People have attempted to defy death for thousands of years but they have failed. Elijah, who was whisked to heaven in a whirlwind, didn’t fail. Read more about this death-defying prophet. Elijah was a prophet who lived in Israel from around 899 to 850 B.C.  This was after the Israelite kingdom… Read More

Christians call the Old Testament books that follow the Pentateuch, beginning with Joshua and ending with Esther, the Historical Books. These books describe Israel’s history as a people in the land of Canaan. The final book of the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy, ends with the tribes of Israel camped in… Read More

David was a man of many talents: he wrote poetry, slew giants, and governed Israel. Read about how David shaped the kingdom of Israel and figured into the larger plan of salvation. David ruled Israel from about 1010 to 970 B.C. David was a military hero (1 Samuel 17:41-54; 18:6-7),… Read More

In ancient times, individuals reached agreements by forming covenants. Covenants were also the means by which the Israelites related to God. Read about the significance of biblical covenants – from God’s first covenant with Abraham to the new covenant spoken about in the prophets. The Bible often speaks of… Read More

As Hellenism spread through the ancient world, literacy increased and people began to value stories, especially romance fiction. This popular genre even influenced religious writings. Read more here. After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C., Greek culture continued to spread through the areas his armies had… Read More

The Four-Source Theory suggests that the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, came from four different stories. Learn about the strengths and weaknesses of this theory. By Linda A. Dietch PhD Candidate, Drew University, Madison, NJ Those who read the Bible are sometimes struck by discrepancies… Read More

The Bible contains a wide array of literature, including love songs and apocalyptic visions. This tool gives a brief explanation of each genre that will give you a platform for understanding the Bible on your own. Most books fall into one particular category of literature or another. An… Read More

In Genesis God promised to give Abraham land for his descendents. Although it took hundreds of years, Abraham’s descendents finally returned to the land. Read about the important events that occurred while the Israelites occupied the Promised Land. Moses led the people of Israel in the desert for forty years… Read More

Zion, the fortress located on a hill in Jerusalem, is referenced throughout the Old and New Testaments. Read more about it here. The first mention of Zion in the Bible is 2 Samuel 5.6-9. It describes how Israel’s King David captured the hilltop fortress known as Zion in the… Read More

The Israelites constantly interacted with foreign nations. This article identifies Israel’s trade partners and examines the items they commonly traded. After the tribes of Israel were united under King David (around 1000 B.C.), international trade began to increase. Israelite rulers built storage cellars and warehouses to store wine, grain,… Read More