tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:53:58 +0000Ancient IsraelAncient Judaism; Early ChristianityDavila 666ScriptureTenured professor Hebrew Bibleias<p><big><b>Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.</b></big> <p> E-mail: paleojudaica-at-talktalk-dot-net ("-at-" = "@", "-dot-" = ".")</p></p>http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)Blogger24528125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-3683573480278769724Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:42:03 +00002026-10-26T10:42:03.724+00:00WHO IS "US?" The Role of Angels in the Creation of Humankind ("Staff Editors," TheTorah.com).“Let us make humankind” (Genesis 1:26)—whom is God addressing? Across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, some interpreters have identified God’s audience as the angels but have assigned them strikingly different roles in humanity’s creation: collaborators, creators, or critics who question the wisdom of http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/who-was-god-talking-to-at-creation-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-3913675186864307269Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:25:31 +00002026-10-26T10:25:31.632+00:00THE AWOL BLOG: Excerpting History in the Syriac World: The Miaphysite Collections (6th–10th c.).Excerpting History in the Syriac World: The Miaphysite Collections (6th–10th c.) Giorgia Nicosia Volume 119 | Millennium-Studien / Millennium Studies, 2026 De Gruyter/BrillCross-file under Syriac Watch. Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/nicosia-excerpting-history-in-syriac.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-4464466569332488764Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:16:45 +00002026-10-26T10:16:45.018+00:00BOOK REVIEW : ‘Extra, extra!’ New book brings ancient Talmudic texts to life for readers of all ages - review The Talmud Chronicles: Bringing Talmudic Events to Life covers significant historical events from around 100-200 CE and breathes life into characters from the Talmud (Marion Fischel, Jerusalem Post).TALMUD CHRONICLES: BRINGING TALMUDIC EVENTS TO LIFE By Zalman Eisenstock Urim Publicationshttp://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/review-of-eisenstock-talmud-chronicles.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-6062740280533487505Sun, 25 Oct 2026 11:43:00 +00002026-10-25T11:43:00.252+00:00NEW (SHORT) BOOK FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS:Early Christian Georgian Literature Making Christian Identity in an Iranic Culture Series: Elements in Early Christian Literature Author: Stephen H. Rapp Jr, Sam Houston State University Published: August 2026 Availability: Available Format: Paperback ISBN: 9781009481588 £18.00 GBP Paperback £55.00 GBP Hardback $25.00 USDhttp://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/rapp-early-christian-georgian.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-4040348922705358735Sat, 24 Oct 2026 09:33:00 +00002026-10-24T10:33:00.119+01:00NEW BOOK FROM OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS:Biblical Forgery and Academic Authentication: Persisting Patterns of Guile and Gullibility Jonathan Klawans £29.99 Hardback Published: 29 September 2026 286 Pages 235x156mm ISBN: 9780197850534 Also Available As: E-book Informs, for the first time, on a wide-range of biblical forgery cases Focuses on issues relating to academic authentication: why http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/klawans-biblical-forgery-and-academic.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-7702207541432965363Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:49:50 +00002026-10-23T10:49:50.428+01:00RENOVATED AND REOPENED: Ancient coastal site in Haifa reopens after 3 million shekel restoration. (Ynet News).Tel Shikmona National Park, home to 3,500 years of archaeological history and remnants of an ancient purple dye industry, welcomes visitors again after a two-year renovation that added walking paths, restored ruins and improved public accessPaleoJudaica posts on the archaeological finds http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/tel-shikmona-national-park-now-open-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-6760306408316373822Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:29:57 +00002026-10-23T10:29:57.512+01:00LISTICLE: 10 Important Biblical Archaeological Finds (J.D. Cohen, Aish.com). This is a good list. You can find more on most of these items in PaleoJudaica posts. See the blog search engine. Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/10-important-biblical-archaeological.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-3096716214995465915Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:19:23 +00002026-10-23T10:19:23.383+01:00DR. ELIAV GROSSMAN: Why Don’t Torah Scrolls Have Vowels? And why do the letters have crowns? (TheTorah.com).At that precarious moment in the history of rabbinic authority and Jewish textuality, certain rabbis sought to maintain a distinction between the Torah scroll and a codex, protecting the Torah scroll as the privileged ritual object of liturgical reading.A deep dive into the background of http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/why-arent-torah-scrolls-vocalized.