The Book of Samuel offers an enigmatic and compelling portrait of multiple men of power. This week, we examine the passing of the mantle from the House of Eli to Samuel, including questions of authorship, the way we read the text versus what it actually argues, and the value of thinking outside the box. Meanwhile, the Ark of the Covenant goes on a solo adventure.

There's a good chance you know the story of Ruth. After the horror and bloodshed of Judges, this is the one where everybody's courteous and does the right thing. Right? Well, about that. Today on the Third Hour Podcast, we're talking about who wrote Ruth, why they wrote it, and how that should inform what we draw out of it.

The last few episodes in the Book of Judges contain some of the most difficult material in the entire Hebrew Bible. Join the Third Hour Podcast as we discuss Micah's idol, the Levite's concubine, and the Benjamite War — and why these episodes exhibit the Bible at its most morally coherent.

Abimelech! Jephthah! Samson! This week on the Third Hour Podcast, there isn't a single male role model to be found. Join us as we discuss the bloodsickness evident in Judges — and why, despite all that, it might be one of the most moral books we've read in the Hebrew Bible so far.

The Book of Judges throws the triumphal narrative of Joshua into disarray, introducing a chaotic landscape dominated by guerrilla warfare, extreme violence, and charismatic leaders. Today, the Third Hour Podcast discusses the Song of Deborah, the many identities of Gideon, and why Judges might have been considered humorous to its original recipients.

It's time for everybody's favorite scriptural topic — land allotments! The second half of the Book of Joshua is markedly less thrilling than the first, parceling out land to the various tribes of Israel. Fortunately, we're also taking the time to discuss the origins of the tribal system and how to cope with the Deuteronomist's peculiar approach to history-making.

As the Book of Joshua begins, the Camp of Israel crosses the Jordan and begins conquering the Promised Land. Join the Third Hour Podcast as we discuss holy war, archaeological evidence (or lack thereof), and the long history of massaging these tales to make them more palatable.

With the blessing and death of Moses, the Torah is finished. Join the Third Hour Podcast as we discuss the final chapters of Deuteronomy, the various covenants presented in the Torah, and what we can draw from altered scripture.

The middle portion of Deuteronomy is the torah itself, the scroll of law that forms the basis for King Josiah's reforms. Yet it's filled with difficult material: child sacrifice, human spoils, rape, temple prostitution. What can we learn from troublesome scripture? Moreover, where does this material come from, and how can it help us foster a relationship with the divine? Join the Third Hour Podcast as we ponder those very questions.

Meet the Deuteronomist! The final authorial school of the Torah brings an entirely new way of looking at scripture, and the Third Hour Podcast investigates how it modifies what's come before.