Posted on 08/05/2005 11:51:57 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
An Israeli archaeologist says she has uncovered in East Jerusalem what may be the fabled palace of the biblical King David. Her work has been sponsored by a conservative Israeli research institute and financed by an American Jewish investment banker who would like to prove that Jerusalem was indeed the capital of the Jewish kingdom described in the Bible.
Other scholars are skeptical that the foundation walls discovered by the archaeologist, Eilat Mazar, are David's palace. But they acknowledge that what she has uncovered is rare and important: a major public building from around the 10th century B.C., with pottery shards that date to the time of David and Solomon and a government seal of an official mentioned in the book of Jeremiah.
The discovery is likely to be a new salvo in a major dispute in biblical archaeology: whether the kingdom of David was of some historical magnitude, or whether the kings were more like small tribal chieftains, reigning over another dusty hilltop.
The find will also be used in the broad political battle over Jerusalem - whether the Jews have their origins here and thus have some special hold on the place, or whether, as many Palestinians have said, including the late Yasir Arafat, the idea of a Jewish origin in Jerusalem is a myth used to justify conquest and occupation.
Hani Nur el-Din, a Palestinian professor of archaeology at Al Quds University, said he and his colleagues considered biblical archaeology an effort by Israelis "to fit historical evidence into a biblical context." He added: "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. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Archeologists, after years of excavations in Israel, claim they have never found a single shard of physical evidence that Abraham, Moses, Saul, David or Solomon once existed. However, the Old Testament is an ancient archeological record with huge credibility, and I do believe the record. There have been asserted fraudulent claims about some recent finds (the ossuary of James, for example), but the record stands. I read Biblical Archeology as a way to keep up with progress in the effort to find more ancient evidences.
does this mean that the Jewish people in Iseral can kick the Palentians back to the lower part of Egypt where they should be???
I say leave Iseral ALONE!!!
Of course, the only thing the NYT can think to do with this story is to get quotes from a bunch of Palestinians who have a strong vested interest in debunking the Bible. I'm surprised they didn't get quotes from Richard Dawkins and George Galloway, too. Just as a reminder, the Bible never says David built Jerusalem. He conquered the city when it was the capital of the Jebusites.
"Palestine" is a myth..
actually, as you probably know, the city of David is in "arab east jerusalem" another MSM accepted without question "fact" which you are supposed to believe has been that way forever. therefore, if it is arab east jerusalem, the Jews have no right to dig. this is total bravo sierra as is the quartering of Jerusalem, all of which is Jewish forever.
By the Chief Rabbinate of Israel
Our Father who art in heaven, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless thou the State of Israel which marks the dawn of our deliverance. Shield it beneath the wings of thy love; spread over it thy canopy of peace; send thy light and thy truth to its leaders, officers and counselors, and direct them with thy good counsel.
O G-d, strengthen the defenders of our Holy Land; grant them salvation and crown them with victory. Establish peace in the land, and everlasting joy for its inhabitants.
Remember our brethren, the whole house of Israel, in all the lands of their dispersion. Speedily let them walk upright to Zion thy city, to Jerusalem thy dwelling-place, as it is written in the Torah of thy servant Moses: “Even if you are dispersed in the uttermost parts of the world, from there the L-rd your G-d will gather and fetch you. The L-rd your G-d will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it."
Unite our heart to love and revere thy name, and to observe all the precepts of thy Torah. Shine forth in thy glorious majesty over all the inhabitants of thy world. Let everything that breathes proclaim: “The L-rd G-d of Israel is King; his majesty rules over all.” Amen.
http://www.torahvoice.org/prayers.htm
Pray, every day.
bump for later
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"Her work has been sponsored by a conservative Israeli research institute and financed by an American Jewish investment banker who would like to prove that Jerusalem was indeed the capital of the Jewish kingdom described in the Bible. "
Conservative? Ahh, it must be Bush's fault.
I wonder if this is the Bill Kristol of FOX.
AMEN! to that!!
Lovely.
"The link between the historical evidence and the biblical narration, written much later, is largely missing."
I think there is abour a 500 year difference between the time Muhammad lived and the first known copy of the Koran.
Perhaps a little double standard here???
Ping!
BS. The Jews planted these artifacts to steal Palestinian land.
you mean to say the ancient ones sound like Ben Cartwright...
She found something important, whatever it is. 10th century B.C.!
Ouch, that’s gonna hurt!
you might like to see this website:
http://english.thekotel.org/
"The discovery is likely to be a new salvo in a major dispute in biblical archaeology: whether the kingdom of David was of some historical magnitude, or whether the kings were more like small tribal chieftains, reigning over another dusty hilltop."
Way too many historical records say they were tribal kingdoms no larger than a small American village. Some as small in size as no more than a couple hundred people.
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