Best of Biblia Hebraica 2008, Part 2

To celebrate my upcoming one-year blogging anniversary, I've been listing some of my favorite posts from 2008.  The first part is here and covers the first half of the year through July. 

These are posts that I think represent some of my best work and clearest thinking on a variety of subjects.  I've divided this part by subject. It's kind of like a Biblical Studies Carnival for just this blog. (Which reminds me...whatever happened to Biblical Studies Carnival XXXVII?)

Biblical Archaelogy

2008 was a big year for biblical archaeology.  Some of the notable finds for the last half of the year included the Gedalyahu seal and the Kuttamuwa stele from Zincirli, a copper mine connected by some to Solomon, and an inscription from Khirbet Qeiyafa.

Archaeology Proves the Bible Again (Aug 4)

A discussion of the significance of the seal of Gedalyahu ben Pashur.

What If Israel Knohl is Right? (Aug 27)

The regular posting on Gabriel's Vision continued with several posts in August. The sensational headlines were coming steadily on the topic and most implied that the find somehow diminished the claims of Christianity. Here I pointed out that they actually did quite the opposite.

Chrestou the Magician or Jesus Christ, Magic Man? (Oct 2)

Another example of a sensational interpretation (and wrong) interpretation of an artifact getting press time because of a suggested biblical connection.

Rainey's Selective Use of Evidence for Israelite Origins (Oct 25)

A well-received review of Rainey's BAR article.  It earned me a place in the Guild of Biblical Minimalists.  Rainey continued on the topic during his SBL presentation which I also reported on here.

SBL: Kuttamuwa Stele from Zincirli (Nov 24)

A report on Dennis Pardee's presentation on the inscription at SBL in Boston.

Bible Translations

Comments on the TNIV and Gender Language (Aug 10)

A discussion of the TNIV's approach to gendered language in translation.

A Few More Thoughts on the TNIV (Aug 11)

A Three Part Review of the NLT & ESV Study Bibles (Sept 1-3)

I compared my new NLT Study Bible on the Book of Jonah with the preview of the ESV Study Bible on Jonah.  I also made general comments on the NLT Study Bible since I had the whole book.

My Ranking of English Bible Translations (Sept 3)

Some were upset that the TNIV didn't make my top ten list.

Translation Insights from the Nida School 2008 (Sept 29)

I was privileged to spend 2 weeks in September in Italy learning about bible translation at the Nida School.

Old in the New: NLT Romans 1:17 (Nov 12)

Biblical Interpretation

Isaiah 50 and the Messiah (Aug 20)

This post deals with the issue of a suffering messiah in the Hebrew Bible.

Christological Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible (Oct 6)

Christological interpretation was a popular topic in October. This was our first post on the subject.  Others are here and here.

Commensality as Idolatry in Tannaitic Literature (Nov 27)

A report on Jordan Rosenblum's presentation from SBL.

Behold, A Virgin Shall Be With Child... (Dec 22)

A discussion of the translation and interpretation the word for "virgin" or "young woman" in Isa 7:14.