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-5962488253740023423Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:39:00 +00002026-10-22T10:39:00.238+01:00PROF. RABBI HERBERT BASSER: YHWH and Elohim: One God, Different Attributes (TheTorah.com).Why does Elohim, and not YHWH, create the world? Philo and the rabbis—though in opposite directions—each read the two names as two divine attributes, one beneficent and one that judges. The kabbalists see these as the sefirot דין Judgment and חסד Lovingkindness—while Ramchal further unites them as two colorshttp://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/god-of-justice-and-mercy-or-mercy-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-4583834131242804083Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:23:00 +00002026-10-22T10:23:00.239+01:00BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: What Is the Bar-Kokhba Revolt? Judah’s other great revolt against Rome (Lauren K. McCormick).Rome put down one Jewish uprising in Judea that lasted from 66 to 74 CE, called the First Jewish Revolt. It culminated in the burning of the Jerusalem Temple by the then-general (future emperor) Titus. Afterward, tensions over taxation, sacrifice, and imperial policy still plagued thehttp://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/on-bar-kokhba-revolt.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-1990805356596086296Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:09:00 +00002026-10-22T10:09:00.217+01:00THE AWOL BLOG: The Israelite Samaritan Torah. Yep, there's an app for that too. Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/the-israelite-samaritan-torah-app.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-5738808783266427451Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:43:00 +00002026-10-21T10:43:00.125+01:00BUDDHIST ARAMAIC WATCH: Ashoka, History, Edicts, Inscription, Policy of Dhamma, Death (Vajiram & Ravi).Explore Ashoka the Great's reign, including his Kalinga War, Dhamma policy, administration, edicts, and efforts to promote Buddhism. Learn about his economic policies, societal reforms, and cultural contributions to ancient IndiaThese study notes for the 2026 UPSC Civil Services Examination in http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/on-ashoka-and-his-aramaic-edicts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-6868579958114319169Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:30:00 +00002026-10-21T10:30:00.115+01:00THE AWOL BLOG: The Talmud Yerushalmi’s Civil Law in Its Ancient Legal Context: Rabbinic Law – Roman Law – Hellenistic Law. Notice of a New Book (with open access): Hezser, Catherine / Willems, Constantin (eds.). The Talmud Yerushalmi’s Civil Law in Its Ancient Legal Context: Rabbinic Law – Roman Law – Hellenistic Law. Harrassowitz, 2026. Follow the link for abstract and access link. http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/hezse-willems-eds-talmud-yerushalmis.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-4803234025981814307Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:15:00 +00002026-10-21T10:15:00.127+01:00BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: Taylor Swift’s Babylon. Excavating the life of a symbol (Lauren K. McCormick ).The song “Babylon” is a meditation on leaving home, having success, and coming to appreciate what you had only in hindsight. The chorus turns on the realization: “You never knew that it was Babylon ’til it was gone.”For many PaleoJudaica posts on the archaeology, history, and legends of ancient http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/taylor-swifts-babylon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-8713412891343731971Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:56:50 +00002026-10-20T10:56:50.811+01:00UPCOMING CONFERENCE:Jewish Scriptures in Earliest Christianity Call for Papers 18 March to 20 March 2027 Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham Deadline: 11 December 2026 The 2027 Seminar for the Jewish Scriptures in Earliest Christianity will meet at the Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham, UK, B15 2QH (www.queens.ac.uk), from the evening of Thursday 18th March (starting with dinner at 6pm) to the http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/cfp-jewish-scriptures-in-earliest.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-7532091897927086670Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:43:40 +00002026-10-20T10:43:40.340+01:00ANNOUNCEMENT: Penn appoints inaugural named professor in Jewish Studies following $3M gift (Gina Park, The Daily Pennsylvanian).Penn named its inaugural Georgia and Jesse Feldman Associate Professor of Jewish Studies last week following a $3 million gift. The School of Arts and Sciences received the donation from 2000 College graduate Georgia Feldman and her husband, Jesse Feldman, to expand http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/simcha-gross-appointed-to-named-penn.