In the Footsteps of King David: Revelations from an Ancient Biblical City

Description

King David is a pivotal figure in the Bible, which provides stirring accounts of his deeds, including the slaying of the Philistine giant Goliath and the founding of his capital in Jerusalem. However, no certain archaeological finds from the period of his reign or of the united kingdom he ruled over have been uncovered - until now. In this first-hand and highly readable account, the excavators of Khirbet Qeiyafa in the Valley of Elah, where the Bible says David fought Goliath, reveal how seven years of exhaustive investigation have uncovered a city dating to the time of David - the late 11th and early 10th century bc - surrounded by massive fortifications with impressive gates, a clear urban plan and an abundance of finds that tell us much about the inhabitants, including a pottery sherd with the earliest known Hebrew inscription. The authors clearly describe the methods of the excavation and the evidence they discovered, as well as how we interpret it. But more than just a simple excavation report, this book also explains the significance of these discoveries and how they shed new light on David's kingdom, as well as discussing the link between the Bible, archaeology and history. This topic is at the centre of a decades-long controversy, with some scholars disputing that the Bible contains a record of historical events and people, an approach that is convincingly challenged here.

Yosef Garfinkel is Yigael Yadin Professor for the Archaeology of the Land of Israel, Biblical Archaeology Department of the Institute of Archaeology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Head of the Berman Center for Biblical Archaeology. Saar Ganor was co-director of the excavations at Khirbel Qeiyafa. Michael G. Hasel is Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, USA.

An armchair archaeologist's delight.-- "Booklist" An engaging glimpse into the ancient past a worthwhile work on a number of counts. Though sometimes a bit technical, the book is a fascinating glimpse into the methods, rigors, and rewards of archaeology. On another level, the authors add to a larger conversation about the historicity of the Bible while describing a find of true significance.-- "Kirkus Reviews" The parts of the book that are not detailing the archaeological findings summarize the sometimes-conflicting biblical tradition regarding David's life and past archaeological study of the region.-- "Publishers Weekly"