Archaeological Discovery [No.:12]

An Ancient Tablet discovered may prove Yeshua’s (Jesus')
death and resurrection

This is an amazing discovery!

In Jerusalem a tablet, three-foot-tall with 87 lines written in Hebrew is believed by scholars to date back to decades just before the Yeshua’s (Jesus’s) birth. It is causing quite a stir worldwide with biblical and archaeology scholars, because it speaks about a Messiah who will rise from the dead after three days.

The tablet was found near the Dead Sea on the Jordanian side and it is a rare finding of a stone with ink writings from that time era. Some describe it as a type of Dead Sea Scroll written on stone.

The authenticity of the Tablet has not faced any challenge.

The owner of the stone, David Jeselsohn, an Israeli-Swiss collector said: “I couldn’t make much out of it when I got it.” Jeselsohn, himself an expert in antiquities. “I didn’t realize how significant it was until I showed it to Ada Yardeni, who specializes in Hebrew writing, a few years ago. She was overwhelmed. ‘You have got a Dead Sea Scroll on stone,’ she told me.”

Much of the text, a vision of the apocalypse transmitted by the angel Gabriel, draws on the Old Testament, especially the prophets Daniel, Zechariah and Haggai.

According to the NY Times article, Ms. Yardeni, who analyzed the stone along with Binyamin Elitzur, is an expert on Hebrew script, especially of the era of King Herod, who died in 4 B.C. The two of them published a long analysis of the stone more than a year ago in Cathedra, a Hebrew-language quarterly devoted to the history and archaeology of Israel, and said that, based on the shape of the script and the language, the text dated from the late first century B.C.

Lines 19 through 21 of the “Gabriel” Tablet contain words, which translated read: "In three days you will know that evil will be defeated by justice." And there are other lines that speak of blood and slaughter as pathways to justice.

Line 80 of the tablet begins with the words "L'shloshet yamin," meaning "in three days," but then fades. Some scholars believe the next word is Hebrew for "live," and then, "In three days you shall live, I, Gabriel, command you."

It seems that in these last days, the Lord is continually opening up signs for our people to see that Yeshua is the suffering servant as expressed in Isaiah 53, and that this and other Messianic prophecies, truly are about a suffering Jewish Messiah.

Ye, here it is.. Another Discovery.. Another Evidence..

Messiah Yeshua said to the people of Jerusalem, few days before to HIS Sacrificial Death:

"if they keep quiet (Jews of Jerusalem fails to confess & claim that HE is the Messiah), the stones will cry out." (Luke 19:40)

We recommend you to Watch this interview on CNN.com:

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/07/11/wedeman.gabriel.cnn?iref=videosearch

Let HIS Name alone shall be Glorified
Haallowed be HaShem..

shalom

Archaeological Discovery [No.:11]

Egyptology in the Holy Bible

Holy Bible and Archaeological Discoveries from Egypt & Its surrounding areas.:

Article from www.aish.com

by Rabbi Leibel Reznick

Contrary to popular Egyptologist belief, the Torah does contain numerous hints of contemporary life in ancient Egypt.

The western world has a fascination with the culture of ancient Egypt. The image of the great stone sphinx guarding the lofty pyramiding tombs of the mummified pharaohs, as the once all-powerful king journeyed through the world of darkness, adds to the mysterious lure of ancient Egypt. Over 100,000 books have been written on this inscrutable land and its pharaohs, the first one being composed over 2000 years ago. By the time the Hellenistic historian, Manetho, composed his Aegyptiaca in the third century BCE (BC), the pharaoh of the Exodus had already been mummified about 1,000 earlier.

For the Jewish People, ancient Egypt has a much deeper allure. Much of the first two books of the Torah takes place in Egypt. [1] The experience of the Israelites in Egypt is so important to the centrality of Judaism that the Exodus from Egypt is mentioned in the very opening of the Ten Commandments.
"I am the Lord your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2)

Egyptologists have expressed disappointment that almost nothing relating to ancient Egyptian life or culture can be gleaned from the Bible. This has lead many, such as Egyptologist Donald Redford of Pennsylvania State University to disparagingly claim, "The Hebrew writer (of the Bible) was not so well acquainted with Egypt as has often been imagined." [2]

For us, the lack of cultural references is quite understandable because the Torah is neither a history book nor an anthropological record of ancient societies but rather it is a guide for everyday life based on human nature and the spiritual loftiness of the Jewish soul and these elements are timeless. However, many Egyptologists have taken a different approach. They claim that the Torah was composed 8-10 centuries after the Exodus and the "Biblical author(s)" had no idea what was going on in ancient Egypt. Therefore, these Egyptologists claim, the Torah had no choice but to remain silent about ancient Egyptian practices.

Not only are they wrong about when the Torah was composed and by Whom, these Egyptologists are also quite mistaken if they think there are no revelations to be found in the Torah reflecting ancient Egyptian life. Let us see for ourselves.

1. "they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver; and they brought Joseph to Egypt" (Genesis 37:28). In ancient times, just as in our day and age, prices slowly but steadily increased over the course of time. In ancient Ur, circa 2000 BCE (BC), a slave would cost 10-15 pieces of silver (shekels). During the reign of the Hammurabi dynasty, the price increased slightly, to about 20 pieces of silver. For a while, the price of a slave remained fairly stable but by the last quarter of the second millennium BCE., the price crept up to 30 shekels. During the first quarter of the Assyrian Empire, a healthy slave could fetch 50-60 pieces of silver and by the middle of the first millennium, the price of a slave soared to over 100 shekels.[3] When the Torah tells us that Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver it was an accurate reflection of the price of a slave in Canaan/Egypt at that time period, about 1500 BCE according to our Biblical chronology.

2. The Torah (Genesis 37:36) tells us that the name of Joseph's slave-master was Potiphar. It later tells us that Joseph's wife's name was Asenath (Genesis 41:45). These were in fact Egyptian names in use in Egypt during the time of Joseph, though they were quite unusual and later fell into disuse. Biblical "author(s)" not aware of these obscure ancient names could never have used them.[4]

3. The Torah tells us that Joseph was the overseer of Potiphar's estate. There are many possible titles one can give the chief slave or servant. The Torah chose to call Joseph the one "Over the house" (Genesis 39:4). The Papyrus Brooklyn 53.1446 refers to a chief slave and gives his proper title as the one who was "Over the house." [5] We see that the Torah is using the exact expression the contemporary Egyptians used for the foreman of the servants and slaves.

4. "And Joseph's master took him, and put him in the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined" (Genesis 39:20). Due to the false accusations of Potiphar's wife, Joseph was thrown into a prison. The concept of imprisonment was not widespread in the ancient world of the early Biblical era. In the Torah itself, we do not find any mention of imprisonment being a form of punishment. We do find that the son of Shelomith, who cursed God, was held in confinement, but that was only until the correct punishment could be determined. The actual detention was not a punishment. In the ancient world, those convicted of crimes were generally killed, tortured, mutilated or made to compensate monetarily. The concept of imprisonment was almost unheard of. Egypt was one of the very few exceptions to have prisons. Many of the isolated fortresses that guarded the borders of ancient Egypt also served as royal prisons.[6]

5. "Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, and changed his garment, and came in to Pharaoh." (Genesis 41:14) Joseph, known to be an interpreter of dreams, was taken out of prison to be brought before the pharaoh to interpret pharaoh's dream. But first, Joseph had to shave to make himself more presentable to the king.
Throughout the ancient Middle East, beards were considered the norm, especially among "Asiatics" such as the Israelites. In fact the longer and more styled the beard, the greater the admiration. The common folk had shorter, trimmed beards. The king was depicted with a long tightly curled beard. The exception to this rule was in Egypt. Egyptians are rarely depicted with beards and those few times that they are depicted with facial hair, it is usually the pharaoh and not any of his subjects. In Egyptian tomb and temple depictions, enemies are often depicted with beards. The Biblical "author(s)" seem to be very aware that proper Egyptian etiquette demanded that Joseph had to shave before entering the presence of the pharaoh, unlike anywhere else in the ancient world.

6. Pharaoh had a dream in which "… behold, I stood upon the bank of the river. And, behold, there came up from the river seven cows, fat and beautiful; and they fed in the reed grass. And, behold, seven other cows came up after them, scrawny and very gaunt and thin, such as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt for badness. And the thin and the gaunt cows ate the first seven fat cows. And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still inferior as before." (Genesis 41:18-21)

Joseph interpreted the dream to be a sign of the fate that was in store for Egypt. There would be seven years of plentiful harvest. Those years would be followed by seven years of famine. The famine would be so severe that people would not be able to recall the years of plenty. Though Pharaoh had consulted his wise men as to the meaning of the dream, they could not explain it in such a manner that would satisfy the pharaoh. Why did the pharaoh find Joseph's interpretation acceptable? Why did it ring true?

In Egyptian mythology, the goddess of fate was Hathor, the cow-goddess. Ancient Egyptians believed that at the birth of a child, Hathor would appear in all her seven forms and decree the fate of the newborn.[7] When the pharaoh saw seven cows in his dream, he knew that is was an omen of the future of Egypt, but he knew not what that was until Joseph interpreted the dream. Had the Biblical "author(s)" invented this story a thousand years later, it would have been truly amazing for them to be aware of this little-known tidbit of ancient Egyptian mythology.

7. "And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold collar about his neck" (Genesis 41:42). Joseph advised the pharaoh to store a portion of the harvest in granaries during the years of plenty to be used during the years of famine. Pharaoh acknowledged the wisdom of Joseph and made him the viceroy. This investiture of power was formalized in three ways:
1) Joseph was given the pharaoh's ring,
2) Joseph was arrayed in fine linen clothing, and 3) a gold collar was placed around Joseph's neck.

The symbolism of a king removing his ring and placing it upon the hand of another is well known as an investiture of authority and power in the ancient world.[8] A vizier who was given the pharaoh's signet ring was known officially as The Royal Seal Bearer.[9] The wearing of fine linen garments, so thin as to be semi-transparent, seem to have been a sign of royalty and great prestige in ancient Egypt. Princes and princesses and members of their household are often depicted wearing semi-transparent linen clothing. The placement of a gold collar around the neck is a uniquely ancient Egyptian custom called the conferment of the Gold of Praise.[10]

There are two well-known depictions of this ceremony. The first one shows Pharaoh Seti I sitting on his throne under an ornate canopy. Before him are two servants placing a gold collar around the neck of a priest. The second depiction shows Akhenaten and his queen standing on their balcony tossing gold collars to one of the gods. Though there are almost 40 known depictions and written references to the investiture ceremony, none pre-date the Eighteenth Dynasty.[11] The story of Joseph occurred during the Eighteenth Dynasty. Circa 1550-1300 BCE (BC)

8. "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son who is born you shall throw into the river, and every daughter you shall let live." (Exodus 1:22)

One of the things that frustrate Biblical scholars is that the infamous pharaoh is never called by his name; he is simply referred to as pharaoh. We have no way of identifying which pharaoh it was, based solely on the Biblical text. However, referring to the ruler simply as "the pharaoh" was the accepted practice in ancient Egypt. Tomb engravings and government missives often refer to the king simply as "Pharaoh." This practice continued until about 1000 B.C.E (BC).[12] After that time, the pharaoh would be referred to by name. Bible critics should surely find it surprising that the Biblical "author(s)" were aware of this.

9. Joseph's father, Jacob, was brought down from Canaan to Egypt. After many years, Jacob died. "And Joseph ordered his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father…" (Genesis 50:2)

Embalming was a practice unique to Egypt. There are only Egyptian mummies; there are no Canaanite, Babylonian, Assyrian, or any other mummies.

10. "And these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came to Egypt" (Exodus 1:1)

The Hebrew name for Egypt is Mitzrayim. The name is unusual because the suffix yim implies a plural. The singular form would be Mitzar. The ancient Egyptians themselves referred to their land in the plural, Tawy, which means "Two Lands." Egypt was composed of two lands. There was Upper Egypt to the south and Lower Egypt to the north. At times, the two lands had different kings and at times the two lands were united. The name Tawy, Two Lands, would refer to a united Egypt. The plural Hebrew name merely reflects the plural Egyptian name as it was called during the Eighteen Dynasty.

