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
53 episodes
53 - The Story of Manasseh: The Evil King Who Saved Judah
History remembers King Manasseh as Judah's most wicked ruler, but archaeological evidence tells a different story. For 55 years, he kept his tiny kingdom alive through shrewd diplomacy and careful governance, transforming defeat into survival. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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41:28
52 - Hezekiah's Last Stand
In 701 BCE, a small kingdom faced the most powerful empire in the world. One king, against all odds, prepared Jerusalem for an impossible defense. Fortified walls, secret water tunnels, and an unexpected divine intervention—this is the gr...
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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33:13
51 - The Reforms of Hezekiah
At just 25, Hezekiah inherited a kingdom under massive pressure from the mighty Assyrian Empire. But instead of cowering, he launched a bold religious and political revolution that would alter the course of Jewish history. How did he navigate t...
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Season 1
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Episode 51
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41:50
50 – Judah Before the Reforms of Hezekiah
The reforms of Hezekiah would revolutionize the Israelite religion and make it genuinely monotheistic for the first time. They also made the Temple in Jerusalem truly central for the first time. What led to that and what did the religion of Jud...
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Season 1
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Episode 50
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31:01
49 - The Destruction of Israel
The kingdom of Israel was destroyed and its elites exiled throughout the Assyrian empire. The prophets Hosea and Amos had warned that the sins and inequality of Israel would lead to its downfall. But was that the real reason? We also look at wh...
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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29:13
48 - The Assyrian Threat to Israel
Assyria assembled the most fearsome military machine ever seen. And it now was ready to turn its might on Israel, after defeating Damascus. It appears that Judah asked it to set sights on the kingdom of Israel, which now faced a threat unlike a...
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Season 1
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Episode 48
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33:40
47 - The Kingdom of Israel At Its Peak
We look at the evidence outside the bible to see what life in the Kingdom of Israel was like at the peak of its power. Who were its enemies and allies? What kind of culture and religion did it have? How did the poor and regular people live?&nbs...
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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27:07
46 - The Fall of the House of Omri
The last ruler in the name of the house of the Omrides was Queen Athaliah. She was utterly demonized in the Book of Kings. But a lot of that appears to be an attempt to cover up for Jehu, a psychopath who killed all the heirs to Omri and King D...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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33:51
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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35:35
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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36:50
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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49:23
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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34:42
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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38:49
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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39:12
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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46:36
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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31:51
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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40:20
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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52:58
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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44:13
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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42:49
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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48:16
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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37:01
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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42:08
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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36:38
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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40:44