Wholly Buyable

It's one of the world's most famous stories, and one of only a few Bible stories that has achieved fame outside of religious circles. It's so famous that it has become an archetype, but David vs Goliath is so much more than the little guy overcoming the big guy. As Goliath taunts the Israelite army for its cowardice, a young shepherd arrives with food for his soldier brothers. Hours...

Saul's reign begins well and then gradually freewheels downhill, increasing speed and the likelihood of a pile up as it does so. As this episode proves, even having a brave and gifted warrior for a son can't help this klutz of a king rule his kingdom properly. The fall of Saul begins here. Chapters covered: 1 Samuel 11-14 Written and produced by Chas Bayfield Music by Michael Auld and Jo...

It’s the end of an era. From the Patriarchs to the Judges, Israel has been looked after by leaders which it believes God has given it,  and who appear to have been hand-picked  because of their inherent faithfulness to God and the courage which this gives them. Now, Israel's people are in uncharted territory.  The age of the Judges is over.  The age of the monarchy is about to begin. Chapters...

The epic account of Israel's monarchy begins. Books 1 + 2  of Samuel are some of the most page turning in the whole Bible as the writers build tension, hop between locations and include dramatic points of jeopardy from which it seems impossible to seize victory. These are chapters that you can properly binge. As expected by now, God uses the least expected people to carry out his mission - a...

An unmarried young woman puts on her best clothes, fixes her makeup and sashays out into the night. She finds a wealthy older man who is sleeping off a banquet and lies down next to him. Who is she? What did she hope might happen as a result of this midnight liaison. And why do more people not know this story? Season eight begins. Chapters covered: Ruth 1-4 Written and produced by Chas Bayfield Mu...

My my my Delilah - Episode 60 and Season 6 finale! This is a longer and usual podcast and the action doesn't stop. Samson's unfortunate love affair is one of the few stories that has escaped the Bible and into popular culture. But it is what happens next that sees Israel spiral into a self destructive vortex. It's one of the most appalling and depraved events in the Bible and unsurp...

Animal lovers look away! Israel is about to get a leader who thinks nothing of killing wildlife to help him wreak revenge. As for the content, this episode provides the backstory to one of the most famous romantic relationships in the Bible - Samson and Delilah. But before Samson meets Delilah, he falls in love with another absolute heartbreaker. Chapters covered: Judges 11-15 Written and produced...

There are no dull moments in the Book of Judges. In this episode, meek little Gideon who is too scared to engage anyone in  a fight becomes a bonafide warlord. One of his sons goes rogue and embarks on a killing spree that only ends when yet another woman grabs a projectile and takes back control of Israel's destiny. Chapters covered: Judges 7-11 Conversions: 42.5lb = 19.3kg 1¾lb = 800g 12-15...

In an unusual break from tradition, a woman has led Israel to success against enemy invaders.  A fabulous one-two with a second and equally ferocious woman seals the victory. In another unexpected move, Israel's next hero is so unlikely a contender for leadership that he enters the Bible hiding. These are some of the Bible's most lurid stories and we're right in the thick of them En...

Within just a few years of Joshua's death, the spiritual vibe in Israel goes dramatically south. To try and get the train back on the rails, God installs judges. These aren't legally minded judiciaries, they are godly leaders raised up to defend Israel from its enemies, and the justice they dispense is often both sudden and dramatic. The drama dial is set back to 10 as the Book of Judges...

Just as the 12 Tribes of Israel look like they have settled into their new home the boat is suddenly rocked. The three tribes who have settled east of the river build a giant altar. They know that Israel only needs one designated altar site, so why the need for a second? Have the three tribes to the east of the river turned to pagan worship already? Have these tribes gone rogue?  The Book of Joshu...

If you're in desperate need of spiritual sustenance, you've chosen the wrong podcast. At the best of times, Wholly Buyable is Bible Lite. The passages covered this week really aren't anyone's go to Scripture, but that doesn't mean they're any less fascinating. This is where we learn which tribes settled where and which cities they are given to live in.  So if you like...

