The History Of The Land Of Israel Podcast.
The History Of The Land Of Israel podcast has the guts to survey the most provocative historical narrative in the world. Israel is a country of immense religious significance. Everyone has an opinion on it. But what is the true story of this beautiful but contested country? From the dinosaurs to the hi-tech era, we will chronologically survey the history of the land. The podcast will provide the only complete and factual narrative out there. So, join us for the History Of The Land Of Israel podcast.
Episodes
45 episodes
45 - Was Ahab A Hero Or A Villain?
The House of Omri, especially Ahab, are among the most reviled characters in the book of Kings and the Tanach as a whole. The story of what he, and his horrific wife, did to Navot is legendary. But is it true? And does that scandal represent hi...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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34:46
44 - How Israel and Judah Split
The Book of Kings tells us how Israel tragically split after Solomon's death. But what is the reason? The stories of Jeroboam the first king of a separate Israel, and Rehoboam, the first king of Judah are instructive and fascinating. We analyze...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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36:01
43 - The Splendor of Solomon and His Temple
The days of Solomon are described as a golden age for a powerful and united Israel. However, some archaeologists doubt that and believe the stories are completely made up. We look at the stories of the Queen of Sheba, the splendor of the temple...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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48:34
42 – The Scandalous Court of King David
The stories of decadence and intrigue in David's court are legendary: how he lusted and schemed to win Bathsheba, how his son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar. Not to mention the rebellion of the handsome Absalom against his father. But is there ...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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33:52
41- The Real Story of King Saul
Saul is a great her in the bible but is vastly eclipsed by David. However, we delve into the text and the historical evidence to find the real Saul. We find that he was a great hero, possibly betrayed by David. We also look into what we can lea...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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38:00
40 - How Did Israel Become A Monarchy
The books of Samuel and Kings tell us how a monarchy developed despite the fact that God had serious reservations about it. That led to the institution being ruled over by legendary figures like David and Solomon. But how did the monarchy actua...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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38:23
39 - Where Are the Twelve Tribes of Israel Today?
Throughout the world, there are many groups claiming to be descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel. They range from the Samaritans, the modern Jews, to the Mormons, Beta Israel, and others. How accurate are these claims? How have they ...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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45:47
38 - The Role of Religion in Uniting The Twelve Tribes of Israel
The twelve tribes did not have much in common at first. However, as the Philistines emerged as a common enemy, they learned to cooperate and developed common political and religious institutions. We examine how the god of Israel became more imp...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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31:01
37 - The Twelve Tribes Of Israel
The twelve tribes of Israel come from the 12 sons of Joseph, at least according to Genesis. But the number of tribes and their names change over time and in different parts of the bible. Were there really twelve tribes? When did they cooperated...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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39:31
36 - Were The Israelites Really Ruled By Judges?
The books of Judges and Samuel in the Tanakh present an anti-monarchical ideology. But the stories of early Israelite leaders like Gideon, Jepetah, and Abimelech have elements of kingship. How historically factual are these stories, and what ca...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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52:09
35 - The Invasion of The "Sea People" And The Birth Of The Philistines
An invasion of mysterious raiders changed the region forever. It destroyed the Hittite empire and nearly brought Egypt to its knees. When the dust settled, a new people, the Philistines, controlled the coast of Canaan. Where did they come...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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43:24
34- Slavery And Racism
The final days of the Egyptian empire in Canaan saw an increase in inter-cultural influence. A lot of that involved exploitation and slavery. But what was slavery like in those days, and how did the races feel about each other?
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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41:59
33 - Where Did The Israelites Come From?
The Merneptah Stele has the first recorded mention of Israel, in 1207 BCE. But the God of the Israelites was already mentioned earlier. What does that mean? Who were the Israelites and where did they come from? We look at the biblical narrative...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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47:27
32 – The Rise Of Jerusalem and Shechem
The highlands of the Judean hills were a lawless land, which even the Egyptians preferred to avoid. Instead, the kings of Shechem and Jerusalem battled for domination, using the local nomadic tribes as political tools. It was in this chaos that...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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36:11
31 – The Kingdom of The Nomads
The Land of Israel had long been in contention between Egypt and its great power rivals. But now, a group of nomadic tribes outmaneuvered all the powers to create their own kingdom. How did that happen, and what does a nomadic kingdom look like...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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41:19
30 – A War, A Wedding, and a Funeral
The saga of Thutmose III's endless quest to defeat Mitanni and its pesky allies ends in this episode. But who gets the upper hand? We also have a dramatic wedding and tragic death. And an impressive array of war crimes. So much drama!
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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35:49
29 - Thutmose Meets His Match
Thutmose III had pacified the city-states of Lebanon and Canaan. But in the process, Egypt threatened the lands of Mitanni, the local power. To secure his power in Lebanon and Syria, Thutmose III would have to cross the Euphrates. The final fro...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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39:54
28 - The Egyptian Napoleon Enters Lebanon
Thutmose III took his final steps to subdue and humiliate the kings of Canaan. But now, he was ready to move on to the next conquest. Lebanon. But with long supply lines, mountainous terrain, and treacherous enemies, it would prove a far harder...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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39:51
27 - Between Egyptian And Hittite Domination
Egypt had no sooner established its dominance in Canaan than it faced its first challenge in the form of a new and threatening empire in the north. Who would end up as the dominant force? And what happened to Canaanite culture as it faced imper...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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34:06
26 - The Empire Strikes Back
Egypt had recovered from years of weakness and was poised to take revenge on Canaan for years of Hyksos conquest. But a plucky Canaanite king organized a spirited defense of the land. Who would triumph?
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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35:11
25 - The Roots Of Antisemitism And The Egyptian Exodus
We are used to hearing the Jewish version of the Egyptian Exodus story. But there is also an ancient Egyptian one, where the Jews are the villains. That story played a significant role in the development of antisemitism.
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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38:15
24 - Who Wrote The Exodus Story And Why?
According to Jewish tradition, the Book of Exodus was written by Moses. But scholars believe it was put together by three different authors. Who is right? Why was the story written and how has its interpretation among Jews changed over the year...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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35:05
23 - Did The Israelite Exodus From Egypt Really Happen?
The Exodus from Egypt is one of the most influential in human history. But many archaeologists doubt its veracity. Did it really happen and how did the story become so important?
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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37:18
22 - How The Canaanites Lost Egypt
It looked like Egypt was on its last legs, occupied by Nubians in the south and Canaanites in the north. But they reunited the country and made Egypt great again. How did they do it, and what happened to the Hyksos after their kingdom fell?
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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33:20
21 - How The Canaanites Came To Rule Egypt
Egyptologists tend to look at the Canaanite rule of Egypt through the Hyksos as a chaotic interlude. But in reality, they had great kings and amazing accomplishments. We also look at Egyptian lore and examine how foreign rule scarred the Egypti...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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36:01