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

After getting to know Maccabean times so well, if we compare the Maccabean book 2 Maccabees with the biblical book Chronicles, we will see that they seem to have been written by the same people. Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to discuss. To Garry's podcast Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Now that we've gone over all of Deuteronomy, Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible joins Gil to discuss how the broken promises of Deuteronomy led to the rise in apocalyptic literature To Garry's podcast Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In our final Deuteronomy summary episode, we're looking back at it as a divine promise given in 140 BCE. What happened when the promise was broken? Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

After going over Deuteronomy and in our first season summary episode, we compare Deuteronomy to its arch nemesis, the Temple Scroll Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In the final chapters of Deuteronomy, we build up to the death of Moses, which crowns his successor, predicts the future, blesses the people and dies. He gets an emotional eulogy, a fine send-off for the Hebrew hero Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

On the inaugural Rosh Hashanah, 140 BCE, the Maccabean leader Shimon Thassi delivered the most beautiful speeches of Deuteronomy Join our tribe on Patreon! Give Gil a one-time donation Check out these cool pages on the podcast's website: Home Page Who wrote the Bible: Timeline and authors Ancient maps: easy-to-follow maps to see which empire ruled what and when   Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Attend the Jerusalem Temple inaugural Yom Kippur ceremony,  presided by the new High Priest Shimon Thassi Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

On the first day after Hebrew independence under the Maccabees, there was a total reset of every aspect of Hebrew society Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

The opening speeches of Deuteronomy recount suspiciously Maccabean chapters. Could this Moses be based on a real life "bigger than life" Hebrew hero? Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

The Maccabees had no choice but to take over the Jerusalem Temple from the priests, centralize worship there and destroy all other shrines in the land Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this episode of Deuteronomy, we will travel back in time to see how the priests ran the show in their temple, and how the Maccabees changed everything Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this introduction to the fifth biblical book, we will see that it is the book of the revolution. The revolution of 140 BCETo read about Dr Yonatan Adler's research book The Origins of JudaismTo episode 88, about the calendar reform that changed Hebrew history Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In our first episode of the fifth season of the podcast, about the fifth biblical book, Gil explains why biblical scholars are dead wrong about it.Links to Dr. Yonatan Adler's archeological researchThe late origins of JudaismThe beginning of Yom KippurThe beginning of Passover Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Can we use LLMs to find who wrote the Bible? We're gonna try, and by we I mean: biologist Dr. Rutger Vos, Gil, and you, if you're interested. And if you are, send me a message at the bottom of this page.To read about the latest AI research into the Bible, click here Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Athenian democracy, in many ways, inspired the Maccabean-style democracy established in 140 BCE. Bernie Maopolski from the Fan of History podcast joins Gil to discuss.Listen to Bernie's episodes on Athenian Democracy - Democracy in AthensThe Boule: Random Guys and the Birth of BureaucracyGreek Democracy, part 3  Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

The ancient Hebrews played and listened to music, and they wrote about it in the Bible. Dr. Jonathan Friedmann is an expert on the topic and he joins Gil to discuss their musical culture.Read more about the topic from Dr. Friedman:Music in Biblical LifeMusic in the Hebrew BibleAcademia.edu articles about Ancient Hebrew musicMusic in the Ancient Near East Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In our third installment comparing the Hebrew and ancient Greek versions of the Bible, Garry Stevens of the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to talk about the two versions of King David's origin story. Which is the better of the two? Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In our second installment comparing the Hebrew version of the Bible with the ancient Greek one, Garry Stevens of the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to talk about an obscure but fun book Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

There are many differences between the Hebrew and Ancient Greek versions of the book of Jeremiah. Can we explain them? Yes, we can. Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil for this new series Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this episode, we're looking back and gleaning new insights from our season about the fourth biblical book Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

When read in context, the Maccabean texts in the book of Numbers reveal the processes that led to the fall of the Hebrew state. Our chapters for today are Numbers 1, 3, 4, 8, 15, 18, 19, 20, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, and 35. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In our fourth episode of the season of Numbers, we go over the Balaam Tales, which are a funny fable about Jeremiah, who worked for the Babylonians to doom the Hebrews Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

We continue our journey through the book of Numbers, and after the Hebrew returnees from Babylonia split into groups, the priests use the Ark of the Covenant to regain political power Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

The stories about the challenges of the returnees from Egypt are about the real challenges of the returnees from Babylonia. Our Numbers chapters for today are 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, and 20. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