After wiping out Jericho without raising a weapon, Joshua's army can be forgiven for thinking that the rest of the settlement of Canaan will be a shoe in. So when the army crashes and burns at only its second battle, the communal mojo collapses. Is Israel's conquest campaign over almost as soon as it has begun? Chapters covered: Joshua 10-11 Written and produced by Chas Bayfield Music my...

Season 6 is here. And Israel v Canaan is finally on. Having had 40 years to prepare for the battles ahead, The Israelites are ready to take on whatever their enemy throws at them. Will it be a bloody struggle, or will their advance be like a hot knife through butter? First though, they must cross the River Jordan in flood, with no bridges and no boats. It seems impossible, but this is Bible countr...

Season 5 finale!  The Jews call it the Torah, the Greeks call it the Pentateuch. For everyone else, it's the first five books of he Bible that lay down the fundamental laws that many Christians and Jews follow. Here, Moses sings, writes and warns before climbing his last mountain. Now it's Joshua's turn to steer his unruly and often rebellious nation into their new home. Chapters co...

When most people think of the Bible, the first thing that comes to mind generally isn't fathers greedily chewing on the corpses of their children. This ghoulish image is one suggested by Moses as a potential reality in post-belief Israel. If God's people turn away from him, horror will rain down on them, he says. As you'll see, Moses doesn't hold back, hence the explicit conten...

Fairness, kindness, social justice and human rights are not values often associated with the Old Testament, a book that is famed for its violence, intolerance and misogyny. Yet read between the lines and you'll see that there is an overarching sense of protecting the weak and making sure that everyone has a fair crack at life.  Join us as Moses briefs 2 million Israelites on the cusp of enter...

Adultery, rape, murder and toileting all get an airing in this mishmash of laws handed out by Moses. But what seems a random rule generator does have some kind of logic, there is a bigger picture behind the mass of tiny details. And lots of stoning for anyone who chooses to make up their own rules... Chapters covered: Deuteronomy 20-23 Written and produced by Chas Bayfield Music composed by Michae...

A lot rests on Israel's people getting it right when they get to Canaan and for Moses, there's no such thing a  being too prepared, After all, he spent over 80 days up Mount Sinai with God having been handpicked to lead his people out of Egypt and into their new home.  If all goes well and the people continue to trust in God, life will be a breeze in the bucolic paradise. If they lose th...

The Book of Deuteronomy doesn’t promise any high octane action sequences.  As its Greek name suggests, this is the second law giving - the first was 40 years earlier to a generation now deceased.  These people’s children have now taken on the mantle of responsibility that will see them attempt to enter the promised land of Canaan. Forewarned is forearmed, and Moses’ briefing is far from over. Chap...

"A vast, dreadful, thirsty, waterless wilderness filled with poisonous snakes and scorpions." This is what the Israelites can expect if they turn from God and go their own way once they have settled in their new land. And they have form, as Moses is only too willing to remind them. The current generation who he is addressing in advance of the invasion of Canaan  may be no saints but thei...

Huddled by the river and, as Lady Gaga might say, standing on the edge of glory, the Israelites still have a long way to go before they are fully prepped to enter the Promised Land. It is here they are taught exactly why their God differs from other gods and why it makes sense to follow him. Part recap, part motivational speech Moses words prepares a new generation to become the founding mothers a...

Flogged, nailed to a cross and buried in a stone tomb, Jesus' ministry has reached the end of the road. It's a disaster for his followers, many of whom assumed he might lead a full on rebellion against Judea's Roman overlords. But three days after he officially dies, something happens that not even his closest companions could have predicted. This is the moment that launches an itin...

Season 5 is here! After the excitement and action, the pace drops a little- but not the interest. The pressure is now on Moses to inspire his people to cross the river Jordan into what has been spun to them as the Land of Milk and Honey.  Everything depends on the success of his pep talk.  He begins with a history lesson. After all, if they are confident that God has been with them so far, there&a...

Arguably the most famous event in history, and perhaps only superseded by another even more spectacular occurrence thee days later, the execution of a popular leader from a village at the eastern edge of the Roman Empire is still of paramount importance to 2 billion people. If you know anything about Jesus, you know he died on a cross. But was there more to this, or was his death simply the result...