1. Survey of the Old Testament
Chapter 19
Archeology and the Old Testament

2. What Archeology Can Do for the Bible
Construction of a historical framework
Reconstruction of significant political situations
Recovery and ancient customs and practices
Photo: Ancient kings kept palace records of important events. Such records of Israel are alluded to in Scripture but did not survive (1 Kings 11:41; 14:19, 29). Similar records survived in other nations, however. This tablet is one of 15,000 tablets from the Royal Archives of a palace in Ebla, Syria, the oldest royal archive surviving (mid-third millennium BC).

3. What Archeology Cannot Do the for the Bible
Inability to provide a complete record
Inability to confirm the primary purpose of Scripture, God's sovereign role
Photo: The Babylonian story of creation is called Enuma Elish. This cuneiform tablet (7-8th century BC) describes the god Marduk battling for a position of supremacy over the other gods. Such theomachy, or war between the gods, is unknown in Israel's religious system, where Yahweh is the sovereign unique God. The tablet contains an account of creations, but its overall intent is to proclaim the fifty names of Marduk as he ascends to the head of the divine council.

4. What Archeology Has Done for the Bible
Archives
The Dead Sea Scrolls
Monuments and Inscriptions
Court Chronicles
Cult Sites
Biblical References
Photo: The Gilgamesh Epic (with copies dating from throughout the biblical period) records the tales of the great king-tyrant Gilgamesh. It is well-known for including a story of a great flood, which has been seen to contain parallels to the biblical account of Noah in Genesis 6-9.

5. What Archeology Has Not Done for the Bible
Gaps in the archeological record
Archeological records creating confusion, rather than clarity
Much material remains to be uncovered
Photo: This collection of pottery is dated to the Iron Age ( BC) and was found in the City of David. Various characteristics of pottery allow it to be used by archeologists for dating the layers of a site.