
The Bible Lore Podcast
The Bible Lore podcast takes listeners deep into the hidden mythology and lore of the Bible, with a journey through the chronological history of what is today known as the Middle East.
Latest episodes

Jul 8, 2025 • 55min
Episode 19: The Pious Kings, Pt. 2 (feat. Eve Feinstein)
This is part 2 of the story of the prophet Isaiah, the Judahite King Hezekiah, and the Assyrian Emperor Sennacherib. We explore prophetic oracles, a tortured cultural pizza metaphor, divine snakes, and more on purity and sacrifice from scholar Eve Feinstein. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/BibleLorePodcast Check out the Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haydentank/ Bibliography: Eve Levavi Feinstein - ‘Sexual Pollution in the Hebrew Bible’; Berlin, Brettler, et al - ‘The Jewish Study Bible (Second Edition)’; Daniel McClellan - ‘YHWH’s Divine Images: A Cognitive Approach’; Barton & Stavrakopoulou - ‘Religious Diversity in Ancient Israel and Judah’; Francesca Stavrakopoulou - ‘God: An Anatomy’; Eckart Frahmn - ‘Assyria’; Marc van de Mieroop - ‘A History of the Ancient Near East’; Finkelstein and Silberman - ‘The Bible Unearthed’; Robert Alter - ‘The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary’; Mario Liverani - ‘Israel’s History and the History of Israel’; Van der Toorn, Becking, van der Hoorst, et al - ‘Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible’; https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/jerusalem/hezekiahs-tunnel-reexamined/ https://thestateoftheology.com/data-explorer/2022/7?AGE=30&MF=14®ION=30&DENSITY=62&EDUCATION=62&INCOME=254&MARITAL=126ÐNICITY=62&RELTRAD=62&EVB=2&ATTENDANCE=254 https://www.thetorah.com/article/hezekiahs-reform-the-archeological-evidence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e2kuETGoOM&list=PLpQ8NT-8yU1qbtN4sHO8I-r4fJI27Adlg

Jun 30, 2025 • 52min
Episode 18: The Pious Kings: Pt. 1 (feat. Eve Feinstein)
This is part 1 of the life and times of the prophet Isaiah, Judahite King Hezekiah, and Assyrian King Sennacherib. A lot of political history in this one, folks. Featuring an interview with Dr. Eve Levavi Feinstein, who provides important context on the concept of purity in the Hebrew Bible. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/BibleLorePodcast Check out the Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haydentank/ Bibliography: Eve Levavi Feinstein - ‘Sexual Pollution in the Hebrew Bible’; Berlin, Brettler, et al - ‘The Jewish Study Bible (Second Edition)’; Daniel McClellan - ‘YHWH’s Divine Images: A Cognitive Approach’; Barton & Stavrakopoulou - ‘Religious Diversity in Ancient Israel and Judah’; Francesca Stavrakopoulou - ‘God: An Anatomy’; Eckart Frahmn - ‘Assyria’; Marc van de Mieroop - ‘A History of the Ancient Near East’; Finkelstein and Silberman - ‘The Bible Unearthed’; Robert Alter - ‘The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary’; Mario Liverani - ‘Israel’s History and the History of Israel’; Van der Toorn, Becking, van der Hoorst, et al - ‘Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible’; https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/jerusalem/hezekiahs-tunnel-reexamined/ https://thestateoftheology.com/data-explorer/2022/7?AGE=30&MF=14®ION=30&DENSITY=62&EDUCATION=62&INCOME=254&MARITAL=126ÐNICITY=62&RELTRAD=62&EVB=2&ATTENDANCE=254 https://www.thetorah.com/article/hezekiahs-reform-the-archeological-evidence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e2kuETGoOM&list=PLpQ8NT-8yU1qbtN4sHO8I-r4fJI27Adlg

Jun 16, 2025 • 1h 29min
BATM 2: Left Behind: The Movie (2000) (feat. The Trillbillies)
Welcome to the Rapture, which doesn't seem too bad, all things considered. Thanks to Tom Sexton and Tarence Ray! Check out the Trillbillies: https://www.patreon.com/trillbillyworkersparty And to support this show, become a member of the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BibleLorePodcast

Jun 11, 2025 • 1h 26min
Episode 17: The Fall of Israel (feat. Seth Sanders)
This time on the Bible Lore Podcast, we bring our kingdom of Samaria to an end. Along the way I talk about an important baby whose mother saves him from certain death by secreting him away in a basket on a river: Sargon. And scholar Seth Sanders returns to the show to talk about the prophetic critique, Israelization, and much more. Outro music: Mustafa - Gaza is Calling Check out Seth's work: https://sethlsanders.wordpress.com/ Subscribe to the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BibleLorePodcast Bibliography: Christopher Hayes - ‘Hidden Riches’; Irving Finkel - 'The Ark Before Noah'; Thomas L. Thompson - ‘The Mythic Past’; Christian Frevel - ‘History of Ancient Israel’; Marc van de Mieroop - ‘A History of the Ancient Near East’; Eckart Frahm - ‘Assyria’; Mario Liverani - ‘Israel’s History and the History of Israel’; Robert Alter - ‘The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary’; Berlin, Brettler, et al - ‘The Jewish Study Bible’; Other Bible quotations taken from the NRSVue with adaptations

