New Find at Ancient Gath

Archaeologists at the site of the ancient Philistine city of Gath (Tel Tzafit) have unearthed another exciting find. This year an expedition from the Bar Ilan University discovered the ancient gate which is mentioned in the Bible (1 Sam. 21:13). Professor Meir Ettinger says the gate is among the largest ever found in Israel (“Goliath’s Humongous Gate Found,” Israel Today, Aug. 6, 2015). Gath, one of the five major Philistine cities of the Old Testament era, is mentioned more than 30 times in Scripture, and archaeological research since 1996 has confirmed the Biblical record in many interesting ways. First, evidence was found of a Dagon temple with two central pillars. Judges 16:23-30 says the Dagon temple at Gaza had two central pillars. While the temple at Gaza has not been found, the Philistine temples found at Gath and Qasile had central pillars that were close enough together for a large, supernaturally-empowered man to have pushed them apart. Second, evidence was found for the mid-eighth century earthquake mentioned in Amos 1:1. Third, evidence was found for the sieges and destruction of the city in the ninth century, which agrees with the biblical account of sieges by Hazael (2 Ki. 12:17) and Uzziah (2 Ch. 26:6). Fourth, two names “etymologically similar” to “Goliath” were found inscribed on pieces of pottery in “Proto-Canaanite” letters. Though the inscriptions might not refer to the Goliath of Scripture, they prove that this name was in common usage at the time.

(Friday Church News Notes, August 21, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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