Before Genesis: What the Old Testament Borrowed from Mesopotamian Stories

Before Genesis: What the Old Testament Borrowed from Mesopotamian Stories

From Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman by Bart Ehrman

May 26, 2026 · 40 min · Episode 188

About this episode

This episode discusses the cultural influences on the Old Testament from surrounding Mesopotamian societies and literature.

The Old Testament wasn't written in a cultural vacuum, but who and what influenced its writers. Today we're talking about the cultural background of the Old Testament and how the literature and societies of the surrounding cultures impacted its creation.

People in this episode

Host: Bart Ehrman

Topics covered

  • Old Testament
  • Mesopotamian influence
  • cultural background
  • literature
  • societies

Keywords

  • Old Testament
  • Mesopotamia
  • cultural influence
  • literature
  • societies

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Old Testament

Places: Mesopotamia

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