11. "…but God made me (Joseph) a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt (Genesis 45:8)".

Joseph, in his capacity of adviser to the king, calls himself "Father to Pharaoh" (Genesis 45:8). This title was in fact the very title given to royal advisers in ancient Egypt.[13]

12. "And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, and the name of one was Shifrah (Exodus 1:15)"

The beginning of the book of Exodus makes reference to the Hebrew midwife, Shifrah A papyrus (Papyrus Brooklyn 35.1446) lists the names of more than 40 Semitic female slaves. One of those female slaves was named Shifrah. Clearly, it was an authentic name of the era.

13 &14. "Go yourselves and take for yourselves straw where you can find it but do not diminish from your work anything." (Exodus 5:11)

Pharaoh ordered his taskmasters and their underlings not to supply the Israelite slaves with the straw that was needed to make the bricks. The slaves would have to find and cut the straw themselves and still furnish the required numbers of bricks. The verse is telling us two things that are not widely known. First, that straw was used in the manufacture of bricks in ancient Egypt. This was not the practice in Mesopotamia, where baked clay, without straw, was used. In the land of Canaan, stone, not brick, was the primary building material. Only in Egypt were bricks made of mud and straw. Clay mixed with straw results in bricks that are three times as strong as those made without straw because fluids in the straw release humic acid and harden the bricks.[14]

If the "Biblical author(s)" were making up the whole story of the Israelite enslavement in Egypt, they would have drawn upon local brick-making practice, which was fashioning bricks from stone. Or, they would have drawn upon Mesopotamian plain clay practice since, according to many historians, the Jews had recently returned from Mesopotamia (Babylon) when the so-called "authors" made up the Biblical story.

Second, the verse is telling us that a tally of the bricks made by the slaves was recorded. An ancient Egyptian scroll (Louvre Leather Roll 1274) tells us that tallies of bricks made by slaves were in fact recorded. The scroll is critical of "Paherypedjet son of Paser," one of the 40 overseers of Rameses II, who failed to deliver his quota of 2,000 bricks. It goes on to say that the shortfall was because the slaves "could not gather the required amount of straw." As a result, the slaves were beaten.[15]

15. "The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us (Moses and Aaron); and now let us go, we beseech you, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God" (Exodus 3:18)
It seems to be the height of audacity for someone to ask that slaves be given time off for a holiday. However, an ancient Egyptian text (Louvre Leather Roll 1274) indicates that workers were granted time off for their religious holidays. Similarly, a text discovered in the workmen's village of Deir el-Medineh states that slave-workers had gone off "to offer to their god." One would think that slaves requesting time off for religious holidays would be out of the question but these texts show that such requests were in fact granted.[16].

16. "…but God made me (Joseph) a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt (Genesis 45:8)".

There are those who argue that it is unlikely that a Semite (such as Joseph) would have been appointed viceroy of Egypt. However, Sir Alan H. Gardiner, one of the premier Egyptologists of the early 20th century, points out that it was not that an uncommon occurrence for foreigner to rise to a position of power in ancient Egypt.[17] In fact, in 1980 a new tomb was discovered in Saqqara, Egypt, about 18 miles south of Cairo. It was the burial chamber of Aperel. He was a Semite, though not necessarily an Israelite. He was the royal vizier under Amenhotep III and Akhenaten of the Eighteenth Dynasty, the same dynasty that saw Joseph's rise to power.[18]

17. "And the Egyptians made the people of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard slavery, in mortar, and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field; all their service, which they made them serve, was with rigor." (Exodus 1;13-14)

The consensus among scholars is that the time frame of the Exodus story, whether it is real or not, takes place during the Eighteenth Dynasty It is interesting to note that there is no record of foreign labor being conscripted prior to the Eighteenth Dynasty.[19] Before the Eighteenth Dynasty, foreign slaves were either purchased in the slave market or were captives of war. In addition, those slaves were only used for domestic purposes or to serve in temples. Having the Israelites, who were not captives nor purchased, serve as brick-makers was unique to the Eighteenth Dynasty.[20]

We can readily see that the Torah does contain numerous hints of contemporary life in ancient Egypt. The hints are subtle but they are there. "Turn it over and turn it over; it is all there" (Ethics of the Fathers, 5:22).


[1]In the Torah there are 375 references to Egypt In all of Tenach there are more than 700 references. By, contrast, there are only 667 references to Jerusalem.

[2] D.B.Redford, A Study of the Biblical Story of Joseph (Leiden: Brill, 1970) 241

[3] K.A. Kitchen, "The Patriarchal Age: Myth or History," Biblical Archaeology Review, March/April 1995.

[4] J.F. Free, Archaeology and Bible History, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992) 72.


[5] J.K. Hoffmeier, Israel in Egypt (London: Oxford University Press,1997) 84.

[6] A.S. Yahuda, The Accuracy of the Bible (USA:E.P. Hutton & Co.,1935) 5

[7]http://www.ancientsites.com/aw/Article/256423

[8] See Esther 3:1 & 8:2.

[9] N. Sarna, Understanding Genesis (New York: Schocken Books, 1970) 220.

[10] Ibid. Yahuda, 7, 11.

[11] Ibid. Hoffmeier, 92.

[12] Trude Weiss-Rosmarin, New Light on the Bible (New York: Jewish Book Club,1941)32.

[13] Ibid. Sarna, 220.

[14] (Gerald Vardaman describes this in Archaeology and the Living Word, 1966, p. 37, and Baruch Halpern writes about Mesopotamian and Canaanite building materials in "The Exodus from Egypt: Myth or Reality?" The Rise of Ancient Israel, Biblical Archaeology Society, Washington D.C., pp 99-100.)

[15] K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions (Oxford: Blackwell, 1996) Vol. 2, 520–522 & Out of Egypt," BAR Jan/Feb 2007.

