Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Walter Mattfeld" <mattfeld AT mail.pjsnet.com>]

Dear John,

Thanks for going the extra mile and digging up the bibliographic citations
on Dibon as requested. Could you explain the nature of "the disagreement"
about Dibon's being a city conquered by a Bronze Age Pharaoh ?

I am in agreement with you that if Bronze Age Pharaohs are mentioning the
place as having been conquered, then some kind of occupation is suggested.
But the archaeology report indicates the place was unoccupied. In light of
your important contribution, I will rewrite the Dibon information, noting
the disagreement.

 A. D. Tushingham's comments  (ABD "Dibon") :

" B. Excavations
A preliminary sounding was conducted in 1950 with full excavations the
following year under the direction of F. V. Winnett. His report provides
valuable insights into the interpretation of the Mesha stele and the other
documentary sources. The field work was continued in 1952 by W. L. Reed; in
1952-53 by A. D. Tushingham; and finally in 1955-56 and 1965 by W. H.
Morton. The first 3 expeditions were confined to the SE part of the mound;
those of Morton consisted of soundings to bedrock on higher and hitherto
untouched parts of the mound-the NE, NW, and summit.
1. The Bronze and Iron Ages. Morton's reseaches filled serious gaps in the
city's archaeological record. For the first time, excavations to bedrock
revealed undisturbed EB Age deposits. In his section H-VII were found bonded
walls, 1.40 m thick, running E-W and N-S, resting on bedrock and enclosed
within a fill whose ceramic content was consistently EB; their proximity to
a gateway of the Iron Age and segments of other walls to the W and N
attributed to the EB make it possible to infer a defensive system of this
period. While the duration of this early occupation may encompass EB II-IV,
there is absolutely no evidence for the MB and LB Ages at Dhiban.
Settlement begins once more in the Iron Age."

As to Hiel the Bethelite, if Kenyon says she found this occupation, then I
am in eror, and I retract my statement about no archaeological evidence
being found at Jericho for this biblical episode.

My source only stated that "the bible had indicated" that Jericho had been
rebuilt in the early 9th century by Hiel the Bethelite, it was not clear to
me that Kenyon had actually confirmed the biblical claim by finding a "9th
century defensive wall" about the city and its gate. So, I guess I
misunderstood my source. And for that I apologize. Here's what I was drawing
my conclusion from (Holland's "Jericho" entry from the Anchor Bible
Dictionary, 1992):

"  10. Iron Age (ca. 1200-587 b.c.). After Jericho was abandoned during the
early part of LB IIb, it was not thought to be reoccupied to any great
extent until the 7th century b.c. However, a recent study of the pottery
from the German excavations by the Weipperts (1976: 105-48) has revealed the
presence of both Iron Age I and II forms. Garstang's "Cremation Pit" (Tomb
11) also may be dated to Iron Age I (1933: 36 and fig. 11) and the late 10th
century b.c. Tomb A85 excavated by Kenyon (1965: 482-89 and figs. 252-53)
was possibly in use until the early 9th century b.c. (Tushingham 1965: 487).
The biblical account in 1 Kgs 16:34 suggests that the site was first
reoccupied and fortified by Hiel the Bethelite during the time of Ahab
(early 9th century b.c.).
The extensive 7th-century Iron Age occupation was found by all three major
expeditions to Jericho (Table 1). "

All the best,

Walter

Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld
Walldorf by Heidelberg
Baden-Wurttemburg
Germany