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-7142959659910164133Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:27:19 +00002026-10-20T10:27:19.582+01:00PROF. MICHAEL SEGAL: The Nephilim Were Flesh—Beshagam בְּשַׁגַּם, a Biblical Hapax Legomenon (TheTorah.com).YHWH declares that His spirit will not endure forever among the Nephilim—demigods born from the union of divine beings and human women—בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָשָׂר beshagam hu basar (Genesis 6:3). What does this phrase mean?This explanation is possible. But it requires emendation of the text on http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/the-nephilim-were-ethiopic-flesh.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-7640304844076369287Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:16:11 +00002026-10-19T10:16:11.476+01:00COMING SOON: Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition returns to Houston in November. Members gain early access on November 20, while a discount is offered to the first 1,000 general admission tickets purchased (Rachel Estrada, CW39 Houston). There are currently few details on the specifics of the exhibition. Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/dss-exhibition-coming-to-houston.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-6382829725894957825Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:10:56 +00002026-10-19T10:10:56.061+01:00COPTIC WATCH: AUC Hosts Global Dialogue On Coptic History And Heritage With International Conference (AUC press release).Cairo, October 18, 2026 - The American University in Cairo (AUC) hosted From Tomb to Text: Talks on Coptic History, a one-day international conference on Coptic archaeology that brought together leading scholars from Egypt, Europe and the United States to showcase the latest http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/auc-day-conference-on-coptic-studies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-2715315205940919856Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:06:26 +00002026-10-19T10:06:26.224+01:00NEW BOOK FROM SBL PRESS:Women in Greco-Roman Jewish Novels (300 BCE–100 CE) Katharine L. Fitzgerald ISBN 9781918358261 Status Available Publication Date February 2026 Hardback $98.00 This monograph offers the first sustained study of female protagonists as central agents in the construction of Jewish identity in early Jewish narrative literature. Focusing on the Greek texts of Esther, http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/fitzgerald-women-in-greco-roman-jewish.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-2795008573392960737Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:47:00 +00002026-10-18T10:47:00.118+01:00NEW BOOK FROM BLOOMSBURY/T&T CLARK:Divinised Humans in Ancient Judaism Daniel Lam (Author) Hardback $120.00 $108.00 Ebook (PDF) $108.00 $86.40 Ebook (Epub & Mobi) $108.00 $86.40 Product details Published Sep 17 2026 Format Hardback Edition 1st Pages 232 ISBN 9780567729477 Imprint T&T Clark Dimensions 9 x 6 inches Series The Library of Second Temple Studies Publisher Bloomsbury http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/lam-divinised-humans-in-ancient-judaism.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-5560574992881156950Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:52:00 +00002026-10-17T10:52:00.113+01:00NEW BOOK FROM BRILL:The Twelve Tribes of Israel Jewish-Christian Interpretations between Ruptures and Continuities (1st–5th centuries) Series: Jewish and Christian Perspectives Series, Volume: 44 Volume Editors: Michele Cutino and Calogero Cerami The theme of the twelve tribes of Israel is one of the key points for observing the continuity and discontinuity between Judaism and http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/cutino-cerami-eds-twelve-tribes-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-6413649945397672948Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:22:57 +00002026-10-16T11:22:57.490+01:00NEW BOOK FROM MOHR SIEBECK:Hananel Shapira The Discourse of Rites Shaping and Reshaping the (Counter-)Priestly Rituals Conducted Outside the Tabernacle 2026. 342 pages. Forschungen zum Alten Testament 2. Reihe (FAT II) 179 €109.00 including VAT sewn paper available 978-3-16-200495-6 Also Available As: eBook PDF Summary Hananel Shapira investigates a series of http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/shapira-discourse-of-rites-mohr-siebeck.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-8976242856302150929Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:21:18 +00002026-10-16T11:21:18.495+01:00THE OTTC BLOG: CEHP Restart (Drew Longacre). Background here and here. This is great news. As I said when the funding cut was announced, there was a strong case for restoring it. Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/neh-funding-restored-for-critical.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-73364779838812758Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:22:09 +00002026-10-15T10:22:09.843+01:00HEBREW EPIGRAPHY: Groundbreaking Temple Mount seal find to be published. Temple Mount Sifting Project faces a backlog, with tons of debris still awaiting examination (Dave Gordon, JNS).A study of a First Temple-period seal impression that may be connected to an official in the biblical account of King Josiah is expected to appear in the Israel Exploration Journal by the end of 2026, according to http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/10/sifting-project-to-publish-asayahu-seal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)