The Bible Project

The Mountain E2 — Ancient Israel’s neighbors believed that the world originated as a mountain rising up out of the chaos waters. The gods ruled from this great cosmic mountain, fighting battles with nature and issuing decrees that kept the world in order. So how did this surrounding culture impact the cosmology of the Bible? In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss what the cosmic mountain meant in the Ancient Near Eastern context and how the biblical authors adapted and subverted this symbol in surprising ways.View more resources on our website →Timestamps Chapter 1: Recap and Intro to Cosmic Mountains in the Ancient Near East (0:00-6:52)Chapter 2: Egyptian and Mesopotamian Cosmic Mountains (6:52-17:54)Chapter 3: Canaanite and Phoenician Cosmic Mountains (17:54-28:17)Chapter 4: Psalm 48: The True Cosmic Mountain (28:17-38:40)Referenced ResourcesThe Cosmic Mountain in Canaan and the Old Testament by Richard J. Clifford“The Common Temple Ideology of the Ancient Near East” by John M. LundquistCheck out Tim’s librar