Much of modern political thought—and especially the Anglo-American strain that shaped the United States—is rooted in the idea of a social contract uniting the rulers and the ruled, in which the government’s authority ultimately rests on the consent of the governed. At first blush, nothing could be further from the Hebrew Bible, where God appoints prophets, judges, and kings to rule over the Israelites, and legislation comes from God Himself. But Kyle Swan believes there are in fact deep similarities: first and foremost, the relationship between God and Israel is at its heart a covenant into which both parties entered voluntarily, based on mutual and complementary expectations. Swan explores these ideas in conversation with Dru Johnson. (Audio, 40 minutes.)

The Biden administration took office with promises to “end” the civil war in Yemen and ease the humanitarian crisis there. And so it has reduced U.S. assistance to the Saudi-led Arab coalition that has been supporting the country’s pre-2015 government against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, and pressured Riyadh to scale down its military efforts. By doing so, Washington hopes it will encourage the two sides to negotiate a compromise, rather than simply encourage the Houthis to keep fighting until they conquer the whole country. Oved Lobel argues that this entire line of thinking is based on a fundamental misapprehension of the situation: