Guest: Dr. Deborah Geller. Was revenge always considered morally wrong? In the ancient Near East, avenging an offense could be a matter of honor, justice, and even moral obligation. How does this…
When Jacob finally meets Esau again in Genesis 33, he desperately wants reconciliation. He sends his brother an enormous gift, repeatedly calls Esau “my lord” and himself “your servant,” and bows…
Guest: Dr. Brad Anderson. On the eve of his dreaded reunion with Esau, Jacob is left alone at night—and suddenly finds himself wrestling with a mysterious ish, a “man,” until daybreak. Who is this…
Guest: Dr. Erin Derby. As Jacob and his family secretly flee from Laban, Genesis 31 drops a strange detail into the story: Rachel steals her father’s teraphim. Laban calls them his “gods”—and is…
Guest: Dr. Suzie ParkGenesis 30 ends with one of the strangest episodes in the Jacob story. Jacob agrees that his wages from Laban will consist of the spotted, speckled, and dark-colored animals—and…
Guest: Dr. Suzie Park. Genesis 29 tells us that Jacob loved Rachel—and that Leah was “hated.” But what does the Hebrew Bible actually mean when it speaks of love?Dr. Suzie Park, author of Love in the…
Guest: Dr. Zvi Shimon Why does Jacob receive his vision of a stairway reaching to heaven precisely as he is leaving Canaan and heading east toward Haran?Dr. Zvi Shimon joins The Bible Bar to explore…
Guest: Dr. Shira Weiss. In Genesis 27, Jacob deceives his blind father, Isaac, and receives the blessing intended for Esau. But was Jacob actually lying? And does the distinction between lying and…
Guest: Dr. Don Seeman. Why does Genesis bother to tell us that Abimelech was looking through a window when he saw Isaac and Rebecca together?It seems like an incidental detail. But biblical narrative…
Guest: Prof. Raanan Eichler. Genesis 25 records Rebecca's oracle concerning Jacob and Esau, yet one crucial line has resisted a settled interpretation for centuries. In this episode, Prof. Eichler…
