When one hears the name “Jericho” one naturally thinks of Israelites marching, trumpets sounding, and walls falling. It is a wonderful story of faith and victory that we enjoy reading and telling in Sunday School class, but did it really happen? The skeptic would say, 'no; it is merely a folk tale to explain the ruins at Jericho.' The reason for this negative outlook is the excavation carried out at the site in the 1950s under the direction of British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon. She concluded,
Introduction to Biblical Archaeology
Are you fascinated by the history and culture of the ancient world? Have you ever wondered what secrets and treasures lay buried beneath the sands of time? Look no further than the field of biblical archaeology! Join us as we delve into the methods and discoveries of these modern-day treasure hunters, uncovering new insights into the stories and people of the Bible. From the ruins of Jerusalem to the inscriptions of Mesopotamia, the past comes alive as we explore the fascinating world of biblical archaeology.
Uncovering the Past: The Significance of the Paleo-Hebrew Inscription from the Bible Lands Museum
Discover the ancient inscription that supports the Bible's use of God's name and the phrase 'Jehovah of armies' in daily life during Bible times. Learn about the significance of the find and what it reveals about the religious practices of the Israelites and Judahites in the 700-600 BCE.
GENESIS 5:1 BDC: Can We Trust Bible Chronology?
Many archaeologists and anthropologists date modern man back to at least 10,000 years ago. How are we to reconcile this when Bible Chronology takes us back to just a little over 6,000 years? It seems that some scholars who call themselves conservative or fundamentalist, who are supposed to believe that the original texts that contribute to our modern Bibles are “God-breathed” and fully inerrant, are not so conservative at times.
BIBLE BACKGROUND: The Middle Bronze Age in Mesopotamia and Egypt
After the collapse of urban civilization, powerful states reappeared beginning about 2000 B.C. In southern Mesopotamia the city-state of Ur had already gained control of the surrounding territory. Ur-Nammu, greatest king of the Third Dynasty of Ur (ca. 2113–2006 B.C.), erected a great ziggurat (temple tower) and encouraged art and literature.
The Code of Hammurabi: a Babylonian Code of Law of Ancient Mesopotamia
The Code of Hammurabi is a well-preserved Babylonian code of law of ancient Mesopotamia, dated to about 1754 BC (Middle Chronology). It is one of the oldest deciphered writings of significant length in the world. The sixth Babylonian king, Hammurabi, enacted the code. Some scholars have often been likened the Ten Commandments to the Code of Hammurabi.
What Biblical Archaeology Can and Cannot Prove!
Scholars tend to be cautious when making claims to the point where they are not allowing the evidence to see the light of day to the extent possible. Biblical archaeology has logged many thousands of finds that give us confidence in the historicity of the Bible, the trustworthiness of the Scriptures. Let's not overplay our hand on what biblical archaeology can do, but let's not underplay our hand either.
OLD TESTAMENT BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY: The Cyrus Cylinder
The Cyrus Cylinder is an ancient clay cylinder, now broken into several fragments, on which is written a declaration in Akkadian cuneiform script in the name of the Achaemenid king Cyrus the Great. It dates from the 6th century BC and was discovered in the ruins of Babylon in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) in 1879.
WAS MOSES A PLAGIARIST? Was the Law of Moses Copied from the Code of Hammurabi?
David P. Wright argues that the Jewish Covenant Code is “directly, primarily, and throughout” based upon the Laws of Hammurabi. In 2010, a team of archaeologists from Hebrew University discovered a cuneiform tablet dating to the eighteenth or seventeenth century BC at Hazor in Israel containing laws clearly derived from the Code of Hammurabi. Is David P. Wright correct, was Moses a plagiarist? Very detailed answer in this article.