The oldest stories of Numbers were about the crises of leadership in the Babylonian captivity, told from two distinct perspectives: One from a populist perspective, and the other from an elitist perspective. The combined stories appear as one in Numbers, chapter 11.Shemaya's populist story (verses in ch 11):11 So Moses said to Yahweh, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a wet nurse carries a nursing child, to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors’? 14 I am not able to carry all these people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15 If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favor in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.”16 So Yahweh said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting and have them take their place there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will not bear it all by yourself. 24 ... and he gathered seventy of the elders of the people and placed them all around the tent. 25 Then Yahweh came down in the cloud and spoke to him and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders, and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.26 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all Yahweh’s people were prophets and that Yahweh would put his spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.Ezekiel's elitist story (verses in ch 11):1 Now when the people complained in the hearing of Yahweh about their misfortunes, Yahweh heard it, and his anger was kindled. Then the fire of Yahweh burned against them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 But the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to Yahweh, and the fire abated. 3 So that place was called Taberah, because the fire of Yahweh burned against them. 4 The mob of the camp followers with them had a strong craving, and the Israelites also wept again and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic, 6 but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then Yahweh became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they come weeping to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 18 And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wailed in the hearing of Yahweh, saying, “If only we had meat to eat! Surely it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore Yahweh will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat not only one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you—because you have rejected Yahweh who is among you and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’” sewn 23 Yahweh said to Moses, “Is Yahweh’s power limited? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of Yahweh.31 Then a wind went out from Yahweh, and it brought quails from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, about two cubits deep on the ground. 32 So the people worked all that day and night and all the next day gathering the quails; the least anyone gathered was ten homers, and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of Yahweh was kindled against the people, and Yahweh  struck the people with a very great plague. 34 So that place was called The Tombs of Craving because there they buried the people who had the craving. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this introductory episode to the fourth biblical book, we will overview its many different layers, written between the 590 BCE and the 80s BCE. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

New AI research into the Documentary Hypothesis and the authorship of the books of Samuel reinforces our theories. Dr. Rutger Vos from the University of Leiden joins Gil to discuss. Read about this research here Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Petros Koutoupis joins Gil to talk about biblical authors. Check out his two substacks: Digging Up the Past and Digging Out the Bible Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible podcast and Bernie Maopolski from the Fan of History podcast join Gil to talk about miraculous births in myth Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Anke Bosma, PhD, joins Gil to share her perspective on what is working and what is not working in academia today, particularly in the humanities. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Dr. Rutger Vos is our Resident Academic, academizing our investigation into who wrote the Baby Moses story and why. How would this be viewed by academia? Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

After having learned the origins of the Hebrew festival of Shavuot/Weeks, Garry Stevens of the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to compare our findings with what we know about the Christian version of this holiday. The results are stunning. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this summary episode, let's review the layers of Leviticus, who wrote them, and when Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Yom Kippur is the Hebrew Day of Atonement, and it was originally established so the Hebrew people could open a new leaf. Instead, the holy day unleashed chaos among the Hebrews.Click here to read about Dr. Yonatan Adler's research about Yom Kippur beginning in 140 BCE Click here to find the link for our experimental Discord group Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

When the Rabbis emerged on the historical scene, during Roman times, Judaism was born. Garry Stevens from the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to discuss Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In 140 BCE, the Maccabees reformed the Hebrew calendar and wrote the Leviticus rules in chapters 19 and 25, so they could transfer wealth from the rich back to the people. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

As we get into the second part of our Leviticus season, we get to two Leviticus stories written in 140 BCE about how the original priests were violently toppled and replaced by Levites.  Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In 458 BCE, a group of foreign billionaires initiated a coup in Judea in order to exempt themselves from paying taxes. They succeeded thanks to the first edition of the Torah. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Garry Stevens of the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to talk about the origins of Passover and Easter, and how the former became the latter. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Who erased the two holiest celebrations in the Hebrew calendar, the Year of Jubilee and the Festival of Weeks, to disconnect them from 537 BCE? Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

Leviticus chapters 8 and 9 are play-by-play accounts of the greatest Hebrew ceremony of all time - summoning Yahweh back to his homeland 50 years after he had left it. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In our second episode about Leviticus, we go over the second and third rules of the Hebrew returnees of 538 BCE, which are about how much money everyone owes the wealthiest Hebrews Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

The oldest text in Leviticus, chapter 26, has a Seven Plagues story we did not know about. That chapter has the first rule of the Hebrew returnees in 538 BCE, with a warning: if you break it, Yahweh will bring Seven Plagues on the Hebrew returnees. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this introductory episode, we go over the FOUR layers of Leviticus, written between 538 BCE and 140 BCE, when the final version was published. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In the first installment of a new series to add an academic perspective to the podcast, I present my "538 BCE changed the world" hypothesis to our new resident academic, evolutionary biologist, Dr. Rutger Vos.Click here to listen to our first episode about the Persian Axial Age hypothesis. Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In the second half of my conversation with Dr. Gad Barnea from the University of Haifa, he rejects the idea that the Exodus stories about leaving Egypt are merely tales about leaving Babylonia, and he presents his own hypothesis.Dr. Barnea is a Faculty Member at the University of Haifa, Department of Jewish History and Thought, he is a Research Fellow  at the École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem, and for Project BEST at the University of Haifa, Department Of Biblical Studies, and an Associate Fellow at the Department of History of the Royal Historical Society.Click here totoo listen to the As Depicted on Film episode about the Ten Commandments (1956) by Cecil B DeMille Join our tribe on Patreon!To give Gil a one-time donationThe podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron