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Israelites

The top of the Merneptah Stele includes a carving of Merneptah receiving a sword from the god Amun, but it is the text of the stele which is most fascinating. Source: Alyssa Bivins / CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Merneptah Stele: Proof Ancient Egypt Knew of the Israelites

The Merneptah Stele, also known as the Israel Stele or Victory Stele of Merneptah, in considered to be one of the most significant archaeological artifacts ever discovered in ancient Egypt. Carved...
Painting: The Grapes of Canaan, c. 1896-1902. Source: Public Domain

What Really Happened to the Canaanites? (Video)

The Israelites' entry into Canaan around 1250 BC, following their forty-year journey through the desert, was a pivotal event shrouded in religious significance. According to the Old Testament, the...
Seventh Plague of Egypt (1823) by John Martin, a painting of the Old Testament bible story. Source: Public domain

Egypt Remembers: Where are the Ancient Accounts of the Great Exodus?

The biblical story of the Israelites’ Descent and Great Exodus speaks about important events that took place in Egypt. We should, therefore, expect to find records of these events in Egyptian sources...
Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle, wearing the breastplate by James Jacques Joseph Tissot, (1836-1902) Jewish Museum, New York (Public Domain)

The Israelites’ Lost Urim And Tummim, Divine Divination Of Yahweh

The story of the settlement of the Israelite tribes in the Promised Land has long been the subject of controversy among scholars. Moreover, the narrative of the Book of Judges has been regarded as...
Representational AI generated image of Sambation River. Source: Tech Hendra / Adobe Stock

The Legend of Sambation River and the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel

Deep within the realms of ancient Jewish folklore lies a tale of intrigue and mystery surrounding the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel and their elusive barrier, the Sambation River. This mythical...
Moses parting the Red Sea. (pozitivo / Adobe Stock)

Why Mount Sinai is in Egypt and Other Exodus Enigmas

Historians have dedicated significant efforts to authenticating the biblical narratives of the Exodus. Despite their best efforts, the actual locations of the events described in the account remain...
Ancient DNA analysis is unlocking secrets about the genetic legacy of the Levites of ancient Israel. Source: Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing/ CC BY-SA 3.0 overlayed and cropped onto ankreative / Adobe Stock

Ancient DNA Analysis Reconstructs Legacy of the Biblical Levites

The biblical Levites were a group of people from the tribe of Levi set apart for religious service in ancient Israel. The most famous Levite was Aaron, Moses 's big brother and the first priest. The...
Israel’s Exodus from Egypt. Will archaeologists ever find concrete evidence for the Exodus and the metropolises the Israelites built in Egypt? Source: Public domain

Mythical Metropolises: Pithom, Piramesses, and the Israelite Exodus of Egypt

The legendary Egyptian metropolises of Pithom and Piramesses were first noted in the Exodus story of the Old Testament. One of the foundations of the Jewish religion, it told of the plight of the...
Samson and Delilah by Jose Etxenagusia, 1887.

Were Samson’s Superhuman Abilities Really That Far-fetched?

The story of Samson is one of the more far-fetched stories in the Bible. It’s like an ancient Superhero story; the story of a man whose magical hair gives such superhuman strength that he could kill...
Ezekiel’s vision The Valley of Dry Bones: loswl / CC BY-SA 2.0 .

Seeking The Ten Lost Tribes Of Israel, Finding DNA

The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel have been considered lost for over 3,000 years, but recent evidence demonstrates that they were not lost, they had merely been scattered around the world and had...
Biblical illustration showing manna falling from heaven. Source: University of Edinburgh / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Manna: What Was the Mysterious Substance that Fed the Israelites for 40 Years?

Are you wondering what exactly “manna” is? Well, you are not alone. It may be something of a familiar word, but what it originally was is a bit of a mystery. According to the Bible, manna refers to...
The Levites and the Kohens: The Patriarchal High Priests of Judaism

The Levites and the Kohens: The Patriarchal High Priests of Judaism

The Levites are members of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. They, and their tribe, are named after Levi, the third son of Jacob, and Leah. In the past, the Levites were entrusted with religious...

