Bible Talk is back! Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss 1 Kings 11 and the downfall of King Solomon.

When the Queen of Sheba shows up, Solomon’s reign takes her breath away. His people are blessed, his coffers are full, and she seems to trust the Lord. But is this the beginning of the end?

Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 1 Kings 10.

King David is on his deathbed. What does he say to his son? “Be strong. Follow the Lord and all his ways. If you don’t . . .”

Jim Hamilton, Alex Duke, and Sam Emadi chat about 1 Kings 2:1–12.

By the end of Exodus 7, the Lord has brought the first plague against Egypt. But before we get there, Moses makes us wait.

At the beginning of Exodus 3, Moses is just milling about in Midian. Then the LORD shows up—and everything changes.

Genesis ends with Joseph’s bones in a box in the belly of the beast. Exodus begins with Israel being fruitful and multiplying under the harsh rule of a Pharaoh who knows neither Joseph nor his God. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Exodus 1–2.

Alex Duke hosts the “Academy Awards of Genesis,” in which he gives some superlatives and asks Jim and Sam to look back and reflect on what they’ve learned as they’ve walked slowly through Moses’ masterpiece.

In chapters 48–50, Genesis finally fades to black . . . very, very slowly.

Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Moses’ conclusion—which includes Jacob’s death, Joseph’s death, and a fascinating snapshot of “what could have been” for Egypt.

It’s been decades since Jacob found out his beloved son Joseph had been torn apart by wild animals (Gen. 33:37). But at the end of last week’s episode, he discovered he was wrong! Joseph is alive! And so he wants to go see him before he dies.

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Genesis 46–47. They cover this long-awaited reunion, and the tribes of Israel settling in Goshen.

Finally, Bible Talk is back—and finally, Joseph tells his brothers who he really is. In this episode, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Genesis 44–45.

Bible Talk celebrates Christmas!

In Matthew 1–2, the Gospel writer regularly appeals to the Old Testament to show that what’s happening in the present is a fulfillment of past prophecies. But when you begin to scrutinize the texts in their original context, it’s not at clear that they point forward to the Messiah.

This raises a few questions: How does the Old Testament predict Jesus’ birth? More broadly, how do the New Testament writers understand Old Testament prophecy? Do they twist the text to make it say something the original authors never intended? More broadly, is there more than one kind of promise-and-fulfillment?

In this special Christmas episode of Bible Talk, Alex chats with Jim and Sam about Matthew 1–2 in order to find answers to these questions. Spoiler alert: they’re fascinating!

In Genesis 42–43, Joseph has a brilliant plan to see if his brothers have been humbled, or if they’re still as wicked as they were when they threw him into a well and sold him into slavery.

At the beginning of Genesis 40, Joseph is living in the belly of the beast: an Egyptian prison. By the end of Genesis 41, he’s Pharaoh‘s second-in-command. But no matter his station, God’s favor remains on Joseph.

Bible Talk begins a new book! In this episode, Alex chats with Jim and Sam about 1 Kings 1.

Joseph’s story resolves every major plot-line of Genesis, proving that Moses is a “literary genius,” as Jim Hamilton puts it.

Alex Duke chats with Jim & Sam about Genesis 37–39. They cover Joseph’s brothers, Judah & Tamar, and Joseph & Potiphar’s wife.

These chapters of Genesis cover some dark terrain, things that ought not be done in Israel (34:7). Shechem violates Dinah. Two of his others sons—Simeon and Levi—commit a war crime. And Esau’s descent away from God’s people is finally codified through his genealogy (Gen. 36).

What’s God up to in Genesis 34–36? Even amidst his chosen people’s sin and wickedness, he’s still preserving and preparing them for his purposes.

In Genesis 32–33, Jacob has two life-altering confrontations—one with the angel of God & one with the adversary of his lifetime: Esau, his brother. What happens next may surprise you.

Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton & Sam Emadi about all this & more.

There’s a lot of deception and re-deception going on here. There's also some poetic justice, some pathetic names, some junk science, and a tense camel chase. In Episode 10 of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Genesis 29–31.

These chapters of Genesis continue the story of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau. They play out like an episode of a soap opera: family member against family member; deceit on top of deceit; the promise of revenge.

In these chapters, Moses shifts his attention to the next generation of the promised line. As he does, familiar themes show up.

Moses spends so much time cultivating an expectation for Isaac’s birth. But then, out of nowhere, the Lord tests Abraham, telling him to sacrifice his son, his only son whom he loves. Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton & Sam Emadi about Genesis 21–23.

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about the Genesis 18–20. These chapters cover some of the darkest episodes in all of Scripture. We see the wages of sin—death—on full display. And yet, we also see glimmers of God’s grace and mercy.

