Archaeological Evidence for Biblical Events
This document presents a selection of key archaeological discoveries that corroborate or provide context for events described in the Bible.
| Archaeological Find | Biblical Event / Period | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| The Tel Dan Stele | The United and Divided Kingdoms | This stone inscription, found in northern Israel, contains the earliest known historical reference to the “House of David.” It provides non-biblical evidence for the existence of King David’s dynasty. |
| The Cyrus Cylinder | The Return from Exile | This clay cylinder describes the Persian king Cyrus’s policy of allowing conquered peoples to return to their homelands and restore their religious sanctuaries. This directly corroborates the biblical account in Ezra 1. |
| Hezekiah’s Tunnel | The Siege of Jerusalem | This water tunnel was built under Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah to protect the city’s water supply from the Assyrian siege led by Sennacherib, as described in 2 Kings 20. |
| The Pool of Siloam | The Ministry of Jesus | Excavated in Jerusalem, this is the pool where Jesus healed the man born blind (John 9). The discovery of the pool and its steps provides physical confirmation of a specific location mentioned in the Gospel account. |
| The Merneptah Stele | The Exodus and Conquest | This Egyptian stele contains the first known reference to “Israel” in any ancient source outside the Bible. It dates to around 1208 BC, indicating that Israel was already an established entity in Canaan at that time. |
| The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III | The Divided Kingdom | This Assyrian monument depicts Israelite King Jehu kneeling before the Assyrian king. It is an independent historical record that confirms the existence of King Jehu. |
| The House of David Inscription | Biblical Archeology | The Tel Dan Stele also mentions the “House of David”. It is a key piece of evidence that suggests the historical existence of the Davidic dynasty and corroborates the biblical account of the Kingdom of Israel. |
| The Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele) | The Divided Kingdom | This stone monument, erected by King Mesha of Moab, recounts a conflict between Moab and Israel. It mentions the Israelite king Omri and his son, corroborating the biblical account in 2 Kings 3. |
| The Ketef Hinnom scrolls | Old Testament Period | These small silver scrolls, dating to the First Temple Period, contain the oldest surviving biblical texts known today. They include the Priestly Blessing from Numbers 6, confirming the antiquity of the biblical text. |
| The Dead Sea Scrolls | Old and New Testament Periods | Discovered in caves near the Dead Sea, these manuscripts contain copies of nearly every book of the Hebrew Bible. They confirm the remarkable accuracy of the biblical text transmitted over thousands of years. |
| The Ossuary of Caiaphas | The Ministry of Jesus | This decorated stone bone box was found bearing the name of “Joseph son of Caiaphas.” This is widely believed to be the Jewish high priest who presided over Jesus’s trial, providing direct archaeological confirmation of a New Testament figure. |
| The Ebla Tablets | The Patriarchal Period | Thousands of cuneiform tablets from the ancient city of Ebla mention names and places that are also found in the book of Genesis, providing historical and cultural context for the time of the patriarchs. |