Blog – Next Posts

That ravens fed Elijah by the brook Chorath has been questioned. The Hebrew text at 1 Kings 17:4–6 uses the word עֹרְבִים `ōrvīm, which means ravens, but with a different vocalization might equally mean Arabs. The Septuagint has κορακες, ravens, and other traditional translations followed. Alternatives have been proposed for many years; for example Adam Clarke (d. 1832) treated it as a discussion already of long standing.[167] Objections … Read more

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah Books of Chronicles[edit] Main article: Books of Chronicles Elijah is mentioned once more in 2 Chronicles 21:12, which will be his final mention in the Hebrew Bible. A letter is sent under the prophet’s name to Jehoram of Judah. It tells him that he has led the people of Judah astray in the same way that … Read more

882 BC A Village Near Gibbethon, Philistia Obadiah flew along the narrow path, his elbows gouging his friend, Ahab. As their sandals slapped the dirt, a brown hen squawked at the approaching danger. She collected her chicks into the safety of a low-spreading fig tree. Obadiah shot between the stable guards the same moment as … Read more

A Few More Corrections to the PDF Line 5157 horses and mounted archers clop-clopped behind them. horses and mounted archers clip-clopped behind them. Line 1138 Booted hoofs clopped an irregular pattern through the city gate Booted hoofs clip-clopped an irregular pattern through the city gate

Map Label Israel in 850 BC. Not Israel in Old Testament Times. Remove all the red lines and labels. Cities to Add. The links show where they belong.  Kishion – https://bibleatlas.org/full/kishion.htm Taanach – https://bibleatlas.org/full/taanach.htm Harod – https://bibleatlas.org/full/harod.htm Endor – https://bibleatlas.org/full/en-dor.htm Akko – https://bibleatlas.org/full/acco.htm (but I spell it Akko) (I’m looking thru the text for more … Read more

“Well, Mika, what do you say? Go to war or stay home?” Mikayhu crouched in front of the two kings. He floated his head forward and back while he clicked his fingers to a beat. This young man had grown taller but hadn’t lost his charm. Jehoshaphat scooted forward on his throne and bobbed with … Read more

Here, Vernamae

Elijah patted the donkey’s rump. “Excuse me.” As he dove beneath the belly, his knee slid through a pile of fresh droppings. Hmm…. Better than a sharp rock. He poked his head out the other side. A mother with a baby on her back jumped away and pulled two dirty-faced children with her. Elijah favored them with the smile which had sold dozens of skins of Tishbe wine to camel pullers on the King’s Highway, but the children screamed and grabbed their mother’s knees. As Elijah scooted past, most of the donkey dung fell from his knee. “He’s getting away.” A bronze-colored chariot stood in his path. No time to run his hand over the rail or examine the … Read more

“Do you pray, Uncle Biah?” Obadiah dangled an empty prickly pear stick from his fingers. “Do I pray? Um, well.” How do I answer this child, Lord? He cleared his throat. “My conversations with the Lord lack the poetry of David or Solomon, but we talk a lot, and he listens in on my thoughts.” Ruthie hunched … Read more

In Kings and Chronicles, I became fascinated with Elijah and Elisha, Ahab and Obadiah. Then I remembered “Elijah was a man with passions like ours.” (James 5:17) Did he have a temper? Get discouraged? Notice the ladies?  

Only for children who enjoy rescuing babies, telling the king “Neither dew nor rain,” hiding from soldiers, attacking killers with a rock, running from bandits and hiding in the surf. Or asking a widow to make “me first” a piece of bread, then giving her an endless supply of flour and a bottomless jar of … Read more

October 30, 2015  ·  I just finished “Soldier Citizen: a life of Harry S. Truman” by Aida D. Donald. On early pages she describes Truman’s Bible-believing home. Late in the book, on page 266: “On May 14, 1948, at 6 pm, Israel declared itself a state. Truman immediately granted it de facto recognition.” She spends two … Read more

What are you reading?  In 2021 I went through Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book again. Plus C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy, which I have read once a decade since I was ten. I started 2022 with Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. And discovered the author published Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, a text I used … Read more

In 1961, at Greenville College, I took Dr. Stanley Walters’ class on the Geography of the Holy Land. In 1964, Delphine and I toured the Holy Land for three weeks. In 1984-85, we worked at the archeology dig at Oboth, the Rift Valley oasis where Moses headquartered about 1300 BC (Numbers 21:10). When we weren’t digging, … Read more

So I’m writing of Obadiah’s despair when Syrians murder his father. To check if I have him quoting Ecclesiastes correctly. I search for “Vanity. Vanity. All is vanity.” The first two pages that come up show bathroom furniture at Home Depot and Lowes.

