There is so much more happening in the flood story than most readers ever realize — so what questions should we actually be asking about Noah’s flood?

In this wrap-up Q&A episode, Dr. Mark Chavalas wrestles with the difficult questions left in the flood narrative — the ones most people avoid. Was the flood global or local? Who were the Nephilim, and why are they before and after the flood? Did God really “start over” with the flood? And if so… why does evil show up again the moment Noah steps off the ark? Why is Noah called “righteous” if he fails immediately in Genesis 9? And what on earth is going on with Noah’s nakedness and the curse of Canaan?

Dr. Chavalas warns us:“Read your Bible and don’t be intimidated by it. There’s a lot that is poetic and not literal. Strap on your big-boy pants and learn to interpret faithfully without fear." This episode wrestles honestly with ambiguity, ancient Near Eastern context, and the theological beauty that emerges from both.

In This Episode:

➡️ Why the biblical flood story is nothing like Mesopotamian flood myths

➡️ The real meaning behind God's “repentance” and emotional grief

➡️ Noah’s righteousness: character or divine grace?

➡️ Why evil survives the flood — and what Genesis wants us to see

➡️ The Nephilim problem: before and after the flood

➡️ Was the flood global, local, or literary? Dr. Chavalas explains ancient language

➡️ The shocking honor-shame meaning of Noah’s nakedness

➡️ Why Canaan is cursed even though Ham sinned

➡️ The flood as a reset echoing Genesis 1

➡️ How reading like an ancient changes everything

The story of Noah isn’t a children’s tale — it’s a theological masterpiece. Understanding how ancient Israelites thought, wrote, and interpreted the world unlocks the depth of God’s character, His justice, His mercy, and His astonishing patience with humanity.

💬 Let’s Talk in the Comments:What question from the flood narrative has always bothered you?

Drop it below — your question might shape a future episode.📧 (buriedbiblepodcast@gmail.com)

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Bible.#BuriedBiblePodcast #Noah #Flood #AncientNearEast #BibleStudy #BiblicalContext #Genesis6 #Nephilim #OldTestament #MarkChavalas #biblehistory

What does it mean when Genesis says God “repented” for making humanity? Did God change His mind? Is this an anthropomorphism? A metaphor? A translation issue? Or something far deeper — about divine emotion, justice, and mercy?

Today, Dr. Mark Chavalas takes a bunny trail in the Flood narrative by diving into one of the most difficult and most misunderstood verses in the entire Old Testament: God “repenting” in Genesis 6:6.From ancient Hebrew linguistics to emotional language for God, this episode explores the true meaning of the word nāḥam, how ancient translators struggled with it, and why this word gives us a fuller, richer picture of God’s character — not a contradiction.

This conversation goes deep into theology, the ancient Near East, how anthropomorphism works in Scripture, and how the Flood story reveals God’s justice and His mercy.

📖 In This Episode:

➡️ What the Hebrew word nāḥam really means — and why it doesn’t translate cleanly into English

➡️ Why Genesis 6:6 says God “repented” or “regretted” creating mankind

➡️ How ancient translators in the Septuagint struggled to capture this word

➡️ The difference between God “changing His mind” and God expressing divine compassion

➡️ How anthropomorphic language helps us understand God without limiting Him

➡️ What the Flood narrative teaches about divine justice, mercy, and emotional language

➡️ Why Noah’s name (“rest/comfort”) ties directly into the theological meaning of the Flood

➡️ Why this matters for prayer, judgment, blessing, and understanding God’s character

💬 Let’s Talk in the Comments:How have you understood the idea of God “repenting”? Does this change the way you read the Flood story?

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#BibleHistory #Genesis6 #AncientNearEast #OldTestament #BibleStudy #BiblicalContext #HebrewBible #Theology #ChristianPodcast #BiblicalHebrew #FloodStory #GodsCharacter

Are the “contradictions” in the flood story proof that Genesis is sloppy—or are they actually clues to a hidden literary design?In today’s episode of the Buried Bible Podcast, Keagan Walz and Dr. Mark Chavalas explore one of the most controversial claims about the Bible: that the Genesis Flood narrative is inconsistent, repetitive, or stitched together from conflicting sources.But what if the Flood story is far more brilliant, intentional, and literary than modern readers imagine?Join us as Dr. Chavalas walks through the surprising chiastic structure woven through Genesis 6–9, showing how the numbers, repetitions, and narrative “tensions” actually form a carefully crafted design, not a broken account. We explore ancient Near Eastern writing, oral tradition, how ancient authors used pattern and symmetry, and why the Flood story functions as a theological masterpiece—not a scientific puzzle.🔥 In This Episode:➡️ Why Genesis 6–9 looks contradictory to modern readers➡️ The 31-part chiastic structure hidden inside the Flood narrative➡️ Why “God remembered Noah” is the center of the entire narrative➡️ How ancient literary design shapes the story’s numbers and repetitions➡️ Whether recognizing literary design weakens inerrancy—or actually deepens our trust in Scripture➡️ Parallels with Genesis 1’s structure and why both creation and flood are answering different questions than modern science asks➡️ Why the Flood story isn’t broken…but brilliantly crafted💬 Let’s Talk in the CommentsDo you think the Flood story is contradictory?Did the chiastic structure surprise you?Drop your questions, thoughts, and disagreements—we love hearing from you.📜 Email : buriedbiblepodcast@gmail.com

Did the Bible describe a global flood—or was it a local event misunderstood by moderns?

