Greg, Dr. Scott has now claimed that the writing implement that was used to write this script tablet. Can you confirm this and if so doesn't it seem a little too convenient?
@@justinsteward4439 Yes...but at the time I didn't know it was related. It was studied and subsequently attested... I'm not part of the post-dig analysis group... totally different team.
@@jamesparson No, the press conference laid out the full scientific details, including tomography scan in Prague to read the tablet which was folded! The devine name of God is spelled in three-letter form: Yud Heh Vav! Sounds like you have not read the Jerusalem Post's comprehensive report of the press conference. Be careful that you do not falsify the truth God sets out to reveal!
@@jamesparson I have decided nothing! My post was based on the article in Jerusalem Post of April 3, 2020. It's not a chit- chat, but a scientific presentation by Dr. Scott Stripling, director of excavations for Associates of Biblical Research. I suggest you read the article and make your own judgement on his presentation. If you find any errors or misjudgement on his part (and team), I would be happy to read it. By keep saying 'it sounds like' you don't offer any valid critism! Forget the chit-chat here, go to the presentation in Jerusalem Post!
@@Bullcutter check out Dr.David Faik video on this discovery: he is a Christian Egyptologist and has doubts based on past experiences with this Groups presentations.
@@BeachsideHank You are what's negative here. And no, it wasn't easy, but silly, since even searching for a negative, does not always end up in a negative find.
Yes. People don't understand why I don't get terribly excited about miracles or Archeology finds, or someone seeing an angel. My love of God is based on faith. I also had a massive conversion and a lot of blessings, protection and understanding,,,,over time.
So glad you covered this! Looking forward to more information over time and what it does to OT scholarship if this comes out of peer review looking good
When I started to follow Biblical Archeology (Bible Places Blog) on a consistent basis, the greatest epiphany might not have been the actual newest discoveries but rather the realization that many in the secular archaeology community were not just skeptical (as they rightly should have been) but blatantly cynical.
Yes. A friend of mine is an archeologist. She's definitely cynical and an atheist. It's no wonder though, she grew up going to Catholic school. I think I know more atheists that went to catholic school than those who went to public school. Very odd.
That's because they hate "God" with every fiber of their body and blame Him for all the death and evil on Earth and not "fixing it.".....they left out "free choice."
This is excellent material, hope it all pans out. I have no reason to doubt their testimony. Trust but verify. Looking forward to the discovery's veracity
Thank you for this fascinating piece. It will be interesting to await further review of it. We are called by faith, but it is nice when pieces of evidence drop into place.
--from ABR associate R. C. Young: There are two altars at the Mt. Ebal site. The large (7 meter by 9 meter) altar that Zertal called “Joshua’s altar” is built over, and centered on, an earlier circular altar of uncut stones, as if to honor and protect the earlier altar. The earlier altar also has animal bones, ashes, and plaster mixed together. Zertal sent some of the plaster to the University of Haifa, where it has remained in the basement of the university’s museum for about 30 years now. We understand that an altar would have ashes and animal bones, but why plaster? In Deut. 37 and Joshua 8, Moses commanded Joshua to build the altar of uncut field stones and cover them with plaster, on which Joshua was to write the words of the Torah that God had given him. On April 4, Scott Stripling said they will be examining the plaster. If writing is found, it would be the Torah as written less than three months after the death of Moses. Those of us at ABR are unanimous in thinking that this earlier altar is the real Joshua’s altar, and the larger altar was built over it to protect it and to honor it.
Sean, I love your videos, they're very informative. I like to listen on the way to, and from work. The only thing is, your audio is always so low. God bless you for your work, but could you please address this issue? Thanks!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
This is the most SIGNIFICANT find since the DSS (dead sea scrolls). While the DSS are greater in the volume of scrolls and fragments found, it's where this curse tablet was found, it's dating back to the time of Joshua and what is written on it that is far greater in magnitude than the DSS. The skeptics are going to desperately try to discredit it because its legitimacy is a watershed issue; i.e. it establishes an earlier date for the Exodus and the writing of the O.T.
It will still be mythology whatever the dating may be. Yahweh never existed any more than Baal, Asherah, Chemosh, Marduk, Dagon, Moloch or any of the other gods mentioned in the Bible. It's still just Hebrew mythology.
@@hudsonbartley2493 Yep. It's a good one that exposes the GLARING, hypocritical double standard in skeptic-trolls. It's the same principle Jesus used when the Pharisees demanded he tell them by what authority he was doing what he was doing. Jesus turned it right back on them, exposing their own hypocrisy and glaring double standard which completely shut them down.
These curse items were used by the Romans and found in Bath, England. (A later date) but just to show that these curse items were used in the ancient world. Maybe a common thing.
@@thatonechristian2487 h sorry, I totally agree with you. It’s weird that in the ancient world that this was so important, the cursing of others. Its how they dealt with their enemies, to destroy them. How we as Christians are to “love” our enemies. This curse is not a novel thing then, so it is important to date the Hebrews.💛 it is an artifact from its time.
IKR, like the Fraudulent Dead Sea scrolls, this is gonna make More Apostates in the Droves. Brilliant, FREEDOM FROM religion, as Facts are horrendous, Against and Growng🥳. Cuban pyrAmids matter, Mexican and Chinese PyrAmids Matter.
@@j.christie2594 If you're referring to the forgeries at the Museum of the Bible then only the foolish became apostates over that disingenuous half truth. The authentic dead sea scroll fragments are still in Israel.
Don't hold your breath. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news. The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted. There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
This is great, Where can I download the PDFs I'm seeing on this? I and others are working on a book study guide to Genesis and would like to have some research to add.
This was fascinating and encouraging. Thank You. Note : I accidentally hit the Thumbs Down button 😩and then hit the correct one. Those icons are close together and someone with poor vision like me might enter the wrong one. Just wanted you to know
Acts 20:29-30 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Get a copy of Biblical Archaeology Review (usually the January or March issue)... it lists many digs in Israel you can volunteer for ( though you do pay for your way there, room and board etc)
Ever since I found out as a kid in the 90s about Proto-Sinaitic inscriptions in SINAI and Egypt that come from the time of the Israelite Sojourn in Egypt, I've been eager to find the name Jehovah written in that script to further deminstrate that it was Israelites behind these inscriptions, not Canaanites. Thanks to the diligence of Hebrew scholar Michael Shelomo Bar-Ron, those inscriptions Are turning out to especially relate to the Hebrew of the Books of Moses, but they often relate to Exodus events. Events during the Israelites' journey through the desert to Mt Sinai, and this new Defixio discovery relating to where Joshua took the Israelites After their desert journeys. There's a great kind of symmetry or natural flow to it all.
The altar in question is circular, though, which isn't typical of Israelite altars but rather some Canaanite altars. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4QJOSHa) describes Gerizim as the mountain upon which Joshua made the altar.
Nope, sorry. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news. The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted. There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). While our faith as believers lies wholly in the scriptures alone, I'm still grateful for the work of the archeologists. These finds are confirmation to the unbeliever! If we'll continue to DIG deeper into the treasures of God's word and let his light shine, the shovel of the archeologist will continue to reveal that our faith is REAL! Also, did anyone notice that these men could pass for twins?
@heathheglar7898 all of Paul's letters spoke against Torah did not even like or get along with his own people let alone the super apostles as he would put it,So yes he did,You Christians always go to verse try the entire work,Maybe then we wouldn't have to endure your apologetics thx.
The question I have is what kind of tool did they use to write the inscription on a metal tablet and who can see to write that small on a tablet the size of a stamp? I know you can't answer this because you weren't there. But the mind is working here.
Mr. McDowell, hats off to you. I'm crazy about the way you conducted the interview and especially the questions you asked. I would appreciate it if I could add a couple of thoughts to the discussion. Regarding whether or not Mt. Ebal contains a Hebrew sacrificial structure, If I am not mistaken, they found thousands of animal bones at the sight. More importantly, none of them were nonkosher animals. The next thing I would like to add is a little more difficult for me to express correctly. One of the questions you asked was regarding a comment by an Israeli writer that this find further proves that there was a Jewish presence during that period of time. Your concern, if I understood you, was that was politics, not archeology. If you will take a step back I think you will realize that what we are witnessing is blurring the line between archeology and politics. Two sentences from the Torah will make my point. 1 - "Ki yemai hashamyiim ahl haaretz, " This comes from the book of Devariim and it is at the end of Moses' life. He pleads with the Israelites to keep the Laws of the Torah so that they may remain in the land "Ki yemai hashamaiim ahl haaretz" for as long as the heavens are above the earth. That statement of ownership was fixed 4,000 years ago and is in dispute today. So what does that have to do with archeology? Here's where the second statement comes in. ' And I will find you wherever you are under the heavens and bring you back to the land of your forefathers. This promise of Redemption started in the mid 19th century. Events started to be put in place to prepare the land and return the People to their ancestral homes. Events that took a barren land with only thousands of inhabitants to a country today that is a modern miracle with over half the Jewish population living there today. Many things had to be put in place, such as releasing of Jewish populations so they might immigrate. Fall of the Soviet Union as an example that allowed 1 million Jews to immigrate to Israel. The defeat of enemies in wars that upon close examination, they should never have won. I could fill this page with events that had the hand of G-d but may apppear to the skeptics r to be coincidences. One brick in the wall of Redemption, in my mind, is Biblical Archeology. Biblical archeology got its sails in the mid 19th century the same time the Redemption process began. Biblical Archeology will be a tool for the Jewish people in Israel to reconnect to its past. The more "proof" that archeology presents that ties the Jewish People to Yehuda and Shomron, the sooner they will realize that there is no option in turning that land over to people that want to destroy them. The more they will realize that they have a bond with G-d that He has never reneged on. The sooner they will take the gift that G-d promised their Forefathers " Ki yemai hashamayiim ahl haarets.
Here are some concerns from the Egyptologist David Falk: 1. We don’t know what the RTI images look like so we can’t assess the value of the epigraphy. One epigrepher isn’t well known so we don’t have any background information to know if he’s trustworthy. The other, Pieter Gert van der Veen of Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz and Gershon Galil of Haifa University, has an extremely dodgy background who very obviously makes faulty interpretations to try to support the early exodus date. The curse inscription here supports a early date of the exodus so this seems like a fishy coincidence. They also knew that their “finding” would be controversial so any smart person would’ve chose epigrephers that would’ve been unbiased. 2. The source of the press releases is ABR. They are known for fudging the data when publishing. 2. They have reported that they will publish it in peer review but that is odd considering even good archaeology doesn’t always get published. Now, maybe they are just assuming that they know it is good archaeology so they are extremely confident it will be published but it’s also possible that they are so confident it will be published is because they can always publish it in their own biased journal in which they are already in charge of. In that case, it’s not actually peer-review. 4. Everyone knows that if you go to the news first before publishing in peer review, you will be looked down on because that usually means the organization cares more about the publicity rather than truth 5. We have to acknowledge that there’s definitely a bias in Biblical studies against the Bible being trustworthy. It’s getting better but it’s still there. Everyone involved with this archaeological find knows very well how important it is to publish the finding in the correct order because they know it will face insane scrutiny. 6. The reports are speaking in absolute terms when, at best, these are provisional findings. This rarely ever happens unless it’s being reported by someone who wants to overstate their case. This isn’t to say that’s it’s not legit but organizations like this are notorious for reporting bad archaeology to try to get attention and therefore we should be extremely skeptical until we actually see it peer-reviewed. If anyone wants more info, he is very active on his UA-cam page.
I agree. It may very well be genuine, but people should learn from the disaster that was the alleged 'earliest manuscript of Mark'. All accepted appropriate protocols must be followed (there are already allegations that the piece was illegally removed from the site).
Yes we have to temper our excitement and wait for further analysis. Unlike the guest in the video, I am much less inclined to trust the expertise of ABR and Dr Stripling. Dr Falk's concerns are legit
"Everyone knows that if you go to the news first before publishing in peer review, you will be looked down on because that usually means the organization cares more about the publicity rather than truth". Who are you fooling? It can simply mean the person is excited about the find. You are just another person who pretends to know a person's motives.
@@PC-vg8vn yeah the Mark fragment was a disaster. I remember when Dan Wallace first referenced it in his debate with Bart Ehrman. Great example. I understand why scholars are so careful and apprehensive when handling these finds. Credibility is on the line.
I had three questions as a believing skeptic 1. How do you justify the date and authenticity considering it was in disturbed soil. 2. What is the precident of 'curse tablets', what does that say or prove? 3. What can we really say about the author of the tablet? We're there not non-jewish yahwist cults in the area? That's where I'm at on it. This video helps clear up some of those questions.
I agree. Lead curse scroll’s are a very common thing throughout the Roman Empire regions. Most of them were buried by the people who did the curse. That could very well lead to a later date object found in an older stratification in the soil. But the fact is many practicing Jews were citizens of the Roman Empire and some of the fad’s within the culture were adapted by Jewish peoples. Curse scrolls being one of those fads. I think the find is of great importance no matter what dates are found out, because of the location and most importantly the use of Yahweh on it! Even though a later date may be found, it is still a good contender as the oldest known written source using the name of god. Which is profound! On the skeptic part I only have my personal beliefs to consider: I put all my faith in my creator. I acknowledge that the Bible was written by humans and humans are all flawed. That means anything humans create have a 100% chance of having flaws too. That doesn’t mean there is no validity in it, just that it will not be perfect. That is why my faith lies in my creator and not inspired human creations. But in the Bible specifically, I think the intent and message are the point over infallibility.❤
Rollston says all the words mentioned, with the exception of YHW, also exist in neighboring languages that are not Hebrew. Regarding God’s name he says: “I don’t believe this word is really there, and even if it is, it doesn’t have to be the name of God but could be a verb. Cautiously, I think it could be a far later finding than what they’re proposing.” Rollston also points to the fact that although the researchers mentioned there were organic finds during the sorting work, they didn’t present carbon-14 tests that could date the site scientifically. An archaeological find in Samaria. An archaeological find in Samaria.Credit: Samaria Regional Council Lead astray? Before even considering the raging academic debate about the curse tablet, we have to ask a more fundamental question: How did a finding from a site under Palestinian control come into the hands of Israeli and U.S. researchers? Was it excavated legally, and what is its legal status? The Israel Defense Forces’ Civil Administration, which is in charge of all archaeological activity in the West Bank, called the dig “private activity.” The Mount Ebal site is in Area B of the West Bank - in other words, nominally under Palestinian civil control and Israeli military control. According to the Oslo Accords and international law, Israel can’t issue an excavation license at the site. And, of course, removing findings from it without such a license is forbidden. An attempt to get answers from the Civil Administration via the staff officer for archaeology proved unsuccessful. As far as is known, Stripling, together with Aaron Lipkin - a resident of the settlement of Ofra and an activist on issues of tourism and archaeology in the occupied territories - and Associates for Biblical Research, under the auspices of the Samaria Regional Council, organized a group of volunteers