Bible Archaeology

In the Spring of 1947, a shepherd boy named Muhammad was searching for a lost goat on the west side of the Dead Sea, about eight miles south of Jericho. He tossed a stone into a hole in a cliff. To his surprise, he heard the sound of shattering pottery! On the floor of the cave were several large jars, carefully sealed, containing leather scrolls, wrapped in linen cloth. Because of this, the scrolls were preserved in excellent condition since about AD 68, about 30 years after Christ's death.

The problem before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls was "How accurate are the copies we have today of the Bible, compared with the text as originally written?” Because the text has been copied so many times, can we trust it?

One of the scrolls found was a complete manuscript of the Hebrew text of Isaiah. It is dated by Paleographers at around 125 BC This is more than 1,000 years older than any previously possessed before this time. “The Isaiah copies proved to be word for word identical with our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95% of the text. The remaining 5% variations consisted chiefly of obvious slips of the pen and differences in spelling."

This demonstrates the unusual accuracy of the meticulous copyists of the Scriptures. Each of the fifty chapters of Genesis are either illuminated or confirmed by some archaeological discovery, as are most of the remaining books of the Bible!

The Kingdom of Elba
Ebla was discovered in Northern Syria by two professors from the University of Rome in the early 1970's. Since then, there has been unearthed more than 17,000 tablets from this huge "Library". Previous to this, critics of the Bible had said:

1) “Moses' time was prior to all knowledge of writing” ??? --- The Ebla tablets are 1,000 years before Moses, and records laws, customs, and events in writing!!!
2) "Various uses of the name for God indicated more than one author" ??? ---- At Ebla, a Canninish test was discovered, dated at the same time Moses lived, that used five different names for God ... in a single narrative!!!
3) "The 'Five Cities of the Plains' (Genesis 14) did not exist, and the kings and events listed were fictitious and historically unreliable"??? --- The Ebla archives refer to all 'Five Cities of the Plains' on one tablet ... in the exact same sequence and spelling as in Genesis 14; these kings were made to pay tribute to Ebla !!!
4) "The Priestly Code and moral legislation recorded by Moses were far too developed to have been written by him."??? --- At Ebla, tablets containing law codes were discovered; demonstrating that other civilizations at the time of Moses possessed elaborate judicial proceeding and case law!!!

Ancient Bible Artifacts,
Their Significance, And Present Locations
CHART SYNTAX: Artifact/ Date/ Where Found/ Present Location/ Significance/ Bible Verse/ Reference
1) Amarna Letters/ 1350 B.C./ Tell el-Amarna, Egypt/ British Museum, London, England/ Letters from Palestinian kings requesting aid from Egyptian Akhenaten; possibly Joshua's conquests/ Numbers 13:1-33; Isaiah 19:18/ 12, 33

2) Annals of Tiglath Pileser/ 745-727 B.C./ Nimrun, N. Iraq / British Museum, London, England/ Records tribute from Jerusalem, kings: Ahab, Menuhem, Pekah, Rezon, Shulmaneser V, Hiram, Hosiah, Ahaziah [Uzziah]/ 1 Chronicles 5:6, 26; 2 Chronicles 26:1, 6-23; 28:20-21; 1 Kings 5:1ff; 11:23; 2 Kings 15:19, 29-31; 16:5-20/ 12, 25, 27

3) Ashurbanipal Prism/ 668-627 B.C. / Palace at Nineveh, Iraq/ British Museum, London, England/ Fall of Nineveh as predicted by Bible Prophets/ Zephaniah 2:13-15; Nahum esp. 1:1; 2:13; 3:7; Ezra 4:10/ 12

4) Babylonian Chronicles/ 747-247 B.C./ Babylon, southern Iraq/British Museum, London, England/ Records Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. / 2 Kings 24:10-17; 25:1; Jeremiah 21:2,7; 22:25; 24:1-10; 25:1, 9; 29:21:32:1, 28; 35:11; 37:1; 391; 43:10-13; 44:30; 46:2,13, 25-26; 49:28-33; 50:17; 51:1, 34; & ch. 52; Ezekiel 26:3-7; 29:18-20; 30:10-26; Danial 4/12, 33

