1,613 related texts · Page 19 of 34
It's in this climate that we hear words of gratitude and promises of reward. The passage opens with a powerful acknowledgement: "Whereas ye have kept covenants with us, and continu...
Isn't it amazing how easily connections can fade? How quickly "family" can become strangers, especially when distance and time stretch between us? That’s the feeling simmering bene...
It paints a picture of Simon Maccabeus, a leader who didn't just rule, but rebuilt. The text tells us, "He provided victuals for the cities, and set in them all manner of munition,...
About the moments when a community decides, "This is important. This needs to be remembered"? Let's travel back to a pivotal moment in Jewish history, a time of war, resilience, an...
Specifically, the fire of divine approval. The Second Book of Maccabees, a historical and religious text not included in the Hebrew Bible but important for understanding the Second...
That feeling is exactly what the author of 2 Maccabees understood. He recognized that the existing accounts of the Maccabean revolt – that pivotal moment in Jewish history – were, ...
It’s not exactly scripture in the way, say, the Torah is. But it's a crucial historical text, giving us a glimpse into the turbulent times of the Maccabean revolt. And right there,...
We've been following her story, a tale of beauty, faith, and unjust accusation in ancient Babylon. Two corrupt elders, consumed by lust, had falsely accused her of adultery. Her li...
The Book of Jasher isn't part of the canonical Hebrew Bible, but it's referenced within it (Joshua 10:13 and (2 Samuel 1:1)8). It's considered by some to be a valuable historical s...
It’s a question that’s led many a curious mind to explore texts outside the Torah itself.It offers us a glimpse into Abraham's early life and the world around him. Remember, the Bo...
We know the broad strokes of Abraham, the patriarch, and the destruction of Sodom. But what about the details? Sometimes, the lesser-known texts fill in the gaps, offering a richer...
The Book of Jasher, a non-canonical text with roots possibly stretching back to the Second Temple period, offers some fascinating glimpses. Isaac and Rebecca. We begin with a probl...
There are so many fascinating texts just lurking on the fringes, offering alternative perspectives and filling in the gaps in ways you wouldn't expect. Today, we're diving into one...
We pick up with Jacob, now 99 years old, receiving a divine instruction. "Arise, go to Bethel," God tells him, "and remain there, and make there an altar to the Lord who appeareth ...
The Book of Jasher, an ancient Hebrew text referenced in the Bible itself (Joshua 10:13 and (2 Samuel 1:1)8), offers a fascinating account. .. The scene opens with Isaac, Abraham's...
Remember Joseph? The Hebrew slave who correctly interpreted Pharaoh's dream about the famine? Well, Pharaoh hasn't forgotten. According to the Book of Jasher, after seeing that Jos...
Remember Joseph, the favored son sold into slavery in Egypt? He's now a powerful figure, and his brothers, unknowingly standing before him, are begging for the release of their you...
Book of Jasher, a fascinating, albeit non-canonical, work that expands upon biblical narratives. According to Jasher, Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years, reaching the ripe ol...
Chapter 64 of the Book of Jasher throws us right into one of those cycles. We're back in a world of ancient grudges and shifting alliances. Balaam, son of Beor – yes, that Balaam, ...
We all know the story of his dramatic rescue as a baby, floating down the Nile in a basket. But what happened next, after he was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter? The Book of Jasher, ...
We know about Mount Sinai, the thunder, the lightning, the booming voice... but what about the days that followed?Book of Jasher and see what unfolded. The story picks up right aft...
The ancient Israelites certainly did! And this chapter of the Book of Jasher throws us right into the middle of their long, winding journey. Remember Korah's rebellion? The Book of...
According to the Alphabet of Ben Sira, a strange and satirical medieval text composed between 700 and 1000 CE, three people in all of history were born without their parents having...
Daniel stood before King Belshazzar of Babylon and delivered the verdict no ruler wants to hear. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle compiled ...
Daniel had grown old. He came before the king one last time and asked permission to go home. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle translated by...
Haman wrote one of the most chilling documents in Jewish legend. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle translated by Moses Gaster in 1899, Haman...
The picture in the vision swayed. From its left side, a heathen people emerged. They fell upon those on the right side, the people of Abraham's seed, and pillaged them. Men, women,...
Abraham could no longer contain himself. "O Mighty, Eternal One, hallowed by Your power! Be favorable to my petition. As you have brought me up to your height, so make known to me,...
The city was already dead. It just hadn't fallen yet. In the twenty-fifth year of King Jeconiah's reign over Judah, the word of God came to Baruch son of Neriah — the faithful scri...
The Book of Ezekiel, one of the most powerful and enigmatic texts in the Hebrew Bible, opens with just such an experience. We find Ezekiel, a priest, in exile, far from Jerusalem, ...
It wasn't all smooth sailing. There were threats, escapes, and a family's journey toward a new destiny. to the story of how Abraham, or Avram as he was originally known, found hims...
We often think of Abraham's journey as beginning with the covenant God made with him, the "covenant of the pieces," promising him descendants as numerous as the stars. But as Legen...
According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Abraham wasn't one to linger where things got… unpleasant. With Sodom a smoldering memory, and whispers about Lot's daught...
We often focus on their triumphs, their faith, their covenant with God. But what about their grief? What about the human moments of sorrow and mourning? The story begins, surprisin...
After such a monumental event, life surely changed. According to Legends of the Jews, Abraham felt the weight of his years more acutely after Sarah's passing. Interestingly, the te...
The story begins with Abraham, who, concerned about finding the right wife for his son Isaac, sends his trusted servant Eliezer on a mission to Haran. Eliezer is laden with gifts a...
The story of Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers, is a prime example. It's a painful tale, but rich with layers of meaning. The brothers, remember, are plotting Joseph's ...
Today, we're diving into the fascinating story of Pharaoh's dreams, a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative of Joseph. Now, Joseph, as you might remember, was languishing in an ...
The traditional texts give us some fascinating, and sometimes surprising, details. So, picture this: Jacob, having blessed each of his sons individually, gathers them all together ...
The Jewish tradition has some fascinating stories about that, and one of the most intriguing is the tale of Asenath and Joseph. It's a story about beauty, prejudice, divine interve...
We often hear about the big names – Abraham, Moses, David. But what about the seemingly quieter figures, the ones whose stories whisper rather than shout? Today, let’s delve into t...
What if the very people meant to lead us to freedom are born into the darkest of times? Times so bleak, even love itself seems impossible. That's the story of Amram and Jochebed, t...
Jewish tradition, particularly the wealth of stories that amplify the terse narratives of the Torah, offers some pretty compelling answers. to the consequences of that fateful bite...
Jewish tradition is full of fascinating details that add layers of depth and complexity to this foundational narrative. The story, according to some traditions, wasn't exactly a su...
We all know the story of Noah, the ark, and the animals. But what happened after the waters receded? Did life just magically reset? Well, according to the Legends of the Jews, comp...
But the story, as often happens, is richer and more nuanced than we might initially think. The Torah tells us that thirteen years after Ishmael's birth, God commanded Abraham to pe...
Ever find yourself in a sticky situation, and think, "Didn't I just do this?" Well, let's talk about Abraham. He's about to have a serious case of déjà vu. After leaving Egypt, Abr...
The Torah is full of moments like that, and the story of Abraham and Abimelech is a perfect example. Before Abraham finalized his covenant with Abimelech, king of the Philistines, ...
