My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
Shiloh (שִׁלֹה) is a historic town situated in the lot of Ephraim, where Israel assembled under Joshua during the war of conquest (Joshua 18:1). It served as the location for the distribution of territories among the seven tribes that had not yet received their land allotments. A...
This is the third, final installment of the conversation between Pinchas Shir and Dr. Cyndi Parker about food and the Bible. We move into the Greco-Roman context of meals with questions regarding how Roman families ate and feasted in contrast to Jewish ways. And thinking within that context, why would...
Discover the “Hebrew Insights from Revelation” with verse-by-verse explanations of Chapters 1-5 of John’s Apocalypse. This enriching study aims to reconnect readers with the Hebrew roots and Semitic essence of Revelation, bridging a significant cultural and linguistic divide that has existed for centuries. This book introduces you to a...
My friend Eli and I have just released a new and exciting book! We invite you to uncover the “Hebrew Visions in Revelation” with insightful explanations of key imagery from Revelation Chapters 6-14 of John’s Apocalypse. This book delves into the Jewish background and meanings of the visions that...
The Apocalypse of Abraham (התגלות אברהם, Hitgalut Avraham) is an ancient Jewish apocalyptic text believed to have been written between 70 and 150 CE. While the surviving manuscripts are in Old Slavonic, it is widely accepted that the original composition was in a Semitic language, evident from the presence of...
Food shapes culture and identity, so what did it mean for the Israelites to gather and feast at God's table? In this second segment of the dialogue, Professor Pinchas Shir and Dr. Cyndi Parker discuss food and the Bible with a focus on feasting with God and the...
This book by Prof. Daniel Boyarin explores the popular topic of the parting of ways between Christianity and Judaism. Only instead of tracing the historical circumstances of how the Synagogue and Church slowly drifted apart, he proposes a completely different outlook on how it really happened. I was deeply intrigued...
Professor Pinchas Shir joins Dr. Cyndi Parker in dialogue about food and the Bible. What was the Israelite diet like? How does food shape cultural identity? Where do we go to look at food issues (hint: it's practically on every page!)? How did the Israelites think about animals...
The passage called Mishpatim in Torah begins with laws about slaves and slavery. It’s not an easy topic to discuss in America. Colonial slavery most people are familiar with in America, was truly brutal, unjust, and inhumane. The mistreatment of slaves in America in the not-so-distant past still has...