Is This The Palace of King David ? Archeologists Debate New Discovery

Haaretz.com ^ | 9/8/2005 | Ran Shapira

[SirLinksalot]

A debate of biblical proportions

By Ran Shapira

The recently ended season of excavations at the top of the City of David slope was accompanied by much excitement. With every passing day, more and more parts of an enormous building were unearthed. Dr. Eilat Mazar, the archaeologist in charge of the site, believes this could be the palace King David built after conquering Jerusalem from the Jebusites. The discovery has stirred up the old argument among archaeologists as to whether the events described in the Bible in fact occurred, and in this context, the importance and greatness of David himself.

In this case, the disagreement is more than an academic question: It touches on the roots of the connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel, and particularly Jerusalem, and could serve as ammunition in any argument over the future of the city. What's more, the excavation was conducted by the Shalem Center, with the academic auspices of Hebrew University, and in collaboration with Elad, the non-profit association that owns the land on which the City of David visitors' center is built.

The large structure might be a palace, temple or fortress, says Mazar. Analysis of the finds in her possession has led her to conclude that it is a palace. "For years, there have been those who contended there was no evidence of public construction in 10th century BCE Jerusalem," says Mazar. "Based on this, they claim that David and Solomon were not important rulers, as described in the Bible. Now there is evidence of such construction, and those who minimize the importance of David and Solomon have to deal with the facts.

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[SirLinksalot]

There are skeptics of course, Professor Hani Nur el-Din, a Palestinian archaeologist at Al-Quds University, recently told the New York Times that he and his colleagues considered biblical archaeology to be an effort by Israelis "to fit historical evidence into a biblical context." "The link between the historical evidence and the biblical narration, written much later, is largely missing. There's a kind of fiction about the 10th century. They try to link whatever they find to the biblical narration. They have a button, and they want to make a suit out of it," he says.

The Debate Goes on. But the evidence FOR it being David's Palace from his Jebusite conquest looks quite good.

Also, here is another point of interest in the article...

Dr. Eilat Mazar's children made their own supper that evening. It was about two weeks before the end of the excavation season, and Mazar was heading home with a rare find that had been unearthed that day in one of the structure's rooms: a bulla, a round clay seal about one centimeter in diameter in which its owner's name was inscribed. "The light bulb next to my desk was not working, and I took a flashlight and began to work," she recalls. With the help of a needle and a magnifying glass, she cleaned the grains of dust from the bulla and gradually its inscription was revealed. Late that night she realized that the inscription - three lines in a Hebrew script characteristic of the late First Temple period - contained the name of Yehokal ben Shlamyahu ben Shavi, who is mentioned twice in the Book of Jeremiah.

When Mazar investigated further to see who the owner of the seal was, she let out a cry of surprise: Yehokal ben Shlamyahu was a senior minister in the government of Zedekiah. He is mentioned in Jeremiah 37:3 as one of two emissaries dispatched by King Zedekiah to Jeremiah, asking him to pray for the people during the siege of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Chapter 38 tells that Yehokal was one of four ministers who asked the king to kill Jeremiah, alleging that the prophet was sowing demoralization among the besieged people.

[Constitution Day]

FYI

[AliVeritas]

Excellent post.

[Red Badger]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1457733/posts

[Red Badger]

Yehokal ben Shlamyahu ben Shavi

But how does she know it was THAT Yehokal ben Shlamyahu ben Shavi?............

[SirLinksalot]

<<<<
Yehokal ben Shlamyahu ben Shavi
>>>>

How many famous Yehokals are there who is the child of Shlamayu and Shavi during that time ?

[Red Badger]

I give up! I don't know. How many?...........

[dinasour]

He could have been a local Yehokal.

[Alright_on_the_LeftCoast]

There are skeptics of course, Professor Hani Nur el-Din, a Palestinian archaeologist at Al-Quds University

Well there is a non-biased archaeologist to quote - is a Palestinian all they could find? This find, if true, is HUGE!!!

[hershey]

Amazing -- what a discovery! Really interesting read. Thanks.

[brewer1516]

Everybody knows that Yehokal ben Shlamyahu ben Shavi is the ancient equivalent of John Smith.

[SirLinksalot]

<<< He could have been a local Yehokal.>>>

This I admit is possible. But then again, we can determine this by studying the demography and culture of that time.

1) How prevalent is the name Yehokal ?

2) How probable is it that a Yehokal would be the son of people with these names ?

Lets say we have a famous person named George Walker

It would then be like asking how many people who live in a community the size of Crawford have a name of George Walker ( for example ) and father named George Herbert , abd a mother named Barbara.

[dinasour]

That was supposed to be a very bad pun

[BlessedByLiberty]

It was!

..and it was great! :)

[dinasour]

..and it was great! :)

Thanks. It's a very sad thing when your puns are so bad that nobody gets it.

[kinsman redeemer]

Taken from the "Mighty Men" chapter (I Chron 12)

18. Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band...

32. And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. This passage reflects a choice. Do we follow the prince’s self-claim to the throne, or do we follow God’s chosen king...

37. And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.

Where are these mighty men today? Who are those who are loyal to the King? Who are those who understand the times and are prepared for battle?

[SirLinksalot]

<<<
Thanks. It's a very sad thing when your puns are so bad that nobody gets it.
>>>>

Yikes, I re-read your post and just got it ! I am a little slow and take life too seriously :-)

[Thinkin' Gal]

[Jet Jaguar]

I got it. LOL

[SunkenCiv]

"Hani Nur el-Din, a Palestinian archaeologist at Al-Quds University"

Hmm. Palestinian -- something that has no historical basis; Al-Quds -- the post-conquest name for a city not founded by "Palestinians".