In this episode of The Buried Bible Podcast, Dr. Mark Chavalas continues a deep dive into the Flood narrative of Genesis, exploring divine intent, God’s sorrow, and the striking differences between the biblical account and Mesopotamian flood stories.

This episode wrestles with questions about divine justice, mercy, and regret—what does it mean that God was “grieved in His heart”? And how should modern readers understand terms like “all the earth” and “all flesh” in light of the ancient world?

🔥 In This Episode:

➡️ Why God’s “grief” over humanity is one of the Bible’s most profound moments

➡️ The meaning behind “all the earth” — global flood or local deluge?

➡️ How Mesopotamian flood myths help illuminate Genesis

➡️ What “repentance” means when it’s applied to God Himself

➡️ The role of the Nephilim before the Flood — and why they’re mentioned at all

➡️ How ancient readers would have understood the flood story differently than we do today

💬 Let’s Talk in the Comments:Do you believe the Flood was global or local? What does this story reveal to you about God’s nature?

OR EMAIL US: buriedbiblepodcast@gmail.com

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Did the Bible Copy the Flood Story?

In this episode, we continue our deep-dive into the story of the Flood—this time examining the Mesopotamian flood traditions that existed long before the Bible’s account in Genesis 6–9. Dr. Chavalas unpacks the Atrahasis Epic and Gilgamesh Tablet XI, explaining how these ancient stories describe quarrelling gods, unjust creation, and a flood brought on by divine chaos—not justice.

He contrasts that with the biblical God, who acts from mercy and moral order rather than divine whim. Mark’s goal is to compare the flood stories to highlight their differences, not their similarities.This conversation reframes that question, “Did the Bible copy pagan myths?” showing that while the Israelites were part of the ancient Near Eastern world, their message was radically different—monotheistic, moral, and redemptive.

🔥 In This Episode:

➡️ What the Atrahasis and Gilgamesh epics actually say about the Flood

➡️ How Mesopotamian gods are fickle, unjust, and at odds with each other

➡️ The major differences between Mesopotamian polytheism and biblical monotheism

➡️ Why the Bible’s version focuses on God’s struggle between justice and mercy

➡️ How these ancient parallels strengthen—not weaken—biblical faith

💬 Let’s Talk in the CommentsWhat stood out to you most about the ancient flood stories? Do their differences from Genesis strengthen your faith—or raise new questions?

👉 buriedbiblepodcast@gmail.com

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Were there flood stories before the Bible?

Mesopotamian scholar, Dr. Mark Chavalas dives into one of the most famous stories in history — the Flood. But before Noah’s ark ever set sail, ancient Mesopotamian civilizations were already writing about deluges sent by the gods. How does that work?

Dr. Chavalas introduces the earliest flood traditions from Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian sources — from Ziusudra and Atrahasis to Utnapishtim of the Epic of Gilgamesh — and explores how these stories compare to, and differ from, the biblical account in Genesis. Along the way, he recounts the remarkable 19th-century discovery of Babylonian flood tablets that shocked the Victorian world, sparked a clash between science and faith, and forever changed biblical studies.This episode lays the foundation for an in-depth exploration of how the Flood was understood in the ancient Near East — and how the biblical version redefined divine purpose, justice, and mercy.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:

➡️ How the Mesopotamian flood myths predate the biblical narrative

➡️ The earliest Sumerian and Babylonian flood traditions

➡️ How George Smith’s 1872 discovery of the Babylonian flood tablet stunned the modern world

➡️ Comparing Ziusudra, Atrahasis, and the Gilgamesh flood hero

➡️ Why the Bible’s Flood story is more than just a theological response

📚 Understanding the ancient flood traditions helps us see Genesis 6–9 not as a stand-alone myth, but as a divinely inspired response to pagan worldviews. The biblical writers weren’t copying Babylonian ideas — they were correcting them, revealing a God who is moral, relational, and sovereign over creation, unlike the fickle gods of Mesopotamia.This episode sets the stage for the next few discussions on how ancient literature shaped — and was reshaped by — the biblical vision of the flood.

💬 LET’S TALK IN THE COMMENTSWhat do you think: why do nearly every ancient culture have a flood story? Were they remembering the same event — or expressing something deeper about human nature and the divine?

