Is the Old Testament Real History? Evidence From Science, Archaeology, History & Geography

Old Testament Geography, History, and Documents

The Old Testament was Written at the Crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa Between 2000 & 430 BCE

Mesopotamia Egypt Levant (Canaan, Israel) Anatolia The Bible Story is Set in the Fertile Crescent

Mt. Hermon Jordan River Headwaters Sea of Galilee Jordan River And Rift Valley Dead sea Judean Hills Negev Upper Galilee Lower Galilee Samaria Philistia Geography of Canaan Via Maris Jerusalem

3000 BCE Mesopotamia The Bible Story Meshes with Real History 2600 Egyptian Pyramids ~1850 Abraham (from Ur) Entered Canaan ~1600 Hebrews Entered Egypt (Jacob-Joseph) ~1400 Hebrews Exodus Egypt (Moses) ~1360 Hebrews Entered Canaan (Joshua) Period of the Judges (Deborah, Samson) 1010 David became king 959 Solomon built Temple 930 Kingdom divided 722 Israel fell to Assyria 586 Jerusalem & temple destroyed by Babylonians Babylonian captivity of Judah 538 Persians allow first exiles to return 516 Temple rebuilt Sumerian Assyrian 333 Greek Egypt Ur First written language Sargon Akkadian Various Old Babylonian Kassite 612 Babylonian 539 Persian Levant Canaanite Monarchy Judah Israel Hyksos Judges Patriarchs Roman

Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls Found in 1947, copies 1000 years older than previously (352 BC-136 AD). Parts of all OT books except Esther, but Esther referred to. Two complete Isaiah scrolls virtually identical to modern copies. Masoretic text & Septuagint transmission is remarkably accurate. Qumran Isaiah Scroll

Creation

Genesis 1:1 In the Beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth. Origin of the Universe: Three Possibilities 1. It always existed. (thermodynamic problems) 2. It came into existence by itself. (Violates principles of science) 3. It was created by an agent external to it.

Gen 1:24 And God said: Let the land produce living creatures… “The laws of science, as we know them at present, contain many fundamental numbers…. The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life.” (Hawking, A Brief History of Time, Ch. 8, 1998) “Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose.” (Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker)

Mesopotamia Egypt Levant (Canaan, Israel) Anatolia God Put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden Gen 2:10-15 The Garden of Eden

Mesopotamia Egypt Levant (Canaan, Israel) Anatolia Noah Was Saved From the Flood Gen 8:4 Noah’s ark landed on the mountains of Ararat

The Flood Was a Real Event in History More than 200 people groups around the world have a flood story: There was a universal destruction of humans and animals, An ark was used to escape, and There were a few people who survived. Kings before and after the flood are named in the Sumerian King List. The Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh tells the story of Utnapishtim who survived the flood by building a great boat. Archaeology and C-14 date the Sumerian Flood at 2900±100 BCE.* Many modern people groups can be traced to Noah’s descendents. *Carol A. Hill; A Time and a Place for Noah in Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith 53, no. 1 March 2001

The Patriarchs

Mesopotamia Egypt Levant (Canaan, Israel) Anatolia Abraham Moved from Ur to Haran to Canaan Ur Ziggurat Excavated Gen 11:31; Neh 9:7 Bible and Spade; Summer 2004

Mesopotamia Egypt Levant (Canaan, Israel) Anatolia Abraham Witnessed the Destruction of Sodom (Gen 18-19; In Modern Jordan) Sodom is currently being excavated by Steve Collins of TSU in Albuquerque

Akkad Ur III Babylon Nuzi Ugarit Menahem II Ki 15:20 Assyria Persia Sinai Ex 21:32 Joseph Gen 37:28 The Bible’s Historical Details are Accurate

The Exodus and Conquest

Mesopotamia Egypt Levant (Canaan, Israel) Anatolia The Hebrews Moved to Egypt and Returned Gen Jacob moved his family from Canaan to Egypt Deut & Josh The Jews returned to and settled Canaan in what is called the Exodus

There was a large Semitic population in Egypt Beni Hasan Tomb painting shows Semitics entering Egypt Hebrews Moved to Egypt During a Famine ~1600 BCE (Gen 39-47) A 15th century BC Tomb painting shows Semitic slaves making mud bricks 2 (Ex 5:7-9) Tel Adaba (Ramses), tomb of Canaanite high official found in palace compound 3 (Gen 41:43) 1. Hoffmeier; Symposium on Archaeology and the Bible; Albuquerque, Jan 21-25, Aling; Joseph in Egypt, Part 4; Bible and Spade; V16#1, Aling; Symposium on Archaeology and the Bible; Albuquerque, Jan 21-25, 2003.

