Retelling the Bible

In 587 BCE, Ismael son of Nethaniah and Zephaniah the Priest made a deal to save the city of Jerusalem. Might have worked too, if they hadn't totally blown it.

Martha is intent on inviting a preacher from Nazareth to her house for supper. What is it that motivates her to do so? Based on Luke 10:38-42

A brutal corporate raider meets a hooker with a heart of gold and their encounter changes everything. Based on the story of the Battle of Jericho in the Bible.

The story of Paul and the fortune-telling slave girl ( Acts 16:16-34 ) but told in a modern setting. How could this story happen today?

The story of Jephthah, his daughter, and the real-life human struggles that they were dealing with. Can we see them as more than just a hero (or a monster) and a victim? Based on Judges chapter 11.

A couple has a strange and yet familiar experience as they walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Based on  Luke 24:13-35.

As a secret agent, you sneak in to watch a meeting of the Divine Council (based on Psalm 82).

This is the story of Athaliah, Judah's only reigning queen who was the only survivor of a coup in her country of origin (Israel). She was taken down, six years later, by another coup that started in the House of Yahweh. Based on  2 Kings 11 and  2 Chronicles 22 .

The story of Puah and Shiphrah, two Egyptian midwives who choose, despite the great forces arrayed against them, to put their lives on the line for the sake of the slavewomen of Goshen. Based on Exodus 1:15-21.

This is a retelling of Jesus' famous parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It is told in such a way to help you appreciate some of the cultural assumptions and practices behind it. This episode is based on Luke 16:19-31 . Show notes are posted at  retellingthebible.wordpress.com .

A retelling of the Bible's only real ghost story. Saul, on the eve of a major battle, needs to talk to his old mentor. There's just one problem, Samuel is dead. Based on  1 Samuel 28:3-25 .

Lamech, the fifth generation descendant of Cain, tells his children the story of the famous clash between Cain and Abel from his own perspective. (For him, Cain is the good guy.) Based on the fourth chapter of Genesis.

According to Genesis 19, Lot had two daughters who are never named and who got up to some shenanigans after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is their story -- and the story of how they made names for themselves.

The Bible tells the story of Gomer and Hosea's dysfunctional marriage from Hosea's point of view. (Hosea 1-3) This episode is an opportunity to consider Gomer's side of the story.

This is the story about a man, Balaam, whose donkey was smarter than he was -- a soothsayer who thought he knew what made a god tick but who was about to learn something new.

Based on an incident mentioned in 1 Kings 18, this episode tells the story of a principled but conflicted man named Obadiah and what he did in response to a changing religious landscape in ninth-century (BCE) Israel. #Jezahab!

Based on 1 Samuel 25, this is the story of a couple, Nabal and Abigail, who had an unfortunate run-in with a minor bandit running a protection racket -- a man who would eventually be known as the great King David!

This episode is a remarkable story about how part of the Bible came to be written, hidden and then found at a most convenient moment. Is it inspiration or crass self-serving treason? Or both?? Based on the story told in 2 Kings 22:1-20.

The Apostle Paul originally went by the name of Saul. This is the (somewhat speculative) story of how the name change happened. (It didn't happen when you probably thought that it did!)

Based on the story told in the Gospel of Mark 5:1-19, this is a retelling of the time when Jesus encountered a man who was considered to be possessed by many demons. It explores how we, as modern people, might interpret those demons a bit differently. Show notes at  Retellingthebible.wordpress.com .

This special edition of Retelling the Bible After Dark is based on the story told in the Book of Ruth. We tend to tone it down when we read the story, but I have tried to let all of the innuendo and sexuality shine through in this telling.  Listener discretion is advised. 

This is a retelling of the strange story that appears in Exodus 4:24–26. How are we supposed to understand this story in which God attacks and tries to kill Moses because he has not circumcised his son? Zipporah gets to save the day too!

Based on the account in 1 Kings 13, this is the story of the incident at Bethel as told from the other side -- from the people of view of the people who would have worshipped at Bethel and who disagreed with the prophet who came to denounce that sanctuary.

This is a quick introduction to the new season of "Retelling the Bible" just to let you know what will be different about how I am going to tell the stories this time. Follow the blog at  retellingthebible.wordpress.com .

In this, the final episode, our storyteller, W. Scott McAndless offers a new picture of Mary and Joseph walking down the road to Bethlehem given some new possibilities for understanding the journey that we have discovered in the first season of the podcast. Merry Christmas everyone!  Music is by Kevin MacLeod and licences in the Creative Commons Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creat...