I am only wanting to provide an example of the potential for Logos' AI search/Study Assistant to grow. The demonstration is one which came to light through submission of the same query request through Study Assistant in Logos and next to Grok 4. You can judge on your own the lessons to be learned here.
First, my query based on my Daily Bible reading today in Judges 3.
Query to Study assistant:
In Judges 3:13, what and where was the "city or Palms." What was the significance of its capture? Does it reappear in the historical journey of Israel in the Old Testament?
Study Assistant's response:
That’s a really interesting set of questions about the “city of Palms” in Judges 3:13! You’re asking about its identity and location, the significance of its capture, and its reappearance in the Old Testament.
That’s quite a bit to unpack in one go, and it’s a bit too complex for me to search all at once. To help me give you the best information, could you please simplify your question or focus on just one of these topics at a time? For example, we could start by exploring just “What and where was the ‘city of Palms’?”
Now, the exact same query as at first above, but Grok 4's response:
The "city of palms" (or "city of palm trees") mentioned in Judges 3:13 refers to Jericho, an ancient city known for its abundance of date palms and often described this way in the Old Testament (e.g., Deuteronomy 34:3 and Judges 1:16). It is located in the Jordan Valley, approximately 10 kilometers north of the Dead Sea and 27 kilometers east of Jerusalem, making it a key oasis and gateway into Canaan from the east.
In the context of Judges 3, the Moabite king Eglon allied with the Ammonites and Amalekites to defeat Israel and seize this city, marking the beginning of an 18-year period of oppression (Judges 3:12–14). The capture was significant as a military and symbolic setback for Israel: Jericho had been the first major conquest in the Promised Land under Joshua (Joshua 6), representing God's miraculous intervention and the fulfillment of His promises. Its loss under Eglon highlighted Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness and vulnerability when they turned from God, serving as a narrative reversal of their earlier triumphs and a reminder of the covenantal consequences of disobedience. Strategically, the city's position near vital trade routes and water sources made it a valuable base for controlling the region.
Jericho reappears multiple times in Israel's historical narrative in the Old Testament, underscoring its enduring importance:
- In Joshua 2–6, as the site of the spies' mission, the miraculous wall collapse, and the initial conquest.
- In Judges 1:16, referenced again as the "city of palms" in relation to the Kenites settling nearby.
- In 2 Samuel 10:5, where David instructs humiliated envoys to stay there until their beards regrow.
- In 1 Kings 16:34, where it is rebuilt by Hiel the Bethelite during Ahab's reign, defying Joshua's curse (Joshua 6:26).
- In 2 Kings 2:4–5, as a stop for Elijah and Elisha before Elijah's ascension.
- In 2 Chronicles 28:15, where captives from Judah are clothed and fed there by Samaritans after a battle.
- It also features in later prophetic contexts, such as Ezra 2:34 and Nehemiah 3:2, listing returnees from exile who resettled or rebuilt parts of it.
This is not done as a criticism but, rather, as a challenge. I have a Logos Library of 58,000+ resources and would dearly love to think I have a mechanism for tapping those resources for all the potential that lies within it. At present, I still do not.
I have been amazed at how well Grok 4 has done with numerous explorative queries of increasing depth have done in the past few months since it was released. I am excited by the potential but realize it is only relying on publicly available web-based resources. There is so much more potential to tap the full Logos Library.
Blessings to all
