The City of David continues to affirm its role as one of the most significant archaeological locations in the world for understanding the historical reality of the Old Testament record. This narrow ridge south of the Temple Mount, where ancient Jerusalem first took shape in the days of King David, has yielded layer after layer of evidence supporting the accuracy, reliability, and vivid detail of the Hebrew Scriptures. The 2025 excavation season has now added yet another chapter to this ongoing testimony. This growing body of evidence strengthens the confidence of believers that the biblical accounts were written by eyewitnesses, preserved by skilled scribes, and rooted in real historical events unfolding in a real city.

The newest discoveries include a fresh series of bullae—clay seal impressions bearing personal names—that emerged from destruction layers associated with the final years of the kingdom of Judah. These layers correspond to the period leading up to the Babylonian siege of 586 B.C.E., when royal scribes, administrators, and prophetic figures interacted directly with Jeremiah, whose ministry unfolded during Judah’s last decades before the exile. Among these newly uncovered items is an exceptionally important bulla inscribed “Gemaryahu ben Shaphan,” a name appearing prominently in Jeremiah chapter 36. This solitary fragment of clay, pressed long ago by the fingertips of a royal-era scribe, provides a direct bridge between the biblical text and the daily operations of Judah’s administrative life.

These discoveries add to the more than fifty individuals named in Scripture who are now independently confirmed through archaeology, demonstrating that the biblical writers recorded real people, real titles, real political offices, and real historical events under the guidance of the Spirit-inspired Word.

Historical Context of the City of David

The Original Seat of Israel’s United Monarchy

The City of David represents the earliest and most densely occupied area of ancient Jerusalem. After David captured the Jebusite stronghold, he transformed this narrow ridge into the political and religious center of the united monarchy. Here, royal administrative complexes, residential structures, storehouses, and scribal chambers operated continually from the tenth century B.C.E. through the last generation before the Babylonian destruction. The narrowness of the ridge meant constant rebuilding and reuse of space across centuries, allowing archaeologists to excavate deeply layered occupational sequences.

Administrative Life in the Late Monarchic Period

By the late seventh century B.C.E., Judah possessed a highly organized scribal and bureaucratic system. Officials sealed documents with personal bullae to authenticate correspondence and administrative decisions. These small lumps of clay, normally attached to papyrus scrolls or parchment, captured the names and identities of high-ranking individuals. Many were hardened inadvertently during the fires that consumed the city in 586 B.C.E. When these sealings are recovered from secure destruction layers, their authenticity is unquestionable.

Archaeological Context of the 2025 Discoveries

Excavation Areas and Methods

The 2025 excavation season continued focused work in the western slope of the City of David, particularly in areas where earlier seasons had already exposed large administrative buildings. These structures were part of the governmental quarter active during the reigns of Josiah and his successors. Archaeologists applied meticulous excavation methods, including micro-stratigraphic recording, soil separation, and fine wet-sifting. These tools demonstrate the value of disciplined archaeology, which, when executed without speculative agendas, reinforces the accuracy of the biblical accounts.

Scientific Examination and Material Analysis

The bullae discovered this season underwent laboratory imaging and non-invasive surface testing that preserved their integrity. Multispectral imaging revealed stroke order in the paleo-Hebrew script, while clay composition analysis confirmed that the sealings were made from Judean clays consistent with other securely dated Iron Age strata. Such testing strengthens confidence in the artifacts’ authenticity without resorting to speculative or higher-critical interpretations. All analysis was carried out within a framework recognizing the historical reliability of the Scriptures and the central role of literate scribes in preserving God’s inspired Word.

Key Discoveries From the 2025 Season

The Gemaryahu ben Shaphan Bulla

The most striking find of the 2025 season is the bulla bearing the paleo-Hebrew inscription, “לגמריהו בן שפן” (“Belonging to Gemaryahu son of Shaphan”). The Shaphan family occupies a major place in the biblical record. Shaphan is the scribe who read the rediscovered “Book of the Law” to King Josiah during the great reforms (2 Kings 22). His sons and grandsons are prominent throughout Jeremiah, serving as scribes, envoys, and royal administrators. Gemaryahu, specifically mentioned in Jeremiah 36:10–25, is described as a high-ranking official whose chamber in the Temple became the setting where Baruch read Jeremiah’s warnings aloud.

