Archive for the ‘Narrative books’ Category

  • 1 Samuel 23:7 – 24:22: Two noble opponents

    Sep 13, 15 • 1 SamuelComments Off on 1 Samuel 23:7 – 24:22: Two noble opponents
    1 Samuel 23:7 – 24:22: Two noble opponents

    Many Old Testament stories in the history books seem to have no message but that human-beings are broken and need mending, are sinful and therefore keep spoiling God’s lovely world and hurting each other! Then along comes this story to remind us of another truth… 1 Samuel 24  is set amid political jostling and attempted [&hellip...

  • Free Bible software and seeing in 1 Sam 16

    Jul 16, 15 • 1 SamuelComments Off on Free Bible software and seeing in 1 Sam 16
    Free Bible software and seeing in 1 Sam 16

    Here’s a short screencast to show how STEP Bible can help you see how the word “see” steps us through 1 Samuel ...

  • Introducing Ruth

    May 12, 15 • Bible Books, RuthComments Off on Introducing Ruth
    Introducing Ruth

    Just four chapters, here’s a story without violence or even conflict, a simple everyday tale of country folk, yet Ruth grips hearers is loved by everyone and carries profound theological messages, that echo into the books before and after Ruth in the Christian Bible...

  • Humour in the Bible, book 15: Ezra

    Apr 28, 15 • Ezra, Humour1 Comment
    Humour in the Bible, book 15: Ezra

    Ezra is far from the funniest book in the Bible, or the easiest read. Yet even here there are hints and traces of that most human of phenomena, humour. In Ezra 3:12-13 (as often) one either has to laugh or cry. Throughout the book something funny is going on with language and translation (see e.g. [&hellip...

  • Humour in the Bible, book 14: 2 Chronicles 18

    Apr 1, 15 • 2 Chronicles, Humour5 Comments
    Humour in the Bible, book 14: 2 Chronicles 18

    The strange, and strangely disturbing story of Micaiah ben Imlah in 2 Chronicles 18 which repeats very closely its source in 1 Kings 22 ((Which may mean this entry is cheating in terms of finding humour in every book of the (Hebrew) Bible, though it does seem to show that the Chronicles was not so [&hellip...

  • Humour in the Bible 13: 1 Chronicles 4 The Prayer of Jabez

    Mar 3, 15 • 1 Chronicles, Humour1 Comment
    Humour in the Bible 13: 1 Chronicles 4 The Prayer of Jabez

    The prayer of Jabez was wildly popular a few years back among voguish Christians worried about the lack of obvious and excess prosperity in their lives (compared to those richer and general better off than them, not compared to the world population in general). Even without that 1 Chron 4:9-10 is funny (strange peculiar, if [&hellip...

  • Humour in the Bible: Book 12: 2 Kings 1: Mission interrupted.

    Feb 2, 15 • 2 Kings, HumourComments Off on Humour in the Bible: Book 12: 2 Kings 1: Mission interrupted.
    Humour in the Bible: Book 12: 2 Kings 1: Mission interrupted.

    Since Google suggests the first chapter of 2 Kings is humorous I’ll measure it against the criteria. It meets most (but not all) which i think makes it clear this passage is not merely funny but was intended to be funny. Though again it is a “black” humour. As a bonus I’ll offer a reading [&hellip...

  • Humour in the Bible 11: 1 Kings: In an idol moment

    Jan 23, 15 • 1 Kings, Humour2 Comments
    Humour in the Bible 11: 1 Kings: In an idol moment

    Idols, “gods” that people make! The very idea of making a god is one of those notions that almost have to reduce you to tears (whether of laughter or sadness and desperation depends on the circumstances), and the Bible has plenty of fun at the expense (in both senses) of idols. In this episode, therefore, [&hellip...

  • Go’el : Hebrew has a word for it #2

    Nov 7, 14 • Reading, Ruth, TheologyComments Off on Go’el : Hebrew has a word for it #2
    Go’el : Hebrew has a word for it #2

    Go’el is another thoroughly cultural word, that is highly theological. Again it is prominent in Ruth. This time there is one English word that is often a decent translation, redeemer, the problem is redeem carries a different weight of overtones from ga’al. There is a good short post about ga’al here with reference to Jesus [&hellip...

  • 2 Kings 10: a really nasty text as a test for the 5 step process

    Aug 14, 14 • 2 Kings, 5 Steps9 Comments
    2 Kings 10: a really nasty text as a test for the 5 step process

    I once made a silly offer: “Give me a random Old Testament passage, and I’ll show you how the 5 step process works!” So they offered me 2 Kings 10, the lovely story of the seventy heads offered to Jehu in baskets. (Read it yourself if you don’t believe me.) My goal was to show [&hellip...