Hebrew Bible Archive
February 7, 2012
Pacific Coast Regional SBL Meeting In March
A preliminary program and an online registration system is now available for this year’s (March 25-26) Pacific Coast regional Society of Biblical Literature meeting in Santa Clara. Chris Heard (Remember when he used to blog?) will preside over three Hebrew...Read all of "Pacific Coast Regional SBL Meeting In March"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:42 PM
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February 1, 2012
February Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
Amanda at Cheese-Wearing Theology has posted this mouth’s Biblical Studies Carnival. Go for the graphics – Stay for the links. It is my turn next month so start gathering your inputs now. I will need help!...Read all of "February Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:27 AM
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January 19, 2012
The Soncino Babylonian Talmud Online
If you haven’t read about it elsewhere a new very attractive PDF version of the Soncino English Babylonian Talmud is now online. If you need to consult the Aramaic/Hebrew version try Mechon. I’m sometimes surprised how often I need to...Read all of "The Soncino Babylonian Talmud Online"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:23 PM
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January 16, 2012
When You Have to Go All the Way Back To The Bible For Your Philosophical Underpinning . . .
your argument has issues. I make serious fun of Jim West. I’m gathering my thoughts on Kenneth Atkinson’s paper from our Secular Biblical Criticism session at the SBL (now available on the Bible and Interpretation Website). Unfortunately, I was unable...Posted by Duane Smith at 6:48 PM
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January 15, 2012
Synthesizing Gods
Alasdair Livingston, 101, calls attention to the following lines from a hymn to Ninurta, Your teeth are Sibitti, who fells the evil ones. The area of your cheek, lord, is the appearance of the stars of [. . . Your...Read all of "Synthesizing Gods"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:49 PM
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January 12, 2012
The Rabbis On מנחש
The other day I asked, among other things, about the meaning of מְנַחֵשׁ in Deuteronomy 18:10 and I threaten you with a post on the Rabbinic understanding of that word. So here goes. In B. Talmud Sanhedrin 65b we read,...Read all of "The Rabbis On מנחש"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:33 AM
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January 9, 2012
How Did Laban Do It?
נִחַשְׁתִּי וַיְבָרֲכֵנִי יְהוָֹה בִּגְלָלֶךָ I have learned by divination that YHWH has blessed me because of you. (Genesis 30:27) After all Laban was an Aramean from Paddan-aram in Mesopotamia so he likely knew about these things. The fact that Laban...Read all of "How Did Laban Do It?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:05 PM
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January 2, 2012
The Most Abnormal Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
Well he did it. Jim Linville has posted the most unusual, colorful and best illustrated Biblical Studies Carnival ever. Oh yeah, it’s funny too. Head over to Dr. Jim’s Thinking Shop and take a look. And after you’ve looked and...Read all of "The Most Abnormal Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:00 AM
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December 17, 2011
On Reading Near Eastern Texts
By blog standards, this is a delayed reaction but Charles Halton offers four important tips for the use of Ancient Near Eastern material. He focuses on the use of this material by Biblical scholars but his tips apply as well...Read all of "On Reading Near Eastern Texts"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:52 PM
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December 7, 2011
How Did This Happen?
The MT of 1 Chronicles 6:1 reads, בני לוי גרשׁון קהת ומררי, “Sons of Levi: Gershom, Kothath, and Merari.” The Old Greek renders its vorlage for the same passage, Υἱοὶ Λευι· Γεδσων, Κααθ καὶ Μεραρι,”Sons of Levi: Gedson, Kaath and...Read all of "How Did This Happen?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:34 AM
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December 6, 2011
The Aegean Bronze Age
On AEGEANET, John Younger calls our attention to the just released Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean, edited by Eric Cline. I’ve added this one to my Christmas list. There is currently a focus on the possibility, some would...Read all of "The Aegean Bronze Age"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:36 AM
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December 5, 2011
André Lemaire Articles Online
Charles at The Ancient World Online points us to several articles by André Lemaire that are online. A few are in English; others are in French. All are quite recent and abnormally interesting. Check them out....Read all of "André Lemaire Articles Online"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:05 AM
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November 30, 2011
A Giant Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
Biblical Studies Carnival 69 (November 2011) is up at Remnant of Giants. Deane Galbraith has done a very big job in bring all this together. I’m pleased to see three entries under the subheading “Secularism” but I do wish there...Read all of "A Giant Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:51 PM
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November 23, 2011
I’m Back
I’m back from San Francisco and the SBL. I heard good and not so good papers well and not so well presented. Some good papers were well presented but less than half of them. Some not so good papers were...Posted by Duane Smith at 12:30 PM
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November 18, 2011
Off To San Francisco And The SBL (Tomorrow)
Tomorrow morning we’re off to San Fransisco and the Society of Biblical literature annual meeting. Because Shirley and I plan to visit friends along the way, we won’t arrive at the meeting until Sunday morning. So unfortunately I’ll miss the...Read all of "Off To San Francisco And The SBL (Tomorrow)"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:06 PM
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October 29, 2011
Latest Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
“The Undead Edition” of the Biblical Studies Carnival is up at The Musings of Thomas Verenna. Tom has done a very good job brings together this month’s posts. Thanks! Many of these posts are abnormally interesting and a good number...Read all of "Latest Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:04 AM
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October 11, 2011
No Deal! No Way!
