The Pentateuch spends more time dealing with one subject than any other. It provides a running narrative that describes the command to make it, tells how it will be financed and by whom, and gives us the names of those who will actually construct all of its component parts. It is known as the Tabernacle in most English translations, a Miqdash, or the Mishkan in Hebrew. It was to be a holy place where God would meet with and command the children of Israel. This portable sanctuary was a central piece of ancient Hebrew society but was replaced by a more permanent structure – The Temple. Was this the intention of God? Was the Temple the House of God – a place for God to dwell in? And whatever happened to the Holy Tent? Was it thrown away once the Temple was built? These questions and more are covered in this teaching on the Tavnit.
The Bible’s Book of Deuteronomy refers to the day on which God spoke His Ten Words from the midst of the fire on Horeb as the “Day of the Assembly.” This foundational event is described in detail in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. Each presents the same basic story, but each version provides different details. In this class, we explore these two versions by comparing and contrasting our sources side-by-side in a method described as horizontal study. What can we learn when we compare and contrast similar narratives within the Bible? Are there textual variants within the Hebrew Bible? Yes, and this class introduces the subject and seeks to provide a tool to benefit all who wish to study the Bible with the intent of discovering the truth from our varied sources.
Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23) contains a record of the single greatest event in all of human history. According to our sources, God spoke Ten Words audibly from the midst of fire. We don’t know precisely when this took place; the Bible doesn’t give us a specific date. We don’t know where it happened; the location of Horeb / Sinai is debated. We don’t know exactly what was spoken from the midst of the fire; our two records of these words (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5) contain differences. And yet, with what we do know, we have the power to change the world for the better. In the third month, on a day called the Day of Assembly, at a place called Horeb, God spoke Ten Words.
*Map of possible locations for Horeb by David P. Barrett of Biblemapper.com.
The Exodus from Egypt is foundational for all that follows in the Bible. The children of Israel leave Egpyt, heading eastward. The Egyptians pursue them and find them at the Sea. There, a great miracle takes place. God causes a wind to blow all night pushing the water back into walls and drying the sea bed. Israel safely crosses on dry ground, but the Egyptians are killed when the waters come crashing in on them. Biblical writers call the sea where this miracle takes place, Yam Suf (Sea of Reeds), but where is it? Three bodies of water are called Yam Suf (the marshy area in the Nile Delta, the Gulf of Suez, and the Gulf of Aqaba). Which one did the Israelites cross? In this class, clues from the text are presented to demonstrate the most likely candidate for the crossing of the Sea.
This class covers material founding in Annual Reading Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16). This reading covers a continuation of the confrontation between (1) Moses, Aaron, and the God of the Hebrews, and (2) Pharaoh, the people of Egypt, and the gods of the Egyptians. One of the main points of the Exodus story is the distinction made between the two. In this class, we focus on the final plague. We look at what our sources tell us about the plague in Exodus, Psalm 78, and Psalm 105.
The Bible calls the events of the Exodus, (including “deeds of terror” and the subsequent revelation at Horeb) “this great thing” in Deuteronomy 4:32-34. As we follow the story, we take a close look at the details as told.
The Bible’s Book of Exodus (Shemot) describes a great confrontation between Pharaoh and two brothers, described as descendants of Levi, a son of Israel. In this class we learn that much of what we read in the biblical narratives is corroborated by Egyptian records. We then turn our focus to the “plagues.” We compare three biblical texts (Exodus 7-12:36; Psalm 78:12, 42-51; Psalm 105: 23-26, 27-38) that describe the plagues. And we learn about the Egyptian concept of Ma’at. This class prepares us for the final showdown and Israel’s departure from Egypt.
This is the fourteenth class in our ongoing journey through the Pentateuch, and the first of an eleven-part teaching series on the Book of Exodus. The lesson covers Exodus 1:1-6:1. In this class we cover the story from the birth of a deliverer (Moses) through the first encounter with Pharaoh. The class also covers historical and textual challenges, but also relates the “Biblical” date for the exodus.
This teaching covers the final reading of Genesis according to the annual cycle of readings. The focus of the narrative is on the final words of Jacob to his descendants, first to the sons of Joseph (Chapter 48) and then to his sons (Chapter 49). Joseph’s sons are elevated to the status of sons of Jacob (48), and the best “blessings” go to Judah and Joseph in chapter 49. In addition to their presentation in our texts as words to the sons of Jacob as Jacob’s days draw to a close, they also take on prophetic importance since chapter 49 indicates that these concern the “latter days.”
This class is the twelfth in our ongoing journey through the Pentateuch and the third teaching from Eleh Toledot Ya’akov. It is based upon material from the annual reading called, VaYiggash (Genesis 44:18-47:29). The narrative contained in this section is among the most dramatic in all of biblical literature. Judah draws near to “the man, the lord of the land,” offering himself in the place of Benjamin for the sake of his father. Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and then arranges to care for his family in Egypt. The reunion of Israel and his sons seems to point to a great prophetic event – the reunion of the separated tribes of Israel in the latter days.
This class covers the annual cycle reading known as Mi-Ketz (Genesis 41:1-44:17). It is the eleventh in the ongoing series of Pentateuchal studies, and the second in the Joseph Saga. In this teaching, we discuss the texts from Pharaoh’s dreams through the meeting in Egypt between all of the sons of Israel. The class provides insights into the connectedness of these ancient stories through the use of words and phrases showing patterns used by the ancient scribes.
This class begins a new section of Genesis called Eleh Toledoth Ya’akov. This section, the final of ten in the book of Genesis, will carry us through the end of the first book. Our focus now shifts to Joseph, the favored son of the favored wide of Jacob. The Joseph Saga is one of the most cherished in all of biblical literature. We begin to examine the stories of Joseph and his family in this introductory class.
Jacob’s journey home to the Promised Land is prompted by a Divine call, but first he must meet with Esau. When they last saw one another, Esau wanted to kill Jacob. Jacob prepared his family for the worst case scenario and then he waited. This class covers a strange encounter. He is met, and struggles with what the Bible calls an ish (Genesis 32:24). But is it a man? With whom does Jacob “wrestle?” We also trace the journeys of Jacob from his first re-entry into the land of Canaan, following his trek from Shechem in the north to Hebron in the south highlighting the narratives of the journey. Don’t miss Jacob’s Journeys.
