Lecture 6: Hezekiah's Jerusalem: Growth of a City

A Golden Age is created when someone of importance dies. From there, that person is memorialized, great palaces are usually built in that time frame, along with great temples, and the image of a United Kingdom. It is believed that the end of the Golden Age corresponded to the death of King Solomon in 930 BCE. Under Solomon's son, Rehoboam, the kingdom divided into ten tribes of the North (collectively known as Israel), and the two tribes to the South (known as Judah). It is said that Jeroboam from the North asks Rehoboam to lower their payment and lighten their workload, but Rehoboam chooses to crack down on the North, disregarding the advice of the elders (who tell him to appease the North to an extent). 

Because the northern tribes do not want to travel all the way to Jerusalem to worship, they build two new shrines in Bethel and Dan. The South views this as disrespectful to the Lord; however, from the archaeological evidence, it is clear that they built alternate shrines as well (Beer-Sheeva and Arad Temple). 

After the division of the United Kingdom, there is a numerous amount of infighting between Judah and Israel. For instance, Baasha (King of Israel) attacks Asa (King of Judah) around 875 BCE, causing Asa to seek the help of Ben-Hadad of Syria by paying him tribute form the Temple. Later, another king of Israel, Jehu, lets his kingdom become a vassal of the Assyrian Empire (an inscription was found depicting the tribute from Jehu to Shalmaneser III) in 841 BCE. 

The Assyrian Menace began around the 8th c. BCE along the fertile crescent. From Tiglath-Pileser III (745 - 727 BCE) to Shalmaneser V (727 - 722 BCE), Assyria becomes a force to be reckoned with as they conquer and exile those in Israel. Meanwhile, Israel (before their exile) and Judah constantly try to play Assyria and Egypt against each other in hopes that that conflict will preoccupy both powers and keep them at bay. 

Then, in 721 BCE, the Northern Kingdom falls (Samaria is down), and thus begins "ethnic cleansing" in the form of deportation, rape, and murder. Sargon II contributes to the deportation started by Shalmaneser V. Some believe that the fall of the Northern Kingdom was due to the Hand of God--that because the Northern tribes seceded, they were punished. Important to note however, is that with the fall of Israel comes the rise of Judah, as many exiles of Israel flee to Jerusalem for comfort. 

The Assyrians were known for their ruthless tactics of conquest, as Shalmaneser III brags about his murder of many innocent lives. Common during such a time period were public displays of murder used in an effort to spread fear. 

As the Assyrians are establishing their stronghold over the Canaan lands, Jerusalem is rapidly growing due to the downfall of Israel. There is increasing industry and a thriving global economy, along with an increasing population. Because Jerusalem becomes stronger, it also becomes a threat to the Assyrians. Proof that such was the case can be found in the archaeological evidence of King Hezekiah's preparations for siege. The construction of the "Broad Wall" and "Hezekiah's Tunnel" are evidence to the fact that Hezekiah was fortifying Jerusalem.  

Lecture 5: Solomon's Jerusalem (970 - 930 BCE)

Today, we began by reviewing concepts we have learned in the few weeks before about Jerusalem as a sacred space, as it attracts numerous Biblical passages. It is often viewed as the axis of Heaven and Earth (axis mundi, as termed by Mircea Eliade).

Then, we moved on to analyze Solomon's rule over Jerusalem. As a disclaimer, there is not much archaeological evidence for Solomon's empire, meaning we must stay with literary evidence through the Bible. Many believe that this is reason enough to disregard the existence of Solomon entirely. However, we will be focusing on literary texts that seem to state otherwise.

One of these texts is known as "Solomon's Prayer of Dedication" found in 1 Kings 8, where he claims that he as "provided a place for the ark." Important to note in this passage is the idea that the Lord is physically in the temple. However, this idea is challenged when the temple is burned down by the Babylonians.

More biblical accounts of Solomon's existence can be found in 1 Kings 1, where he is anointed at Gihon Spring. Also, he is believed to have authored the Book of Proverbs, ecclesiates (Qohelet), and Song of Songs (provacative writing that Solomon is credited for because he had many wives).

Though there is a lot of biblical evidence for his existence, there is very little archaeological evidence, as mentioned before. There is no palace, and hardly any evidence for the temple's existence because it is destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, and it is believed that the ruins of Solomon's temple were cleared out when Herod rebuilds it. However, at this point, Professor Cargill raises an interesting question: "Is the absence of evidence, evidence of absence?" This question seems to be a recurring motif in the scholarly debate over Solomon's Temple.

One example of this debate can be found in studies of the Megiddo, where different scholars are looking at the same sediments, but are coming up with different conclusions and interpretations as to what the sediments mean. Two opposing viewpoints include: the conventional chronology (follows the Bible's telling of Solomon's existence) and the low chronology (where the sediment associated with Solomon in the 10th century BCE in the conventional chronology is actually associated with Ahab, who is a descendant of Solomon, meaning Solomon didn't build the temple).

