The Tanakh Podcast

Chapter 2 and 3 issue a terrible foretelling of national ruin and destruction. The sins here are pride and decadence, along with a disregard for the poor. The result will be national ruin, fear, disarray and chaos.

Today we put Isaiah's famous prophecy into context: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."

Today we 1. Give an introduction to Sefer Yishayahu, and 2. Discuss Isaiah's strident condemnation of sacrifices. Are sacrifices wrong?

Today we conclude with a reflection on the broad message of the Book of Kings (Sefer Melakhim)

We are nearing the Hurban. Today we study the personality of King Yehoyakim who oppresses the nation and repudiates the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah.

Today we discuss the assassination of King Josiah and why despite Josiah's teshuva, God was unprepared to pardon the nation.

The priests discover a Sefer Torah in the Temple and when Josiah reads it, his is thrust into panic. What was this scroll? Had the Torah been lost to the Jewish people? Or is it possibly a different document than the Five Books of Moses?

Menashe is the most evil king of all. Idolatry, murder, magic and divination - he does it all! The Talmud claims that he murdered the prophet Isaiah! as such, for the Book of Kings, the damage he has wrought is irreparable. Menashe is responsible for the Hurban! But Divrei Hayamim (Chronicles) offers a different story!

Hezekiah gets sick and prays and is saved. Hezekiah receives a visiting Babylonian king, and is rebuked by the prophet. How do these two stories fit into the wider narrative of Hezekiah? The question we shall address is whether one is to rely on one's own efforts, or to place one's faith exclusively in God.

Today we describe the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem - the despair, the psychological intimidation by Rav-Shakeh, Hizkiyahu's religious response; and lastly, God's miracle. We also discuss the archaeological records of this event, and its implications.

Our chapter introduces Hizkiyahu with "There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him." Quite an accolade! Today we chart his efforts to restore monotheism in Jerusalem: the grand celebration of Pesach in Jerusalem, his enthusiasm for national unity, and his promotion of religious study.

In this podcast we speak about: 1. How the Exile of the Ten Tribes is part of a covenantal pattern that harks back to the Torah; 2. How did the 10 Tribes get "lost"?

What would you do if you were confronted by the most menacing empire to have existed in the Middle East. You have three choices: 1. become an ally 2. Join the resistance 3. Retain your neutrality. What are the advantages of each, and what is the potential price? How do you decide? This is Ahaz's dilemma.

Today we study about King Uzziah, one of the great kings of Judah. And we witness the political instability of the Northern Kingdom, a process that will lead to its demise and exile.

King Amatziah is successful by any measure. He follows God. He has defeated Edom. So why does he get embroiled in a costly civil war?

In this chapter we witness Elisha's death. But not before Elisha has announced the demise of Aramean oppression. What do we make of Elisha's role? Why did he resort to miracle making like no other prophet? What is the peculiar relationship between Elisha and the period of Aramean dominace over Israel?

Yoash was crowned at age 7. For his early years, the priests were most certainly in charge of the kingdom. But later in life, Yoash decides to challenge the priests, and to forge his own direction. It doesn't happen without opposition.

Queen Athalia - "the evil" - kills all her progeny because she wants to rule. Luckily one heir to the throne is snatched form the massacre. This chapter will describe the counter-coup by the priests to restore the Davidic line.

Yehu's revolt is possibly the most explicitly violent episode in Tanakh. Why does the text revel in all the gory details? Is this to endear Yehu to us, or to offer a note of caution?

Elisha instigates yet another assassination in our chapter! Elisha sends a disciple to annoint Jehu, a senior army officer. Jehu proceeds to assassinate the King of Israel, the King of Judah, and the evil Jezebel! Who is this man?

Elisha travels to Syria, and instigates the assassination of the King Ben-Hadad. Why is Elisha getting involved in a foreign court?

Samaria is under siege. There is no food. Women are consuming their dead children. The King wishes to blame Elisha. Elisha responds with the news that within 24 hours the siege will end. Meanwhile, outside the city, four lepers approach the enemy camp...

Today, we consider the character of Gehazi - Elisha's estranged assistant.

Aram's army captain has leprosy. His cure will come from an unlikely source :- Elisha! But what in particular makes Na'aman pledge to worship no deity other than the God of Israel?

This chapter contains four miracles stories of Elisha. Miracles appear to be the standard way that Elsiha addresses problems. But in the story of the Shunnamite woman and her son, we shall suggest that God teaches the great prophet Elisha that even miracle-making has its limits.