[16] K. A. Kitchen, "From the Brickfields of Egypt," Tyndale Bulletin 27, 1976, 145–146. See also K.A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003) 553 note #10.

[17] A. Gardiner, Egypt of the Pharaohs (London: Oxford University Press, 1962) 277.

[18] Ibid. Hoffmeier, 94.

[19] K.A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003) 247 Ibid & Kitchen, Tyndale Bulletin 27 (1976) 137-147

[20] Ibid & Kitchen, Tyndale Bulletin 27 (1976) 137-147


This article can also be read at:
http://www.aish.com/societyWork/sciencenature/Egyptology_in_the_Torah_Biblical_Archeology.asp

yet another solid evidence which proclaims that, the descriptions available in Holy Scriptures are nothing but True..

Let HIS Name alone shall be Glorified
Haallowed be HaShem..

shalom

Archaeological Discovery [No. 10]

Astonishing Discovery from the Depth & shores of
RED SEA..!!


Chariot Wheels found at the bottom of the Red Sea -- See pictures below and the route

You will be surprised to see proof of Pharaoh's chariot and bones of horses and men found in the Red Sea . Evidence of the crossing of the Red Sea .. Pharaoh's drowned army.

Confirmation of the actual Exodus route has come from divers finding coral-encrusted bones and chariot remains in the Gulf of Aqaba . ONE of the most dramatic records of Divine intervention in history is the account of the Hebrews' exodus from Egypt .

The subsequent drowning of the entire Egyptian army in the Red Sea was not an insignificant event, and confirmation of this event is compelling evidence that the Biblical narrative is truly authentic. Over the years, many divers have searched the Gulf of Suez in vain for artifacts to verify the Biblical account. But carefully following the Biblical and historical records of the Exodus brings you t o Nuweiba, a large beach in the Gulf of Aqaba , as Ron Wyatt discovered in 1978.


Repeated dives in depths ranging from 60 to 200 feet deep (18m to 60m), over a stretch of almost 2.5 km, has shown that the chariot parts are scattered across the sea bed. Artifacts found include wheels, chariot bodies, as well as human and horse bones. Divers have located on the Saudi coastline opposite Nuweiba as well.

Since 1987, Ron Wyatt found three four-spoke gilded chariot wheels. Coral does not grow on gold, hence the shape has remained very distinct, although the wood inside the gold veneer has disintegrated making them too fragile to move.

The hope for future expeditions is to explore the deeper waters with remote cameras or mini-subs. (ABOVE GILDED CHARIOT WHEEL - Mute witness to the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea by the Hebrews 3,500 years ago. Found with a metal detector. Coral-encrusted chariot wheel, filmed off the Saudi coastline, matches chariot wheels found in Tutankhamen' s tomb.

Mineralized bone, one of many found at the crossing site (above center). This one tested by the Department of Osteology at Stockholm University , was found to be a human femur, from the right leg of a 165-170cm tall man. It is essentially 'fossilized, ' i.e., replaced by minerals and coral, hence cannot be dated by radiocarbon methods, although this specimen was obviously from antiquity. Chariot wheel and axle covered with coral and up-ended. Exodus 14:25 'And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily...' Solomon's memorial pillars.

When Ron Wyatt first visited Nuweiba in 1978, he found a Phoenician style column lying in the water. Unfortunately the inscriptions had been eroded away, hence the column's im portance was not understood until 1984 when a second granite column was found on the Saudi coastline opposite -- identical to the first, except on this one the inscription was still intact!

In Phoenician letters (Archaic Hebrew), it contained the words: Mizraim (Egypt ); Solomon; Edom ; death; Pharaoh; Moses; and Yahweh, indicating that King Solomon had set up these columns as a memorial to the miracle of the crossing of the sea. Saudi Arabia does not admit tourists, and perhaps fearing unauthorized visitors, the Saudi Authorities have since removed this column, and replaced it with a flag marker where it once stood.

How deep is the water? The Gulf of Aqaba is very deep, in places over a mile (1,600m) deep. Even with the sea dried up, walking across would be difficult due to the steep grade down the sides. But there is one spot where if the water were removed, it would be an easy descent for people and animals. This is the line between Nuweiba and the opposite shore in Saudi Arabia .


Depth-sounding expeditions have revealed a smooth, gentle slope descending from Nuweiba out into the Gulf. This shows up almost like a pathway on depth-recording equipment, confirming it's Biblical description, '...a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters.' (Isaiah 43:16)


The Bible writers frequently refer to the miracle of the Red Sea crossing, for it was an event which finds no equal in history. The Hebrew prophets describe the sea at the crossing site as ' ...the waters of the great deep...the depths of the sea...'
(Isaiah 51:10)


Knowing the exact spot to which the Bible writers were referring, what is the depth there? The distance between Nuweiba and where artifacts have been found on Saudi coast is about 18km (11 miles).



Along this line, the deepest point is about 800m (2,600 feet). No wonder that Inspired writers of the Bible described it as the mighty waters. And no wonder that not a single Egyptian survived when the water collapsed in upon them.
(Above right NUWEIBABEACH- the spot where the crossing began)




the following lists of videos are from www.youtube.com.
which can help any one to see and analyze the places & the evidences found by the excavation team:

video 1:-
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=xJXUv_btg60#

video 2:-
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=WH9Q4Z-gwig&feature=related#

video 3:-
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=GfPL7OeFYq4&feature=related#

video 4:-
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=WzAFR3AmZRs&feature=related#

thank you...

This is one of the greatest discovery which gave the evidences of Biblical writings.

Let HIS Name alone shall be Glorified
Haallowed be HaShem..

shalom

Archaeological Discovery [No. 9]

Does archeological data support the Biblical story?

by Rabbi Leibel Reznick

The Torah tells us the story of the rise and downfall of Sodom and Gomorrah. To the non-believer, the Biblical story seems so incredible that it must be relegated to the realm of myth and fantasy. The 20th-century German Bible critic, Theodor Noldeke asserted that "The whole story of Sodom and Gomorrah is unhistorical and comparatively late in origin." J. Maxwell Miller of Emory University boldly claims, "These narratives of Sodom and Gomorrah are purely products of the storyteller's art, which of course raises serious questions about their usefulness for historical reconstruction." John H. Hayes, a colleague of the aforementioned J. Maxwell Miller, confirms Professor Miller's belief. [*1] Are the assertions of these skeptics based on facts or are they merely the distorted opinions of non-believers? Let us examine the facts of the case and see for ourselves.

