Changes

=== David's Kingdom ===

=== David's Kingdom ===

In 2006, Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman published a book titled ''David and Solomon: in search of the Bible's sacred kings and the roots of the Western tradition''<ref>Finkelstein, Israel, and Neil Asher Silberman. David and Solomon: in search of the Bible's sacred kings and the roots of the Western tradition. Simon and Schuster, 2007.</ref>, arguing that David did not rule over the great kingdom ascribed to him in the Bible, but rather was a highland chieftain ruling over a small, agrarian society. A number of scholars followed their interpretations, however as recently as 2008, a considerable amount of archaeological finds have been brought forth to challenge their claims, and in fact establish the great kingdoms of David and Solomon.

In 2006, Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman published a book titled ''David and Solomon: in search of the Bible's sacred kings and the roots of the Western tradition'',<ref>Finkelstein, Israel, and Neil Asher Silberman. David and Solomon: in search of the Bible's sacred kings and the roots of the Western tradition. Simon and Schuster, 2007.</ref> arguing that David did not rule over the great kingdom ascribed to him in the Bible, but rather was a highland chieftain ruling over a small, agrarian society. A number of scholars followed their interpretations, however as recently as 2008, a considerable amount of archaeological finds have been brought forth to challenge their claims, and in fact establish the great kingdoms of David and Solomon.

Most prominent of these, are excavations of the Judahite city of [[Khirbet Qeiyafa]] lead by [[Yosef Garfinkel]] between 2008-2016. Radiocarbon dates have established a dating for the city of Khirbet Qeiyafa between 1020-980 BC,<ref>Garfinkel, Y., and Katharina Streit. "Radiometric Dating of the Iron Age City." Khirbet Qeiyafa 2 (2014): 2009-2013. pg. 368.</ref> during the rule of David. Khirbet Qeiyafa was a major fortified city, that had two gates. All sites up until that time only had one. Secondly, there was a major administration at Khirbet Qeiyafa that stretched over 10,000 square feet, and the site was built of over 200,000 tons of stone.<ref>[http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/khirbet-qeiyafa-and-tel-lachish-excavations-explore-early-kingdom-of-judah/ Khirbet Qeiyafa and Tel Lachish Excavations Explore Early Kingdom of Judah]</ref><ref>[http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/biblical-shaarayim-khirbet-qeiyafa-second-gate/ Biblical Sha’arayim: Khirbet Qeiyafa’s Second Gate Discovered]</ref> This city revealed that that kingdom of Israel at the time was nothing less than a true kingdom, and cast serious doubt on Finkelstein and Silberman's claims. Yosef Garfinkel, director of excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa, says "Some scholars view King David’s kingdom as a simple agrarian society, sparsely inhabited, with no fortified cities, no administration and no writing… These scholars find it very hard to accept the new discoveries at Qeiyafa, which have completely dismantled these hypotheses."<ref>Garfinkel, Yosef. "The birth and death of biblical minimalism." Biblical Archaeology Review 37.3 (2011): 46-53.</ref> Khirbet Qeiyafa has been identified with the biblical city of [[Shaaraim]] because of its two gates. 'Shaaraim' means 'two gates'.

Most prominent of these, are excavations of the Judahite city of [[Khirbet Qeiyafa]] lead by [[Yosef Garfinkel]] between 2008-2016. Radiocarbon dates have established a dating for the city of Khirbet Qeiyafa between 1020-980 BC,<ref>Garfinkel, Y., and Katharina Streit. "Radiometric Dating of the Iron Age City." Khirbet Qeiyafa 2 (2014): 2009-2013. pg. 368.</ref> during the rule of David. Khirbet Qeiyafa was a major fortified city, that had two gates. All sites up until that time only had one. Secondly, there was a major administration at Khirbet Qeiyafa that stretched over 10,000 square feet, and the site was built of over 200,000 tons of stone.<ref>[http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/khirbet-qeiyafa-and-tel-lachish-excavations-explore-early-kingdom-of-judah/ Khirbet Qeiyafa and Tel Lachish Excavations Explore Early Kingdom of Judah]</ref><ref>[http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/biblical-shaarayim-khirbet-qeiyafa-second-gate/ Biblical Sha’arayim: Khirbet Qeiyafa’s Second Gate Discovered]</ref> This city revealed that that kingdom of Israel at the time was nothing less than a true kingdom, and cast serious doubt on Finkelstein and Silberman's claims. Yosef Garfinkel, director of excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa, says "Some scholars view King David’s kingdom as a simple agrarian society, sparsely inhabited, with no fortified cities, no administration and no writing… These scholars find it very hard to accept the new discoveries at Qeiyafa, which have completely dismantled these hypotheses."<ref>Garfinkel, Yosef. "The birth and death of biblical minimalism." Biblical Archaeology Review 37.3 (2011): 46-53.</ref> Khirbet Qeiyafa has been identified with the biblical city of [[Shaaraim]] because of its two gates. 'Shaaraim' means 'two gates'.