Loading...

PODCAST

The Bible Bar

Department of Bible, Bar-Ilan University

The Bible Bar – The Podcast of the Bible Department of Bar-Ilan University. Hosted by Dr. Joshua Berman, The Bible Bar offers a guided journey through the Bible, one chapter at a time, in conversation with leading scholars from Bar-Ilan University and across the globe. Drawing on the full spectrum of biblical studies, the podcast translates cutting-edge research into thoughtful, engaging discussions, helping listeners discover new depth and meaning in the text

education courses

All Episodes

00:33:57

Gen 13: What Lot Reveals About Abraham

The Bible Bar ·

2026/05/11

Guest Dr. Dan Rickett. In Genesis 13, Lot's presence helps reveal Abraham’s faith, priorities, and character. As conflict grows between their households, Abraham chooses peace over power, generosity over self-protection, and trust in God over grasping for the best land. Lot, meanwhile, chooses by sight, drawn toward the fertile Jordan Valley and the cities near Sodom.This episode explores how Lot functions as a contrast within the Abraham narrative. Through their separation, Genesis highlights

en

00:40:33

Gen 12: Two Journeys to Canaan and the Choosing of Abram

The Bible Bar ·

2026/05/04

Guest: Dr. Zvi Shimon. Genesis 12 does not begin in isolation. Abram’s call is set within an earlier, incomplete journey led by Terah. This episode explores the relationship between these two movements toward Canaan and what they reveal about divine calling, human initiative, and election.Key ThemesThe continuity between Genesis 11 and 12Two journeys toward the same destinationThe significance of Terah stopping in HaranAbram’s call as both interruption and continuationDivine election and human

en

00:31:09

Gen 11: The Tower of Babel and the Scattering of the...

The Bible Bar ·

2026/04/27

Guest: Prof. John Day. In this episode, we explore one of the most intriguing and often misunderstood stories in the Bible: the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). What was so wrong with humanity coming together in unity? Why does God intervene—and what does this moment reveal about human nature, ambition, and the divine plan?Joined by Old Testament scholar Professor John Day (Oxford), we dig into the deeper theological and historical dimensions of the text. This conversation brings clarity to a story that

en

00:38:48

Gen 10 : The Table of Nations: Why the Genealogies...

The Bible Bar ·

2026/04/20

Guest: Dr. Yigal Levin. Genesis 10, often called the “Table of Nations,” traces the descendants of Noah’s sons and presents a structured account of humanity’s post-flood dispersion. Far from a simple list of names, the chapter functions as a conceptual map of peoples, lands, and relationships in the ancient world.This episode examines how genealogies operate in their biblical and ancient Near Eastern context. Genesis 10 organizes the nations into a coherent framework, linking lineage, geography,

en

00:40:57

Gen 9: What Did Ham Do… and Why Is Canaan Cursed?

The Bible Bar ·

2026/04/13

Guest: Dr. Justin Reed. This episode examines Genesis 9:20–27, focusing on the account of Noah’s drunkenness and the subsequent curse of Canaan. Though brief, the passage presents a series of interpretive and ethical challenges that have generated sustained discussion.At the center of the narrative is Ham’s act of “seeing the nakedness of his father,” a phrase whose meaning remains uncertain. Interpretations range from a relatively minor act of disrespect to more serious violations, but the text

en

00:40:58

Gen 8 : Why All the Dates in the Flood Story?

The Bible Bar ·

2026/04/06

Guest: Dr. Michael LeFebvre. Genesis 8 suddenly starts sounding like a calendar. Specific days. Specific months. A sequence that feels unusually precise for a biblical narrative.But what if those dates aren’t just about tracking time?In this episode, Michael LeFebvre invites us to see these details in a completely different light. The dates in the flood story may actually line up with the agricultural calendar of ancient Israel—the rhythms of planting, waiting, and harvest that would have shaped

en

00:36:27

Gen 7 : The Flood: The Bible vs. Mesopotamia

The Bible Bar ·

2026/03/30

Guest: Dr. Gary Rendsburg. In this episode, we step into one of the most well-known—and most debated—stories in Scripture: the flood of Genesis 7. But we’re not reading it in isolation. Ancient Mesopotamian texts like The Epic of Gilgamesh and Atrahasis also tell flood stories… and at first glance, the similarities are hard to ignore. So what do we do with that?Are these stories essentially the same?Did one borrow from the other?Or are the differences more important than the similarities?We walk

en

00:29:50

Gen 6: Do the Sources Explain the Flood Story?

The Bible Bar ·

2026/03/23

Guest: Dr. Richard Elliott Friedman. In this episode, we begin our reading of Genesis 6 and the opening of the flood story—a key text in source-critical scholarship.In the first half, we work through Richard Elliott Friedman’s well-know approach, which divides the narrative into distinct sources. We focus especially on his claim that these strands cohere internally, each reflecting a consistent theological perspective.In the second half, we step back and considerdeeper methodological reflections

en

00:36:47

Gen 5: The Mystery of the Long Lifespans

The Bible Bar ·

2026/03/16

Guest: Dr. Eric Lawee. Genesis 5 is one of the most unusual chapters in the Bible. It is a genealogy stretching from Adam to Noah, and nearly every figure is said to have lived for centuries. Methuselah famously reaches 969 years, but many others live well past 900. For modern readers, the question naturally arises: what are we supposed to do with these ages?In this episode, we explore the long history of interpretation surrounding Genesis 5. While some readers have taken the lifespans at face

en

00:30:42

Gen 4: The Puzzle of Cain and Abel

The Bible Bar ·

2026/03/09

Why does God accept Abel’s offering but reject Cain’s—and what might the story be deliberately leaving unsaid?Guest: Dr. Karolien Vermeulen. Genesis 4 tells one of the most famous—and troubling—stories in the Bible: the rivalry between Cain and Abel that ends in the first murder. But when we read the text carefully, the story raises more questions than answers. Why does God accept Abel’s offering but not Cain’s? Why does Cain become so angry? And what clues might the Hebrew text provide that

en

00:35:24

Gen 3: Eve’s Curse, Consequence, or Calling (3:16)?

The Bible Bar ·

2026/03/02

With Dr. Carol Meyers. Genesis 3:16 is often read as a statement about childbirth and labor pains—or as a divine mandate establishing male rule. But what if that’s not what the verse is primarily about? In this episode, Dr. Carol Meyers argues that Genesis 3:16 can only be properly understood within its ancient socio-economic context. In the world of ancient Israel, survival depended on household production, fertility, and family labor systems. When read in that setting, this verse is not a timeless

en

00:32:46

Gen 2- Sabbath, Sanctuary, and the Second Creation

The Bible Bar ·

2026/02/23

With Bill Arnold, Asbury Theological Seminary - In this episode, we explore two major themes in Genesis 2: Sabbath and the creation of woman. We examine the parallels between creation and the Tabernacle, how Israel’s Sabbath differs from other ancient seven-day cycles, and how Sabbath functions as liberation from the economic order — restoring people to one another in covenant.We also unpack the meaning of ezer kenegdo (“a helper opposite him”) and why the phrase signals strength and correspondence,

en

00:31:29

Gen 1: Biblical Creation in Conversation with Ancient...

The Bible Bar ·

2026/02/02

Guest: K. Lawson Younger Jr., Assyriologist. In this episode of The Bible Bar, we read Genesis 1 alongside ancient Near Eastern creation stories with K. Lawson Younger Jr., a leading Assyriologist. Drawing on texts from Mesopotamia and the wider ancient Near East, the conversation sets Genesis 1 in its ancient world and explores what makes the biblical account distinctive. Along the way, we talk about the Enuma Elish, why Genesis lacks divine conflict, how creation happens through speech and

en

33 results

Similar Podcasts

Les dents et dodo

BFMTV

Daily Facts

Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.

Education Futures

Svenia Busson & Laurent Jolie

Out In The Hall

NHSA

Reading Teachers Lounge

Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi