Video
Is the Bible used in Archaeology?
Is the Bible used as a tool in Archaeology? Joel visits five different dig sites that fall within the borders of ancient Israel, asking archaeologists, “Do you use the Bible as a tool in your work?”
Photo credit (Bible image in thumbnail): Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash
Resume
Arkeologer, der arbejder med udgravninger i det gamle Israel, anvender ofte Bibelen som et vigtigt redskab i deres forskning. I byen Gezer forklarer digdirektør dr. Steven Ortiz, at Bibelen hjælper med at rekonstruere historien om området, da den ofte nævner Gezer. I Jeriko, kendt fra Josvas bog, bekræfter dr. Titus Kennedy, at han bruger Bibelen til at forstå den historiske kontekst og finde udgravningssteder. Hatzor, det største gamle sted i Israel, er også nævnt, hvor dr. Amnon Bentor understreger, at uden Bibelen ville arkæologien mangle sin sjæl, idet den ville være reduceret til blot murværk og stratigrafi. Dr. Aaron Mayer, der leder udgravningerne i Gath, Goliats hjemby, fremhæver, at den bibelske tekst er en vigtig kilde til viden om det gamle Israel. Jeff Chadwick, der har arbejdet i Gath i 15 år, tilføjer, at Bibelen er essentiel for at forstå de fund, der gøres. Endelig bemærker dr. Shimon Gibson, der arbejder i Jerusalem, at arkæologiske fund kan kaste lys over bibelske beretninger, især når man finder rester fra kong Hiskias tid. Samlet set viser disse udsagn, at Bibelen er et uundgåeligt redskab for både religiøse og sekulære arkæologer, når de udforsker bibelske steder og perioder.
Læs transskription
[Music] this dig season i traveled to five different biblical sites within the borders of ancient israel to ask archaeologists a simple question in their excavation work do they use the bible as a tool [Music] the first stop is the ancient city of gezer to visit with dig director dr steven ortiz do you use the bible as a tool in your archaeology here at gaza yes we use the bible as a two the bible mentions talgezer a lot and so we use the bible to help us reconstruct the history so we use the bible and we use the archaeology to reconstruct what happened here jericho is famous as the biblical city where the walls came tumbling down i stopped there to visit with archaeologist dr titus kennedy in the book of joshua it says the israelites destroy jericho and they burn the city right here we can see some of the toppled mud brick wall and clear evidence of a fire destruction so dr kennedy do you use the bible as a tool in your archaeology yes i do i find it extremely useful in not only locating sites but helping us understand the historical record better the largest ancient site in all the land of israel is hatzor [Music] where i asked long-time dig director dr amnon bentor how important the bible is to biblical archaeology taking away the bible from archaeology in this part of the world between the 10th and the 6th century is depriving archaeology of its soul you’re left with nothing you’re left with a lot you’re left with walls you’re left with stratigraphy you’re left with fines but the soul is missing next up was dr aaron mayer who is the dig director at gath the hometown of goliath do you use the bible as a tool in your archaeology the biblical text is an important source for learning about the the ancient land of israel in biblical times archaeologist jeff chadwick has served as an area supervisor at gath for 15 years of course we use the bible to try and understand what happened here if we didn’t have these written records we would have a lot harder time understanding what it is we find in jerusalem excavations are currently being conducted by archaeologist dr shimon gibson do you use the bible as a tool in your archaeology the bible can be illuminated by archaeology there’s no doubt about it when you’re excavating a place like this which is referred to in the sources as the upper city and when you come down on remains which date from the time of king hezekiah who’s mentioned in the old testament then it all comes alive [Music] there is no question that the bible is an important tool in archaeology this is evident in the reality that archaeologists who excavate biblical places and periods whether they are religious or secular use the bible as a tool in their archaeological work