in 2019. The volunteers arrived at Mount Ebal and worked on three large piles of waste that remained from Zertal’s excavations in the ’80s. They loaded the waste into dozens of large plastic bags and drove them to the Samaria Touring and Study Center, in the settlement of Shavei Shomron. The researchers claim the soil was dug manually in order to avoid damage at the site. However, the quantities taken and the time that had passed from the time it was originally excavated, arouse suspicions that a tractor may have been used too. The volunteers and archaeologists clearly didn’t feel they were doing anything wrong, because you can find video clips on Facebook of them documenting the soil transfer to the settlement. In the past year, the soil has undergone a process called wet sifting, in which the soil is rinsed in water through a sieve, in order to try to find small items that escaped the eyes of the original site excavators. The method was developed by archaeologists Dr. Gabriel Barkay, Tzachi Devira and the Elad NGO, which for years used volunteers to sift the soil discarded by the Waqf (Muslim religious trust) after it dug illegally at the Temple Mount. The tablet finding itself was discovered at least a few months ago. Two months ago, the Samaria Regional Council issued a report about the finding -but didn’t include the tablet curse that dominated the press conference last month. Meanwhile, a researcher who worked with Zertal on the original excavations, Zvi Koenigsberg, is quoted in the regional council’s announcement as saying that a drawing of a lotus flower - an important symbol from ancient Egypt - was found on the tablet, which hints at the Egyptian origin of the writer. The lotus has not been mentioned since that announcement. Another problem is taking the tablet outside Israel for a tomography scan conducted in the Czech Republic - presumably in violation of the law, since any removal of an antique from Israel requires an export license from the Antiquities Authority. Such a license, as far as is known, was not issued. Archaeologist Alon Arad is the CEO of Emek Shaveh, an Israeli NGO working to prevent the politicization of archaeology in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He believes that a preoccupation with the finding is in itself problematic. “What difference does it make whether it’s the 11th century or the 13th century?” he asks. “Simply paying attention to it cleanses its dubious origin and subverts the professional foundations of archaeology. An archaeological dig is fundamentally supervised demolition, and therefore it requires a license and must be carried out under a consensual methodology. When a finding arrives that originates in a pirate dig, it is treated accordingly,” says Arad. An illustration of archaeological finds in Samaria. An illustration of archaeological finds in Samaria.Credit: Samaria Regional Council “There are two questions here: how did they get the finding, and why?” Arad adds. “In an ideal situation, the why is scientific curiosity and the how is an organized dig with a license, with a clear research methodology. Here, the how and the why are not related to archaeology. In terms of the why, it’s a group of evangelicals that are not interested in findings and science, they are looking only for things designed to confirm and illustrate known history, that is part of a missionary process of messianic prophecies. “In terms of the how, as far as we know, in December 2019 a group of volunteers went to a known antiques sites in Area B, which is under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority, and removed material from there to a nearby settlement. Excavating archaeological waste is excavation for all intents and purposes, and requires an excavation license. Where is the license for this activity? “And after that, they even remove the finding outside the West Bank and even outside Israel,” he continues. “In this case, we have to hear the voice of the archaeological staff officer [at the Civil Administration], of the Antiquities Authority and of Israel’s academic community. They can’t turn a blind eye to what has happened here.” PA officials say the Israeli and U.S. researchers did not ask for permission to take the soil or to work at the Mount Ebal site, and in any case didn’t receive such permission. “We condemn this activity, which was done in violation of international law,” said a senior official in the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Aaron Lipkin referred Haaretz to the spokeswoman of the Samaria Regional Council. The Civil Administration responded: “In 2019, soil from archaeological digs carried out at the Mount Ebal archaeological site in the 1980s wa
Good question. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news. The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted. There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
Always a great discovery to find any writings that escaped the fires, that man made to destroy anything that was different or would bring questions about the doubt on the latest book of religion. This was the demise of the Coptic books of Israel.
Truth? Nope, sorry. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news. The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted. There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
As always, Sean is a great host to his guest .This will prove far less than a curse tablet. There's way too much skepticism over the location of the so-called altar. Also calling a text proto Hebrew. Excavating without a permit in West Bank territory and then taking the soil from the so-called altar area to an illegal settlement. Ultimately this will not go very good. .
John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Genesis 5 name meaning in order, Adam to Noah , "Man appointed morrow sorrow and yet the Blessed God shall come down teaching" his death" shall bring disparing rest and comfort".
Every now and then, the LORD God, brings about an archaeological witness to His mighty works that brings happiness to His people and shame to sceptics! Read the full account in 'The Jerusalem Post': Dr. Scott Stripling, director of excavations at ancient Shiloh, said at a presentation a few weeks ago: I believe the amulet dates to the Bronze II age, or as early as 1400 BC. This is older than any Hebrew script by at least 200 years. Earlier than many sceptics believe the Bible existed, making it the earliest discovery of name of God! As it was found at a covenant site, the implications are enormous! Mount Ebal where the amulet was found, was the mountain from which the cursed were called out, when the Children of Israel made a covenant with God, before entering the land of Israel! "And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessings upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal (Deuteronomy 11:29). Glory and honour belong alone to you oh LORD!
@@jamesparson The numerous archeological discoveries have shamed (and silenced!) many a Bible skeptic! Here's just one (there are many and more is discovered as time goes by): The discovery of 'Tel Dan Stele'. Previous to this important discovery, Bible skeptics used to refer to King David as a mythological figure who never existed! But in 1993, Gila Cook, found an inscription in city of Tel Dan in Northern Israel. The inscription reads: "an individual killed Jehoram, son of Ahab, king of Israel and the king of HOUSE OF DAVID!" This shocked the skeptical to the core who for decades were vocal that King David was s mythological figure and never existed! Watch that denying the hand of God, who wills for mankind to know his glory, does not land you in his bad books!
@@jamesparson No body spoke about prayer! It was an illustration that the word of God is reliable and confirmed in stones! You seem to have your own personal hangups that you manifest by attacking a major archeological discovery! Watch that you don't end up on the receiving end of the curse on the tablet!
Jeremiah 22:23 Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
1 Thesolonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
There are so many mysteries in the world,we will never know them all. Some have and will be discovered and some were never meant to be..I think it is wonderful. GOD is so wonderfully smart ❤️
Now when you say the earliest writing of the name YAHWEH was it the name or just the letters YHVH that we say or use as the word L-rd??? And was it written in Paleo Hebrew as well???
So the evidence strongly suggest that ''Jacob'' was a real person? (that's huge, because it's generally accepted within scholarship and academia that the story of Abraham is mythical , not historical)
Paleo-Hebrew alphabet's Mama is Phoenicia and sister is Greek. After 500 BC, the "Hebrew" alphabet was transitioned out by decree of Ezra the scribe , a switch to the Jew's Babylonian conqueror's 11th dynasty of Babylon Assyrian alphabet called Caldee / Chaldean.
That is the prevailing belief among archeologists. There are a minority of scholars who believe Hebrew predated Phoenician. The Semitic languages are definitely related, but if this finding does show this as being the claimed age and Porto-Hebrew, the minority of scholars would be correct that Hebrew was prior to Phoenician.
...Woops. Hold on there: You don't have a valid question to explain with an argument; i.e., any sort of an anomaly which current models can't explain, to rule-out your biases. Neither are you using a methodology, to rule-out your biases. So, you inform us ONLY of your biases.
There were at least two Exodus. The Hyksos around 1600 bc when Thera erupted, and again when Akhenaten went rogue. This is according to the work of Ralph Ellis.
Nope, sorry. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news. The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted. There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
The Canaanite God El is the God of the Hebrew patriarchs. Through a process of convergence Yahweh began to take on the characteristics of both El and Baal. See "did Yahweh come from Canaanite religion" Dr. Christine Hayes
@@paulallen7962 Studied it extensively. 🙏🏻. Alan Horvath has the most accurate and reliable teachings on the Name of YHWH anywhere. When the Truth is presented, through the Father, you just know it. ☺️
As a non-Christian I felt like Dr Johnston was trying to make a point that non-believers the finding of this artifact should be shocking to non-believers. I think it’s very cool, not challenging. Felt like an argument was being made against objections that most people don’t have…not sure though I know very little about the discourse within archeology.
God bless u bro glad u stopped by. You make a good point almost like he’s trying a bit to hard. As a Christian I didn’t mind it but I do get what your saying
Exactly. It's not controversial that Yahweh had been worshipped for a long time in this area, originally as part of a pantheon. I just don't see how this changes anything in terms of the veracity of Christianity. It's a *very* interesting historical finding, and I'm looking forward to learning what it actually says or means.
@@SeanMcDowell Love your content. Always looking forward to the next upload and happily recommend your channel to my friends- whether they're Christian, questioning, or "none"
I'll wait for an official publication and review by peers in the archaeological and scriptural studies fields.... too much "this PROVES the Bible" stuff...
Not in anyway do I understand the methods of a dig…but what constitutes a “dump heap”? How are they created? It comes to mind that in another 2000 years our sanitation sites would be a dump heap of our time.
Where does this stand in terms of the Canaanites have a storm god named YaHWeH? It’s like the chicken or the egg… I’m a believer that wants to be very cautious.
I would like to hear from Dr Miles Jones or Nehemiah Gordon. I used to call God Yaway but we now have thousands of manuscripts with the vowel points and more than one linguist says it should be YeHoVah. It has been many years since my Hebrew classes so I am not an authority . Dr Jones says that he has discussed this discovery with Dr Stripling and has congratulated him on his amazing find.
There was a Hebrew Matthew, but the rabbis destroyed all the real Christian manuscripts they could. The Shem Tov Mathew comes out of Spain, too. Translated from Latin. It is poison. The manuscripts Jones got from the Jews are rabbi approved. Even if Jerome did write a preface for one, he is suspect. Jerome's translation of the Bible, his 405 AD Vulgate Bible, met with complaints from knowing beleevers in the Catholic Church. His opponents labeled him a falsifier and a profaner of God, claiming that through his translations he had abrogated the sacred traditions of the Church and followed the Jews by using their revised Hebrew text. All Christians used was the Septuagint. St. Justin Martyr (AD 100-165) stated that the scribes [rabbis] deliberately removed, altered or distorted Messianic verses in their Scriptures (Dialogue with Trypho, 71-73), as did St. Irenaeus (AD 130-210) (Against Heresies, 3.21.1).
@@TedBruckner check out Nehemiah's wall on UA-cam. He has over a thousand manuscripts with the name with the vowel points. I have read the Hebrew Mathew. My memory is not as good as yours but you will be surprised at what Nehemiah has found . He is not a believer, but he is a professional. Miles Jones also has more manuscripts. Dr Jones has spoken with Dr. Stripling about this amazing archeological find and will be talking about it on his site "The writing of God".
Can someone explain to me, is this a covenant between them and God and is God asking them to enter into a 'promise to be cursed' if breaking said covenant? Please explain this God/Hebrew traditional practice to me:)
isn't this a bit premature? We should wait to see what peer review and the analysis shows as opposed to saying its the greatest find ever? Edit: I asked this about a minute in
Old wine is very important to flesh and blood, the new wine has Christ in you to find in yourself does not need old stories of allegorical hints. With Christ being in you becoming Christ is taught by still small soft voice.
I am the Wet-sifting Supervisor at both this dig and the Shiloh dig. This is a legit find...I was there when we discovered it!
What an amazing thing to have been present when found! Super cool!
Subbed to your channel. Amazing find!
maybe show the scans so you stop looking like fake news
Greg, Dr. Scott has now claimed that the writing implement that was used to write this script tablet. Can you confirm this and if so doesn't it seem a little too convenient?
@@justinsteward4439 Yes...but at the time I didn't know it was related. It was studied and subsequently attested... I'm not part of the post-dig analysis group... totally different team.
This was fascinating! Love that Christian’s want to do archeology as we believe that the Bible is the word of God and not afraid of seeking for truth.
It sounds like the truth is the tablet hasn't been fully evaluated.
@@jamesparson No, the press conference laid out the full scientific details, including tomography scan in Prague to read the tablet which was folded! The devine name of God is spelled in three-letter form: Yud Heh Vav! Sounds like you have not read the Jerusalem Post's comprehensive report of the press conference. Be careful that you do not falsify the truth God sets out to reveal!
@@Bullcutter Sounds like you have already decided what the tablet is. Will anything be able to convince you that it is not unique?
@@jamesparson I have decided nothing! My post was based on the article in Jerusalem Post of April 3, 2020. It's not a chit- chat, but a scientific presentation by Dr. Scott Stripling, director of excavations for Associates of Biblical Research. I suggest you read the article and make your own judgement on his presentation. If you find any errors or misjudgement on his part (and team), I would be happy to read it. By keep saying 'it sounds like' you don't offer any valid critism! Forget the chit-chat here, go to the presentation in Jerusalem Post!
@@Bullcutter check out Dr.David Faik video on this discovery: he is a Christian Egyptologist and has doubts based on past experiences with this Groups presentations.
I saw the press release a few days ago and have been waiting for someone I trust to do a video on it! Thanks for your video!
I love this, Biblical Archaeology was a great class I had. BAR/BAS is a good avenue for people I think.
Except BAR subscribes to the notion that the Exodus happened in Ramses II's time, during the Biblical time of the Judges
Yes but these guys are more ABR...
Love how archeologists reference the Bible more than any other book and how the Holy Bible has outlived all it’s pallbearers!
Citation needed
@@jamesparson Do your own homework. It's easy.
It is fascinating that so many people take this mythology literally.
@@outofthebox7 Searching for a negative will always result in a negative finding- now that was easy.
@@BeachsideHank You are what's negative here.
And no, it wasn't easy, but silly, since even searching for a negative, does not always end up in a negative find.
Always love the engaging conversations here! Thanks Josh and team! Have to say, great job on getting Dr. Johnson to do his hair just like yours Josh!
I don't need proof nor be persuaded, I believe in you Father, Son and Holy Ghost!
Yes. People don't understand why I don't get terribly excited about miracles or Archeology finds, or someone seeing an angel.
My love of God is based on faith.
I also had a massive conversion and a lot of blessings, protection and understanding,,,,over time.
So glad you covered this! Looking forward to more information over time and what it does to OT scholarship if this comes out of peer review looking good
I doi enjoy this channel.
Sean is awesome
It could mean this mythology is older than previously thought.
When I started to follow Biblical Archeology (Bible Places Blog) on a consistent basis, the greatest epiphany might not have been the actual newest discoveries but rather the realization that many in the secular archaeology community were not just skeptical (as they rightly should have been) but blatantly cynical.
Yes. A friend of mine is an archeologist. She's definitely cynical and an atheist. It's no wonder though, she grew up going to Catholic school.
I think I know more atheists that went to catholic school than those who went to public school. Very odd.
That's because they hate "God" with every fiber of their body and blame Him for all the death and evil on Earth and not "fixing it.".....they left out "free choice."
@@Inapeartree Well Catholics don't fit the criteria of Christians anyway their maybe some Christians in the Catholic system but mostly no.
we need more old testament archeologists out there.
This is excellent material, hope it all pans out. I have no reason to doubt their testimony. Trust but verify. Looking forward to the discovery's veracity
I was at the creation museum five days ago so my interest peaked. I enjoyed the dialogue and it helped with my perspective.
Creation Museum?
@@professorneturman2249 Answers in Genesis built a Creation Museum and Ark replica in Northern Kentucky.
@@jenniferhenn7874 - It's a science illiterate joke.
Thank you for this fascinating piece. It will be interesting to await further review of it. We are called by faith, but it is nice when pieces of evidence drop into place.
Yes I think the phrase " drop in place" about covers it.
--from ABR associate R. C. Young: There are two altars at the Mt. Ebal site. The large (7 meter by 9 meter) altar that Zertal called “Joshua’s altar” is built over, and centered on, an earlier circular altar of uncut stones, as if to honor and protect the earlier altar. The earlier altar also has animal bones, ashes, and plaster mixed together. Zertal sent some of the plaster to the University of Haifa, where it has remained in the basement of the university’s museum for about 30 years now. We understand that an altar would have ashes and animal bones, but why plaster? In Deut. 37 and Joshua 8, Moses commanded Joshua to build the altar of uncut field stones and cover them with plaster, on which Joshua was to write the words of the Torah that God had given him. On April 4, Scott Stripling said they will be examining the plaster. If writing is found, it would be the Torah as written less than three months after the death of Moses. Those of us at ABR are unanimous in thinking that this earlier altar is the real Joshua’s altar, and the larger altar was built over it to protect it and to honor it.
Have they released any more images or information on the outside of the tablet?
Sean, I love your videos, they're very informative. I like to listen on the way to, and from work. The only thing is, your audio is always so low. God bless you for your work, but could you please address this issue? Thanks!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
This is the most SIGNIFICANT find since the DSS (dead sea scrolls). While the DSS are greater in the volume of scrolls and fragments found, it's where this curse tablet was found, it's dating back to the time of Joshua and what is written on it that is far greater in magnitude than the DSS. The skeptics are going to desperately try to discredit it because its legitimacy is a watershed issue; i.e. it establishes an earlier date for the Exodus and the writing of the O.T.
It will still be mythology whatever the dating may be. Yahweh never existed any more than Baal, Asherah, Chemosh, Marduk, Dagon, Moloch or any of the other gods mentioned in the Bible. It's still just Hebrew mythology.
@@paulallen7962 Well I say that Paul Allen doesn't exist. It's someone else sitting behind a keyboard who invented him😆
@@GTX1123 Except we can have a real 2 way conversation, unlike you and Yahweh.
@@GTX1123 Exactly. I use that one all the time. Lol
@@hudsonbartley2493 Yep. It's a good one that exposes the GLARING, hypocritical double standard in skeptic-trolls. It's the same principle Jesus used when the Pharisees demanded he tell them by what authority he was doing what he was doing. Jesus turned it right back on them, exposing their own hypocrisy and glaring double standard which completely shut them down.
These curse items were used by the Romans and found in Bath, England. (A later date) but just to show that these curse items were used in the ancient world. Maybe a common thing.
This one is said to be in ancient Hebrew and contains the name of God, if true, this is still very important even if they’re commonplace
@@thatonechristian2487 h sorry, I totally agree with you. It’s weird that in the ancient world that this was so important, the cursing of others. Its how they dealt with their enemies, to destroy them. How we as Christians are to “love” our enemies. This curse is not a novel thing then, so it is important to date the Hebrews.💛 it is an artifact from its time.
Can't wait to read the peer reviews
IKR, like the Fraudulent Dead Sea scrolls, this is gonna make More Apostates in the Droves. Brilliant, FREEDOM FROM religion, as Facts are horrendous, Against and Growng🥳. Cuban pyrAmids matter, Mexican and Chinese PyrAmids Matter.
@@j.christie2594 If you're referring to the forgeries at the Museum of the Bible then only the foolish became apostates over that disingenuous half truth. The authentic dead sea scroll fragments are still in Israel.
@@Rabbit_Person faithful, Alien Hoyim!
Don't hold your breath. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news.
The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted.
There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
Sean, very good questions 👍🎯 If "REAL", it will have significant enemy resistance. 🤔 🙏🏼
Could someone please link the downloads Dr. Johnston references? I can't find the site. Would love to see for myself!
I will reserve my opinion on the authenticity of this artefact until an extensive scientific examination of it has been completed.
This is great, Where can I download the PDFs I'm seeing on this? I and others are working on a book study guide to Genesis and would like to have some research to add.
Search “Scott Stripling” and his ministry website and you should be able to download them.
Wow, you guys have twin haircuts/hair styles! Love this content
My daughter noticed that also. She said “Are they brothers?”
Really great to listen to this interview!
This was fascinating and encouraging. Thank You. Note : I accidentally hit the Thumbs Down button 😩and then hit the correct one. Those icons are close together and someone with poor vision like me might enter the wrong one. Just wanted you to know
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it...
Still waiting for the peer review publication that was promised for last September.
But crickets...
Acts 20:29-30 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Can't wait for the debate on Friday
Is their opportunities to volunteer at any of these digging sites? (Specifically for biblical history) If yes, how can one get involved?
Great question. I will contact Dr. Stripling’s organization and see if there’s a spot.
Get a copy of Biblical Archaeology Review (usually the January or March issue)... it lists many digs in Israel you can volunteer for ( though you do pay for your way there, room and board etc)
Ever since I found out as a kid in the 90s about Proto-Sinaitic inscriptions in SINAI and Egypt that come from the time of the Israelite Sojourn in Egypt, I've been eager to find the name Jehovah written in that script to further deminstrate that it was Israelites behind these inscriptions, not Canaanites. Thanks to the diligence of Hebrew scholar Michael Shelomo Bar-Ron, those inscriptions Are turning out to especially relate to the Hebrew of the Books of Moses, but they often relate to Exodus events.
Events during the Israelites' journey through the desert to Mt Sinai, and this new Defixio discovery relating to where Joshua took the Israelites After their desert journeys.
There's a great kind of symmetry or natural flow to it all.
The altar in question is circular, though, which isn't typical of Israelite altars but rather some Canaanite altars. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4QJOSHa) describes Gerizim as the mountain upon which Joshua made the altar.
Nope, sorry. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news.
The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted.
There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
Great reporting on an astounding find. So grateful for God's direction and provision!
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). While our faith as believers lies wholly in the scriptures alone, I'm still grateful for the work of the archeologists. These finds are confirmation to the unbeliever! If we'll continue to DIG deeper into the treasures of God's word and let his light shine, the shovel of the archeologist will continue to reveal that our faith is REAL! Also, did anyone notice that these men could pass for twins?
Who cares what Paul says about what faith is he had no loyalty nor faith
@@tazz6328 Who told you that? It wasn't the bible!
@heathheglar7898 Sure was the nt that shows that,anything else 🙄
Chapter and verse please
@heathheglar7898 all of Paul's letters spoke against Torah did not even like or get along with his own people let alone the super apostles as he would put it,So yes he did,You Christians always go to verse try the entire work,Maybe then we wouldn't have to endure your apologetics thx.
This is awesome!! 🙏🏽
The question I have is what kind of tool did they use to write the inscription on a metal tablet and who can see to write that small on a tablet the size of a stamp? I know you can't answer this because you weren't there. But the mind is working here.
From other sources. It is a lead tablet, an iron pen (harder than lead) is used to write on it (Job 19:24).
I saw another video where they say that the writing instrument was also found.
Dr Stripling sounds like a legend. Great wisdom. 👏👏
Mr. McDowell, hats off to you. I'm crazy about the way you conducted the interview and especially the questions you asked. I would appreciate it if I could add a couple of thoughts to the discussion. Regarding whether or not Mt. Ebal contains a Hebrew sacrificial structure, If I am not mistaken, they found thousands of animal bones at the sight. More importantly, none of them were nonkosher animals.