In 1 Kings 6 -7, Solomon's temple is described with the Ark of the Covenant in the very back section, called the "Holy of Holies." In the front, there are 2 pillars (Boaz and Jackin according to 1 Kings 7). Furthermore, there is an inscription that says "may you be blessed by the Lord and his Asherah (female foreign God, who may have been the Lord's wife)." This may be evidence of how monotheism, as we know it today, was nonexistent. Finally, there is a Bronze Sea as described in 1 Kings 7 that could symbolize the sea as a cosmic element.

Though there is no solid evidence of the temple's existence, there are parallels that can be made with other temples at the time in design. Comparative evidence can be found in the Tel Arad Temple, Tel Ta'yinat (9th century BCE North Syrian Temple), and 'Ain Dara (10th century BCE). These temples all have similar designs to the one described in 1 Kings 6-7. Out of these temples, 'Ain Dara is given significance because it has, quite literally, the "footsteps of God" at its entrance, which reveals that at this point in time, God was still viewed as a being who physically dwelled in the temple.

Lecture 4: David's Jerusalem

We started off with a revisiting of David with the well-known story of David and Goliath. Then, we went into a brief discussion over the relatively few pieces of archaeologically significant evidence that is available to those studying the existence of David's Jerusalem. However, one of the key pieces of observable evidence is "The Millo" (stepped stone structure) which appears to have been a support above Gihon Spring that could have acted as a buttress to David's Palace.

Further archaeological parallels with the Bible include Warren's Shaft which provided an access to the Gihon Spring (though now scholars doubt that this was actually used to get water). This could be the tunnel that Joab climbs up in 2 Chronicles 11.

After David's reign, ruled his son, Solomon, who was believed--based on 1 Kings 1--to have been anointed by Gihon Spring, as the passage states "ride my (Lord's) own mule...bring him (Solomon) down to Gihon...anoint him king over Israel." Recurring themes of coronation ceremonies as riding on a donkey to Gihon Spring appear again in Zechariah 9 and Matthew 21.

After a brief overview of Solomon's anointment, we moved on to study archaeological evidence of King Hezekiah's existence and expansion of Jerusalem's waterworks (ex. tunnel inscription that empties out to the Siloam Pool)

We moved on to discuss how David moves the Ark of the Covenant (the portable representation of God) to Jerusalem, signaling a change from a nomadic God to a sendentary one. The movement of the Ark is captured in 2 Samuel 6 and in 1 Chronicles 21. It is important to note, however, that while David moves the Ark into Jerusalem, and builds a palace for himself (2 Samuel 5), the Ark still lays in the tabernacle (tent).

However, David does not build a temple for God because he is given a promise from the Lord that his son will build Him a temple and that the Lord will "establish the throne of [David] forever" (2 Samuel 7). However, when the Babylonians destroy the temple, along with David's line in 586 BCE, some people lose their faith, while others reinterpret the passage as a promise that there will be a returning Davidic king (not necessarily that the Davidic line is unbreakable). Jesus, in the New Testament, is sometimes referred to as the "Son of David" in order to justify the promise made in 2 Samuel 7.

We closed lecture with a final look on how tradition is built in Jerusalem (stories and legends are attracted to Jerusalem as a setting) by examining briefly, a few biblical texts (Deutoronomy 12, Exodus 12, Genesis 1-2, 22, Psalm 110 and 76).

Lecture 3: Canaanite Jerusalem and David's Jerusalem

We opened lecture today with a study of rulers and society in Jerusalem before King David. The Earliest settlement seems to date back to the Chalcolithic Period around 4000 BCE. Settlements during Bronze Age Jerusalem recorded in the Bible are, for the most part, backed by archaeological evidence and non-biblical texts. Such texts include: execration texts, fortifications, and the Armarna Letters. Execration texts are ritual curse texts that mention the names of Jerusalem rulers as far back as 1900 BCE. Fortifications are man-made structures in Jerusalem that date back the the eighteenth century BCE (i.e., Pool Tower from the East that protects Gihon Spring). Finally, the Armarna Letters surfaced around 1350 BCE, and they include letters written from rulers in Canaan and Syria to Egyptian Pharaoh (Akhenaten). These letters are pleas for help and protection from the powerful nation.

We moved on to examine the first Biblical account of Jerusalem in Genesis 14:17 (Abraham and Melchizedek), where the city is referred to as "Salem."

After going over briefly the history of Jerusalem before the time of King David, we analyzed the textual problem with the "Conquest of Joshua." It seems, from reading Judges and Joshua, that the Bible contradicts itself. Such an observation is still a topic of much debate. While some choose to dismiss the recordings in the Bible as mere stories, others choose to view these contradictions as a result of multiple authors. In any case, scholars are now divided among three options when considering how the Israelites made their way to Canaan.

