Bible Interpretation
Jul 1
The Question of Mary’s Perpetual Virginity
In the Summer 2026 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, New Testament scholar Helen Bond asks a provocative question: “Was Mary a Second Wife?” Replete with […]
Jun 30
Who Was Jesus’ Biological Father?
By: BAS Staff
Was Joseph Jesus’ biological father? If not, who was Jesus’ biological father? Andrew Lincoln examines what early Christians thought about conception and explains how views about this subject have changed over time.
Jun 24
Identifying Biblical Authors with Statistical Analysis
The Hebrew Bible is the product of centuries of oral and written transmission, combining numerous sources and multiple redactions. Although this has been a long-recognized […]
Jun 23
How the Serpent in the Garden Became Satan
By: Shawna Dolansky
The serpent in the Garden of Eden is portrayed as just that: a serpent. The story in Genesis 2–3 contains no hint that he embodies the devil, Satan or any other evil power. So where does the devil come into the details of Eden? Biblical scholar Shawna Dolansky examines how the serpent became Satan.
Jun 22
Nursing a Hangover in the Biblical World
“Hair of the dog” is a saying that originally related to the remedy for a rabid dog bite, which involved putting some of that dog’s […]
Jun 21
Were Mary and Joseph Married or Engaged at Jesus’ Birth?
By: Mark Wilson
Were Mary and Joseph married or engaged when they traveled to Bethlehem? Biblical scholar Mark Wilson examines what the gospels say in this Bible History Daily guest post.
Jun 18
The Adam and Eve Story: Eve Came From Where?
By: BAS Staff
The Book of Genesis tells us that God created woman from one of Adam’s ribs. But Biblical scholar Ziony Zevit says that the traditional translation of the Biblical text is wrong: Eve came from a different part of Adam’s body—his baculum.
May 29
From Noah’s Dove to the Holy Spirit
Hot take: Pigeons are the most berated animal of all time. Our ancestors domesticated these rock-dwelling birds, for example using them as messengers and food. […]
May 11
News in the History of the Alphabet
A newly published 12th-century BCE jar inscription from Lachish preserves a personal name containing the root š-l-ṭ, centuries earlier than this root was believed to […]
May 5
The Creation of Woman in the Bible
By: Megan Sauter
How was the first woman created in Genesis 2? Was she made from the man’s rib or, as recently suggested in BAR, from his os baculum?