Yesterday I mentioned the fable of the wild ass and the man in Aḥiqar. Here is Lindenberger’s, 203, translation from the Elephantine Aramaic papyri. [A man said] one [da]y to the wild ass (ערדה), [“Let me ride] on you, and...Read all of "No Deal! No Way!"
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:36 PM
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October 1, 2011
The Bibliobolg Carnival
The latest Biblical Studies Carnival is up at Scotteriology. It has a number of interesting posts which I missed last month so I imagine that some others did also. But between it and the three segment Biblical Studies Carnival that...Read all of "The Bibliobolg Carnival"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:20 PM
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September 21, 2011
Homer, The Ancient Near East And The Hebrew Bible
I just got the latest Journal of Biblical Literature (this may be behind a pay wall) and was pleased to read “Homeric and Ancient Near Eastern Intertextually in 1 Samuel 17” by Serge Frolov and Allen Wright. Using criteria to...Read all of "Homer, The Ancient Near East And The Hebrew Bible "
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:19 PM
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September 8, 2011
The Backyard Of Biblical Studies
I’ve been thinking a little more about my rather maximalist comments the other day concerning the languages a serious student of the Hebrew Bible or the Christian New Testament needed to know. I have two worries. First I worry that...Read all of "The Backyard Of Biblical Studies"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:45 PM
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September 6, 2011
This Isn’t Kindergarten
Following up on a discussion from elsewhere, James McGrath inquires into “Essential Languages for New Testament Study” In terms of ancient languages he thinks every serious student should know “Koine Greek” and that depending on special focus “Aramaic, Hebrew, and...Read all of "This Isn’t Kindergarten"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:44 PM
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The Latest ZAW
The September edition of the Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft is out. It looks like an abnormally rich issue. Here’s the table on contents (full length papers only). Shimon Gesundheit, „Das Land Israels als Mitte einer jüdischen Theologie der Tora....Posted by Duane Smith at 12:23 PM
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September 1, 2011
September 2001 Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
Or at least the last third of it is. James McGrath not only believes in science fiction he also seems to believe in serial processing. The third installment of this month's Biblical Studies Carnival, “The Final Frontier as the Carnival...Read all of "September 2001 Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:54 AM
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He That Pisseth Against He That Pisseth
Claude Mariottini has posted the first of a multi-part series on my paper “‘Pisser against a Wall’: An Echo of Divination in Biblical Hebrew” (The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 72 (2010): 699-717) and more generally on the Hebrew trope that is...Read all of "He That Pisseth Against He That Pisseth"
Posted by Duane Smith at 6:59 AM
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August 26, 2011
Targeted Marketing: The Bible
This may be old news but it is still rather shocking. From the Amazon product description, Featuring exciting and inspiring full-color inserts with photos of and insights from stock car racing's finest personalities, the NIV Thinline Bible: Stock Car Edition...Read all of "Targeted Marketing: The Bible"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:48 PM
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August 23, 2011
New Stuff From Loren Fisher
My teacher and friend Loren Fisher has just published a new collection of his poetry. Yes, he is a poet and a good one. Check out what Loren has to say about Poems: On Being Human or better yet buy...Read all of "New Stuff From Loren Fisher"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:26 PM
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August 16, 2011
Mid-Month Biblical Studies Carnival
Yesterday James McGrath posted an unprecedented (for a Biblical Studied Carnival) mid-month edition at Exploring Our Matrix. James links to a lot of abnormally interesting and some just plain abnormal stuff. Check it out. If the end of the month...Read all of "Mid-Month Biblical Studies Carnival"
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:29 PM
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August 4, 2011
A Bad Omen, Giving Birth To Wind
Take a look at this from Šumma Izbu tablet I, omen 50.  If a women becomes pregnant with wind (IM, šaru), and gives birth to wind – there will be bad times and the mother will bar her door against...Read all of "A Bad Omen, Giving Birth To Wind"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:15 PM
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August 1, 2011
Sanders on “Judean Scholasticism”
Seth Sanders has launched what appears to be the first in a series of posts on “Judean Scholasticism.” I’m not completely sure where he will end up but I think he has started in a good place. Should the literary...Read all of "Sanders on “Judean Scholasticism”"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:34 PM
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August 2011 Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
The latest Biblical Studies Carnival is up on Daniel O. McClellen’s blog, a blog that goes by the abnormally interesting name Daniel O. McClellen. Daniel has collected a large assortment of interesting links some significant percentage of which deal with...Read all of "August 2011 Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:06 PM
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Titles Only From Here On
July 30, 2011
Anomalies With One Horn
July 6, 2011
Divorce and Return?
June 23, 2011
Oh The Anxiety Of It All
June 15, 2011
Something to Remember
June 14, 2011
A Pun Need Not Be Punny
June 13, 2011
Targum Onkelos for Genesis 3:1a Reads Something
June 12, 2011
ערום In Old Greek And Even Older Greek
June 10, 2011
The כתבי הקדש
May 25, 2011
On Genesis 3:1a And The Common English Bible
May 22, 2011
Speculation On Speculation
May 21, 2011
“Bunkagesis,” “Offalgesis,” or “Fecalgesis”
May 4, 2011
A Jolly Edition Of The Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
April 30, 2011
Claude Mariottini on Norman Gottwald
April 22, 2011
Divining Balaam: A Problem With Omens
April 18, 2011
Hector Avalos On Biblical Ethics and Slavery (Soon)
April 17, 2011
Divining Birds Or Snakes In Deuteronomy 18:10-11
April 13, 2011
Now That’s Long Term Planning
April 8, 2011
On Noble Splendor
April 1, 2011
The March Madness Edition Of The Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
March 30, 2011
Abnormal Prurient Antiquarian Interests
March 29, 2011
The Western Regional SBL – A Quick Comment
March 26, 2011
Fair Warning
March 20, 2011
What’s Wrong With the Society of Biblical Literature?
March 13, 2011
Just How Figuratively Should We Take This?
March 1, 2011
Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
February 25, 2011
On Not Looking Back!
February 19, 2011
Anson Rainey Is Gone
January 17, 2011
More Divining Snakes
January 8, 2011
Stand Up, Stand Up For . . .
January 1, 2011
The Biblical Studies Carnival LVIII Is Up
December 21, 2010
The Devil You Say!
December 16, 2010
The Rabbis And Akkadian Omens
December 14, 2010
Cassuto And The Snake
December 13, 2010
Polyglot Meme
December 10, 2010
On The Crafty Snake
December 6, 2010
On Ancient Translations – “Consistently Diverse”
December 1, 2010
Biblical Studies Carnival נז Is Up
November 29, 2010
Biblical Studies -Rhetorical Weaponry and Methodological Naturalism
November 24, 2010
Israel Before Merenptah?
October 31, 2010
The Oktoberfest Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up
October 30, 2010
Jan Alberto Soggin (1926-2010)
October 14, 2010
Four Stone Hearth Is Up
October 3, 2010
An Arrogant Atheist To The Rescue
October 2, 2010
Reflections On Recent Bible Studies Carnivals
October 1, 2010
Friday Self Promotion
September 22, 2010
When PZ Myers and Jim West Agree
September 21, 2010
Biblical Minimalism, Science Fiction and Myth
August 26, 2010
The Alphabet In The Atlantic
August 11, 2010
When Belshazzar Wet Himself
July 29, 2010
Abnormal Hebrew
July 3, 2010
Temple Scroll Likely Created Near The Dead Sea
June 27, 2010
The Most Important Discovery Of The Season
May 18, 2010
Good News (for me)
May 16, 2010
Moshe Greenberg Dies
May 5, 2010
Seizing A Hem - Thrusting Away A Hand
April 25, 2010
Craziness Based On Two Obscurities, An Anachronism
April 15, 2010
On The Risk Of Privileging Disciplines
April 5, 2010
I Need Help With The King Of Heaven And Earth
March 24, 2010
A Snake In A Minefield
March 1, 2010
The Latest Biblical Studies Carnival Is Up.
February 26, 2010
Lester Grabbe To Be Honored
February 23, 2010
Cognate Parallels Vs Semantic Parallels
February 8, 2010
Bloody Interesting
February 1, 2010
Biblical Studies Carnival XLX - 1
January 31, 2010
For The Obsessive - Compulsive
January 29, 2010
Four Miscellanies Thoughts On Myth
January 27, 2010
Last Call For Carnival Tricks
January 19, 2010
Biblical Studies Carnival Next In Order Is Coming
January 2, 2010
The End Of A Virtual Relationship
December 30, 2009
It's Not Going To Be A Passive Carnival
December 27, 2009
Canonical Selection As An Obstacle To Understanding The Canonical Text
December 4, 2009
Who Can Interpret Dreams?
December 3, 2009
A Place For Indifference
December 1, 2009
Biblical Studies Carnival XLVIII Is Up
November 17, 2009
I Need Help With Certain Persons