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about the Lord’s covenant ceremony (Gen. 15), Sarah’s covenant scheme (Gen. 16), and Abraham’s covenant sign (Gen. 17).

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about a towering Old Testament figure: Abram of the Chaldeans. What kind of man is he?

The end of 2 Samuel is odd: it portrays the king at cruising altitude and then describes his bumpy descent. What's going on here? Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about the messianic finale of 2 Samuel 23–24. 

In this third episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Noah and the flood, the genealogy of Genesis 10, the Tower of Babel, and what all of this has to do with Jesus.

In the second episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about Genesis 3:20–6:8. As man’s sinfulness grows both broader and deeper, God is still preserving a line of promise.

In this inaugural episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about the first three chapters of Genesis. These first three chapters of the Bible are so important because they set the trajectory for everything that comes next—all the way until we get to Revelation 22.

We've entered 1–2 Samuel's epilogue, which rewinds the clock to mighty deeds of mighty men and gives us a chiastic cheat code that reveals some fascinating connections between King David and all that's gone before.

By now, David’s reign is beginning to unravel. In fact, these chapters are beginning to remind us not of 1–2 Samuel, but of the book of Judges. Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 2 Samuel 19–20.

A father should never have to mourn the death of his son. But that's precisely what happens here. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 2 Samuel 17–18.

A messenger comes to David and gives him bad news: "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom." Then David flees—and in doing so he fails as both father and king.

Absalom is a smarmy guy who makes himself seem powerful and compassionate. King David, meanwhile, stays quiet while his kingdom nears collapse.

The story of Amnon, Tamar, and the subsequent terrible fallout is ultimately a story about two fake loves. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi talk through 2 Samuel 13.

At the beginning of 2 Samuel 12, King David is in a dark place. Even worse, he doesn't seem to know it. By the end of 2 Samuel 12, he's back where he belongs and he's writing Psalm 51. Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

When we read the Old Testament, we’re tempted to see characters as either all good or all bad. But when we get to 1 Kings 9 and see Solomon’s interactions with Hiram the King of Tyre, well, it’s more complicated than that.

Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

For a while now, we've been tracking the avalanche in the distance. Now, with the story of David and Bathsheba, it's finally here.

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi chat about 2 Samuel 11.

After the mountain top of 2 Samuel 7, we get David’s Golden Age. He’s successful, he’s subduing the LORD’s enemies, and he’s showing surprising mercy to helpless people like Mephibosheth.

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss 2 Samuel 8–10.

To celebrate our 100th episode, we did something a little different. But the conversation—on perhaps the mountain-peak of the whole OT—ended up at the same place: the Bible is amazing.

Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi chat about 2 Samuel 7.

After the squelching of Ish-bosheth's insurrection, David is anointed king over a united kingdom and the nations are streaming to the city of Zion. And yet . . . the author wants us to know that something's not quite right in the state of Israel. Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss 2 Samuel 4–6.

In 2 Samuel 1–3, the inaugural moments of King David's reign are full of stomach-stabbings, failed coups, and heartfelt laments. And through it all, King David remains upright and unscathed. Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.

When you get to the end of 1 Samuel, you realize how Hannah's prayer (1 Samuel 2:1–10) really does frame everything that's to come.

Alex chats with Jim and Sam about the witch of Endor and the rest of 1 Samuel 26-28.

In 1 Samuel 25, David is face-to-face with a foolish man who thinks he’s a king. As readers, we’re face-to-face with a vital question: What kind of king will David be?
Alex, Jim, and Sam discuss (and have their biggest argument yet!).

The cat-and-mouse game between David and Saul continues and, in the quiet darkness of a cave in the wilderness, it reaches a shocking climax. We don't get revenge. We get . . . a reunion?

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 1 Samuel 23–24.

David's now a fugitive on the run. But he's not alone. He's got the support of his best friend Jonathan. He's gathered to himself Israel's strugglers and stragglers. Oh, and he's also got Goliath's sword.

Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss 1 Samuel 20–22.

The glory of the LORD has filled the Temple. So . . . now what? How do God's people actually use it? 

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton about 1 Kings 8:31–66, which doubles as a kind of user's manual for the temple. 

The second David kills Goliath, Saul wants to kill David. Why? Because he's a puny, self-righteous man. Thankfully, David has Jonathan on his side to slow down his father's murderous rampages.

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Eamdi about 1 Samuel 18–19.

The story of David and Goliath is not giving us a strategy for how we can fight our everyday battles. It's giving us an evangelistic beheading.

In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi about 1 Samuel 17.

In 1 Samuel 16, we finally meet David. He's an afterthought to his father, a caretaker to his father's sheep, and a comforter to the demon-addled king Saul. But to the Lord? He's the King. Alex Duke, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Emadi discuss.