There are two places in the desert area near the Dead Sea that could not be more radically different from each other. One area is a dry, harsh wilderness. All that is found there are craggy hills, land strewn with crumbled rock, coarse sand, and intense heat: daytime temperatures rise to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Rivers are few and meager. The waters of the nearby great lake are not potable: No fish live in its inhospitable waters. There are no trees to offer shade. Wayfarers are few. Snakes and scorpions are the only creatures that find comfort in this forsaken place. Desolation echoes forth from the dry river beds.

The second area is a great and thriving metropolis. Grain grows in abundance and precious raw materials are easily accessed. Its lush tree-shaded groves graciously bestow their blessings of fine fruits. The green canopy of its orchards stretch as far as the eye can see. There are no predatory animals to threaten passersby. The great metropolis and its citizenry are self sufficient; every need can be met locally. A veritable Garden of Eden, it is described in the Torah(th Law of Holy Bible) when Abraham and Lot decide to part ways: And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the Garden of the Lord (Genesis 13:10).

In fact, as incredible as it may seem, the two places are one and the same. We call the area Sodom-Gomorrah. The very names of these two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, are associated with sin and debauchery. Sodom has become a synonym for perversion. The first description of the desolate territory is the area once inhabited by the wealthy, aristocratic Sodomites as it appears today. The second description is the way it appeared earlier, at its Patriarchal Era zenith as depicted in the Talmud and the Midrash (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 109a, Midrash Rabah Leviticus 5:2, Midrash Rabah Numbers 9:24.)

Sodom and Gomorrah were part of a metropolis assumed to have been located on the eastern bank of the Dead Sea consisting of five cities, each with its own king. There was (1) Bera, king of Sodom, (2) Birsha, king of Gomorrah, (3) Shinab, king of Admad, (4) Shember, king of Zeboiim, and (5) the king of Bela, which is also called Zoar (Genesis 14:8). This thriving group of city-states is referred to in the Bible (Genesis 13:12) as the Cities of the Plain. The five kings were under the dominion of a coalition of eastern Mesopotamian overlords. According to the Torah, with the help of the patriarch Abraham, the cities gained their independence, though their independence was only short-lived. A few years later, God destroyed the cities in a hail of fire and brimstone.

In the early part of the 20th century, the entire Biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah was doubted by many academicians. Not merely the part of the story of the supernatural destruction, but also any possible rule over the area by the Mesopotamians to the east. There was no route connecting the Dead Sea area with Mesopotamia. How could the Mesopotamians have possibly conquered the area? These factors caused even those normally sympathetic to the Biblical narrative, such as William Foxwell Albright, to doubt the story.

However, in the early 1920s, Dr. Nelson Glueck discovered evidence of an ancient route between Mesopotamia and the Dead Sea area. Traces of the actual route, which had been covered by the desert storms, were uncovered. Mention of the route was subsequently found in cuneiform tablets in Mari and in Ebla.

By 1924, the previously doubtful Albright became convinced of the possibility of some ancient inhabited area near the barren eastern bank of the Dead Sea. His expedition had found some meager remains of an early Bronze Age structure assumed to have been a fortress or temple. It was located on a mound, known as Bab edh-Dhra, overlooking the desert floor some 550 feet below. Albright assumed that the structure was in some way to be identified with the Sodom-Gomorrah story, but was uncertain what that connection might be.

The Five Cities of the Plain

No serious excavations were undertaken in the area until about 40 years later. In the 1960s, a large cemetery was discovered near Bab edh-Dhra. Archeologist Paul Lapp spent three seasons excavating the area where he unearthed a great number of shaft-tombs -- possibly as many as 20,000. (A shaft-tomb is a vertical hole, about 3 feet in diameter, dug into the rocky ground to a depth of approximately 6 feet.) At the bottom of each shaft were 1-5 horizontal shallow shafts, each containing between 1-6 bodies. In addition, there were a number of mud-brick buildings, charnel houses that are repositories for bones or bodies of the dead. Each charnel house contained the remains of several hundred people.

Current estimates of the number of bodies occupying that cemetery is about a half million! Pottery shards found with the skeletal remains indicate that approximately 3,000,000 pottery vessels were used in conjunction with the burials. Other funerary items include clay figurines of goddesses, wooden staffs, sandals and reed baskets, some still containing food remains. [*2] The great number of corpses in a single burial ground is evidence of a major population. But this is only the beginning.

Significantly, some forms of the pottery, jewelry, and cylinder seal impressions show a distinct Mesopotamian influence. [*3] This bolsters the Biblical connection between the Dead Sea area and Mesopotamia.

A rather obscure branch of archaeology is known as paleoethnobotany. This study examines traces of food items used by ancient cultures in order to get a perspective of the culture's agriculture and diet.

Paleoenthnobotanists found in Bab edh-Dhra traces of wheat, barley, dates, plums, peaches, grapes, figs, pistachio nuts, almonds, olives, pine nuts, lentils, chick peas, pumpkin, flax seed, and watermelon. [*4] It was a gourmand's delight. The healthy diet manifested itself in the physique of the inhabitants: skeletal remains indicate that a height of 5'9"-6'4" was quite normal. [*5] This is a rather tall figure for such an ancient culture.

Between 1973 and 1979, four more "cities" to the south of Bab edh-Dhra were found. Their Arabic names are Numeira, Safi, Feifa, and Khanazir. The surrounding area has been thoroughly explored and no other cities have been found, only these five. The five cities, a few miles apart from each other, are almost in a straight line going from north to south.

Numeira was excavated for two seasons and the foundations of a few homes were uncovered. Perhaps the most interesting find was the remains of a winery with 4000-year-old whole grapes were still there, preserved by the arid desert climate. In latter years Moses referred to the vineyards of Sodom,For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. (Deut. 32:32) The other three "cities" of the area have yet to be excavated.