The next thing I would like to add is a little more difficult for me to express correctly. One of the questions you asked was regarding a comment by an Israeli writer that this find further proves that there was a Jewish presence during that period of time. Your concern, if I understood you, was that was politics, not archeology. If you will take a step back I think you will realize that what we are witnessing is blurring the line between archeology and politics.
Two sentences from the Torah will make my point. 1 - "Ki yemai hashamyiim ahl haaretz, " This comes from the book of Devariim and it is at the end of Moses' life. He pleads with the Israelites to keep the Laws of the Torah so that they may remain in the land "Ki yemai hashamaiim ahl haaretz" for as long as the heavens are above the earth. That statement of ownership was fixed 4,000 years ago and is in dispute today. So what does that have to do with archeology? Here's where the second statement comes in. ' And I will find you wherever you are under the heavens and bring you back to the land of your forefathers. This promise of Redemption started in the mid 19th century. Events started to be put in place to prepare the land and return the People to their ancestral homes. Events that took a barren land with only thousands of inhabitants to a country today that is a modern miracle with over half the Jewish population living there today. Many things had to be put in place, such as releasing of Jewish populations so they might immigrate. Fall of the Soviet Union as an example that allowed 1 million Jews to immigrate to Israel. The defeat of enemies in wars that upon close examination, they should never have won.
I could fill this page with events that had the hand of G-d but may apppear to the skeptics r to be coincidences. One brick in the wall of Redemption, in my mind, is Biblical Archeology.
Biblical archeology got its sails in the mid 19th century the same time the Redemption process began. Biblical Archeology will be a tool for the Jewish people in Israel to reconnect to its past. The more "proof" that archeology presents that ties the Jewish People to Yehuda and Shomron, the sooner they will realize that there is no option in turning that land over to people that want to destroy them. The more they will realize that they have a bond with G-d that He has never reneged on. The sooner they will take the gift that G-d promised their Forefathers " Ki yemai hashamayiim ahl haarets.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Here are some concerns from the Egyptologist David Falk:
1. We don’t know what the RTI images look like so we can’t assess the value of the epigraphy. One epigrepher isn’t well known so we don’t have any background information to know if he’s trustworthy. The other, Pieter Gert van der Veen of Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz and Gershon Galil of Haifa University, has an extremely dodgy background who very obviously makes faulty interpretations to try to support the early exodus date. The curse inscription here supports a early date of the exodus so this seems like a fishy coincidence. They also knew that their “finding” would be controversial so any smart person would’ve chose epigrephers that would’ve been unbiased. 2. The source of the press releases is ABR. They are known for fudging the data when publishing.
2. They have reported that they will publish it in peer review but that is odd considering even good archaeology doesn’t always get published. Now, maybe they are just assuming that they know it is good archaeology so they are extremely confident it will be published but it’s also possible that they are so confident it will be published is because they can always publish it in their own biased journal in which they are already in charge of. In that case, it’s not actually peer-review.
4. Everyone knows that if you go to the news first before publishing in peer review, you will be looked down on because that usually means the organization cares more about the publicity rather than truth
5. We have to acknowledge that there’s definitely a bias in Biblical studies against the Bible being trustworthy. It’s getting better but it’s still there. Everyone involved with this archaeological find knows very well how important it is to publish the finding in the correct order because they know it will face insane scrutiny.
6. The reports are speaking in absolute terms when, at best, these are provisional findings. This rarely ever happens unless it’s being reported by someone who wants to overstate their case.
This isn’t to say that’s it’s not legit but organizations like this are notorious for reporting bad archaeology to try to get attention and therefore we should be extremely skeptical until we actually see it peer-reviewed.
If anyone wants more info, he is very active on his UA-cam page.
I agree. It may very well be genuine, but people should learn from the disaster that was the alleged 'earliest manuscript of Mark'. All accepted appropriate protocols must be followed (there are already allegations that the piece was illegally removed from the site).
Yes we have to temper our excitement and wait for further analysis. Unlike the guest in the video, I am much less inclined to trust the expertise of ABR and Dr Stripling. Dr Falk's concerns are legit
@@PC-vg8vn Great example.
"Everyone knows that if you go to the news first before publishing in peer review, you will be looked down on because that usually means the organization cares more about the publicity rather than truth". Who are you fooling? It can simply mean the person is excited about the find. You are just another person who pretends to know a person's motives.
@@PC-vg8vn yeah the Mark fragment was a disaster. I remember when Dan Wallace first referenced it in his debate with Bart Ehrman. Great example. I understand why scholars are so careful and apprehensive when handling these finds. Credibility is on the line.
Fantastic show Sean. Great questions!!!
👊
I had three questions as a believing skeptic
1. How do you justify the date and authenticity considering it was in disturbed soil.
2. What is the precident of 'curse tablets', what does that say or prove?
3. What can we really say about the author of the tablet? We're there not non-jewish yahwist cults in the area?
That's where I'm at on it. This video helps clear up some of those questions.
I agree. Lead curse scroll’s are a very common thing throughout the Roman Empire regions. Most of them were buried by the people who did the curse. That could very well lead to a later date object found in an older stratification in the soil. But the fact is many practicing Jews were citizens of the Roman Empire and some of the fad’s within the culture were adapted by Jewish peoples. Curse scrolls being one of those fads. I think the find is of great importance no matter what dates are found out, because of the location and most importantly the use of Yahweh on it! Even though a later date may be found, it is still a good contender as the oldest known written source using the name of god. Which is profound! On the skeptic part I only have my personal beliefs to consider: I put all my faith in my creator. I acknowledge that the Bible was written by humans and humans are all flawed. That means anything humans create have a 100% chance of having flaws too. That doesn’t mean there is no validity in it, just that it will not be perfect. That is why my faith lies in my creator and not inspired human creations. But in the Bible specifically, I think the intent and message are the point over infallibility.❤
Rollston says all the words mentioned, with the exception of YHW, also exist in neighboring languages that are not Hebrew. Regarding God’s name he says: “I don’t believe this word is really there, and even if it is, it doesn’t have to be the name of God but could be a verb. Cautiously, I think it could be a far later finding than what they’re proposing.”
Rollston also points to the fact that although the researchers mentioned there were organic finds during the sorting work, they didn’t present carbon-14 tests that could date the site scientifically.
An archaeological find in Samaria.
An archaeological find in Samaria.Credit: Samaria Regional Council
Lead astray?
Before even considering the raging academic debate about the curse tablet, we have to ask a more fundamental question: How did a finding from a site under Palestinian control come into the hands of Israeli and U.S. researchers? Was it excavated legally, and what is its legal status?
The Israel Defense Forces’ Civil Administration, which is in charge of all archaeological activity in the West Bank, called the dig “private activity.” The Mount Ebal site is in Area B of the West Bank - in other words, nominally under Palestinian civil control and Israeli military control. According to the Oslo Accords and international law, Israel can’t issue an excavation license at the site. And, of course, removing findings from it without such a license is forbidden. An attempt to get answers from the Civil Administration via the staff officer for archaeology proved unsuccessful.
As far as is known, Stripling, together with Aaron Lipkin - a resident of the settlement of Ofra and an activist on issues of tourism and archaeology in the occupied territories - and Associates for Biblical Research, under the auspices of the Samaria Regional Council, organized a group of volunteers in 2019.