Canaanite Stronghold From the Time of the Judges Found in Israel

An ancient Canaanite stronghold has been unearthed in Israel. It is believed to date back to the time of the Judges whose history is recounted in the Bible. The discovery is telling experts a lot...
A shofar is sounded under the light of the sun. Source: Rafael Ben-Ari /Adobe Stock.

“Shofar Away”: An Akhenaten Connection to the Jewish New Year

The lone blast of the shofar trumpet stretches out across the hills, illuminated by the first rays of the morning sun. The distinct sonorous call marks the important day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish...
Ezekiel’s vision ‘The Valley of Dry Bones”.      Source: loswl / CC BY-SA 2.0.

Resurrecting the Ancient Israelites From the Valley of Dry Bones

The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones prophecy is one of the most powerful prophecies of the prophet Ezekiel . In this vision, Ezekiel finds himself in a valley full of dry human bones of Israelite...
Departure of the Israelites by David Roberts, (1829)

Exodus: Were the Israelites Slaves in Egypt or Not?

The Book of Exodus has intrigued churchgoers, academics and everyday readers. The approach to its content varies; an apologetic approach includes a literal interpretation of the Bible however a...
 "Israel in Egypt" by Edward Poynter, 1867

Pharaoh Ramses’ Anti-Israelite Policy Now Explained

Why were the Jews enslaved in Egypt? New evidence from a French Egyptologist, Alain Zivie, now points to an Egyptian suspect: Pharaoh’s vizier ‘Abdiel, whose Semitic name means ‘a servant of [the god...
The Burning of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar’s Army (1630-1660)

By the Rivers of Babylon: Life in Ancient Babylon’s Thriving Jewish Community

In the 6th-century BC, the armies of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah. They tore down the city walls, burned the temples, and ran down every person who tried to escape. The few...
Joshua’s armies depart a burning and looted Ai.

Military Blunder and the Death of a King: Joshua’s Debacle at Ai – Part II

The battle of Ai is probably one of history’s most overlooked battles in which military trainees or cadets can learn valuable lessons. Joshua—new leader of the tribes of Israel, great military leader...
Joshua’s armies use horns of war in siege against Jericho.

Sounding the Horns of Doom at the Battle of Jericho – Part I

Joshua was a great military leader and a controversial figure in the Bible. With Moses’ death at Mount Nebo, Joshua was elected the new leader of the tribes of Israel. Under Joshua’s leadership, the...
Georgia, Savannah River, near Savannah, circa 1862. (Public Domain) with couple (Public Domain);Deriv.

Prehistoric Romeo and Juliet Lived Apart: But Why? The People of the Shoals and The People of the Hills

Just north of Augusta, Georgia, USA, near what is called the Fall Line of the Savannah River, lies Stallings Island. It has given its name to the culture that sparked the second great American...
David chops off the head of the giant, Goliath. Stained glass window.

Was David Just an Opportunist in a Rise to Power? Challenging the Story of the Valley of Elah — Part II

The story of David rise to power is very political. The well-known tale of the famous giant-slayer and second king of the Israelites, according to the Hebrew Bible, goes that after an exchange of...
David and Goliath, by Antonio Zanchi (1631—1722)

Did David Really Kill Goliath? Challenging the Story of the Valley of Elah — Part I

The story of David rise to power is very political. The tale of the famous giant-slayer and second king of the Israelites, according to the Hebrew Bible, starts with the slaughter of a tribe – women...
Skeleton found in Sidon, Lebanon, from which the Canaanite DNA was extracted

New Analysis of Ancient DNA Proves that Canaanites Survived Biblical Massacre

Science Mag reports that the ancient Canaanites were not exterminated, as the Hebrew Bible suggests, but instead they survived and went on to become modern-day Lebanese, as the first study to analyze...

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