Surrounding the archeological ruins of Safi is an Early Bronze cemetery which rivals the size of Bab edh-Dhra. About nine miles south of Safi is the next of the five cities, Feifa. A cemetery has been found there too. The burial grounds of Feifa are similar in size to that of Babe edh Dhra and Safi. [*6] As noted above, the cemetery of Bab edh-Dhra is reported to contain the remains of 500,000 individuals. The cemetery in Safi seems to hold the same number of corpses, another 500,000. The grounds of Feifa hold another 500,000. The cemeteries of Numeria and Khanazir have yet to be located; however, the known number of burials in this relatively small area of the Dead Sea Desert -- 1,500,000 bodies -- indicates that this was once a thriving, heavily populated area. Indeed, it does seem to be incredible, yet the evidence is there. Based on this dating of the pottery of the grave goods in Bab edh-Dhra, it seems that this city existed for about 1,000 years. Numeira, on the other hand, existed for a very short span of time, certainly less than 100 years. The Talmud (Babylonian Talmud Shabbos 11a) says that Sodom existed for a mere 52 years. This would make Numeira a likely candidate for Sodom.

Fire and Brimstone

Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. (Genesis 19:24)

"Fire & brimstone" is a common expression
used to describe the sermon of an overzealous preacher, but exactly what is brimstone? The Hebrew word for brimstone in the Biblical verse is gafrit and is usually understood to mean sulfur. The Targum Yonathan ben Uziel translates the word into Aramaic as kivraitah. The term kivraitah appears in the Talmud (Babylonian Talmud Shabbos 89b, 90a; Nidah 62a) and is used in the context of a cleaning agent. It is likely that the Biblical gafrit is the hydrocarbon bitumen, which is the essential ingredient of asphalt. Bitumen can also be distilled into a cleaning agent. Bitumen/asphalt is a naturally occurring, highly flammable substance found in the Dead Sea area. In fact, Josephus refers to the Dead Sea as Lake Asphaltites. [*7] It is of interest to note that Josephus writes that the Lake Asphaltites was formed as a result of the devastation that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

The entire areas of Bab edh-Drha and Numeira are covered with a spongy ash. These two cities show clear signs of utter destruction. The layer of ash ranges from 4-20 inches in depth. [*8] Parallel to these five cities is fault line where two large plates of earth are exerting great pressure on each other. This tectonic feature has caused a number of earthquakes in the region. The pressure can also force subterranean matter, such as magma, or, in this case, bitumen into the air. Geologists suggest that, (when the time came for the destruction of Sodom -- my insertion), the earth spewed forth flammable hydrocarbons high into the atmosphere. These were ignited by lightening or some other natural source and the flaming debris fell back to earth. [*9]

According to the Biblical narrative, Sodom and Gomorrah were under attack by the Mesopotamian coalition. After winning their independence from the Mesopotamians, Sodom and Gomorrah enjoyed a brief period of peace until it was destroyed in the hailstorm of fire and brimstone. The Talmud (Babylonian Talmud Shabbos 10b) states that it was only a 26 year gap between the two events.

The city of Numeira, as we conjectured, possibly Sodom, is the better preserved of the two excavated sites. Numeira shows signs of two devastations. The latter was the catastrophic fiery event that utterly destroyed the city. An earlier event shows less sign of such a catastrophe, but rather more like the result of a war. Dr. Bryant G. Wood, an expert in Syrio-Palestine archaeology, formerly of the University of Toronto, has examined the two layers of destruction. He concluded that the two events probably occurred a little more than 20 years apart. [*10] His estimation is in line with the Talmud's time frame of 26 years.

Dating

There is one point that prevents this evidence of the Biblical story from being 100% conclusive. The date of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah according to Biblical chronology was about one year before the birth of Isaac, which was in 1712 B.C.E (BC). The archaeological dating of the destruction of Bab edh-Dhra and Numeira is about 2300 B.C.E (BC). [*11] This discrepancy of 600 years is significant.

The dating of metal and ceramic artifacts in the Holy Land is dependant on comparisons to similar findings in Egypt. Dating Egyptian finds is far easier to estimate due to the existence of contemporary hieroglyphic writings. Archaeologists generally assume that similar type finds in the Holy Land, which are not accompanied by any written evidence, probably date to the same era as their Egyptian counterparts.

But recent evidence found by Manfred Bietak in Tel el-Daba indicates that Middle Bronze Age Canaanite artifacts lagged about 100 years behind their Egyptian counterparts. When it comes to Sodom and Gomorrah, the lag could be much more substantial because, according to the Talmud (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 109a), intentional isolationism prevailed in the Cities of the Plain.

The (inhabitants of the cities of the Plain) said: "Since there cometh forth bread out of land and it hath the dust of gold, why should we suffer wayfarers, who come to us only to deplete our wealth? Come, let us abolish the practice of traveling into our land."

If, as the Talmud records, traveling into the area of Sodom and Gomorrah was sharply curtailed -- forbidden, or at least discouraged -- the introduction of outside styles of pottery and metal working would seriously fall behind the style and techniques of the more advanced Egyptians. How far the Cities of the Plain would have straggled is unknown. We must be patient and await further evidence to emerge.

Preponderance of Evidence

To summarize, the archaeology evidence as to the destruction of the five Cities of the Plain is inconclusive. However the preponderance of other evidence with regards to the Torah's story of Sodom and Gomorrah is overwhelming.

1. The Bible refers to a metropolis of five cities in the Dead Sea area. Five, and only five cities, have been found in the Dead Sea area.

2. The Bible refers to a conquest by the Mesopotamians. The artifacts found in the Dead Sea area show a Mesopotamian influence.

3. The Midrash describes the metropolis as a thriving population. The enormous number of burials in the large cemeteries attests to a great population.

4. The Talmud and the Midrash describe the area as an agricultural wonderland. The great diversity of agricultural products found in the ruins verify the lush produce enjoyed by the area's inhabitants.