The volunteers arrived at Mount Ebal and worked on three large piles of waste that remained from Zertal’s excavations in the ’80s. They loaded the waste into dozens of large plastic bags and drove them to the Samaria Touring and Study Center, in the settlement of Shavei Shomron. The researchers claim the soil was dug manually in order to avoid damage at the site. However, the quantities taken and the time that had passed from the time it was originally excavated, arouse suspicions that a tractor may have been used too. The volunteers and archaeologists clearly didn’t feel they were doing anything wrong, because you can find video clips on Facebook of them documenting the soil transfer to the settlement.
In the past year, the soil has undergone a process called wet sifting, in which the soil is rinsed in water through a sieve, in order to try to find small items that escaped the eyes of the original site excavators.
The method was developed by archaeologists Dr. Gabriel Barkay, Tzachi Devira and the Elad NGO, which for years used volunteers to sift the soil discarded by the Waqf (Muslim religious trust) after it dug illegally at the Temple Mount.
The tablet finding itself was discovered at least a few months ago. Two months ago, the Samaria Regional Council issued a report about the finding -but didn’t include the tablet curse that dominated the press conference last month. Meanwhile, a researcher who worked with Zertal on the original excavations, Zvi Koenigsberg, is quoted in the regional council’s announcement as saying that a drawing of a lotus flower - an important symbol from ancient Egypt - was found on the tablet, which hints at the Egyptian origin of the writer. The lotus has not been mentioned since that announcement.
Another problem is taking the tablet outside Israel for a tomography scan conducted in the Czech Republic - presumably in violation of the law, since any removal of an antique from Israel requires an export license from the Antiquities Authority. Such a license, as far as is known, was not issued.
Archaeologist Alon Arad is the CEO of Emek Shaveh, an Israeli NGO working to prevent the politicization of archaeology in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He believes that a preoccupation with the finding is in itself problematic.
“What difference does it make whether it’s the 11th century or the 13th century?” he asks. “Simply paying attention to it cleanses its dubious origin and subverts the professional foundations of archaeology. An archaeological dig is fundamentally supervised demolition, and therefore it requires a license and must be carried out under a consensual methodology. When a finding arrives that originates in a pirate dig, it is treated accordingly,” says Arad.
An illustration of archaeological finds in Samaria.
An illustration of archaeological finds in Samaria.Credit: Samaria Regional Council
“There are two questions here: how did they get the finding, and why?” Arad adds. “In an ideal situation, the why is scientific curiosity and the how is an organized dig with a license, with a clear research methodology. Here, the how and the why are not related to archaeology. In terms of the why, it’s a group of evangelicals that are not interested in findings and science, they are looking only for things designed to confirm and illustrate known history, that is part of a missionary process of messianic prophecies.
“In terms of the how, as far as we know, in December 2019 a group of volunteers went to a known antiques sites in Area B, which is under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority, and removed material from there to a nearby settlement. Excavating archaeological waste is excavation for all intents and purposes, and requires an excavation license. Where is the license for this activity?
“And after that, they even remove the finding outside the West Bank and even outside Israel,” he continues. “In this case, we have to hear the voice of the archaeological staff officer [at the Civil Administration], of the Antiquities Authority and of Israel’s academic community. They can’t turn a blind eye to what has happened here.”
PA officials say the Israeli and U.S. researchers did not ask for permission to take the soil or to work at the Mount Ebal site, and in any case didn’t receive such permission. “We condemn this activity, which was done in violation of international law,” said a senior official in the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Aaron Lipkin referred Haaretz to the spokeswoman of the Samaria Regional Council.
The Civil Administration responded: “In 2019, soil from archaeological digs carried out at the Mount Ebal archaeological site in the 1980s wa
Why, after months, has the team refused to release any images of the actual inscription?
Good question. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news.
The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted.
There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
You’re awesome Sean, bring Indiana jones , on your channel
S.M. remind folks to like and comment on your videos.. good stuff!
Good reminder thanks!
Always a great discovery to find any writings that escaped the fires, that man made to destroy anything that was different or would bring questions about the doubt on the latest book of religion. This was the demise of the Coptic books of Israel.
Wondering about resources that talk about how archeology can aid and assist us in our reading of scripture... Any good places I should look?
Are these 2 twins?? 😁 They look so much alike. Great information and find. God WILL have His name found, spoken and proven. The word says so!
I love videos like this showing people truth.
Truth? Nope, sorry. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news.
The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted.
There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
As always, Sean is a great host to his guest .This will prove far less than a curse tablet. There's way too much skepticism over the location of the so-called altar. Also calling a text proto Hebrew. Excavating without a permit in West Bank territory and then taking the soil from the so-called altar area to an illegal settlement. Ultimately this will not go very good.
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you two obviously have a strong bond...even the hairstyles match. love THINK!!
Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
Great Discovery, are there any pictures of it and the writing it contains,
John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Genesis 5 name meaning in order, Adam to Noah , "Man appointed morrow sorrow and yet the Blessed God shall come down teaching" his death" shall bring disparing rest and comfort".
Once you seek, you will find.
This is amazing!!
Every now and then, the LORD God, brings about an archaeological witness to His mighty works that brings happiness to His people and shame to sceptics! Read the full account in 'The Jerusalem Post': Dr. Scott Stripling, director of excavations at ancient Shiloh, said at a presentation a few weeks ago: I believe the amulet dates to the Bronze II age, or as early as 1400 BC. This is older than any Hebrew script by at least 200 years. Earlier than many sceptics believe the Bible existed, making it the earliest discovery of name of God! As it was found at a covenant site, the implications are enormous! Mount Ebal where the amulet was found, was the mountain from which the cursed were called out, when the Children of Israel made a covenant with God, before entering the land of Israel! "And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessings upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal (Deuteronomy 11:29). Glory and honour belong alone to you oh LORD!
It does not bring shame to skeptics.
@@jamesparson The numerous archeological discoveries have shamed (and silenced!) many a Bible skeptic! Here's just one (there are many and more is discovered as time goes by): The discovery of 'Tel Dan Stele'. Previous to this important discovery, Bible skeptics used to refer to King David as a mythological figure who never existed! But in 1993, Gila Cook, found an inscription in city of Tel Dan in Northern Israel. The inscription reads: "an individual killed Jehoram, son of Ahab, king of Israel and the king of HOUSE OF DAVID!" This shocked the skeptical to the core who for decades were vocal that King David was s mythological figure and never existed! Watch that denying the hand of God, who wills for mankind to know his glory, does not land you in his bad books!
@@Bullcutter It looks like it took science to correct the problem. Prayer did not fix this misunderstanding. Science did.
@@jamesparson No body spoke about prayer! It was an illustration that the word of God is reliable and confirmed in stones! You seem to have your own personal hangups that you manifest by attacking a major archeological discovery! Watch that you don't end up on the receiving end of the curse on the tablet!
@@Bullcutter I am not worried.
Which brings me to my question, how much prove is enough?
Sean McDowell thinks he's on Miami Vice. Ha! What's up with the matching hairdos?
Jeremiah 22:23 Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
1 Thesolonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
Oh no! Jeremiah’s name was misspelled on his lower third that came up. Great discussion though!
Corrected after almost 11 minutes.
Thank you for soberly covering this. And I want to hear his dad jokes. 😀
Are you sure 😂
There are so many mysteries in the world,we will never know them all. Some have and will be discovered and some were never meant to be..I think it is wonderful. GOD is so wonderfully smart ❤️
Yep.. the date of the altar is 12th century bc. And it is Joshua..
Silly question, are there scans capable of obtaining imagery of what is on the inside of the tablet?
Yes
Remarkable how closely it matches the words in the Torah.
God’s will be done. Love this finding and God bringing this find to us.
Now when you say the earliest writing of the name YAHWEH was it the name or just the letters YHVH that we say or use as the word L-rd??? And was it written in Paleo Hebrew as well???
So cool!
