That YHWH was perceived to command a divine army in the heavens brooks no argument. Traditionally, the phrase “host of heaven” (צבא השׁמים) has been associated with this divine army. In this article I reassess the relevant evidence and argue that the host of heaven are not portrayed in this role. The biblical texts contain numerous references t…[Read more]

Why were the brothers of king Ahaziah at Beth-Eked in Israel, following the deaths of king Ahaziah and his northern ally, king Joram? This paper takes a closer look at the events of Beth-Eked in 2Kgs 10:13–14 and proposes that the brothers of Ahaziah represent a Judahite delegation seeking to maintain שׁלום with the Omrides in response to Jehu’s…[Read more]

With the exception of Nahum 3:16, in the Hebrew Bible Yahweh alone has the power to multiply humans so that they will be as innumerable as the stars. Nineveh’s multiplication of her merchants “more than the stars of the heavens” (Nah 3:16) was, therefore, tantamount to a challenge to Yahweh’s divine power. The destruction of Nineveh demonst…[Read more]

Isaiah 48:1–11 has been described as a difficult passage because of a perceived discord between its harsh tone and the message of comfort espoused elsewhere in Isa 40–55. This article analyzes this passage with regard to four groups of arguments: proposals of a Judahite origin for the text, the archaeological evidence for settlement continuity in…[Read more]

This paper argues that Micaiah’s heavenly vision (1Kgs 22:19–23) and 1Kgs 22 as a whole function as interpretive keys which explain subsequent material to the reader. Micaiah’s heavenly vision explains that the following Aramean victory and the death of the king of Israel (1Kgs 22:29–36) did not present a challenge to Yahweh’s supreme authority…[Read more]

This paper demonstrates that the bird and the mountains phrase in Ps 11:1 compares well with a common metaphor relating to siege warfare and military conquest found in Neo-Assyrian royal inscriptions and considers the resulting implications.

Recent research has shown that city gates were a place of judgment, execution, and public displays in ancient Israel and the ancient Near East. This article explores the role of the gate on the literary level in the narratives concerning the deaths of Eli, Abner and Jezebel. It demonstrates how the function of gates in ancient Israel, and the…[Read more]

This article aims to bring together the discussions surrounding creation and humanity in Isaiah 40-55 and Genesis 1,26. The article demonstrates that Deutero-Isaiah’s view of humanity is incompatible with that of the P narrative, rendering attempts to cite it in support of Genesis 1 ineffective. It argues that the application of the terms in G…[Read more]