Earlier this year, archaeological researchers discovered the remains of a biblical city that is believed to be described in 2 Kings. According to Israeli scholars, their research, which utilized a technology that measures magnetic fields in burnt bricks, affirms the biblical account of the conquest of Gath by King Hazael of Aram in the Old Testament.
Scientists from Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan and Ariel University in Samaria worked in a concerted effort to make the monumental discovery that seemingly validates Scripture. The researchers claim they found evidence of 2 Kings 12:17, which reads, “At that time Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it.”
As answers in Genesis wrote, “This short summary of what must have been a fearsome battle against the stronghold of Gath introduces the threat King Hazael posed to Jerusalem, a threat that King Jehoash of Judah avoided by paying Hazael with “sacred gifts. But, yes, even this minor, one sentence mention of a battle is true historical narrative—it really happened—and it appears it has been confirmed by archaeology!”
Prof. Aren Maeir from the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University said, “Our findings are very important for deciphering the intensity of the fire and scope of destruction at Gath, the largest and most powerful city in the Land of Israel at the time, as well as understanding the building methods prevailing in that era. It’s important to review conclusions from previous studies, and sometimes even refute former interpretations, even if they came from your own school.”
Prof. Ben-Yosef added, “Beyond their historical and archaeological significance, ancient building methods also had substantial ecological implications. The brick firing technology requires vast quantities of combustive materials, and in ancient times this might have led to vast deforestation and even loss of tree species in the area. For example, certain species of trees and shrubs exploited by the ancient copper industry in the Timna Valley have not recovered to this day and the industry itself ultimately collapsed once it had used up its natural fuels. Our findings indicate that the brick firing technology was probably not practiced in the Land of Israel in the times of the Kings of Judah and Israel.”
The Christian Tribune reported on other major archaeological discoveries related to the Bible, where archaeologists from Innsbruck University in southern Austria were conducting the dig underneath an altar inside a chapel located at the summit of a small hill known as Burgbichl in the municipality of Irschen. There they discovered an ivory box estimated to be 1500 years old and related to Moses and the Ten Commandments.
“We know of around 40 ivory boxes of this kind worldwide and, as far as I know, the last time one of these was found during excavations was around 100 years ago – the few pyxes that exist are either preserved in cathedral treasures or exhibited in museums,” according to Gerald Grabherr, the lead archaeologist in the excavation which unearthed the artifact.
Featured image credit: Joshua Keller, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gutenberg_Bible,_New_York_Public_Library,_USA._Pic_01.jpg