JERUSALEM (Jan. 14) - Israeli geologists say they have
examined a stone tablet detailing repair plans for the Jewish Temple of King
Solomon that, if authenticated, would be a rare piece of physical evidence
confirming biblical narrative.
The sandstone tablet has a 15-line inscription in ancient Hebrew that resembles
descriptions in Kings II, 12:1-6, 11-17, said Israel's Geological Survey, which
examined the artifact. The words refer to King Joash, who ruled the area 2,800
years ago.
In it, the king tells priests to take ``holy money ... to buy quarry stones and
timber and copper and labor to carry out the duty with faith.'' If the work is
completed well, ``the Lord will protect his people with blessing,'' reads the
last sentence of the inscription.
In the outer layer, Ilani and his colleagues found microscopic flecks of gold
that could have been burnt into the stone when a building containing both the
tablet and gold objects was destroyed.
This could mean the tablet was actually part of Solomon's Temple, which was
destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., said Amos Bean, director of the
institute.
``These specks of gold are not natural material, but a sign of human
activity,'' said Bean. ``They could be from gold-plated objects in the home of
a very rich man, or a temple. ... It's hard to believe that anyone would know
how to do these things to make it look real.''
The stone itself was probably from the Dead Sea area and was originally whiter
than its current dark gray, Bean said.
Hershel Shanks, editor of the Washington-based Biblical Archaeology Review,
said the tablet, if authentic, would be ``visual, tactile evidence that reaches
across 2,800 years.''
Barkai said the inscription's resemblance to biblical passages ``has
far-reaching implications of the historical importance of the biblical text.''
c.
900 BCE Location Discovered: Jerusalem Date of Discovery: 2000 Current
Location: Private Collection Language: Hebrew Writing Surface: Limestone Transliteration:
HZYHW M…
HDH WAGhSh AT
…
HKAShR NMLAH
BT LB ASh
BARSh WBMD
BR ShBKL GhRY
YHDH L
TT KSP HQDSh
MLRB
LQNT ABN
MHhTsB WBR
ShM WNHhShT
ADM LGhShT
BMLAKH BAMNH
WAGhSh
AT BDGh HBYT
WHQRT S
BB WAT HYTsGh
WHShBK
M WHLWLM
WHGRGhT WH
DLTT WHYH HYM
HZH
LGhDT KY
TTsLHh HMLAKH
YtsW YHWH AT
GhMW BBRKH
Translation:
Haziyah …
Hadah and
Joash ….
just as ? …
? the heart of
man with delight and in the des-
-ert as in all
the cities of Judah to
give holy
silver from the many
to buy stone
hewn and grain and cy-
-presses and
brass of Edom to make
with work in
faith and Joash
damage of the
Temple and the round seal
and the floor
and the lattic-
-es and the stairs
and the ledges and the
door and this
day will be
for the
assembly because you will succeed in the work
Yahweh will
command his people with a blessing
(Translation
by Jeff A. Benner <jeff_benner.html>
c.
900 BCE
1. KAShR TsWK
. AShY
2. HW . HMLK . LTT . BYD
3. [Z]KRYHW . KSP TR
4. ShSh . LBYT YHWH
5. Sh 3 Translation: 1. like which you commanded ashya-
2. -hu the king to give in hand
3. [z]ekaryahu silver tar-
4. -shish to house of YHWH
5. Sh |||
Just as you commanded, Ashyahu the
king, to give by the hand of Zekaryahu, silver of Tarshish to the house of
Yahweh, 3 Shekels.
(Translation by Jeff A. Benner <jeff_benner.html>)
Comments:
This inscription is a reciept for 3 shekels given to the Temple of YHWH. The
only known inscription identifying the Temple of YHWHc.