‼️‼️ EMAIL US YOUR QUESTIONS : buriedbiblepodcast@gmail.com ‼️‼️

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📚 Resources Mentioned:

➡️ Alexander Heidel, The Gilgamesh Epic and Old Testament Parallels (1946)

➡️ W. G. Lambert & A. R. Millard, Atrahasis: The Babylonian Story of the Flood

➡️ Irving Finkel, The Ark Before Noah

➡️ Nathan Wasserman, The Flood: The Akkadian Sources (2020)

➡️ Adam E. Miglio, The Gilgamesh Epic and Genesis 1–11: Peering into the Deep (2023)

What did the Old Testament really teach about demons and spirits? Were they fallen angels, ghosts, or something else entirely?

In this final episode of our “Demons” series, Dr. Mark Chavalas explores what the Old Testament actually says—and doesn’t say—about demons. He traces the mysterious world of supernatural beings in the Old Testament—where wild desert creatures, shadowy spirits, and divine messengers blur the line between natural and spiritual.

This discussion challenges sanitized modern theology and reveals a world alive with unseen powers under God’s control. The episode closes with Psalm 91, showing how Israel’s worldview of pestilence, plague, and night terrors connects directly to their trust in God as the ultimate protector.

🔥 In This Episode:

➡️ Demons & their connection to the Old Testament

➡️ The mysterious “Lilith,” Azazel, and the scapegoat ritual in Leviticus 16

➡️ The Witch of Endor and Saul’s encounter with Samuel’s spirit

➡️ The lying spirit in Ahab’s court and what it reveals about God’s sovereignty

➡️ Psalm 91 and the real meaning of “the terror by night”

➡️ How Israel’s understanding of evil shaped early Christian theology

💬 Let’s Talk in the Comments:Which Old Testament passage about demons or spirits do you find most fascinating—or most difficult to understand?

🎥 Like, Subscribe & ShareIf you’ve enjoyed this series on demons in the Bible, make sure to subscribe for our next series as we return to Genesis and explore the unseen world through an ancient lens

.📚 Books & Texts MentionedEvil Demons — Mark Geller (ed.)

- The Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia — R. Campbell Thompson- “Demons in Mesopotamia and Israel” — John Walton

- Leviticus Commentary (Anchor Yale Bible) — Jacob Milgrom

- The First Ghost — Irving Finkel- Psalm 91 and the Demonic Menace — Gerrit Vreugdenhil (2020)

- The Unseen Realm — Michael S. HeiserBiblical Passages

Discussed:Leviticus 16 (Azazel)

· Isaiah 34:14 (Lilith)

· 1 Samuel 16 & 28 (Saul & Witch of Endor)

· 1 Kings 22 (Lying Spirit)

· Genesis 4:7 (Rabisu imagery)

· Psalm 91 (Demonic Menace)

· Job (Netherworld)

· Isaiah 10 (Assyria as rod of God)

· Genesis 6 (Nephilim)

· Ephesians 1–3 (Principalities & Powers)

What did the ancient world really believe about demons?

Before the Bible ever mentioned unclean spirits, the people of Mesopotamia lived in a world filled with spirit beings, magic, and fear of the unseen.

In this episode, Dr. Mark Chavalas looks into the ancient Mesopotamian worldview of demons and spirit beings—the cultural backdrop behind how the Bible’s authors and readers understood the unseen world.This episode unpacks texts from the ancient Near East describing how demons were classified, how they affected daily life, and how people sought protection through magic, medicine, and ritual.

From protective spirits to terrifying ghosts and baby-snatching demonesses, this conversation reveals just how different—and yet familiar—the ancient world’s view of evil, spiritual warfare and the unseen realm really was.

🔥 In This Episode:

➡️ How Mesopotamians understood “demons” and spirit beings

➡️ Why there was no word for “demon” in the ancient Near East

➡️ The three classes of spiritual beings—from gods to ghosts

➡️ How illness, misfortune, and even nightmares were tied to the spiritual realm

➡️ The eerie rituals and “medical magic” used to drive out evil spirits

➡️ Why understanding Mesopotamian demonology illuminates Scripture

📚 Rescources & Texts:

- John H. Walton, “Demons in Mesopotamia and Israel: Exploring the Category of Non-Divine but Supernatural Entities”.

- Gina Konstantinopoulos, “Demons and Exorcism in Ancient Mesopotamia”

- Frans Wiggermann, “The Mesopotamian Pandemonium”, on Mesopotamian demon concepts

- Markham J. Geller, works on the Sherpa incantations and their relationship to biblical Leviticus style rituals.

- “Demons and Spirits in Biblical Theology: Reading the Biblical Text in Its Cultural and Literary Context” by John Walton & J. Harvey Walton

💬 Let’s Talk in the Comments:What surprises you most about how ancient people viewed demons?

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