The first few sentences of this review of the Song of Songs (aka, the Song of Solomon) in the Passion Translation (the one that is enthusiastically promoted by NAR apostles) says it all: This translation of the Song of Songs is truly awful. As a professor of biblical...
Hebrew
Currently Running Projects on the Text of the Hebrew Bible
Someone sent me this link a couple days ago. It's about the Oxford Hebrew Bible project, of which Ron Hendel of UC-Berkeley is the chief editor. The article makes some silly statements that make it sound like this project is going to see things in the biblical Hebrew...
Los Lunas Lunacy
At times I am asked about the evidence for ancient (Jewish) visitation to the Americas. Part of what prompts the question is inscriptional "evidence" like the Los Lunas stone. (Other parts are British Israelite and Mormon apologetic leanings). While I'm not one who...
All Commentaries are Not Created Equal, Part 1
In my experience, most students who venture beyond just reading the Bible have heard of Bible commentaries. But in case someone reading this hasn't heard the term before, I should explain. A Bible commentary is just what it sounds like -- a book that provides comments...
Free PDFs for Some Articles by Mike
I just found out via Liberty University (I'm adjunct for them in their distance program) that I can post links on my blog to free PDF articles that I have written. I presume they have cleared everything with respect rights or they wouldn't be suggesting this to...
Crucifixion in Antiquity Update
The ETC blog posted this recent update on the "controversy" surrounding the recent dissertation that archeoporn-peddling journalists touted as saying Jesus didn't die on a cross. I had blogged a bit on that.
Genesis 1 and Creationism
I'll be presenting this topic in church next month, so this powerpoint video is a warm-up of sorts. It's one the *real* issue in Genesis 1 with respect to the "timing" of creation: the clause structure. You probably just yawned, I know. But a majority of you asked...
Serpent and Eve PaleoBabble FollowUp
Some of you may have noticed that there has been recent discussion on this thread on the PaleoBabble site. Apparently someone who desperately wants to say the serpent and Eve had sex to (not sure) defend Zecharia Sitchin or some sort of sexual activity between...
Learning to Use Hebrew and Greek
I think I blogged about this in the past, but if not, here goes. One of the recent projects I've worked on at Logos has been creating a set of video tools for teaching people who can read only English how to use Greek and Hebrew for Bible study. I did the Hebrew; my...
Does Hebrew bara’ Mean “to Spatially Separate” Instead of “Create”?
That's the contention of Dr. Ellen van Wolde. The problems in translation and interpretation in Genesis 1:1-3 are well known to Hebraists, but it's rare for any of them to claim that the Bible teaches that God did *not* create matter, which Dr. van Wolde claims as a...
New Online Site for Public Domain Bible Reference Works
Check out Bible Ref Shelf - a very useful (if small) site for public domain Bible study materials. Editor's note: additional info provided.
Dr. Mike Brown Tells People the Truth About the Hebrew Alphabet and Of Course Pays For It
Back in March I posted a link to the video below, which was created and posted by Dr. Michael Brown. The video is about how Hebrew is not to be read / translated / interpreted according to the shapes of the original picture-script ("pictographic") from which the...
PEERANORMAL Episode 13: Bible Codes
Back in mid-nineties a peer-reviewed article was published that sought to legitimize the idea that the Hebrew text of Genesis encrypted meaningful information about modern persons and events. Their method for detecting the presumed encrypted knowledge was known...
New Online Hebrew Transliteration Tool
I sometimes get email asking about transliteration (and pronunciation) of Hebrew words. Transliteration can help folks who want to try and pronounce Hebrew. This new online tool allows you to paste in Hebrew text and get an instant transliteration (an accurate one,...
Gender Insanity and a Witless Rabbi
Someone sent me this editorial today from the NYT: “Is God Transgender?” The article is by a rabbi who (intentionally? ignorantly?) thinks that metaphor and the "inconsistencies" of grammatical gender in the Hebrew Bible mean that God is either transgender or doesn't...