Strong Evidence for the Conquest of Caanan There is a strong Jewish tradition and Biblical account for the Passover starting in Egypt. Jericho (Josh 6) 1, Ai (Josh 8) 2, and Hazor (Josh 11) 3 were destroyed by burning ~1400. Canaanite cities in the hill country declined in the 14 th century BC & number of small settlements grew rapidly 4 Amarna letters from Canaanite cities to Egyptian Pharaoh complain about Apiru invading hill country ~ 1350 BC. 5 (Now in the Egyptian Museum) Merneptah Stele (1230 BC), first mention of Israel, an enemy of Egypt, 5 Found in Thebes in Wood; Did the Israelites Conquer Jericho?; Biblical Archaeology Review; 16.2, Wood, and Briggs; Symposium on archaeology and the Bible; Albuquerque, Jan 21-25, Janeway; Hazor 2002; Bible and Spade; V16#3, Mazar; Symposium on Archaeology and the Bible; Albuquerque, Jan 20-24, Price; The Stones Cry Out; Harvest House, Steven Collins; Let My People Go; Trinity Southwest, Bible and Spade Summer 2004

The Monarchy Period

The Monarchy Period (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles) Egypt and Mesopotamia were in decline and there was a power vacuum in the Levant. Egypt Hittites Assyrians Israel 1000 BC

External References to Kings of Israel and Judah KingDateSourceContext David~1000Tel Dan InscriptionTel Dan, 1993, Ben Hadad of Damascus, battle with Israel Ahab853Kurkh SteleShalmaneser III, Battle of Qaraqar Jehu841Black ObeliskShalmaneser III, collected tribute Joash796Tell al-Rimah SteleAdad-nirari III, collected tribute Menahem738AnnalsTiglath-pileser III, collected tribute Pekah Hoshea 732Nimrud TabletTiglath-pileser III, conquered Israel, put Hoshea on the throne Ahaz732Nimrud SlabTiglath-pileser III, collected tribute Hezekiah701AnnalsSenacherib, collected tribute Manasseh674PrismEsarhaddon, collected tribute Manasseh697-42Prism CAshurbanipal, collected tribute Walton; Charts of the Old Testament; Zondervan, 1994

Before the Tel Dan Stele was found, Bible critics believed David was a legend 2. Found in 1993 at Tel Dan, it is now in the Skirball Museum in Jerusalem. Probably inscribed by Hazael king of Aram around 850 BC (see 2 Kings 8). He brags about defeating Joram, king of Israel and Ahaziah of the House of David. 1. Bible and spade; summer 2004 Biblical Kings of Israel, Judah, Babylon, Assyria, Syria, Persia, Egypt are Historical The Tel Dan Stele--House of David Inscription, found in 1993, Now in the Skirball Museum in Jerusalem

Black Obelisk, Found in Nineveh, Showing Jehu Paying Tribute to Shalmaneser III in 840 BC (Now in the British Museum)

Mesopotamia Egypt Levant (Canaan, Israel) Anatolia Israel was Conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC Nineveh Excavated since 1840s Gen 10:11 Jonah, Ki & Chron

Sennacherib’s Siege of Lachish and Jerusalem 701 BC 2 Kings 18 & 19, 2 Chron 32, and Isaiah 36 & 37 Hezekiah paid tribute to Sennacherib Sennacherib laid siege to Lachish after destroying other cities He sent an army to convince Jerusalem to surrender Jerusalem refused and Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed to God God sent an angel who destroyed Sennacherib’s army Sennacherab returned to Nineveh in disgrace Sennacherab was killed by his sons in Nineveh Sennacherib’s account on the Taylor Prism: Hezekiah did not submit Sennacherib destroyed 46 walled cities He shut up Hezekiah, like a bird in a cage Hezekiah, overwhelmed by his splendor, paid tribute The Babylonian Chronicle Records the murder of Sennacherib by his sons Price; The Stones Cry Out; Harvest House, 1977 Taylor Prism found in Nineveh in 1830 British Museum

Mural of Sennacherib’s Siege on Lachish (Found in Nineveh, now at the British Museum)