5. According to the Talmud, there was a span of only 26 years between a war in the area and the ultimate destruction. Devastation levels found in Numeira (Sodom) are consistent with the Talmud's assertion.

6. The Talmud states that Sodom, unlike other cities in the area, only existed for 52 years. The ruins in Numeira (Sodom) indicate that the city lasted less than 100 years.

7. The Bible attributes the destruction of the cities to a fiery storm that rained down from above. Thick layers of burnt material covering the remains of the cities in the area bear this out.

After reviewing all of the archaeological data, it is quite clear that the story related in the Torah and Midrash is completely accurate in spite of what the non-believers may boldly claim.

Footnotes
[1] J.M. Miller & J.H. Hayes, A History of Ancient Israel (Philadelphia ,Westminster Press, 1986) 60.
[2] "Have Sodom and Gomorrah Been Found?" BAR, Sept/Oct 1980, H. Shanks ed.
[3] R.T. Shaub, "Bab edh-Dhra" in The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, ed. E Stern (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993)135.
[4] D.W. McCreery, Paleobotany in Preliminary Report of the 1979 Expedition to the Dead Sea Plain, Jordan, (Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 240, 1980) 52.
[5] Ibid. BAR, Sept/Oct 1980.
[6] http://www.abu.nb.ca/ecm/topics/arch5.htm
[7] Antiquities, Book I, chapter 9.
[8] M.D. Coogan, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR), 1984, 255, p. 80.
[9] D. Neev & K.O. Emery, The Destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jericho: Geological, Climatological, and Archaeological Background (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995) 13-14, 33,37; G.M. Harris & A.P. Beardow, The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: A Geological Perspective, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology, Vol. 28, 360.
[10] http://www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/_PDFArchives/science/SC3W0903.pdf [11] http://www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/_PDFArchives/science/SC3W1003

This article can also be read at: http://www.aish.com/societyWork/sciencenature/Biblical_Archeology_Sodom_and_Gomorrah.asp

and you can watch & enjoy the sights & archaeological inventions of Dead Sea area by following this link: " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG3QsisQrkc&feature=related# "

archaeological inventions sounds similar to Holy Bible & Talmud writings... one more evidence.. one more proof...!!



let HIS Name alone shall be glorified..
Hallowed be HaShem..

shalom

Astonishing Discovery [No.: 8]

The historicity of Balaam, the non- Jewish prophet.

an article by Rabbi Leibel Reznick

One of the more enigmatic Biblical figures is the prophet Balaam. The Bible first introduced him to us as the Israelite nation was encamped in the Plains of Moab, on their way to the Promised Land. The Moabite king, fearing an attack by the Israelites, summoned Balaam to come and curse the Children of Israel. In the end, Balaam does not curse the Israelites but bestows blessings upon them. [*1]

The Talmud [*2] tells us that earlier Balaam had been an adviser to the pharaoh who enslaved the Children of Israel and sought to destroy their male children. In fact, the plan to destroy the Israelites was masterminded by Balaam. The third century BCE Greco-Egyptian historian, Manetho, also mentions that it was the prophet-adviser to the pharaoh who instigated the enslavement of the Jewish People.[*3] (Do I mean to say that there is an ancient extra-Biblical source that refers to the enslavement of the Israelites? Yes, but that issue deserves an article all by itself.)

Not only did Balaam reside near the land of Moab and in Egypt, but Midrashic sources also place him in Aram[*4], modern-day Syria, and in the Aegean isles[*5], and in Cush, modern-day Ethiopia [*6]. Balaam was an itinerant prophet with a far-reaching reputation.[*7] Due to Balaam's renowned preeminence, we would expect that some mention of Balaam would be found in some ancient nation's records. And indeed, our expectations will not be disappointed.

Balaam was the grandson of Laban the Aramean. [*8].The patriarch Jacob lived in Aram and married the two daughters of Laban, Leah and Rachel. Jacob shepherded the flocks of his father-in-law for many years. As Jacob and his wives were returning to the land of Canaan, they stopped for a while in the land of Moab in the settlement later to be called Succoth. [*9] Archaeologists believe that the Jordanian hill called Tel Deir Alla is the site of Biblical Succoth. And, it was here in Tel Deir Alla that evidence of Balaam was found.

An expedition led by Professor Henk J. Franken of the University of Leiden was excavating in Deir Alla in March of 1967. The workers were cleaning up some debris from the day's work when someone noticed what seemed to be traces of lettering on fragments of plaster that littered the floor. For archaeologists, the most exciting find is not gold or silver, but writings! Professor Franken was overjoyed at this unexpected discovery.

The weather during that time of year was capricious. One day heavy rains fell; the next day a drying wind filled the air. Neither of these was good for the fragile pieces of plaster. Hastily, a tent was erected to protect the area from the elements. There were still two more weeks of excavation work that had been planned, but all digging stopped. All attention was focused on the writing.

Reports of the discovery spread throughout the archaeological community. Scholars representing the United States, Jordan, France, Germany and Holland came to examine the fragments. One fragment had written on it in bold letters the words: " the prophet, Balaam son of Beor."

It took approximately ten years to assemble the piles of plaster fragments, jigsaw puzzle style, into a coherent text. Eventually, a chilling prophecy emerged. It reads:

Inscription of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophet, man of the gods.
Behold, the gods came to him at night,
and [spoke to] him according to these words,
and they said to [Balaa]m son of Beor thus:
"The [Light] has shone its last;
the Fire for [judgment] has shone."

And Balaam arose in the morning,
[ ] days,
[ ] ,
and cou[ld not eat],
and he wept bitter tears.
And his people came up to him
and they [said] to Balaam son of Beor:
"Why are you fasting and why are
you weeping?"

And he said to them:
"Return! I shall tell you what
the gods (shaddayim) are [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]
Go on, consider the doings of the gods."

