Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Bryant:

Thanks for bringing this up.

Too bad a 3D image is not available. Technological advances make that
possible.

>From the 2D image, top row, left edge, it looks like it was broken off
along the right side of a letter. If so, that limits which letters it
possibly could be, and some letters that would be ruled out include lamed,
waw, yod, or any other letter that has an extension to the right. The
preceding bet and ayin are clearly evident. Other than that, it is too
fragmentary to tell what was written. Microscopic examination may turn up
evidence not visible on the image that has been published.

Thanks again.

Karl W. Randolph.

2012/1/2 Bryant J. Williams III <bjwvmw AT com-pair.net>

> Dear List,
>
> Below is reference an article by our George Athas.
> Below are also the articles from Abnormal Interest and original article
> from Maariv (for Modern Hebrew readers) with corresponding links.
>
> Now, George, anything else you can tell us?
>
> Rev/ Bryant J. Williams III
>
> Another remarkable artifact has been discovered in Jerusalem.
>  Archaeologists have recovered a (bulla) seal with Hebrew inscriptions in a
> refuse pit.
>
> This seal was found in an ancient rubbish pit of the First Temple period.
>  Gabriel Barkay from Bar Ilan University believes that the inscription
> reads: גבען למלך , meaning “Gibeon, to the king.”  According to Barkay, the
> inscription may be related to tax collection from the citizens of Gibeon
> sent to the king in Jerusalem.
>
> According to Duane Smith at Abnormal Interests, Barkay believes that the
> king who received the taxes was probably Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah.
>
> George Athas has a good report on the inscription.
>
>
> http://withmeagrepowers.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/another-ancient-seal-from-jerusalem-c-700-bc/
>
> Duane Smith offers another possible translation for the inscription.
>
> A Hebrew article describing the discovery of the seal is found in Ma'ariv.
>
> These archeological discoveries continue to provide valuable information
> on the life and culture of the people of Israel during the period of the
> monarchy.
>
> HT: Duane Smith
>
> Claude Mariottini
> Professor of Old Testament
> Northern Baptist Seminary
>
>
>
>
> http://withmeagrepowers.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/another-ancient-seal-from-jerusalem-c-700-bc/
>
>