Samyaza and the fall of the angels
Samyaza (also spelled Shemyaza or Semjaza) was the leader of a group of angelic beings described in the Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish text that influenced early Christians. The text tells the story of a group of beings calle...
Agur son of Jakeh: The mysterious proverb writer
Proverbs chapter 30 begins by noting that the following text is “sayings of Agur, son of Jakeh” and, depending the translation, that it is “an inspired utterance” (NIV) or a “prophecy” (KJV); that he is “the oracle” (ESV); and ...
Why stay away from the Book of Enoch
If you’ve heard of the Book of Enoch, you probably know it’s very weird. It’s an ancient document that claims to be written by the great-grandfather of Noah, a mysterious man who is mentioned in the Bible as being “taken away” ...
What is Goshen in the Bible? Pharoah's gift to Israelites
The “land of Goshen” is the name of the region that the pharaoh of Egypt gave to the Israelites when they settled in Egypt. This gift is the culmination of the story of Joseph, an Israelite sold into Egyptian slavery by his bro...
Prophetic parents: Who was Amoz father of Isaiah?
Amoz is one of those Biblical figures connected to prominent people in the Bible, but whom we know very little about. He is explicitly mentioned only thirteen times, all in reference to Isaiah: “Isaiah, Son of Amoz.” We only kn...
What is Gilgal in the Bible? Crossing the river Jordan
Gilgal, like many locations mentioned in the Old Testament, is difficult to pin down. It’s mentioned all throughout the history of ancient Israel. Here are the passages in the Bible that mention Gilgal: Book of Joshua, chapter...
Pharaonic Magi: Who were Jannes and Jambres in the Bible?
The seventh chapter in the Book of Exodus records something like a “wizard battle.” When Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, he asked them to perform a “sign” or miracle in order to validate the truth of the...
Where are Mazzaroth and the Zodiac in the Bible?
Mazzaroth (or mazaroth) is a weird word that occurs exactly one time in the Bible. It appears in the Book of Job when God is chastising Job about his lack of knowledge of the true, inner workings of the world, and is translated...