A Virtual File Cabinet for Our Studies of Christian Origins & Hebraic Faith
From ChatGPT on 6/25/2026. Scroll down to read the response to the second prompt: Do any critical bible scholars discuss the idea that the ark served as an idol? 1st Prompt – Does the ark of the covenant in the Hebrew Bible have horns on top and that is where YHWH sits as though it […]
Continue Reading5/18/2026: 1) This is a Claude.ai’s summary of Tabor’s informal lecture to his tour group when at Tamar. The transcript is in his directory in Dropbox. 2) Below the response are links to Deborah Hurn’s video as cited by Tabor. She presents her proposed understand on the descriptions of the journey and reconstruction of how […]
Continue ReadingThis post contains a bio of Hendel and links to his many articles published at BAR where he serves on BAR’s Editorial Advisory Board. He is particularly helpful for historical-critical questions about the development of biblical traditions Ronald S. Hendel is a prominent American Hebrew Bible scholar, biblical philologist, and textual critic, best known for his […]
Continue ReadingThis post contains Claude.ai’s summary of my transcript (in Dropbox) of Richard Friedman’s lecture on BAR/BSA here. I find his views very reasonable of what originally happened and how it came to be the story we know. Here is a summary of Richard Friedman’s argument in approximately 1,000 words: Summary: “The Exodus Based on the […]
Continue ReadingFrom Claude.ai 2/16/2026. Critical Bible scholars generally approach the phrase “visiting the iniquity of the fathers” (ASV, Exodus 20:5–6) as an expression rooted in the social, legal, and theological world of the ancient Near East. Rather than reading it as a literal metaphysical transfer of guilt from parent to child, they tend to interpret it […]
Continue ReadingAt the BAR Library — When Did Ancient Israel Begin? New hieroglyphic inscription may date Israel’s ethnogenesis 200 years earlier than you thought. By Hershel Shanks This is a very good article about a paper by scholars Manfred Görg, Peter van der Veen, and Christoffer Theis, based on their understanding of a pharaoh’s “name ring” on […]
Continue ReadingFrom Claude.ai. Prompt: Cite the places where critical bible scholars point out the anachronistic parts where the writer is writing from a later time after the end of the 40 year period. Include the designation of the writer per the J, E, P, and D hypothesis. Cite all sources. Critical Scholarship on Anachronisms in the […]
Continue ReadingThis page contains a Chronology by Claude.ai in Explanatory Mode and one by ChatGPT that is more condensed. Both were prepared on 4/1/2025. From Claude.ai in Explanatory Mode Prompt: Provide the chronology of the events related in the Hebrew Bible’s books of Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy of the 40 years in the wilderness from leaving […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT/Scholarly mode who “Talked to sider.ai”. Prompt: Provide critical bible scholars understanding of Aaron’s failure to sanctify God at Meribah, resulting in both him and Moses being denied entry into the Promised Land. Provide all sources. Critical Biblical Scholarship on Aaron’s Failure to Sanctify God at Meribah and Its Consequences The incident at Meribah […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT on 2/8/2025. Prompt: Provide information critical bible scholars find in the bible about Aron, Moses’ brother, related to: physical, emotional, temperament, historical and geographical. Cite all sources. Aaron, the brother of Moses, is a significant figure in the Hebrew Bible and plays multiple roles, such as the first high priest of Israel and […]
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