5) Balaam Inscription/ 840-760 BC/ Deir Alla, Jordan/ Museum of Amman, Jordan / Inscription about a prophet names Balaam/ Numbers ch. 22-24; 2 Chronicles 24:7; 28:2; 33:3/ 23

6) Beit Lehi/ 600 B.C. / Cave at Beit Lehi, Israel, 22 miles south of Jerusalem/ Beit Lehi, Israel/ Oldest known Hebrew writings. Mentions Jerusalem & YHWH, and a well spring still at that location/ Judges 15:19/6,2/ 2, 6, 27/ n/a

7) Beni Hassan/ 2000 B.C./ Beni Hassan/ Tombs in Middle Egypt, 20 miles south of Minya in Middle Egypt/ Painting of Semites in Egypt/ Genesis Ch. 37-50; Exodus ch. 1-14/ 27/ n/a

8) Boghaz-Koy Tablets/ 1600 B.C./ Boghaz-Koy, Turkey/ Archaeological Museum, Istanbul, Turkey/ / Royal archives of the Hittite Empire showing the Hittite culture/ Genesis 15:20; 23:10-20; 25:7-10; 49:29-32; 50:1-13; Exodus 3:7-8, 17; 23:28-31; Deuteronomy 7:1-3; Joshua 9:1-2; 11:1-23; 12:7-8; 2 Samuel 11:3-27; 12:1-14; Judges 1:23-26; 2:20- 3:6; 1 Kings 9:20-21; 10:28-29; 11:1-3; Ezra 9:1-2; 10:3-4/ 22.

9) Caiaphas Ossuary/ 50 AD/ South Jerusalem/ Israel Museum, Jerusalem/ [an ancient casket] dated to the second temple period inscribed “Joseph the son of Caiaphas,” the high priest at Jesus' trial/Matthew 26:57-67/ 12, 33

10) Chaldean Chronicles / 626-556 B.C./ Babylon/ British Museum, London, England/ Court records of Neo-Babylonian Empire of Nebuchsdrezzar II that records the capture of Zedekiah king of Judah and Jerusalem (597 B.C.)and history of period/ Jeremiah 39:1-8; Daniel 1:1-2/ 12

11) Code of Hammurabi/ 1755 B.C./ Babylon/Louvre' Paris, France/ Babylonian Laws Parallels to Moses Law/ Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus/ 16, 33.

12) Code of Ur-Nammu/ 2100-2050 B.C./ Summeria/ University of Pennsylvia Museum/Parallels to Moses Law & “Ur of Chaldees” of Abraham/ Genesis-Exodus-Leviticus/ 20, 33.

13) Cylinder of Nabonidus / 555-540 B.C./ Ur in Harran, Babylon, Temple of Shamash at Sippar/ Pergamon Museum, Berlin, Germany/ Confirms Belshazzar's existence/ Daniel 5:1-30; 7:1; 8:1/ 32.

14) Cyrus Cylinder/ 730 BC/ Babylon, Iraq/ British Museum, London, England/ Persian cuniform cylinder originally buried in foudation wall confirms fall of Babylon to the Medes & Persians; freeing of the captive Israelites / Isaiah 44:28; 45:13; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-4; Daniel 1:21; 6:28; 10:1/ 9, 12

15) Dead Sea Scrolls/ 408-100 BCE/ Qumran, Dead Sea, Jerusalem/ Israel Museum, Jerusalem/ Complete Scrolls of the book of Isaiah, and partials of all other Old Testament books, except for Ester/ 12.

16) Ebla Tablets/ 2500 BC / Syria, Damascus, Turkey/ British Museum, London, England ?/a library containing thousands of Clay tablets with writing from 800 years before Moses -mention Canaan & “tehom” a word thought not used / Genesis 1:2/ 12

17) Ekron Dedicatory Inscription/ 7 th C.B.C./ Phillistine city of Ekron, 35 km West of Jerusalem/ Israel Museum, Jerusalem/ King list naming Ekron, Achish a Phillistine ruler of Gath; where the Philistines returned cursed with the Ark of the Covenant to Israel/ Joshua 13:3; 15:11, 45-46; 19:43; 1 Samuel 5:10-6:16/ 15

18) Elephatine Papyri/ 5 th CBC/ Philistine city, Jewish island community in the Nile river, bordering Nubia / Brooklyn Museum, NY & Egyptian Museum at Berlin, Germany/ Names three persons mentioned in Nehemiah: Darius II, Sanballat the Horonite, and Jehonanan the high priest/ Nehemiah 4:7; 12:13, 22/ 10.

19) Enuma Elish/ 700 B.C./ Ninevah, (Library at Ashurbanipal)/ British Museum, London, England/ Parallels of Genesis account/ Genesis 6, 7, & 8/ 12

20) Epic of Atrahasis/ 1800 B.C./ Akkadian / British Museum, London, England/ Parrallels of Great flood / Genesis Ch. 6, 7, 8/ 12

21)Esarhaddon Prism-Annals/ 681 BC/ Konyunjik Niniveh, Northern Iraq/ British Museum, London, England/ Assassination of Sennacherib by his own sons/ 2 Kings 19:37; Isaiah 37:38 / 12

22) Gezer Calendar/ 925 B.C./ Tel Gezer a Canaanite city NW of Jerusalem/ Syria/Palestine Collection, Archaeological Museum, Istanbul, Turkey/ School boy's lesson in Archaic Hebrew or Phoenician tablet; farming calender has “Abi-yah” “yah” as the scribes name, which is Hebrew name for God, “Aba” is my Father/ Amos 8:17; Exodus 9:31-2/ 22.

23) Gilgamesh Epic/ 700 B.C. Ninevah, (Library at Ashurbanipal)/ Archaeological Museum, Istanbul, Turkey/ Parallels of Noah & flood account/ Genesis 6, 7, & 8/ 22

24) Hezekiah's Water Conduit/ 701 BC/ Jerusalem, Israel/ Jerusalem, Israel/ See Siloam Inscription / 2 Kings 18:1-19, 37: 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:1-30 / 15

25) Ipuwer Papyrus / 13th CBC/ Egypt/ National Archaeological Museum in Leiden, Netherlands/ Describes Egypt as afflicted by disasters, and in a state of chaos; mentions “river of blood.”/ Exodus 7:17-20 /

26) Jehoiachin's Ration Tablets/ 595-570 B.C. /Ishlar Gate, Babylon/ Pergamon Museum, Berlin, Germany/ Royal achives of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon describes rations for the royal captives and family of Jehoiachin, king of Judah / 2 Kings 24:12-17; 2 Chronicles 36:9-10; Jeremiah 52:31-34/ 32

27) Jesus Christ/ 32-100 AD/ Israel/ Bookstores & online/ Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian, and contemporary of Christ, describes Him in Antiquities 20:200; Suetonius; Thallus; Pliny the Younger; the Talmud; & Luvian/ The Gospels: Matthew Mark, Luke & John / 2

28) John Ryland's Papyrus/ AD 25/ / John Rylands University Library, Manchester, UK/ Records part of the trial [of Jesus] before Pilate/ John 18:31-33, 37-38/ 24

29) Kanesh Cuniform Tablets/ around 1850 BC / From Kültepe, modern Turkey / British Museum, London, England/ written in the Old Assyrian Hittite dialect of Akkadian. Abraham bought a burial site from Ephron the Hiyyite / Genesis 23:3-20;1 Kings 7:6; 2 Chronicles 1:17/ 12

30) Ketef Hinnom Silver Amulet(s)/ 600 BC/ overlooking Hinnin Valley/ Archaeology Wing of Israel Museum, Jerusalem/ 2 silver scrolls found at the tomb that predate the Dead Sea Scrolls by 500 years, and mention YHWH, the Hebrew name of God, Jehova/ Numbers 6:24-26; Deuteronomy 7:9/ 12

31) King David's Palace/ 10 th CBC/ Achziv on Northern Coast of Israel/ Achziv on Northern Coast of Israel/ discovery of location of King David's Palace/ 2 Samual 5:6-10, 17/ n/a

32) Kurkh Monolith/ 859-824 BC / Assyrian, Diyarbakir, Turkey/ British Museum, London, England/ Shalmaneser III relief names king Ahab of Israel, Hosea, Hezekiah, Hadadezer of Damacus/ 2 Sanuel 8:3-12; 1 Kings 11:23; 2 Kings 17:3; 18:9/ 22

33) Lachish Letters/ 588 B.C./ Tel ed-Duelt/ British Museum, London, England/ 21 letters from a captain at Fort Lachish with language and Hebrew names; during Zedekiah's reign/ Nehemiah 12:32; Jeremiah 42:1; 43:2/ 12

34) Lachish Ostraca/ 589-587 B.C./ Lachish near Jerusalem / British Museum, London, England/ These small fragments of pottery with their messages, hidden for centuries, confirm the Bible record / Jeremiah 26:20-22; 34:6-7/ 12

35) Lachish Relief / 701 B.C./ Nineveh / Sennacherib’s palace walls at Ninevah, Northern Iraq / Battle of Lachish by Sennacherib/II Kings 18:14; II Chronicles 32/ n/a

36) Luwian Inscriptions / 717 BC / Jeradus, N. Syria/ British Museum, London, England/ Hittite Hierroglyphics / Genesis 23:3-20; 1 Kings 7:6; 2 Chronicles 1:17/ 12

37) Mari Archive / 1800 B.C./ Tell Hariri/ National Doir & Aleppo Museum, Damascus, Syria/ Confirms existence of Nahor and conditons during Patriarchal Age; mentions Laish/ Judges 18:7, 27-29; 2 Kings 18:13-16; 19:35-36; Isiah 36:1-2; 4:10; Matthew 12:41/ 6

38) Merneptah Stela/ 1209-1208 B.C./ Thebes Egypt/ Cairo Museum, Egypt/ Hieroglyph mentions name “Israel”/ Throughout the Bible/ 31

39) Mesad Hashavyahu Ostracon/ 630-609.B.C./ Ancient fort on the border of Judea, facing the Philistine city of Ashdad, near the Mediterranean Sea/ Israel Museum, Jerusalem/ Written in ancient Hebrew & contains the earliest extra-Biblical references to observance of the Sabbat [Hebrew Sabbath]/ Exodus 20:8-11; ff/ 15

40) Moabite Stone/Mesha Stela/ 846 B.C./ Dibon, Klein Jordan/ Lourve' Museum Paris, France/ Military victories of Moabite king Mesha, & revolt of against Israel; mentions Omri, Ahab paying tribute & “house of David”s/ 2 Kings 1:1; 3:4-27/ 16

41) Nebo-Sarsekim Tablet/ 587 BC / city of Sippar, Babylon, Iraq / British Museum, London, England/ “the chief enuch” of Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, corcerning Jeremiah the prophet's care / Jeremiah 39:11, 14 / 2, 24, 9/ 12

42) Nabopolasar Cylinder/Tablet/ 7 th C. B.C./ Assyrian, Nineveh, Baghdad, Iraq/ Carlos Museum, Atlanta, GA/ Fall of Nineveh as predicted by Bible Prophets/ Nahum esp. 1:1; 2:13; 3:7; Zephaniah 2:13-15/ 13

43) Necho II Basalt Cartouches/ 610 -595 BC/ Sidon, on Syria Turkey border/ Metropolitian Museum of Fine Arts, New York City, USA/ Pharoah Necho fought and killed king Josiah at Carchemish, and with Babylonian king Nebuchadrezzar/ 2 Kings 23:29, 31; Jeremiah 46:2, 13, 25-26; 2 Chronicles 35:20-24/ 37

44) Noah's Ark/ abt 4549 BC*/Dogubeyazit,15 km from village of Uzengili, Turkey/ Ararat National Park, Turkey/ The remains of the Ark of Noah?/ Genesis chs. 6, 7, 8 / n/a

45) Nuzi Tablets/ 1500 B.C./ Nuzi, Northern Iraq/ British Museum, London, England/ Akkadian dialect – historicity of customs: selling birthright, servants heirs, binding nature of deathbed will/ Genesis 25:34/ 12

46) Pilate Inscription/ 26-37 AD/ Ceasearea, Northern Israel, 70 km NW of Jerusalem/ Israel Museum, Jerusalem/ Plaque leading to the theater at Ceasearea Maritama with the name “Pontias Pilate the Perfect of Judea has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius”” verifies that he was a person who lived at the time of Jesus/ Matthew 27:1-2; 11-26, 57- 66; Mark 15:1-15, 43-45; Luke 23:1-25, 50-52; John 10:29-19:22, 38/ 15

47) Raz Shamra Tablets/ 1500 B.C./ Palace complex at Ugarit, Northern Syria/ Institute for Antiquity & Christianity, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA/ Canaanite Religious Epic Poetry – Baal & Dagan worship; earliest use of the alphabet 1400 B.C./ Numbers 22:41; 1 Kings 22:53; 2 Kings 3:2; 10:18-28; 16:31-2:18; Jeremiah ff./ 38

48) Sargon II Stele/ 711 BC/ Palace walls, Khorsabad, Iraq/ British Museum, London, England/ Fall of Samaria & defeat of Ashdod by Sargon II, king of Assyria/ 2 Kings 17:3-6, 24; 18:9-11; Isaiah 20:1/ 12

49) Seal of Darius/ 522-486 B.C./ Tomb near Thebes, Egypt/ British Museum, London, England/ Persian Cuniform Seal of ancient King Daius of Persia mentioned in the Bible/ Ezra 4:5, 24; 5:5- 6:15; 6:128; 9:1; 11:1; Daniel 5:31; 6:1-28; Hagai 1:1, 15; Nehemiah 12:22; Zechariah 1:1, 7; 7:1; / 12

50) Seal of Jehucal/ 9 th C.B.C. / Northren Jerusalem/ British Museum, London, England/ Seals of the captors of Jeremiah, during the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah / Jeremiah 37:3, 38:1 / 12

51) Seal of King Ahaz/ 732-716 B.C. / / Private collection of Shlome Moussaieff, CA, USA / Seal of King Ahaz of Judah/ 2 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 28:1/ n/a

52) Shishak [Sheshonk?] Relief/Bubastis Portal/945-924 B.C/ Kamak Temple, Bubastis, Easter Nile, Egypt/ Brooklyn Museum, N.Y./ Probably the last Pharoah to add to the construction of the temple complex of Amun , as it was not completed. The Bubastis portal is a series of inscriptions of Shishak's invasion of Israel & Judah, and a Stela fragment found at Megiddo bears his name/ 1 Kings 11:40; 14:25-26; 2 Chronicles 12:1-12 / 8, 10, 11

53) Siloam Inscription/ 701 B.C./ Jerusalem/ Archeology Museum, Istanbul, Turkey/ Records construction of king Hezekiah of Judah water conduit against invading army of Assyrian Sennacherib (also #24 above & front cover)/ 2 Kings 19:32-36; 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:2-4, 30; & John 9:1-12/ 5, 8, 22

54) Tang-i Var Relief/ 722BC/ Palace walls at Tag-i, Dur Sharrrukin, Khorsabad, Iraq/ Dur Sharrrukin, Khorsabad, Iraq/ 2 Kings 17:3-6, 24; 18:9-11/ n/a

55) Taylor Cylinder/Prism/ 689 B.C./ Mound at Kuyunjik, Mousal, Iraq / Oreintal Institute, Chicago, Illinos, USA/ Describes King Sennacherib's attack of Judah's King Hezekiah at Jerusalem in 701 B.C./ 2 Kings18:13-19:37; Isaiah 33 & 36:1-37; 38 2 Chronicles 32:9/ 28

56) Tel Dan Stele/Inscription/ 870 BC/ N. Israel, Syria/ Israel Museum, Jerusalem/ Celebrates the victory of Assyrian King Aram over Israel. First reference outside the Bible of King David's Dynasty, “House of David”/ 2 Chronicles 10:19; 1 Kings 12:19: 26:13:2; 14:8 / 15

57) Tel es-safi Potsherd/ 10 th C.B.C. / / /Inscribed with “Alwt” and “wlt,” etymologically related to the name “Golliath,” found at the location traditionally identified with Garth, the city of Golliath/ 1 Samuel 17:4 / n/a

58) Tel at Rimah Stele/ 797 BC / Assyria, N. Iraq, near Sinjar/ Iraq Museum, Baghdad/ King Adad-Nirari III mentions Jehoash, king of Israel paying trubute / 2 Kings 13:10-25; 23:30-34; 2 Chronicles 36:2-4/ 37

59) Tiglath-Pileser I Prism/ 1114-1056 B.C., Assyria / Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Turkey/ recalls civil and military achievements including campaigns against the Muski and Kumuh, the conquest of Carchemish / /22

60) Tiglath-Pileser III Prism / 744-730 B.C./ Nimrad, Assyria / British Museum, London, England /Records tribute from Ahaz of Judea, Menahem of Samaria, Pekah & Hosea of Israel/ 2 Kings 15:19-20; 2 Chronicles 5:26 / 12

References
*** Some Sites not working 1) BAR, Biblical Archaeology Society
2) Josephus, Flavius; Antiquity of the Jews, III
3) The Popular Handbook of Archaeology and the Bible, Norman Geisler & Joseph M Holden
4) The Bible in the British Museum, T.C. Mitchell,1988
5) Apologetics Press Website
6) Aleppo Citadel Museum, Damascus, Syria - Website
7) Beitlehi Foundation Website
8) Bible Archaeology Website
9) Bible History Website
10) Brooklyn Museum, New York Website
11) Britannica Website
12) British Museum Wbsite
13) Carlos Museum Website, Atlanta, GA, USA
14) COJS Website
15) ***Israel Museum Website
16) Louvre Museum Website, Paris, France
17) Answers in Gensesis Website
18) ***Digging Online Website
19) ***In Plain Sight Website
20) Pennsylvania Museum Website
21) ***Israel Tour Guide Website Info
22) Istanbul Turkey Museum Website
23) Jordan Museum Website
24) University Library Website, Manchester, UK
25) Livius Website
26) Nabataea Website
27) Net Bible Website
28) Chicago Oriental Institute Website
29) Progress Planet Website
31) Cairo Museum under construction Website
32) Pergamum Museum Website, Berlin
33) Wikipedia Website
34) ***Real Truth Website
35) Metro Museum of Art Website, NY City, USA
36) Iraq Museum Website, Baghdad

SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Bible Truths To U Blog
New Testament Church Website
Living Letters Website
Christian's Expositor Journal & Preacher Study Notes
Chrisitan Informer Magazine Artiles

Don't you think it's worth examining more closely to see if it is in fact the Word of God ---& if it is, then what must we do to receive eternal life from God?

WHAT CAN YOU DO? You can accept the authority of Christ by doing what He commanded (Matthew 7:21; John 14:15; 15:10-14; Luke 6:46). Notice the pattern for becoming a Christian as revealed in the Scriptures. The Gospel was heard, resulting in faith (Romans 10:17); Repentance of (turning away from) sin (Acts 17:30) and confession of Jesus as the Son of God followed (Romans 10:10). Believers were baptized INTO Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins (See Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 8:35-39; 22:16; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:20-21), and added to His church (Acts 2:47). Christians were taught to be faithful even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).

WE WELCOME YOU Following the instructions of the Scriptures, members of Christ’s body assemble as congregations for worship, encouragement, and Bible study. The congregation in your community welcomes you to investigate the Bible with us.

With a spirit of brotherly love we would seek to reconcile any differences by following the Bible ONLY. We recognize the Bible as God’s inspired word, the ONLY reliable standard of faith and practice. We desire the unity for which Christ prayed and which the Bible emphasizes in the expression, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Together we seek to maintain “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

A friendly welcome awaits you. We do not wish to embarrass you in any way. You will not be asked for contributions. We assemble for Bible study and worship each Sunday morning and we welcome you to meet with us. We would be happy to talk to you about your questions and we want to be of encouragement.

Please Contact me, Dennis Crawford, at BibleTruthsToU@gmail.com or 253-396-0290 (cell)for comments, questions, further Bible information, or for the location of a congregation belonging to Jesus Christ near you.