Ancient Inscription Refers to Birth of Israelite Monarchy

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The already famous Qeiyafa Ostracon, found only in 2008, has been read and interpreted quite differently by a variety of senior scholars, as recounted in the previous article by Christopher Rollston. One of the most fascinating interpretations is by Émile Puech, the senior epigrapher of the prestigious École Biblique et Archéologique Française in Jerusalem. Because his analysis is written in French (published in the Revue Biblique1), it is not well known outside of a small group of scholars, but it is well worth considering. In Puech’s view, the Qeiyafa Ostracon is the earliest known text relating to the establishment of […]

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Footnotes

Hershel Shanks, “Newly Discovered: A Fortified City from King David’s Time: Answers—and Questions—at Khirbet Qeiyafa,” BAR, 35:01. See also “Prize Find: Oldest Hebrew Inscription Discovered in Israelite Fort on Philistine Border,” BAR, 36:02 and Yosef Garfinkel, “The Birth & Death of Biblical Minimalism,” BAR, 37:03.

Endnotes

Émile Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa et les débuts de la royauté en Israël,”Revue Biblique 17 (2010), pp. 162–184.

Puech speculates that a minimum of four to six lines are missing. “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 171

Notably, A. Demsky, who apparently reads the text in vertical lines, from top to bottom. Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” fn. 5.

1. N’opprime pas, et sers Di‘eu’. :|: Le/la spoliait

2. le juge et la veuve pleurait: il avait pouvoir

3. sur l’étranger résident et sur l’enfant, il les supprimait ensemble.

4. Les hommes et les chefs/officiers ont établit un roi.

5. Il a marqué soixante serviteurs parmi les communautés/habitations/générations.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 163.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 180.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 181.

10.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 181.

11.

The editio princeps agrees that it seems to be a “monumental” text.

12.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” at p. 179.

13.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 178.

14.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 179.

15.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 184, n. 76.

16.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 184, n. 76.

17.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 182.

18.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 183.

19.

Puech, “L’Ostracon de Khirbet Qeyafa,” p. 183.