Folk Tales and Biblical History

Many of the stories from ancient Near Eastern literature are often labeled “folk tales” and are presumed to have no basis in reality—the Biblical texts are no exception. Many stories in the Bible are seen as allegories or folk tales. But when we read these stories, should we just simply label them “folk tales,” or should we investigate the possibility that they may contain some factual elements? This lecture examines this question using several well known examples from the Bible, including the story of Moses’ birth and the Biblical account of King Solomon’s wealth and prestige.