May 30, 2025 • 1h 4min
The Bible at the Movies 1: Noah (2014) feat. Alex Nichols
This week we're taking the Bible into the unholiest of unholies: the cinema! Join me and Radio WFYM's Alex Nichols as we venture into Darren Aronofsky's biblical fantasy epic and talk about God's hog. Go see WFYM live in Beacon NY on June 7: https://www.theyardbeacon.com/upcoming-events/toy-pizza-expo-five-points-fest-present-wfym-world-tour For more Good Content: https://www.patreon.com/BibleLorePodcast

May 23, 2025 • 34min
Episode 16: Empire
This episode I explore the emergence of Assyria as the world's first proper empire, with all of the impressive achievements and horrifying consequences this implies, as Israel descends into the chaos of a series of coups. Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/BibleLorePodcast Bibliography: Finkelstein & Silberman - ‘The Bible Unearthed’; Mario Liverani - ‘Israel’s History and the History of Israel’; Amanda Podany - ‘Weavers, Scribes, and Kings’; Eckart Frahm - ‘Assyria’; Christian Frevel - ‘History of Ancient Israel’; Mario Liverani - ‘Israel’s History and the History of Israel’; Robert Alter - ‘The Hebrew Bible: A Translation With Commentary’; Berlin, Brettler, Fishbane, et al - ‘The Jewish Study Bible’;

May 9, 2025 • 1h 3min
Episode 15: Eat the Rich
This time, I cover a couple of forgotten queens of history, Dido and Shammu-Ramat, the reign of GOAT Israelite King Jeroboam II, and the prophet Amos, whose book is a social justice screed against the rich and powerful. Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BibleLorePodcast Check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/haydentank/ Check out Dig's video on Ramath's Yahwistic kings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzRnnLVVIzc Bibliography: Hallo and Younger - ‘The Context of Scripture’; Shuichi Hasegawa - ‘Aram and Israel during the Jehuite Dynasty’; Robert Alter - ‘The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary’; Cogan & Tadmor - ‘II Kings: A New Translation with Commentary’; Mario Liverani - ‘Israel’s History and the History of Israel’; Marc van de Mieroop - ‘A History of the Ancient Near East’; Eckart Frahm - ‘Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Empire’; Amanda Podany - ‘Weavers, Scribes, and Kings’; Christian Frevel - ‘History of Ancient Israel’; Berlin, Brettler, Fishbane, et al - ‘The Jewish Study Bible’; Mark Fisher - ‘Capitalist Realism’; https://armenianweekly.com/2017/06/28/my-name-is-shamiram/ Some Bible quotations taken from the NRSVue and the NJPS with adaptations

May 5, 2025 • 1h 5min
BONUS: Dan McClellan Interview
A while back, I did an interview with scholar Dan McClellan. Since his new book, The Bible Says So: What We Get Right (and Wrong) About Scripture's Most Controversial Issues just came out, I decided to unlock that episode from behind the paywall! Make sure to buy Dan's book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bible-says-so-what-we-get-right-and-wrong-about-scripture-s-most-controversial-issues-daniel-mcclellan/21752470?ean=9781250347466&next=t And subscribe to the Patreon for more interviews like this one: https://www.patreon.com/BibleLorePodcast

Apr 25, 2025 • 56min
Episode 14: Listomania and the Son of None
Today we say farewell to one last Omride queen while watching the brief fall of Assyria and the brief rise of Aram-Damascus. Along the way I talk about another two identically-named kings who might be the same guy, as well as a lot of lists! Tap in, gang, it's Bible Lore Day once again! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/BibleLorePodcast Bibliography: Marc van de Mieroop - ‘A History of the Ancient Near East’; Shuichi Hasegawa - ‘Aram and Israel During the Jehuite Dynasty’; Christian Frevel - ‘History of Ancient Israel’; Mario Liverani - ‘Israel’s History and the History of Israel’; Robert Alter - ‘The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary’; David Carr - ‘The Formation of Genesis 1-11’; Berlin, Brettler, Fishbane, et al - ‘The Jewish Study Bible’; Liane Feldman - ‘The Consuming Fire’; Cogan & Tadmor - ‘II Kings: A New Translation with Commentary’; James Charlesworth - ‘The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha’; Some bible quotations taken from the NRSVue with adaptations

Apr 14, 2025 • 1h 1min
Episode 13: One Man's Revolution...
This week, we're going Rashomon mode as I examine the end of the Omrides and the rise of Jehu from several different angles, bringing in contemporary inscriptions and conflicting biblical narratives on the same events - one author considers Jehu's rise as direct divine providence, while another calls it a blood-soaked coup and the first domino that would lead to the Israelite kingdom's eventual collapse. Come along for a wild ride as I try to figure out just what happened at Jezreel in 841 BCE. https://patreon.com/biblelorepodcast https://www.instagram.com/haydentank/ Bibliography: Van Der Toorn, Becking, et al - ‘Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible’; Berlin, Brettler, Fishbane, et al - ‘The Jewish Study Bible’; Coogan, Smith, et al - ‘The Oxford Companion to the Bible’; Shuichi Hasegawa - ‘Aram and Israel During the Jehuite Dynasty’ Robert Alter - ‘The Hebrew Bible: A Translation With Commentary’; David J. A. Clines - ‘Psalm 2 and the MLF (Moabite Liberation Front)’; https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/inscriptions/what-does-the-mesha-stele-say/