A seal confirming the biblical chronicles of King Hezekiah was found in Jerusalem

Archaeologists reported a discovery in Jerusalemwhich could be a rare confirmation biblical events era King Hezekiah.

At the foot Temple Mount a tiny fragment of ceramics measuring only 2.5 cm was discovered, on which an inscription was preserved Akkadian cuneiform script – the language of office work Assyrian Empire.

Researchers from Bar-Ilan University The find is dated to be around 2700 years. The inscription turned out to be part of the official address of the Assyrian authorities related to delay in payment of tribute from the kingdom of Judah. The text mentions first day of the month Ava – the eleventh month of the Jewish calendar, which indicates specific dates for tax calculations.

Scientists believe that similar documents were sent by the kings of Assyria to the rulers of Judah, and this directly resonates with the events described in 2 Kings 18–19. It says there King Hezekiah paid to the Assyrian ruler Sennacherib 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold to avoid attack. In terms of time, the artifact can relate to both the reign of Hezekiah and the era of his son Manasseh or King Josiah.

Doctor Peter Zilberg noted that the small size of the find does not detract from its importance. This is a fragment royal seal – a clay bulla used to seal official documents. According to the scientist, this is the first material evidence direct correspondence between Assyria and Judeafound on the territory of Jerusalem itself.

Petrographic analysis confirmed that the clay has Assyrian origin. Minerals match rocks from the river basin Tigerthat is, from the regions Nineveh, Ashur and Kalhu. This indicates that the seal arrived in Judea along with official diplomatic correspondence.

The scientific team emphasizes that such finds help to understand how close the relations between Judea and the Assyrian power. Even the small Middle Eastern kingdoms maintained systematic correspondence with the empire, trying to maintain independence and avoid military threat.

Although the text of the bull does not quote a specific biblical episodeits origin and dating give historians a rare material evidence interactions between the kingdoms described in the Holy Scriptures. Each such artifact is a reminder that The history of the Bible often turns out to be not only a faith, but also a document of its time.

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