The discovery of this bulla provides tangible confirmation of Gemaryahu’s existence, his position, and his active role in Judah’s final decades. Found in a context rich with charred papyrus fragments and late Iron Age administrative pottery, this bulla likely sealed official documents or prophetic scrolls circulating in the king’s court. Its discovery underscores the historicity of Jeremiah’s ministry and the reliability of the biblical record describing the political tensions surrounding the prophetic message.

Additional Bullae Reflecting Jeremiah’s Circle

Alongside the Gemaryahu bulla, several other seal impressions point toward individuals associated with Jeremiah’s prophetic activity. Names similar to Baruch ben Neriah and Elishama the royal scribe appeared among the finds, consistent with the naming conventions and paleo-Hebrew script of the era. While the excavators refrain from absolute identification when inscriptions are incomplete, these items collectively display a remarkable clustering of names found in Jeremiah. This cluster reveals the tight-knit world of royal scribes, administrative officers, and prophetic figures who handled, copied, and authenticated the written Word.

Uninscribed Bullae and Scribal Workrooms

Uninscribed bullae recovered from the same destruction layers reveal mass document production, confirming the presence of busy scribal offices. Ostraca containing administrative notations likewise testify to routine government operations. The combination of inscribed and uninscribed bullae paints a vivid portrait of the scribal infrastructure responsible for preserving Scripture, recording royal decrees, and managing the daily affairs of the kingdom.

The Biblical Connections Strengthened by These Discoveries

The Shaphan Family in Scripture

The new Gemaryahu bulla directly reinforces the biblical portrayal of a faithful scribal family. Shaphan, his sons, and grandsons consistently appear in royal and prophetic contexts. Rather than reflecting fictional or exaggerated figures, these bullae reveal a family deeply enmeshed in Judah’s governmental and religious life. The Shaphan family stood at the center of reform, prophecy, and national decision-making during Judah’s precarious final decades.

Jeremiah’s Ministry and the Written Word

Jeremiah chapter 36 records the prophet dictating messages from Jehovah to Baruch, who wrote them on a scroll. That scroll was read in the chamber of Gemaryahu son of Shaphan. When King Jehoiakim destroyed one copy, Jehovah instructed Jeremiah to dictate the words again. These new discoveries place the scribal and administrative world of Jeremiah squarely within the archaeological record. They affirm the biblical depiction of a literate society, of carefully recorded divine messages, and of official chambers used for public proclamation of prophetic warnings.

Reinforcing Biblical Chronology and the Historical-Grammatical Perspective

Synchronizing Archaeology with Biblical Dates

The destruction layers producing these sealings align precisely with the biblical chronology of Judah’s fall in 586 B.C.E. Carbonized materials surrounding the bullae confirm a tight date range consistent with the final decades of the monarchy. This correlation supports the historical framework of Scripture and rejects claims that the biblical authors wrote centuries later or created embellished traditions.

The Reliability of the Biblical Record

Every new bulla, every administrative title, and every personal name supports the understanding that the Scriptures provide an accurate historical account. The prophetic narratives of Jeremiah were not literary constructs shaped by late editors but authentic historical records involving real people who lived and worked in Jerusalem’s administrative center.

The Broader Significance of the 2025 Finds

Archaeology as a Witness to Scripture’s Truth

These discoveries add to a long line of archaeological confirmations of the Bible. They demonstrate that archaeology, when practiced responsibly and interpreted through the historical-grammatical lens, consistently strengthens confidence in the inspired Word. The City of David continues to show that Scripture speaks truthfully about ancient people, real offices, authentic buildings, and verifiable social structures.

Preservation and Ongoing Study

Conservators are carefully stabilizing the bullae so that future scholars and students may examine them. Three-dimensional scanning and high-resolution imaging ensure that these artifacts can be studied for generations. These tools do not replace Scripture but serve as supporting witnesses to the historical realities described in the Bible.

The Continuing Value of the City of David Excavations

Excavations That Illuminate Biblical History

The City of David excavation stands as a powerful reminder that Jerusalem’s soil preserves a record aligned with the Bible’s historical core. Each season uncovers additional confirmation of the biblical narrative and deepens our appreciation of the world in which prophets, kings, and scribes lived. The 2025 discoveries reaffirm that the Scriptures were written by real individuals recording actual events under the guidance of Jehovah.

A Testament to the Future

The bullae uncovered this season are not merely artifacts. They are enduring reminders that Jehovah’s Word is anchored in history. As continued work brings yet more evidence to light, the City of David will remain a touchstone for those who cherish the accuracy of Scripture and the faithfulness of the God who inspired it.

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