Isaiah Was a Prophet in Judah ~700 BCE In Isaiah 53, He Wrote: To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Men hated him and rejected him. He was pierced and killed for our sins. By his punishment and by his wounds, we are healed. He gave his life as a sacrifice and took the sins of many people on himself. The most reasonable explanation is that this is a prophecy about Christ. Isaiah Scroll in Jerusalem

Mesopotamia Egypt Levant (Canaan, Israel) Anatolia Jerusalem was Destroyed by Babylon in 586 BC Babylon Excavated Gen 10:8-10; Dan 1

The Babylonian Chronicle Confirms Biblical Account for Battle of Carchemish 605 & Fall of Jerusalem Ki 23, 2 Chr 35, & Jer 46 Pharoah Neco went up to Carchemish to help the Assyrian king. Neco and the Assyrians were defeated by Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Ki 24, 2 Chron 36, Jer 24 Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar. King Jehoiachin and Jews exiled to Babylon. Zedekiah appointed king. Confirms Egypt and Assyria were allies, contrary to prior belief. Babylonian Chronicle translated in 1956 (Now in the British Museum)

Daniel Was a Jewish Prophet Taken to Babylon ~ 600 BCE Persia & Media will arise to conquer Babylon (Dan 2, 5, 7 & 8) Fulfilled by Cyrus in 539 BC Greece will arise to conquer Persia (Dan 2, 7 & 8) Fulfilled by Alexander in 333 BC Rome (implied) will arise and conquer (Dan 2, 7 & 9) Fulfilled in 63 BC The Messiah will enter Jerusalem and be killed (Dan 9) Fulfilled in 33 AD Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed (Dan 9) Fulfilled by the Romans in 70 AD God’s eternal kingdom will be established (Dan 2 & 7) Fulfillment was initiated in 33 AD

The Cyrus Cylinder Confirms Cyrus’ Policy of Restoring Exiles to Homelands 2 Chron 36 and Ezra 1 Cyrus (Persia) returned the Jews to Judah to rebuild their temple. (This was also prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah.) Cyrus CDylinder, Discovered at Babylon in 1880s

Scribes’ Names Recorded in Bullae A scribe would typically seal scrolls with clay seals leaving an inscription of his name. Many of these were burned when the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, firing the clay and leaving a permanent record. Gemaryahu son of Shaphan 1 Scribe of Jehoiakim Jer 36:10- 12, BC Baruch son of Neriah 1 Scribe of Jeremiah Jer 32, 36, 43, BC Yehucal son of Shelemiah 2 Messenger of Zedekiah Jer 37: BC 1. Price; The Stones Cry Out; Harvest House, Eliat Mazar; Jewish Culture; 10/14/05

Conclusions

Both the Hebrew and Greek texts have been accurately transmitted with minor differences. (Confirmed by Dead Sea Scrolls) History and geography in the OT fits into world history and geography. Places, names, slave prices, contract formats during the patriarchal period are in close agreement with archaeology. Strong archaeological evidence for Semitic people in Egypt and the conquest of Canaan support the OT exodus and conquest accounts. Evidence for the monarchy period is extensive and solid. Fulfilled prophecy is strong evidence for the OT account of God interacting with the Hebrews. Old Testament Historicity Conclusions

Strong Evidence Supports the Old Testament’s Historicity

Original Hebrew Writings ~2000 to 430 BC Job (century 20-19)Proverbs, Song, Eccl (10) Pentateuch (15)Obadiah, Joel (9) Joshua (14)Jonah, Amos, Micah, Hosea (8) Ruth (14-11?)Isaiah, Nahum, Zephaniah (7) Judges (12-11)Jeremiah, Lament, Habak (7-6) Samuel (10-8?)Kings, Ezek, Daniel, Hagg, Zech (6) Psalms (14-6)Esther, Ezra, Neh, Chron, Malachi (5) Jerome-Latin Vulgate Rejects Apocrypha 420 AD Roman Church adopts Vulgate + Apocrypha Council of Trent 1546 Early Church uses Septuagint + Apocrypha AD Protestants accept Masoretic Text, reject Apocrypha ~1517 AD Eastern Church adopts Septuagint & part of Apocrypha Synod of Jerusalem 1672 AD Masoretic (preserved) Standardization ~150 BC-100 AD Council of Jamnia 90 AD Rejected Apocrypha Septuagint BC Greek Writings 250 BC-10 AD Apocrypha (hidden) (Deuterocanonical) Old Testament Document History Greatly Simplified