Posted on 07/10/2019 9:29:40 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
(JNS) The Israeli Antiquities Authority, Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Macquarie University of Sydney, Australia, have announced the discovery of what they believe is the biblical city of Ziklag, the Philistine city in which according to the Bible the young David took refuge from King Saul.
Ziklag is mentioned in the Bible multiple times in relationship to David, who the Bible states received sanctuary in the city along with his army, with the permission of Achish, King of Gat. The site is also believed to be the place from which David left to journey to Hebron, where he was anointed King of Israel and ruled for seven years before ascending to Jerusalem.
Later on, Ziklag is mentioned in the Book of Nehemiah as a center for Jews returning from the Babylonian exile.
Over the years of archaeological searches for the city, numerous alternative locations were proposed but none met all the required criteria. The excavations at the current site, called Khirbet a-Ra’i, began in 2015 and uncovered some 10,700 square feet in the Judean foothills between Kiryat Gat and Lachish, according to the press release put out by the IAA and the Hebrew University.
Researchers say the location is unique because it contains evidence of continuous settlement, including signs of a Philistine community and King David-era Jewish settlement, in keeping with the required criteria for Ziklag. Moreover, the site shows evidence of having been destroyed by a massive fire, which is how Jewish Ziklag was brought down at the hands of the Amalekites.
Findings at the site include massive stone structures with bowl- and oil-lamp offerings beneath the floors, consistent with Philistine civilization.
Nearly 100 pottery vessels for storing oil and wine, identical to those found in the fortified Judean city of Khirbet Qeiyafa, which has been identified as the biblical city of Sha’arayim, were also located amid evidence of the ancient fire at the site and carbon-dated to the time of King David.
The findings were made possible through the funding of Joey Silver of Jerusalem, Aron Levy of New Jersey and the Roth Family and Isaac Wakil, both of Sydney.
Clove smokes were interesting, but harsh on the throat without a good filter. Plus, the smell was overwhelming. It took about two machine washes to remove the aroma out of my Levis and denim jacket of that time. That’s also why I don’t allow incense in my apartment.
Some herbs have a nice fragrance, but are loaded with natural resins, and if highly concentrated, will become absorbed in soft materials. Rugs, drapes and upholstered furniture. Rosemary, lavender and spearmint are the same way.
A little goes a long way.
I do too an agree. If anything it is a decent account of real places and locations in history. These locations were still known about when it was written. But does that prove the existence in the whole?
Probe the existence of what specifically?
After more than one heart?
I’ve often wondered what is the oldest still existing city from the Bible. The only one I can find is Ninevah.
Just a thought experiment.
Usually said Damascus is oldest continuously inhabited city, c.9000 BC, or maybe older.
Taking the whole as gospel because it was indeed accurate about historical locations. Any real historian knows much of it was plagiarized. And those locations were mentioned many times prior in previous writings like Sumerian. So while it may be accurate with locations, it does not make the whole of the book fact and prove existence.
I don’t smoke but I do appreciate your taking the time to explain a bit about the clove tobacco as compared to regular tobacco. Neat facts.
Super cool!
When people say that, they mean that not all events cited in the Bible are supported by evidence currently discovered by archaeologists.
“Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence,” archaeologists say. Even allowing that much evidence may have vanished beyond recovery, there’s still lots of excavation to be done. In a way, it’s good that so many sites are still unexplored, because archaeological technology and technique has improved enormously in the last century. If people had been digging in the 1920’s, they might have missed important information.
Aleppo, Beirut, Jericho ... says Google. However, that is “continuously occupied.” There might be older city locations that were abandoned and lost.
David did in fact shed innocent blood. He had Uriah killed so he could cover the fact that he made Uriah’s wife pregnant. And God punished David by cursing him with having to fight his enemies in his own house for the rest of his life. David had to constantly fight to hold on to his throne. God also struck down the child that was produced.
Outside of that crime David was dedicated to fellowship with God and was otherwise restored spiritually.
Uriah doesn’t get a vote.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.