Tag
Prophets
20 articles
David and Bathsheba: Power, Sin, and Repentance
The story of David and Bathsheba confronts the abuse of royal power, the courage of the prophet Nathan, and the depth of genuine repentance — a turning point in David's life.
Elijah on Mount Carmel: The Contest of the Gods
Elijah's dramatic confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is one of the most vivid scenes in the Hebrew Bible — a contest between gods that forced Israel to choose.
Elijah and the Still Small Voice at Horeb
After his triumph on Mount Carmel, Elijah flees to Horeb and encounters God not in wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a still small voice — a revelation that transforms how we understand the divine.
The Jewish Prophets: Voices of Justice and Vision
From Isaiah's visions of peace to Amos's thundering demand for justice, the Jewish prophets shaped not only Judaism but the moral imagination of the world. Meet the major and minor prophets and their enduring message.
Book of Joshua: The Conquest of Canaan
The Book of Joshua describes Israel's entry into the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership, from crossing the Jordan to dividing the territory among the twelve tribes.
Book of Samuel: From Prophet to King
The Book of Samuel traces Israel's dramatic transition from tribal judges to monarchy, following the lives of Samuel, Saul, and David.
Book of Kings: From Monarchy to Exile
The Book of Kings chronicles the golden age of Solomon's Temple, the division of the kingdom, and Israel's tragic slide toward destruction and exile.
The Witch of Endor: Saul's Last Night
The haunting story of King Saul's visit to the witch of Endor on the eve of his final battle reveals the depths of desperation and the limits of forbidden knowledge.
Jonah and the Whale: Running from God, Finding Mercy
Jonah tried to run from God, was swallowed by a great fish, and then raged when the people of Nineveh repented. Read on Yom Kippur afternoon, his story is really about the reach of divine mercy.
Parashat Shoftim: Justice Justice Shall You Pursue — Judges, Kings, Prophets, and War
Parashat Shoftim establishes the Torah's vision of a just society — appointing judges, limiting kings, testing prophets, designating cities of refuge, and commanding the immortal phrase: 'Justice, justice shall you pursue.'
The Haftarah: Prophetic Voices After the Torah
Every Shabbat, after the Torah reading, a passage from the Prophets is chanted aloud in synagogue. The haftarah connects prophecy to law, history to the present, and — for many young Jews — marks the most memorable moment of becoming bar or bat mitzvah.
The First Temple Period: From Solomon's Glory to Babylon's Flames
From Solomon's magnificent Temple to its destruction by Babylon in 586 BCE — the pivotal era that shaped Judaism's prophetic tradition, theological identity, and longing for restoration.
Moses: Prophet, Leader, Lawgiver — The Man Who Shaped a People
Born a slave, raised a prince, called by a burning bush — Moses led the Israelites from Egypt, received the Torah at Sinai, and shaped Judaism more profoundly than any other human being.
Jewish Social Justice: From the Prophets to the Streets
Jewish social justice is rooted in the prophetic tradition — Amos, Isaiah, and Micah demanded justice before ritual. From Heschel marching with MLK to the labor movement, Jews have translated Torah into activism for centuries.
Elijah the Prophet: Fire, Faith, and the Open Door
No biblical figure haunts Jewish life quite like Elijah — he crashes weddings, attends circumcisions, drinks wine at every Seder, and one day, tradition promises, will announce the arrival of the Messiah.
Prophet Isaiah: Vision of Peace and Words of Comfort
Isaiah gave the world 'swords into plowshares' and 'comfort ye my people' — prophetic poetry so powerful it still shapes how we imagine peace, justice, and redemption three thousand years later.
Jeremiah: The Weeping Prophet Who Told the Truth
Jeremiah warned of destruction when no one wanted to hear it, wept when it came, and then told the exiles to plant gardens in Babylon. His story is about the terrible cost of telling the truth — and the stubborn hope that follows.
Ezekiel: Visions of Chariots, Dry Bones, and Restoration
Ezekiel saw God's chariot in Babylon, made dry bones dance with life, and sketched the blueprints of a Temple that has never been built. His visions launched an entire tradition of Jewish mysticism.
Amos: The Shepherd Who Demanded Justice
Amos was a simple shepherd from Tekoa who became one of the Bible's most powerful voices for social justice, insisting that God demands righteousness above ritual.
Justice in Judaism: The Pursuit of Tzedek
Judaism places justice at the center of religious life. From the Torah's command to 'pursue justice' to the prophets' demands for social righteousness, tzedek is a defining Jewish value.