After a long hiatus, I am finally returning to my analysis of the prophets.  The next prophet is Nahum. Nahum identifies himself solely as being from Elkosh.  He gives no hint as to his parentage, instead choosing to emphasize his place of origin and his message about the demise of Nineveh.  Elkosh was, and is, … More Nahum

I recently encountered, via Facebook, an Orthodox Union (OU) article purporting to list evidence for Hanukkah being a Torah holiday.  Hanukkah celebrates miracles, reported in Rabbinical texts, that supposedly happened during the time of the Maccabees, a period alluded to in scripture only in the book of Daniel. Most of the evidence presented on the OU … More What a Coincidence!

Was Ruth a Moabite?  This question comes up frequently among those making an objective examination of the TaNaKh.  While the Book of Ruth says plainly that she was (1:4), the assertion appears at first blush to be in violation of Torah based on the following verses: No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of … More Ruth and Consequences

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This year’s “blood moons” or “super moons” have attracted much attention.  And rightly so.  It’s a beautiful phenomenon!  The distressing part is the number of people attributing religious meaning to them. The popular religious interpretation has been that the moons are a sign of a coming judgment, and is supported by two biblical verses: The … More Blood Moons and Balderdash

The prophecies of Micah were delivered during the reigns of Yotam (Jotham), Ahaz, and Hizkiyahu (Hezekiah), making Micah a contemporary of Yesheyahu (Isaiah).  Micah was a southern kingdom prophet, originating in Moreshet, and like other southern kingdom prophets (Amos, for example), he was concerned with the oppression of the vulnerable by the wealthy:  But lately … More Micah, Part 1

The prophecy of Ovadiah (meaning “Servant of G-d”) is the shortest book in the TaNaKh.  It contains no biographical information or explicit identification of time period.  However, its content (the condemnation of Edom) tells us what we need to know in no uncertain terms. Ovadiah is primarily a condemnation of Edom, the territory to the … More Ovadiah

The next book I wish to tackle is that of Yonah (Jonah), even though it is not next in the cannon.  As I mentioned in my second post about Yoel, the themes of Yoel and Yonah make the two books good companions, and I am treating them as such here. According to 2 Melechim (2 … More Yonah

Although most modern readers focus on Yoel 3, with its incredible imagery, the climactic moment for Yoel is in chapter 2.  Chapter 2 is also where we learn more about the man behind the prophecy.  Yoel’s descriptions of the plagues afflicting the land are so visceral that it’s clear he is relating what he has … More Yoel, Part 2

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