So the evidence strongly suggest that ''Jacob'' was a real person? (that's huge, because it's generally accepted within scholarship and academia that the story of Abraham is mythical , not historical)
I think Hammurabi was likely the same character, or maybe tribe, or priest-class.
Paleo-Hebrew alphabet's Mama is Phoenicia and sister is Greek.
After 500 BC, the "Hebrew" alphabet was transitioned out by decree of Ezra the scribe , a switch to the Jew's Babylonian conqueror's 11th dynasty of Babylon Assyrian alphabet called Caldee / Chaldean.
That is the prevailing belief among archeologists. There are a minority of scholars who believe Hebrew predated Phoenician. The Semitic languages are definitely related, but if this finding does show this as being the claimed age and Porto-Hebrew, the minority of scholars would be correct that Hebrew was prior to Phoenician.
Thank you!
GreaT interview and great information.
...Woops. Hold on there: You don't have a valid question to explain with an argument; i.e., any sort of an anomaly which current models can't explain, to rule-out your biases. Neither are you using a methodology, to rule-out your biases. So, you inform us ONLY of your biases.
I want to volunteer!!!
it seems Sean and Jeremiah have kind of the same hairstyles . Anyhow great video i hope some skeptics are watching this
Given the context does this prove the Exodus happened not asking if the miracles just the fact that they left Egypt?
There were at least two Exodus. The Hyksos around 1600 bc when Thera erupted, and again when Akhenaten went rogue. This is according to the work of Ralph Ellis.
This is so exiting! I believe 😁
Nope, sorry. The circumstances of the announcement of the inscription is highly suspicious. The researchers made the first public announcement about their supposed discovery at a press conference without having published anything about it in any kind of scholarly or peer-reviewed journal. This means that the wider community of Biblical scholars and archaeologists did not have any chance to review the researchers’ claims about the alleged discovery before those claims became published as news.
The researchers have also for some reason chosen not to show any of the actual tomographic scans that they supposedly used to draw their conclusion about the existence of the inscription. This means that they have presented absolutely no hard evidence to support any of their claims about the inscription. The only evidence that is currently public is what the researchers themselves have asserted.
There is no clear, publicly available evidence that the tablet even contains any inscription at all, let alone one that says what the researchers claim it says. It is entirely possible that the “inscription” may be nothing more than the pareidolic perception of researchers overzealously committed to finding supposed “proof” that the Bible is historically accurate anywhere they can.
I would love to assist you in your archeological finds. You just said that you are short of people to help
Does anyone here know if Titus Kennedy have said anything on this? I'm kinda curious.
I noticed you said that the chariot wheels in the red sea were a hoax. Can you expand?
They discover the Name of YHWH! Not by their doing, but by HIS! 🙌🏻🙌🏻
I believe you’re spot on. He is releasing little tidbits here and there like a treasure hunt.
The Canaanite God El is the God of the Hebrew patriarchs. Through a process of convergence Yahweh began to take on the characteristics of both El and Baal. See "did Yahweh come from Canaanite religion" Dr. Christine Hayes
@@paulallen7962 That is simply not true.
@@camilla6110 how do you know its not true?
@@paulallen7962 Studied it extensively. 🙏🏻. Alan Horvath has the most accurate and reliable teachings on the Name of YHWH anywhere. When the Truth is presented, through the Father, you just know it. ☺️
Ok cool topic . Just a side question. Do both you guys have the same person doing your hair . lol 😆
As a non-Christian I felt like Dr Johnston was trying to make a point that non-believers the finding of this artifact should be shocking to non-believers. I think it’s very cool, not challenging. Felt like an argument was being made against objections that most people don’t have…not sure though I know very little about the discourse within archeology.
Thanks for watching!
God bless u bro glad u stopped by. You make a good point almost like he’s trying a bit to hard. As a Christian I didn’t mind it but I do get what your saying
Exactly. It's not controversial that Yahweh had been worshipped for a long time in this area, originally as part of a pantheon. I just don't see how this changes anything in terms of the veracity of Christianity. It's a *very* interesting historical finding, and I'm looking forward to learning what it actually says or means.
@@Sajadela I'm glad you watched the video.
@@SeanMcDowell Love your content. Always looking forward to the next upload and happily recommend your channel to my friends- whether they're Christian, questioning, or "none"
You may want to edit Dr. Johnston's name within the video.
I'll wait for an official publication and review by peers in the archaeological and scriptural studies fields.... too much "this PROVES the Bible" stuff...
I really wish Joe Rogan would have someone like you on his show. 🙏
I wish Joe Rogan would go on his show.
I'd go in a heartbeat!
😅🤣😂 I'm sure he would love going on Rogaine show.
Not in anyway do I understand the methods of a dig…but what constitutes a “dump heap”? How are they created? It comes to mind that in another 2000 years our sanitation sites would be a dump heap of our time.
How do we sign up for a dig in Israel
Check with Scott Stripling’s ministry
Where does this stand in terms of the Canaanites have a storm god named YaHWeH?
It’s like the chicken or the egg…
I’m a believer that wants to be very cautious.
It should be called the covenant tablet not curse
I would like to hear from Dr Miles Jones or Nehemiah Gordon. I used to call God Yaway but we now have thousands of manuscripts with the vowel points and more than one linguist says it should be YeHoVah. It has been many years since my Hebrew classes so I am not an authority .
Dr Jones says that he has discussed this discovery with Dr Stripling and has congratulated him on his amazing find.
There was a Hebrew Matthew, but the rabbis destroyed all the real Christian manuscripts they could.
The Shem Tov Mathew comes out of Spain, too. Translated from Latin. It is poison.
The manuscripts Jones got from the Jews are rabbi approved.
Even if Jerome did write a preface for one, he is suspect.
Jerome's translation of the Bible, his 405 AD Vulgate Bible, met with complaints from knowing beleevers in the Catholic Church.
His opponents labeled him a falsifier and a profaner of God, claiming that through his translations he had abrogated the sacred traditions of the Church and followed the Jews by using their revised Hebrew text. All Christians used was the Septuagint.
St. Justin Martyr (AD 100-165) stated that the scribes [rabbis] deliberately removed, altered or distorted Messianic verses in their Scriptures (Dialogue with Trypho, 71-73), as did St. Irenaeus (AD 130-210) (Against Heresies, 3.21.1).
@@TedBruckner check out Nehemiah's wall on UA-cam. He has over a thousand manuscripts with the name with the vowel points. I have read the Hebrew Mathew. My memory is not as good as yours but you will be surprised at what Nehemiah has found . He is not a believer, but he is a professional. Miles Jones also has more manuscripts. Dr Jones has spoken with Dr. Stripling about this amazing archeological find and will be talking about it on his site "The writing of God".
@@elaineroper755 why is no other Jew into him or such knowledge?
@@TedBruckner do you mean Nehemiah Gordon? I didn't know that other Jews weren't into him. He did work on the Dead Sea Scrolls.
He is s Karite Jew not rabbinical.
Can someone explain to me, is this a covenant between them and God and is God asking them to enter into a 'promise to be cursed' if breaking said covenant? Please explain this God/Hebrew traditional practice to me:)
isn't this a bit premature? We should wait to see what peer review and the analysis shows as opposed to saying its the greatest find ever?
Edit: I asked this about a minute in
Lol. Incase you are being serious, watch the video. He says the exact thing you say.
Edit saved u there hah
Fair play, Benjamin - we've all done that!! 😁😁
Why would you bind yourself to a curse?
Mark 12:24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?
Old wine is very important to flesh and blood, the new wine has Christ in you to find in yourself does not need old stories of allegorical hints. With Christ being in you becoming Christ is taught by still small soft voice.