Bible History Daily

Bible History Daily

mesha-stele

Dec 5

Scholars Identify Biblical King Balak on the Mesha Stele

By: Robin Ngo

Scholars have proposed a new reading of the Mesha Stele: one line refers not to the “House of David,” but to the Moab king Balak from the story of Balaam in the Bible.

St. Nicholas National Museum

Dec 5

Who Was St. Nicholas?

By: Mark Wilson

The legend of jolly old St. Nicholas evolved into Santa Claus in Christmas tradition, but who was St. Nicholas?

Israelite deportees in a relief from the Central Palace at Nimrud, around 730 BCE. Photo courtesy of the Photo Companion to the Bible, 2 Kings

Dec 4

The Ten Lost Tribes

By: BAS Staff

“So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day.” This is how the Book of 2 Kings summarizes the Assyrian conquest […]

Dec 3

The Origins of “The Cherry Tree Carol”

By: Mary Joan Winn Leith

“The Cherry Tree Carol” is a Christmas carol that first appeared in 13th-century England; an American version was discovered in Appalachia in the 20th century. Stonehill College Biblical scholar Mary Joan Winn Leith explains the carol’s roots in early Christian Syrian churches.

gamla-synagogue

Dec 3

Ancient Synagogues in Israel and the Diaspora

By: Megan Sauter

Were there synagogues before the Romans destroyed the Temple, or did they develop only afterward? Communal structures from the Second Temple period have been discovered, but should they be considered synagogues even though they don’t share the major architectural feature common to post-destruction synagogues?

The Egyptian scarab. Courtesy Emil Aladjem, IAA

Dec 2

Young Girl Discovers Egyptian Scarab

By: Nathan Steinmeyer

While walking with her family at Tel Qana near Tel Aviv, a young girl made a fantastic find: a small stone in the shape of […]

sss

Dec 1

First Person: Did the Kingdoms of Saul, David and Solomon Actually Exist?

By: Hershel Shanks

In BAR, Hershel Shanks examines a recent article published by archaeologist Amihai Mazar. Mazar contends that while the Biblical narratives were written hundreds of years after the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon, they “retain memories of reality.”

Magi illustration

Nov 30

Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

Were the gifts of the magi meant to save Jesus from the pain of arthritis? It’s possible, according to researchers at Cardiff University in Wales who have been studying the medical uses of frankincense.

pompeii

Nov 29

DNA and Gender at Pompeii

By: Lila Wolk

In 79 CE, the Roman town of Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash, courtesy of Mt. Vesuvius. While the bodies of the dead decomposed long […]

Nov 28

A Feast for the Senses … and the Soul

By: Dorothy Willette

Go on a journey of the senses through history and discover the significance of ritual feasts and meals in antiquity.