The world of ancient holy texts is shrouded in mystery. Where did texts come from? How were they transmitted? Were they altered, and if so, by whom?

First this week, we'll be talking about 1 Esdras. It's a book you won't find in most Bibles these days, yet you will find most of the stories it contains. And if Esdras sounds a lot like the name of another Biblical book to you, that's not a coincidence. So what is Esdras? Why is it different from its biblical cousin, and why was one chosen over the other (unless you're in Ethiopia)?

Then: it's something we've mentioned many times on this show, and it's high time for the deeper dive. We're talking about the Masoretes, and the creation of the aptly (but perhaps too literally) named "Masoretic text".

This is a fascinating tale of dedicated scribes who had an enormous impact on how biblical texts were translated and transmitted. Their decisions and calculations affect how we read the Bible over a thousand years later. We'll explore their contributions, and the power wielded by this small group of meticulous ancient scholars.

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