Todd Bolen, Author at BiblePlaces.com

Conference: New Light on the Period of King David

In the Fields of Archaeology, Ancient History, and Epigraphy

INVITATION

Ben-Gurion University

‘David’s Victory’ Foundation

ACADEMIC CONFERENCE:

NEW LIGHT ON THE PERIOD OF KING DAVID

In the Fields of Archaeology, Ancient History, and Epigraphy

The conference will take place in the auditorium of the central building in the Industrial Park of Omer (near Beer-Sheva) on Thursday, February 12, 2009.

Program of the Conference:

16:00 – 16:30 Gathering and Light Refreshments

16:30 – 16:40 Greetings and Introductory Remarks:

Mr. Aharon Yadlin, Assistant Chairman of the Executive Board of Ben-Gurion University and
Former Minister of Education and Culture of the State of Israel
Prof. Vladimir Berginer, President of the ‘David’s Victory’ Foundation
Chairman of the Session: Prof. Chaim Cohen, Academic Advisor of the ‘David’s Victory’
Foundation

16:40
– 17:30 Prof. Yosef Garfinkel and Mr. Sa`ar Ganor, The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew
University: “Sha`arayim – A Judaean City from the Time of King David in the Elah Valley”

17:30 – 18:05 Dr. Eilat Mazar, The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University: “The Palace
of David in the City of David”

18:05 – 18:40 Dr. Haggai Misgav, The Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University: “The
Ostracon (the New Inscription) from Khirbet Qeiyafa”

18:40 – 19:00 Prof. Vladimir Berginer, President of the ‘David’s Victory’ Foundation: “The ‘David’s
Victory’ Foundation and the Memorial Site Commemorating David’s Victory over Goliath in
the Elah Valley” [including the screening of a new six-minute film]

FREE ADMISSION

Free parking is available alongside the entrance gate to the Industrial Park of Omer, opposite the
Luzzato Building.

The Academic Conferences Organized by the ‘David’s Victory’ Foundation:

2003 – First Academic Conference

2006 – Second Academic Conference

2009 – Third Academic Conference

HT: Agade (via Joe Lauer).

Tagged Jerusalem, Shephelah

Then and Now: Western Wall Plaza

After the Israelis captured the Old City in June 1967, significant attention was given to the development of the Western Wall area. During creation of the large prayer plaza that exists today, the ground level was lowered by about six feet (2 m). Recently when working with the photographs of David Bivin, I came across this photo.

Western Wall, January 1964

With the distinctive crack in the rock visible behind the young man’s legs, I set about finding a recent photo of the same rock. The photo below shows the crack behind the man’s right hand. In 1964, ground level was located at the position of his left hand.

Western Wall, September 2003

Note that he is standing on a chair. This is the best illustration I know of that shows the change in plaza level after 1967.

You can see a photo taken by Amihai Mazar that shows a bulldozer clearing the area in the excellent book by Leen Ritmeyer, The Quest: Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, page 22.

Some other “Then and Now” photos from the Views That Have Vanished collection are posted here.

Tagged Jerusalem, Temple Mount, Then and Now

That Rope around the High Priest’s Ankle

It’s a myth. Sorry to ruin such a good story for you.

The notion that the high priest would tie a rope around his ankle before entering the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) so that his body could be pulled out should he be struck down is not found in any ancient source, including the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, the Apocrypha, the Mishnah, the Babylonian Talmud, or the Jerusalem Talmud.

The earliest reference that I know of is in a 13th century A.D. Jewish work, the Zohar:

A knot of rope of gold hangs from his leg, from fear perhaps he would die in the holy of holies, and they would need to pull him out with this rope.

The Zohar says a lot of other things that are not trustworthy. In fact, wearing such a rope would probably be a violation of Leviticus 16:3-4, which gives clear directions on what the high priest is to wear on Yom Kippur:

But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. (ESV)

John Gill cites this story in his Exposition of New Testament, published in 1746-48. Concerning Hebrews 9:7, he cites “Zohar in Lev. fol. 43. 3. & Imre Binah in ib”:

The Jews say, that a cord or thong was bound to the feet of the high-priest when he went into the holy of holies, that if he died there, the rest might be able to draw him out; for it was not lawful for another priest to go in, no, not an high-priest, none besides him on the day of atonement.

There are many websites and other sources that perpetuate this legend (including the NIV Study Bible on Exodus 28:35).

Another webpage that discusses this myth is located at ChristianAnswers.net.

UPDATE (8/27/09): Rabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky has written a lengthy article refuting the claim in the Zohar.

Tagged Analysis

Hurva Synagogue Reconstruction

Until 1948, one of the largest and most important Ashkenazi synagogues in the Old City of Jerusalem was the Hurva Synagogue. Fighting in May 1948 left the building in ruins, but following the city’s capture by Israel in 1967, plans were discussed to reconstruct the synagogue. The interested parties could not agree on a solution, and so in 1977 a memorial arch was erected. In 2000, plans were approved to rebuild the synagogue following its original design, and in 2005, work commenced.

Memorial Arch, January 2000

Arch removed, May 2006

Reconstruction underway, May 2008

November 2008 (Photo courtesy of Alexander Schick)

For more about the Hurva Synagogue, see the Wikipedia article or these Google links.

Tagged Jerusalem

Hezekiah’s Tunnel Q&A

The Sept/Oct 2008 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review carried an intriguing article that suggested that workers used sound signals from above in determining direction while carving Hezekiah’s Tunnel. The apparent “consensus” theory that they followed a natural crack always seemed implausible to me, and thus I am interested in learning of other possibilities.

A number of readers sent questions about the article and one of the scientists of the study responds in an online-only article. Questions that he answers include:

How does Hezekiah’s Tunnel compare with the water tunnels of Megiddo and Hazor?
How could sound signals pinpoint direction through more than 100 feet of bedrock?
Did water flow uphill from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam?
How were the workers supplied with oxygen?
Isn’t there really a natural crack that the workers followed?

Ayreh Shimron has some good insights into these and other matters.

Hezekiah’s Tunnel

Tagged Jerusalem

Best Blog Posts of 2008

While reviewing the BiblePlaces Blog for posts of the best discoveries, I made a few notes about what I consider to be the best analysis pieces of the year.

Nebi Samwil is not Mizpah – the archaeologist of Nebi Samwil wants a biblical name for his site, but he has to inflate his own (archaeological) evidence and ignore other (biblical) evidence to make the identification.

60 Minutes on the James Ossuary – unfortunately people on scholarly lists are still citing this CBS report as if it were in any way credible.

The Qeiyafa ostracon – an explanation of the inscription’s potential significance, before much had been revealed by the archaeologists.

Qeiyafa – I wrote many posts on this site, including why it may be Ephes-dammim, but surely is not Shaaraim or Gob. I’m preparing an article for publication which has some intriguing new ideas.

Views That Have Vanished – not an analysis piece, but a helpful contribution to those who study and teach about the biblical lands. These 700 photos taken by David Bivin while he lived in Jerusalem in the 1960s contain some real gems. I finished four years of work in preparing the CD collection for its October release.

Tagged Analysis