Archaeological Discovery [No.4]

Oldest Philistine inscription offers a giant surprise...!!

Archaeologists excavating Tell es-Safi, the biblical city "Gath of Philistines" recently uncovered a scrap of broken pottery bearing the oldest Philistine inscription yet discovered. What was surprising is that the potsherd bears 2 names etymologically remarkably similar to "Goliath", the giant Philistine warrior slain by David as recorded in the book of 1 Samuel 17 in Holy Bible.

According to the Bible, this same Gath was the hometown of Goliath ( 1 Sam. 17:4, 23)& was one of the major cities of Philistines. Archaeologists have also dated the sherd to 50 to 100 years after the Biblical account of Goliath's slaying at the hand of David.

No one can know for sure whether this inscription includes a reference to the Biblical Goliath, since it is apparently a Hebrew transliteration of of 2 Philistine names. This make sense, since archaeological evidences indicates the Philistines gradually adopted the Semitic alphabet while retaining their Philistine names & some elements of their Philistine language.

But still one thing got cleared. Goliath name was in use in Philistine land in that age. And it also supports the Holy Bible... for the critics used to say that the Bible stories are written few centuries before Christ only.

Here this pottery piece proclaims to the world that, Goliath name was there in use in city of Gath in the period of 9th century B.C.

let His Name alone shall be glorified..
Baruc.h HaShem...

shalom..