This wiki discusses both the fort and Naboth’s vineyard.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tel_Jezreel

Albatrosses stay airborne a lot but use surface effect. Swifts stay airborne for virtually all of the 10 months when they’re not breeding or nesting, although they eat and drink during that time. === Researchers marvel at the bird’s record-holding migratory flight of 7,000 or so miles from Alaska to New Zealand at this time … Read more

Common whitethroat – Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_whitethroat

Irrigation today drains it

Jane – Sounds beautiful, but you better tell me what kind of flower this is before the chapter’s over.

How to Painlessly Generate Dozens of Blog Ideas

Elijah tries to crush a man’s skull with a rock. Battle of Tirzah Valley Murder of Naboth

When did lions disappear from Bible lands? A glazed-brick frieze from ancient Babylon Although there are no lions in the wild in the Holy Land today, some 150 Scriptural references to this animal show that it was familiar to Bible writers. Most of those references are figurative; yet, some record actual encounters with lions. Samson, … Read more

At the checkpoint from Libya into Egypt. “I’m a Yank!” In Cyprus. “Can’t let you our on the street. You’re hairs grown too long. You don’t look American. Today’s the anniversary of the first bomb we threw threw against the British. In KMG, the young taxi driver.

“Yes, you should have left us, son. That boy, Ahab, needs you at his side. Keep your eyes open, and you’ll see why you’re there.” His mother patted his hand. “What can I feed you? We have mutton, chicken, beef, pickles, beer, wine. The courtyard’s been full of friends for days, and they keep bringing … Read more

At the far side of his family courtyard, a fresh moundi stood by the corner of the house. While men of wealth rested in tombs cut into the rock, simple farmer lay in holes heaped with dirt. iSD – Is this a grave? Would his father not have a tomb? [Author’s Notes]

Show Ben Hadad respecting Omri and Ahab as able generals, from the Syrian POV.

Why So Many Trees? Why does Elijah s story Have so many trees? I thought the holy land was all desert. Elijah turned his back on the puller and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. Thin clouds dusted the top of a light blue sky over an endless line of camels … Read more

In the battle at Ramoth, Ahab is in a chariot. 1 Kings 22:30 “And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle” What weapon would have been in his hand? Battleaxe? Javelin? Both? Dave Let me do some checking. I know what the answer would be if … Read more

1 Kings 22 In an early draft of To Fight or Not to Fight, I had Obadiah fiddle with his fork while he waited for King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat to start talking seriously about the Syrian threat. No forks for eating yet. https://www.foodreference.com/html/art-history-fork-729.html

were the common way of covering window openings in 851 BC – Bunny Trail topic.

The Murder of Naboth – 1 Kings 21:1-15 37. A Garden Killing – Obadiah 55. Dogs Waiting – Elijah Trade away Inheritance – Number 26:52–54, 33:54, Joshua 13–22, Leviticus 25:23 https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/israelite-law-property-law

If I can figure how, Obadiah’s point of view, to show Ben Hadad respecting Omri and Ahab as able generals, then a blog post could show that from the Syrian or Assyrian POV. I think this is pretty easy.  O, being the trusted wingman he is, has probably been sent to BH’s court to negotiate … Read more

The life of Elijah the prophet according to the Biblical outline, with a few additions. Twelve-year-old Elijah tries to rescue a slave girl. A few years later he challenges the king: “Neither dew nor rain until I say so.” He thinks anger at the slavers and baby burners motivates him, so the Lord’s “Hide at … Read more

Caravanserai Where Worlds and Ideas Connect: The Caravanserai Steve – If this will open for you, it is a great illustration of all the commercial and social considerations that would have gone on in a caravanserai.  But please note that the one illustrated here is a Moslem establishment from a much later time.  Yours will … Read more

A critique partner rescued me from a sad error in *The Boy Who Closed the Sky.* “Dave, why do you leave Elisha out of the story?” “Because on the mountain, the Lord told Elijah that Elisha would replace him. Another verse says Elisha followed him and became his servant. But you can’t follow and replace. … Read more

To the pastors during my boyhood in Spring Arbor, Michigan. Rev. Leon Voorheis (Looking for his picture) Rev. James Hudson Taylor II Rev. Verdon Dunckel (Looking for his picture) Like many Free Methodist pulpiteers, they walked us around in the sandals of Moses and Elijah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel while showing how to imagine emotions and … Read more

(From The Boy Who Closed the Sky: A Novel of Elijah the Prophet) by Dr. DeWayne Coxon President Emeritus, Blossoming Rose I have loved the stories of Elijah’s saga, but never before had I imagined the intimate sacred dimensions. Here is fiction which follows the Biblical narrative of Hebrew history. Prayers and miracles, faith and doubt, … Read more

(From The Boy Who Closed the Sky: A Novel of Elijah the Prophet) 866 BC* After Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, Jeroboam split the kingdom north from south. Two centuries later, Asa reigned over Judah and Omri over Israel. In Tishbe of Gilead, a boy named Elijah tended vines. Background King Asa – 1 … Read more

Chapter 1. of The Boy Who Closed The Sky The Yarmuk River Valley, Elijah’s Backyard 866 BC The King’s Highway, Gilead A shrill scream shot through the trees. Elijah recoiled. The wineskin slipped from his fingers, bounced off Nathan’s knees, and burst. A robin fluttered up from the forest floor. As purple wine puddled in … Read more

(From The Boy Who Closed the Sky: A Novel of Elijah the Prophet) This novice writer owes so much to so many. My wife, Vickie, paused whenever she heard, “I need you to listen to this paragraph.” My archaeologist cousin, Stephen Abbott, researched everything from iron age headscarves and cooking utensils to chariots and hoof boots. … Read more

(An excerpt from The Boy Who Closed the Sky: A Novel of Elijah the Prophet. Elijah visits the future Biblical Tamar Park.) A cut-in-crystal Milky Way rose against the ultra dark of the desert night. “The sun goes down, and the sky is ours.” In the morning, Elijah followed the path to a huge jujube tree. … Read more

Can we do an audio version? Tim Robinson first suggested audio. Then Dorian Currier. I asked Uncle Larry if he would be the voice. Maybe he’ll want to include the voices of others in some scenes? What about a female narrator? I found this: https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/audiobooks/?utm_source=mailparrot&utm_campaign=blog_audiobooks and this: https://robdircks.com/yes-you-can-record-your-own-audiobook-heres-how/  

If you live in the US, Click here, on Amazon’s link to the Elijah novel. Check the “Gift” box and put “Signed copy for Your Name.” Send the book to me, Dave Parks, 8845 Shannon’s Mill Rd., Foley, AL 36535. Send me your name, address, and $4.44. I’ll sign it and send it to you. … Read more

The feel and texture of this story drew me into the ancient world of the Bible. Read it and join the journey. More life stories from the Book, Davy, please. – Gary Endermann It’s like I’m there. Watching. – Darci Frostik We’ve all been Elijah. Faced with difficult realities, we have questions for God. Dave … Read more

I thought his close proximity to Milkah got him “All Shook Up,” [Elvis, 1957]. But he might have been feeling vibration from the Jerusalem ” earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah.” Amos 1:1 Next question:  Was Uzziah king of Judah during Elijah’s time?

Four writers who rescued me. Lara C. Storm who took me by the hand and showed me how to show-not-tell. And that Elijah needed a motivation scene to go confront the king. on Facebook, Author L C Storm Ann Westerman, who had me get out a piece of paper and sketch the layout of Elijah’s place. … Read more

– Whoop it up.

They didn’t really kill their children, did they? To “pass son or daughter through the fire” means they shifted them really fast kind of near the flame, right? That’s how I read Moses. Then I got logged down in 1 Kings 16 and started digging into how they worshiped Baal and Asherah. It’s ugly. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/archaeologists-ancient-peruvian-empire-sacrificed-140-kids/ar-AAwrJDc?ocid=spartandhp … Read more

Thank you for commenting on a chapter! Ann Videtich Cheryl Floyd Danette Bailey Darci Frostick DeWayne Coxon Donald Ingram Doug Smith Erin E. McEndree Gary Endermann Janine Rosche Jennifer Hallmark Joy VanDeMar Judy Harmon Lara Hitchcock Lexie Coxon Loana Ingram Miguel Serveto Nancy Hoorn Nancy Regatz Paul Parker Pauline Stitt Ralph Tilley Randy Harmon Robbie Coxon Shawn Kennedy … Read more