The Ancient Near Eastern Origins of the Hebrew Bible — A Deep Dive with Dr. Joshua Bowen: Season 2 Episode 1

Join us on Pulling the Thread for a compelling conversation with Dr. Joshua Bowen, renowned Assyriologist and author of The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament. With expertise in Biblical Hebrew, Sumerian, Akkadian, and Ancient Near Eastern studies, Dr. Bowen brings a unique blend of scholarly precision, lived experience, and respectful skepticism.

Raised in a fundamentalist setting, Dr. Bowen’s path led from Liberty University to a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins. His background informs a thoughtful, humble approach to the Hebrew Bible, focused not on debunking faith but understanding ancient texts in their original contexts. “Understanding these texts,” he says, “requires study of their languages and contexts—not modern assumptions.”

We explore how the Hebrew Bible was shaped by the cultural crosscurrents of the Ancient Near East, especially during the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities (8th–6th centuries BCE). These eras exposed Israelite scribes to Mesopotamian epics like Enuma Elish and The Epic of Gilgamesh, reshaping narratives and theology. Figures like Abraham emerge as products of both Canaanite and Mesopotamian cultural interplay.

Dr. Bowen examines the parallels between Genesis and earlier Mesopotamian myths—flood narratives, creation motifs, and cosmic structuring. He discusses how stories like Noah’s flood echo older Sumerian and Babylonian versions, emphasizing shared mythic structures repurposed for monotheism.

We also dive into divine assemblies: the Sumerian gods (An, Enlil, Ea, the Anunnaki) and their Ugaritic counterparts (El, Baal), which influenced biblical concepts like Elohim and the Divine Council (Psalm 82, Job 1:6). These connections reveal how Israelite scribes reimagined polytheistic frameworks within emerging Yahwism.

Dr. Bowen breaks down the JEDP (Jahwist, Elohist, Deuteronomist, Priestly) model with clarity. Differing creation accounts in Genesis? That’s not contradiction—it’s editorial layering. He explains how this model helps us understand the formation of the Torah as a product of centuries-long scribal processes, not a single authorial voice.

“The Documentary Hypothesis isn’t about dismantling faith—it’s about understanding how these texts were woven together.”

With deep linguistic insight, Dr. Bowen unpacks ancient scripts like cuneiform and shows how Hebrew, Akkadian, and Sumerian overlap. He highlights linguistic echoes in Genesis—like Tehom (the deep) and its mythic parallel Tiamat—and critiques pseudoscientific interpretations from fringe authors like Zecharia Sitchin.

Dr. Bowen advocates a respectful, informed engagement with scripture. He critiques apologetic approaches that ignore historical and linguistic context, urging listeners to appreciate the text on its own ancient terms.

Using pop culture analogies (e.g., Seinfeld's “yada yada”), he explains intertextuality—the shared phrases and motifs across cultures that shape storytelling. It’s not about copying—it’s cultural memory and adaptation. “Context is everything,” he reminds us, “whether it’s a sitcom line or a sacred text.”

This episode is a masterclass in ancient literature, theology, and language. Dr. Bowen’s scholarship, paired with the podcast’s trademark probing questions, brings the Hebrew Bible’s roots to life. Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or just curious, this conversation offers a deep dive into how sacred texts were formed—and why they still matter.

You’ll discover:

• Mesopotamian and Ugaritic influence on biblical stories

• How scribes shaped the Torah across centuries

• Linguistic links between Hebrew, Akkadian, and Sumerian

• The cultural impact of the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities

• The transformation from polytheism to monotheism

Keywords: Assyriology, Joshua Bowen, Hebrew Bible, Sumerian myths, Akkadian texts, Ancient Near East, Biblical Hebrew, Genesis flood narrative, Epic of Gilgamesh, Enuma Elish, Documentary Hypothesis, Billy Carson, biblical scholarship, Torah formation, Zecharia Sitchin critique