The Bible Rules

In this episode, we explore the ways ancient people attempted to control the dark forces in their lives. The Bible rules warn people about cursing their parents, consulting wizards, breaking their promises or even wearing blended fabrics.

Sex is a major focus for the Bible rules, and in this episode, we find some of the more surprising commands in the Bible, including one that warns a woman against grabbing the crotch of an attacking man in order to defend her husband.

The Bible rules forbid Israelite armies from cutting down the trees of enemy cities. Is this a clue to a 3000-year-old green movement or is something else going on here? Hint: It's all about the olives.

The use and abuse of alcoholic beverages goes back to deepest antiquity, and so it comes as no surprise the Bible has a lot to say on the subject. Yet wine and spirits played a very different role in the ancient world than they do today.

These days, most people don't worship golden idols, but it's amazing how many of the Bible rules about graven images still sound relevant. In this episode, we plunge back into a world of otherworldly gods, who had to be fed, clothed and coddled.

Slavery was a fact of life in the ancient world, as the Bible rules make clear. Whether in Rome or Greece, Egypt or Israel, human beings lived under bondage, but there were surprising laws in place to regulate the practice.