Israeli archaeologist Ze’ev Herzog (b. 1941) wrote on 29 October 1999 in Haaretz: This is what archaeologists have learned . . . the Israelites were never in Egypt, . . . the historic events relating to the stages of the Jewish people’s emergence are radically different from what that story tells. . . . The many Egyptian documents that we have make no mention of the Israelites’ presence in Egypt . . . (1) Prominent archaeologist James K. Hoffmeier, on the other hand,... Read more
Joshua 6:14-15, 20 (RSV) And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days. On the seventh day they rose early at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times: it was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. . . . So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard... Read more
This is a reply to a guest article on Jonathan MS Pearce’s atheist blog, by “Lex Lata”: a sharp and civil atheist commentator (a professor?), with whom I have had some stimulating dialogue now and then. It’s entitled, “Canaan begat Israel: What the Bible gets wrong about Hebrew origins” (4-16-23). His words will be in blue; those of others whom he cites in green. ***** Per the title, the article is primarily a series of contentions based on (from where... Read more
1 Kings 10:1-2, 10-11 (RSV) Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones . . . Then she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones; never again came such... Read more
Also, Parallels to Solomon’s Palace 1 Kings 6:2-6 (RSV) The house which King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. He also built a structure against the wall of the house,... Read more
1 Kings 9:14 (RSV) Hiram had sent to the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold. 1 Kings 10:10-11 Then she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones; never again came such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. Moreover the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood... Read more
Protestant apologist Jason Engwer wrote the article, “Attempts To Make A Biblical Case For Prayers To The Dead” (Trialblogue, 6-9-08). His words will be in blue. ***** The Biblical record gives us a lot of information about how the people of God in past ages lived in a large variety of circumstances, and prayer to God is mentioned often, whereas prayer to the deceased isn’t mentioned at all. There are hundreds of passages on prayer in the Bible, covering thousands... Read more
I received a letter from a man who was raised as a Catholic in the 1960s and who stated that the Catholic Church was “unable to meet” his “spiritual needs,” because, in his opinion, “it was all rules, doctrine and religion” without the “power to deliver or save.” He found spiritual fulfillment in evangelicalism and specifically, in charismatic evangelicalism. The following is my response. *** Thanks for taking the time to write an articulate letter. The problem with your reasoning... Read more
In my book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science and History Back Up the Bible (Catholic Answers Press, 2023), I suggest quite a few possible scenarios whereby biblical events usually assumed to be miraculous may have a plausible natural explanation. I repeatedly explain my precise position in my book, especially (and in the most sustained detail) in the Introduction. For anyone who has an e-book version, the relevant words can be searched. “Miraculous” appears fifteen times, “miracle” 21 times (not... Read more
Thus far, in my articles and my 2023 book, The Word Set in Stone: How Archaeology, Science, and History Back Up the Bible, I have documented archaeological confirmation — of one sort or another — for kings of the United Monarchy (Saul, David, and Solomon), and kings in the period of the divided kingdom of (southern) Judah (931-586 B.C.) and (northern) Israel (931-722 B.C.). These include Hezekiah, Ahaz, Jotham, Pekah, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah, Jehoiakim, Manasseh, Rehoboam, Ahaziah of Judah, Jehoram I... Read more
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