THE MUSEUM BIBLE TOURS PODCAST

While we might not have inscriptions bearing Solomon’s name, archaeology is decidedly not silent about Solomon and his kingdom. There is compelling evidence supporting the authenticity of the biblical account of Solomon. This evidence comes in the form of Solomon’s building blueprint.

In 2021, during their excavations in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem, the archaeological team from the Israel Antiquities Authority discovered a layer of destruction dating to that time period when no known conquest of Jerusalem or other violent event occurred. Examining the excavation findings, they tried to check if there is a reference to it in the biblical text. The Bible book of Amos gave (them) a clue…

A fragmentary stone inscription that is small but significant measures about 5.3 inches long by 3.8 inches wide and is dated to the eighth-century B.C.E. was discovered during excavations at the City of David National Park in 2007 and referred to King Hezekiah and his accomplishments, paralleling the biblical passage in 2 Kings 20:20. More info.

David’s name appears in 1,138 places in the Bible and he stands out prominently in the Hebrew Scriptures. However, Bible minimalists asserted that King David’s expansive kingdom, according to the Bible, was nothing more than legend and misconception. But, in 1993, the Tel Dan inscription became one of the most exciting Biblical archaeology discoveries ever! For the broken basalt stone slab bears an inscription to the “House of David.”

In November 1990 a new water park was constructed in Jerusalem. As a tractor was removing soil it accidentally crashed through the roof of a long-forgotten burial cave. The work was immediately stopped, and an archeological team was brought in to investigate. Archeologist Zvi Greenhut arrived at the location and realized that he was looking at a burial cave that contained 12 ossuaries.

One of the limestone ossuaries discovered had intricate carvings, making it unique. The fact that this ossuary was so decorated indicates that the occupant would have been of great importance.

According to the Bible, King Hezekiah of Judah ruled in the late eighth century B.C.E. This was a time of great conflict with the mighty Assyrian empire. When Hezekiah learned of King Sennacherib’s intent to conquer Jerusalem, he decided to construct a tunnel to redirect the water from the Gihon Spring to the walls of Jerusalem. In the 19th century, just such a tunnel was discovered. It became known as Hezekiah’s Tunnel or Siloam Tunnel.

Irish Archeologist Robert Alexander Stewart Macalister discovered what came to be known as the Gezer calendar. In 1908 the inscribed limestone tablet was uncovered during an excavation in the Biblical city of Gezer, which lies toward the coastal plain 20 miles west of Jerusalem. The calendar, about the size of a smartphone, has been dated to the 10th century B.C.E. which corresponds to the time of King Solomon.

After extensive investigation, two little silver scrolls that came to be known as the Ketef Hinnom scrolls were discovered to contain the oldest-preserved verses of the Hebrew Bible ever discovered. This discovery startled the archaeological community about 41 years ago. Two tiny silver scrolls were discovered in 1979 during an excavation at Ketef Hinnom’s funeral site west of Jerusalem, which was directed by archaeologist Gabriel Barkay. These were successfully unrolled by scholars at the Israel Museum, who were shocked to discover preserved texts from what are now known as Numbers 6 and Deuteronomy 7.

According to the Gospels, Pontius Pilate played a significant role in Jesus’ trial and execution. There was once no archaeological or other convincing evidence that Pontius Pilate ever existed, including the complete disappearance of administration records, no papyrus writings, scrolls, tablets, authentic letters to Rome, and the Roman ruins that remained in Israel saying nothing about him. Bible critics eager to dismiss the Gospels as imaginative storytelling were quick to point out Pilate’s lack of evidence. That was true until the “Pilate Stone” was discovered 62 years ago.