The gods have gathered together,
and the(shaddayim) gods have met in assembly,
and they have said to […….]:
"Sew up, bolt shut the sky with your cloud!
Let darkness be there, and not brightness,
gloom and not radiance;
Yes, strike terror with the cloud of darkness,
and do not remove it ever

[…] hawk, swift, bat,
eagle, and pelican, vultures,
ostrich, stork, young of falcons,
and owl, chicks of heron, dove,
bird-of-prey, pigeon and sparrow. [*10]

In order to date the inscription, the fragments were subjected to radio-carbon dating tests. The results indicated that the inscriptions were to be dated circa 800 BC (BCE), plus or minus 70 years, {870-730 BC} with an accuracy probability of 66%. [*11] The probability rate of only 66% of a 800 BCE (BC). date is not very reassuring. Initial paleographic studies, based on the shapes and forms of the letters, seemed to support this general time period. [*12] However, recently, scholars have lowered the date closer to 600 BCE (BC). [*13] This suggestion is based on a connection between the handwriting style of the Deir Alla inscription and certain Ammonite inscriptions of the seventh century BCE (BC).

Admittedly, there is a 500 year gap between the time the Biblical Balaam is assumed to have lived and when this inscription was written; yet the inscription can easily be seen as a demonstration that the memory of Balaam the seer survived long after his demise. It is likely that his prophecies were written and handed down for generations, in much the same way the epics of Homer were written and transmitted for hundreds of years.

There are a number of other important factors of the Tel Deir Alla inscription that coincide with the Biblical and Midrashic texts:

The "international, freelance prophet," Balaam, prophesied in Moab, among other places. The Tel Deir Alla inscription was found in Moabite territory.

Balaam was originally from Aram. The text of the inscription is in an Aramaic dialect rather than in the language of the Moabites. For example, the opening line refers to Balaam the son of Beor. The word "son" in Moabite would be similar to the Hebrew "bn" but the inscription reads "br" which is the Aramaic equivalent. [*14]

The God of Israel is known by many names. The most common name is YHVH which appears over 1,500 times in the Torah. The name Elo-him is used over 200 times. One of the least used names is Sh-ddai which appears only 10 times, mostly in Genesis, in connection with the forefathers of Israel. In the book of Numbers the name Sh-ddai appears only twice, both times in connection to the prophecy of Balaam. In the Tel Deir Alla inscription the name Sh-ddai also appears twice, in the plural form as Shaddayin, the term which Balaam, a polytheist, would naturally prefer.

It is clear that the Tel Deir Alla inscription of Balaam is foretelling doom for the Moabites. In the book of Numbers (23:24) we find Balaam telling the Moabite nation of their impending demise. "Behold, the [Israelite] nation will arise like a lion cub and raise itself like a lion; it will not lie down until it consumes prey and drinks the blood of the slain. " In the next chapter Balaam says, "A star has issued from Jacob and a scepter-bearer has risen from Israel and he shall pierce the nobles of Moab…" (Numbers 24:17)

The plaster inscription in Tel Deir Alla came from a wall of a building that was destroyed by an earthquake. [*15] How can an archaeologist tell if a city or building was razed by an invading army or if it was due to an earthquake? There are several telltale signs. An invading army will knock down walls in all directions, haphazardly, smashing them in sections to demolish them. Stones of a wall that was toppled by an earthquake will generally tumble in the direction of the force of the tremor, and they will fall as a complete unit, almost as if the wall was constructed whole, horizontally upon the ground. Moreover, an invading army will destroy buildings without knocking down every wall entirely. Damage alone suffices to vanquish a city. Earthquakes are less forgiving, collapsing the buildings almost entirely.

If a circa 600-650 BCE (BC) date is correct for the collapse of the plaster inscription at Tel Deir Alla, the earthquake that destroyed the building was, in fact, recorded twice in Tanach (Old Testament) :

1) The book of Amos begins with, "The words of Amos, who was one of the herders of Tekoa, who saw visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake." (Amos 1:1)

2) In the book of Zechariah, the prophet says, "…and you will flee as you fled from the earthquake that was in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah." (Zechariah 14:5)

According to Biblical chronology, Uzziah reigned from 645 BCE – 593 BCE (BC)and Jeroboam reigned from 647 BCE – 607 BCE (BC) [*16] The earthquake occurred when both Uzziah and Jeroboam were kings. That would be between 645 BCE – 607 BCE (BC). The date fits perfectly with the latest paleographic analysis of the Deir Alla inscription.

The Deir Allah inscription not only attests to the historicity of Balaam but is also dramatic evidence of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah and Jeroboam. Two for the price of one.

---

Endnotes [* ]

[1] See Numbers 22.
[2] Sanhedrin 106a
[3] Quoted in Josephus Flavius' Contra Apion Book I, paragraph 26
[4] Rashi Sanhedrin 105a "Tanah.
[5] Sefer HaYashar chapter 61
[6] Sefer HaYashar 70
[7] Berayshis Rabbah 65:20
[8] Rashi Sanhedrin 105a "Tanah"
[9] Genesis 33:17. Not to be confused with another city by the same name located in Egypt.
[10] Jacob Hoftijzer and Gerrit van der Kooij, maic Texts from Deir 'AllaTDA ), (Leiden, 1976), p. 18. See also Henk J. Franken, "ts from the Persian Period from Tel Deir 'Alla,tus Testamentum ( VT ) 17 (1967), pp. 480–481.
[11] Extract from the archaeological notes published in Jacob Hoftijzer and Gerrit van der Kooij, Aramaic Texts from Deir 'Alla ( ATDA ), (Leiden, 1976), p. 16.
[12] BAR 11:05 1985
[13] See Jo Ann Hackett, The Balaam Text from Deir 'Alla (Chico, California, 1984), p. 19
[14]

http://www.judaic.org/bible/balaq1.pdf

[15] André Lemaire Editor,
"Fragments from the Book of Balaam Found at Deir Alla, BAR 11:05 (Sep/Oct 1985), Biblical Archaeology Society
[16] based on Shlomo Rottenberg's

This article can also be read at: http://www.aish.com/societyWork/sciencenature/Biblical_Archeology_Prophet_and_the_Earthquake0.asp

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yet another archaeological discovery which proved that Holy Bible gives accurate historical data.

let HIS Name alone shall be glorified.

Haallowed be HaShem.

shalom.