So-called Tomb of Absalom in the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem1

Ahabs palace.

Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., Butler, T. C., & Latta, B. (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

The ruins of the ancient city of Ai.

The Treaty of Kadesh, between the Hittites and Egypt, is inscribed on this tablet in Akkadian.2

The Citadel built by Solomon on the highest point on Arad, a hill about 130 feet high. Arad is some 18.5 miles northeast of Beersheba.3

Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., Butler, T. C., & Latta, B. (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (43). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Step trench cut into the tel of Old Testament Jericho by archaeologists to uncover levels of destruction.4

Two of the famous letters discovered at Amarna, Egypt, in 1887. The clay cuneiform tablets contain diplomatic correspondence from Babylonian, Canaanite, and other rulers to the pharaohs Amenhotep III and Akhenaton (fourteenth century B.C.). (British Museum)5
3

Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., Butler, T. C., & Latta, B. (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (93). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers. 4 Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., Butler, T. C., & Latta, B. (2003). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (104). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers. 5 Thompson, J. A. (1982). The Bible and archaeology (3rd ed., fully rev.) (71). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

Spring Gihon in the Kidron Valley of Jerusalem may have derived its name from the Hebrew word for gush, because it gushes for forty minutes every six to eight hours. It still supplies water for part of the region. David used the Gihon passage to capture Jerusalem from the Jebusites, and Hezekiah diverted the spring to protect the citys water from the Assyrians. Beyond Gihon in this picture is the eastern 6 entrance of Hezekiahs tunnel. (Garo Nalbandian)

Thompson, J. A. (1982). The Bible and archaeology (3rd ed., fully rev.) (105). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

Omri the king of Israel had forced Moab to pay tribute, but during Ahabs reign Mesha the king of Moab withheld payments and soon after became entirely free from Israels control. On the so-called Moabite Stone (ca. 840820 B.C.), Mesha tells of his revolt and lists the villages that he with the help of Chemosh [the Moabite god] took from Israel. (Oriental Institute, University of Chicago)7

This panel of the Black Obelisk shows Jehu son of Omri (or his emissary) bowing before Shalamaneser III. At either side of the panel are Assyrian attendants. This is the only contemporary portrait of an Israelite king. (British Museum)

This monument, in the form of a stele, tells of a siege of Hazrek, the biblical Hadrach (2 Chron. 9:1). It commences with these words:

Thompson, J. A. (1982). The Bible and archaeology (3rd ed., fully rev.) (130). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

The stela which Zakir king of Hamath and Luash set up in honor of Ilu-wer. I am Zakir, king of Hamath and Luash. I am a humble man, but Baal-Shamain (Lord of Heaven) called me and has held to me, and Baal-Shamain has caused me to reign over Hazrek. And Benhadad, son of Hazael, king of Aram, united against me twelve [?] kingsBenhadad and his army, Bar Gush and his army, the king of Que and his army, the king of Umq and his army, the king of Gurgum and his army, the king of Samal and his army, and the king of Meliz and his army and all these kings besieged Hazrek and raised up a rampart higher than the rampart of Hazrek, and digged a ditch deeper than its ditch. Then I raised my hands to Baal-Shamain and Baal-Shamain heard me and Baal-Shamain spoke to me by seers and Baal-Shamain said to me, Fear not! It is I who caused you to reign and it is I who will be with you. It is I who will deliver you from all these kings which have set up siege against you.8

In 2 Kings 15:1316 we read: In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah Sennacherib King of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord and gave [them] to the king of Assyria. The

Thompson, J. A. (1982). The Bible and archaeology (3rd ed., fully rev.) (136137). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

cuneiform inscription on this hexagonal clay prism (686 B.C.) from Nineveh confirms that Sennacherib received such tribute from Hezekiah. (British Museum)9

De offerhoogte in Dan zie volgende foto (eigen

materiaal)

Thompson, J. A. (1982). The Bible and archaeology (3rd ed., fully rev.) (150). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.