Mesha Stela declared to mention ‘House of David,’ hence is additional proof of the biblical text
Before the Mesha Stele was damaged in 1869, a squeeze of the inscription was made. It is from this that many scholars base their claims today. https://t.co/so6EuRl4ff
— Biblical Archaeology Review (@BibArch) January 16, 2023
Israel365News reported the following:
Mesha Stele Mystery solved: King David was real, researchers say
January 17, 2023
Newly concluded research using advanced photographic techniques claim to having ended a longstanding dispute over a 2,800-year-old Moabite inscription, concluding that it is indeed referring to the royal Israelite House of David.
The Mesha Stele, also known as the Moabite Stone, was discovered intact in Jordan roughly 15 miles east of the Dead Sea in 1868. Archaeologists dated the inscription to around 840 BCE. The next year, the stele was smashed into several fragments by the Bani Hamida tribe as an act of defiance against the Ottoman authorities. In Biblical times, the location, Dibon, was the capital of Moab.
The stele, inscribed with 34 lines of text in the Moabite language, glorifies the military victories of King Mesha, including vanquishing Israel and possibly Judah, referred to as the “House of David” and also refers to the “Altar of David.”
The account inscribed in the stele parallels, with some differences, an episode in the Books of Kings (2 Kings 3:4–28) which describes the king of Mesha in Moab rebelling against paying a tribute to the king of Israel.
The black basalt stele is the most extensive inscription ever recovered that refers to the kingdom of Israel and bears the earliest extrabiblical reference to the Israelite god. Its authenticity has been disputed over the years, and some biblical minimalists suggest the text was not historical, but a biblical allegory. Due to it being broken, archaeologists have been unable to decipher it with absolute certainty. The Moabite phrase “House of David” consists of five letters but only the first and fourth letters of the series, bet and waw were completely clear. Three letters completing the reference to David were assumed to be taw (like modern Hebrew tav), dalet, and dalet. …
The historicity of Biblical King David as referred to in the Mesha Stele was corroborated by the Tel Dan Stele discovered in 1993 and is believed to have been created in 870–750 BCE. The stele contains several lines of Aramaic referring to an individual who killed Jehoram of Israel, the son of Ahab and king of the house of David. This is described in II Kings 9:24. https://www.israel365news.com/365546/mesha-stele-mystery-solved-king-david-was-real-researchers-say/
This is interesting as we get closer to the end that some archeologists continue to look for more evidence of biblical locations, figures, and events.
On the other hand, biased secular sources such as Wikipedia have chosen to often push an anti-biblical narrative by often referring to “scholars” who oppose scripture. Here some excerpts from its article on David:
Historicity …
A number of scholars consider the David story to be a heroic tale similar to King Arthur‘s legend or Homer‘s epics …Jacob L. Wright has written that the most popular legends about David, including his killing of Goliath, his affair with Bathsheba, and his ruling of a United Kingdom of Israel rather than just Judah, are the creation of those who lived generations after him, in particular those living in the late Persian or Hellenistic periods.[130]
Isaac Kalimi wrote about the tenth century BCE that: “Almost all that one can say about King Solomon and his time is unavoidably based on the biblical texts. Nevertheless, here also one cannot always off
(David, Wikipedia, accessed 08/26/22)
So, Wikipedia is pushing the false narrative that David could have been a made up legend.
As far as whether to believe “scholars” over scripture, the Bible teaches:
4 … Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. (Romans 3:4)
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:13-15)
And the so-called editors at Wikipedia are deceived and deceiving in many of their reports about biblical matters. As are biases from sources like Google.
But the Bible can be trusted. There is a God and that is provable (see also the free online book: Is God’s Existence Logical?).
Satan does not want people to believe the word of God or to act on it.
The deceived associated with Wikipedia and many other places function as his minions.
Many of the so-called educated have claimed many fraudulent positions. Many have suggested that the biblical David was a myth. Now, notice the following cover:
Here is a link to that July-September 2017 edition of Bible News Prophecy magazine. Its front cover shows the ancient Tel Dan Stele which also mentions King David, and the associated article contains more information about why true science supports the Bible.
The Bible is true, but many do not want it to be believed.
Much of the world’s claimed knowledge is false.
The Apostle Paul warned:
20 … Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge — 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)
Be careful not to accept ‘knowledge’ from those who are contradicting the Bible.
As far as archeology and the Bible goes, many “scholars” have falsely suggested the Joshua of the Bible also did not exist.
There was a Joshua and some are looking for even more evidence to prove that is so. Related to Joshua, we put together the following video last Summer:
Did Joshua of the Bible Exist?
The Temple Institute out of Jerusalem reported that the first archaeological dig has started at the site many believe was the tomb of Joshua of the Bible. What does the Bible say about Joshua’s burial? Why do places like Wikipedia and Google point to sources who say that Joshua did not exist, but instead was a national myth? Are they looking at the wrong time (13th instead of 15th century BCE)? What about archaeological evidence that points to place the Book of Judges mentions? What about the destruction of ancient Jericho? Should we trust the biblical account or those who claim to have scholarly knowledge? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these matters.
Here is a link to the video: Did Joshua of the Bible Exist?
Of course, for those of us who believe the Bible, no further proof of David’s or Joshua’ existence is needed. But for some who have heard statements from pseudo-archaeologists that deny the biblical accounts, it may be helpful for them to realize that as time goes on, more and more archaeological evidence surfaces that supports the Bible.
Satan wants you to have doubts, God wants you to have faith.
The truth is that there was a biblical David and a biblical Joshua–do not be swayed by false narratives.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Is God’s Existence Logical? Is it really logical to believe in God? Yes! Would you like Christian answers to give atheists? This is a free online booklet that deal with improper theories and musings called science related to the origin of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and evolution. Here is a link to a related sermon: Evolution is NOT the Origin of Life. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?
Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
Biblical Archaeology This is a website that has more information on biblical archeological as is sometimes known as the Bib Arch site.
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?
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