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The first ever extra-Biblical evidence for the existence of Bethlehem has been discovered. Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus.

Archaeologists in Jerusalem dig find old seal
Seal inscribed with 'Bethlehem' in ancient Hebrew
ASSOCIATED PRESS


JERUSALEM � Israeli archaeologists have discovered a 2,700-year-old seal that bears the inscription "Bethlehem," the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Wednesday, in what experts believe to be the oldest artifact with the name of Jesus' traditional birthplace.

The tiny clay seal's existence and age provide vivid evidence that Bethlehem was not just the name of a fabled biblical town, but also a bustling place of trade linked to the nearby city of Jerusalem, archaeologists said.

Eli Shukron, the authority's director of excavations, said the find was significant because it is the first time the name "Bethlehem" appears outside of a biblical text from that period.

Shukron said the seal, 1.5 centimeters (0.59 inches) in diameter, dates back to the period of the first biblical Jewish Temple, between the eighth and seventh century B.C., at a time when Jewish kings reigned over the ancient kingdom of Judah and 700 years before Jesus was born.

The seal was written in ancient Hebrew script from the same time. Pottery found nearby also dated back to the same period, he said.

Shmuel Achituv, an expert in ancient scripts at Israel's Ben-Gurion University who did not participate in the dig, said the discovery was the oldest reference to Bethlehem ever found outside of the Bible. Apart from the seal, the other mentions of Bethlehem, Achituv said, "are only in the Bible."

The stamp, also known as "fiscal bulla," was likely used to seal an administrative tax document, sent from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, the seat of Jewish power at the time.

It was found as archaeologists sifted through mounds of dirt they had dug up in an excavation outside Jerusalem's Old City walls.

Shukron said the first line most likely read "Beshava'at" � or "in the seventh" � most likely the year of the reign of a king. The second line, he said, has the crumbling letters of the word "Bethlehem." The third line carried one letter, a "ch" which Shukron said was the last letter of the Hebrew work for king, "melech."

Hebrew words often do not have vowels, which are understood from the context, making several interpretations of the same word plausible. Some of the letters are crumbled, or were wiped away. Three experts interviewed by the AP, one involved in the text and two independents, concurred the seal says Bethlehem.

There are only some 40 other existing seals of this kind from the first Jewish Temple period, said Achituv, making this a significant find, both because such seals are rare, and because this is the first to mention Bethlehem.

The dig itself has raised controversy.

It is being underwritten by an extreme-right wing Jewish organization that seeks to populate the crowded Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan with Jewish settlers, arguing that they have ancient links to the area. The dig is being undertaken in a national park in the area of Silwan, known to Jews as "the City of David."

Shukron said the seal was found some months ago, but they needed time to confirm the identity of the artifact.

I never knew the existence of Bethlehem was disputed.

The over-all point is that the accuracy of the Bible has long been disputed by "scholars" who don't want to believe any of it, but every arch�logical find that I'm aware of has confirmed its accuracy in one detail after another.

Oh, those cussed inconvenient facts.

On the other hand, have you seen this Foxnews article about someone 'proving' the exact day that Jesus was crucified? CRUCIFIXION They've tried to date it using a couple earthquakes in the area and other info. However, they make this statement: "All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday." That's totally false. NONE of the gospels say that. They're inferring that because the next day was a Sabbath but John knocks out the idea that the Sabbath was on Saturday when he called it a Special Sabbath. That's different. During the feasts, the priests would often declare a Special Sabbath for the occasion that could be on any day of the week. When they did that, there would be 2 Sabbaths that week.

Joh 19:31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath

Yes, facts can dispel a lot lot of misinformation, but be sure your 'facts' are really facts.

First they need to prove that Jesus was a real person.

Its like finding proof of Japan and saying that Godzilla is real.

Neither did I.

I know I saw it on a map.

I wasn't aware the existence of Bethlehem was ever in question.

I don't think the books of the Bible have ever been in dispute except maybe by an idiot. After all, the books were written by humans. We aren�t sure of whom the original humans were who wrote the books but we are sure they were humans.

Nor is there any doubt that a "Jesus" did in fact live and probably was crucified. Nor is there any doubt that the Middle East exists or the Roman Empire existed, or that the ancient cities, towns, or villages existed in ancient Palestine.

It�s the word of man that is disguised as the Word of some God that is in doubt.

There's a virtual encyclop�dia of Biblical and anti-Biblical facts that most anti-Christians and "Christians" are unaware of.

Bible proves archeology not the other way around.

There was no extra-biblical evidence for the existence of King David until the 1990's, either. Now we have it.

The fact that a seal bearing the word "Bethlehem" has been found is interesting, but it does not prove that "The bible is right".

If your statement were true, then you could also say that when the geographic names in old legends match known places, then the legends are proved to be authentic historical accounts.

You will have to try better!

No, belief in the authenticity and truth of the Biblical message -- God's special revelation to man --is not imparted through argument, though it may lay the ground work for one's heart to be opened and receptive to the Holy Spirit later.

All religions are man-made even a Biblical based religion, such as Christianity. Religion is man's attempt to understand that which is beyond man's comprehension.

I fixed it for you. 8)

As you say "belief ... is not imparted through arguments", particularly if these arguments do not hold water.

The argument raised by Plinker and many other of the same type, do not move me one way or the other, but they tend to offend faith and intelligence.

I believe in God as much as I can, but false proofs make me feel sorry for those who develop them. I felt that very strongly when I read Descartes's "M�ditations philosophiques" : the famed logician, pretends that he has found the way to demonstrate the existence of God and all he succeeds in doing is to give the feeling that he is trying to fool you or worse still that he fooled himself.

Religion is man's search for God. Christianity is God's search for man.
See John 3:17.

I s'pose that only in Heaven will I eventually understand how so many "intelligent" folks
� will not accept God as He has revealed Himself and made His wishes so clear in so many obvious, supremely logical ways
but
� will so easily (even eagerly!) fall for so many kinds of palpable nonsense � cults, paganism, satanism, astrology, atheism, humanism, superstitions, socialism, etc � all of which are Swiss-cheesed with inanity, illogic, and contradictions.

Jesus believes in tinea versicolor... fungi need not bother with return beliefs.

Fungicide cometh.