So, could the search for the land of Judah as a polity be a red herring?
Could it be that we have the references there already, where Jerusalem
is mentioned?
Sorry for coming in late on this one. I believe the Tel Dan inscription does
just this. The word BYTDWD, which has been usually understood as a reference
to the Davidic dynasty, on closer examination turns out to be a reference to
Jerusalem: "Bayt-Dawid" (Aramaic version of Hebrew "Ir-Dawid", City of David).
Best regards,
GEORGE ATHAS
Lecturer in Biblical Languages
Southern Cross College
Sydney, Australia