What if the “Star of Bethlehem” wasn’t what you think it was?

In this Christmas-themed episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Dr. Mark Chavalas dives into Matthew 2 and the famous story of the Magi and the Star—but through the lens of the ancient world. Who were the Magi really? Why does Matthew use language that sounds… astrological? And why would these men go to Jerusalem first instead of Bethlehem?

🔥 In This Episode:

➡️ Why the term “Magi” changes meaning over time (priests, diviners, even “sorcerers”)

➡️ What Matthew’s phrase “in the East / in the rising” could imply

➡️ The historical anchor: Herod’s reign and why Jesus’ birth is often placed before 4 BC

➡️ How Roman and Jewish sources show horoscopes and portents were taken seriously in the ancient world

➡️ Why the Magi may have “seen” the star on paper, not in the sky (and what that means)

Mentioned / Referenced in the Conversation:

Matthew 2

Micah 5:2 (and Matthew’s use of it)

Acts 8 (Simon “Magi”)

Josephus (Herod dates; references to “magi/magician”)

Suetonius (Augustus, Nero, Titus)

Dead Sea Scrolls references to horoscopes/divination textsEd Yamauchi, Persia and the Bible

Francesca Rochberg, The Heavenly Writing (and related scholarship)

Michael Molnar, The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi

#BuriedBiblePodcast #Magi #StarOfBethlehem #Matthew2 #BibleHistory #AncientNearEast #BiblicalStudies #ChristmasEpisode #jesusbirth

Did Joshua 10 really say the sun and moon literally stopped — or have we missed what an ancient reader would’ve heard immediately?

We conclude our deep dive into Joshua 10:12–15, one of the most debated miracle passages in the Old Testament. The conversation centers on whether the famous line about the sun standing still over Gibeon and the moon over the Valley of Aijalon should be read as a miraculous astronomical event — or as poetic language rooted in ancient Near Eastern celestial omen traditions.

Dr. Chavalas examines the sudden shift from military narrative to poetry in Joshua 10, the Hebrew verbs traditionally translated “stand still,” and how similar language appears in Mesopotamian celestial divination texts. The episode also explores why the geographical details in the passage suggest morning, not evening, and how ancient armies interpreted the positioning of heavenly bodies as divine signals for battle.Rather than reducing the miracle, this discussion asks whether Joshua 10 may actually portray a different kind of cosmic event — one centered on divine providence, participation in God’s will, and the theological claim that “the LORD listened to the voice of a man.”

🔥 In This Episode:

➡️ Why Joshua 10 contains a poetic section embedded in military narrative

➡️ What the Hebrew verbs dāmam and ʿāmad can mean beyond “stop”

➡️ How Mesopotamian omen texts used sun and moon positioning for warfare

➡️ Why the phrase “a day like no other” may focus on divine response, not astronomy

➡️ How ancient readers may have understood this event very differently than modern audiences

💬 Let’s Talk in the CommentsDo you think Joshua 10 is describing a literal astronomical event — or ancient omen-style language used to describe divine providence? Drop your questions below.

Primary Biblical Texts:

Joshua 10:12–15 - Joshua 5:13–15

Ancient Near Eastern Sources:

Enuma Anu Enlil (Mesopotamian celestial omen series)

Campbell Thompson, Reports of the Magicians and Astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon, Vols. 1–2 (London: Luzac, 1900–1902)

Key Scholarly Articles:

Walton, John H.“Joshua 10:12–15 and Mesopotamian Celestial Omen Texts.”

In Faith, Tradition, and History: Old Testament Historiography in Its Near Eastern Context, edited by Alan Millard, James Hoffmeier, and David Baker, 181–190. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1994.Wilson, Robert Dick.

Ancient History & Comparative Sources:

Plutarch, Life of NiciasLivy, History of Rome.

#BuriedBiblePodcast #Joshua10 #BibleContext #AncientNearEast #OldTestament #BiblicalStudies #Mesopotamia #BibleStudy #ChristianPodcast #sunstoodstill

What did the “sun standing still” mean to an ancient audience?

In Joshua 10, the Bible describes one of its most debated moments—a battle where the sun and moon appear to stop in the sky. But before asking how this happened, this episode asks a more foundational question: how would an ancient reader have understood this text?

In this episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Dr. Mark Chavalas explores Joshua 10:1–15 by first rebuilding the ancient historical, literary, and cultural world behind the passage. Rather than jumping straight to modern scientific questions, Mark situates the story within ancient warfare, political alliances, royal annals, poetry, and omen language common across the ancient Near East.This episode focuses on background and setup, laying the groundwork for understanding why Joshua 10 was written the way it was—and how ancient readers would have heard it.

🔥 In This Episode

- Why the Book of Joshua reads like ancient military annals

- The political world of Canaanite city-states and alliances

- The role of Gibeon and the five Amorite kings- Why ancient battles often included poetic and cosmic language

- How hailstones, night marches, and victory reports fit ancient war literature- Why the Book of Jasher is mentioned—and why it matters

📚 Key References & Sources Mentioned

Biblical Texts:Joshua 9–10Judges (comparative narrative patterns)

Jeremiah 34 (treaty and oath parallels)

Ancient Near Eastern Sources:T

he Amarna Letters (14th century BC international correspondence)– William L. Moran, The Amarna Letters

Ancient Egyptian, Hittite, and Assyrian royal annals

Ancient Near Eastern omen and celestial literature

Archaeology & Background StudiesJames B. Pritchard, Gibeon: Where the Sun Stood Still

Archaeological data on Canaanite fortified cities (Jerusalem, Lachish, Hebron)

💬 Let’s Talk in the Comments:Do you read Joshua 10 as literal cosmic stoppage, poetic battle language, or something else? What’s your biggest question about the “sun stood still” passage?

🎥 Like, Subscribe & Share if you want more Bible passages explored through the lens of the ancient Near East.We’ll see you next time on the Buried Bible Podcast—because the real payoff of Joshua 10 is still

ahead.#BuriedBiblePodcast #Joshua10 #BibleStudy #AncientNearEast #OldTestament #BiblicalContext #SunStoodStill #DrMarkChavalas #SunStoodStill #BibleHistory #ChristianPodcast #Bible Study