3,000 year old Hebrew text discovered

Reuters is reporting that Israeli archaeologists unearthed the oldest Hebrew text ever found, just yesterday ((Thurs. 10/29), while excavating a fortress city overlooking a valley where the Bible says David slew Goliath.

Experts have not fully deciphered the five lines of text written on a pottery shard found at the five-acre known as Khirbet Qeiyafa (the region where David killed Goliath in the Valley of Elah). Scholars have been able to make out a few words, including "judge," "slave" and "king."

Archaeologists at Hebrew University said carbon dating of artifacts at the site indicate the Hebrew inscription was written some 3,000 years ago. This would pre-date the Dead Sea Scrolls by 1,000 years, and represent the oldest known such text. Lead archaeologist at the site, Josef Garfinkel, indicated that the discovery could shed considerable light on the period of David's kingship.

HAARETZ, a daily Jewish news source, has the most extensive coverage I have found on this still-developing story, here.

- Dr. Smith