These three options simply put are: they were suddenly there by Conquest (as suggested by the Bible), they immigrated slowly into Canaan, or they were always there (they could have revolted against other Canaanites, or they could have had a gradual shift away from Canaanite view). Most archaeological evidence seems to support the third option.

We closed lecture today with a brief introduction to David's life and rule in Jerusalem (City of David). There is no mention of David in archaeological evidence until the discovery of the Tel Dan Inscription.

Lecture 2: Construction - The Primeval Archetype (Jerusalem as a Sacred Space)

Today in lecture, we discussed the motif of creation that seems to appear over and over again when considering the construction of a sacred space. For instance, Revelation 21: 1-5, the "New" Jerusalem is described as being lowered from the Heavens. Sacred space and sacred time, as defined by Eliade, refer to a location or time where something divine or supernatural occurs that is reason enough to set it apart from the mundane, or profane.

Between the sacred and profane, lies Jerusalem, an axis mundi, where one has access to both realms. Geological and historical accounts of the Hinnom Valley to the west of Jerusalem seem to support this idea, for this valley is believed to have been a garbage disposal of sorts (and also possibly the burial site of human sacrificial victims). Because of the nature of the Hinnom Valley, many hold the conviction that the valley is illustrative of the underworld, as it is called "Gehenna" in Greek (referenced in Matthew 5:22), literally meaning "Gates of Hell." The Hinnom Valley's close proximity to the Holy City therefore, supports the idea that Jerusalem is indeed a place where both the sacred and profane meet.

We wrapped up lecture with a discussion on how Biblical texts (psalms and passages) refer to Jerusalem as sacred, as legends and myths are constantly drawn to the city.

Lecture 1: Jerusalem as a Sacred Place

I figure reading an outline of the lecture is a lot easier than reading paragraph after paragraph of summarized text, which is why I've decided to post my notes to this blog. Enjoy!

Lecture 1: Jerusalem as a Sacred Place

·         Jerusalem as a Sacred Place

o    3000 year legacy (lots of bloodspill)

o    How does place become sacred?

§  Something (usually supernatural) significant happens at the site

§  Someone important is born at the site

·         How is Jerusalem a great city?

o    Middle E. Geo Context

§  Routes (communication)

·         The Via Maris (“Route by the Sea” / Great Trunk Road)

o    From Egypt to Mesopotamia

o    The Land of Caaan/Israel/Palestine is the landbridge between Africa and Asia

·         The King’s Highway (Transjordan)

o    From Red Sea (Arabia to Mesopotamia

·         Between the Mediterranean Sea an dht eDesert

·         On Earthquake Fault between Africa and Asia

§  People stay on the Fertile Crescent (along Euphrates and Tigris)

·         Connects Africa, India, Europe, and Asia à valuable for trade

·         Major trade routes (Via Maris and King’s Highway) along fertile crescent

o    Physical Features

§  Topography (on a hill à key location for defense)

·         Valleys

o    Kidron Valley (East)

o    Hinnom Valley (West)

o    Tyropean (Central)

§  4 quarters (with Temple Mount as fifth quarter)

·         Christian (Northwest), Islamic (Northeast), Armenian (Southwest), and Jewish (Southeast)

·         Temple Mount: West Wall = holiest site in Judaism because it’s the closest to the temple you can get

§  Jerusalem on hill for defense

·         North = weak spot and where it is usually attacked

§  Mount Zion

·         Mounts = symbolic of Lord’s protection

·         Jerusalem will be tallest mountain à closer to God à significance (as opposed to valley which is farthest from God and thereby closer to death

·         Water = number one needed resource (sea for trade, water for defense, and resources/fertility)

o    Jerusalme = no harbor, river, trunk road; not many resources but still considered Holy City

§  Water scarcity = BIGGEST PROBLEM IN JERUSALEM

§  Gihon Spring (also en. Rogel, Siloam Pool, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Sheep/Israel Pool, Hezekiah’s Pool)

·         Next to the City of David

·         King Hezekiah digs tunnel to transfer water form Gihon Spring; water moves into the city via Warren’s Shaft

o    Compromise for water scarcity

o    Tunnel dumpes into the Siloam Poll

o    Current Political conflict:

§  Houses now on top of Siloam Pool

·         Israelis want to excavate Pool à Muslim houses on top are destroyed à “Misuse of Archaeology as a weapon”

o    Jerusalem become holy city because of physical attributes of the city à recurring them = history/myth magnet

o    Water as Sacred

§  Gen 2 “Rivers of the Garden of Eden”

·         River flows out of Eden to water Garden, splits to 4 branches: Picchon, Gihon, Tigris, Euphrates (magnet for legends); story associated with Jerusalem’s location

§  Ezekiel 47 “Water Under the New Temple”

·         Prophecy of Water out of Temple

o    Water makes place sacred à ritually purifying

§  Holy Water in Christianity (baptism)

§  Bronze Sea in Judaism

§  Fountains to clean oneself in Muslim

§  Revelation 22 “The River of the New Jerusalem”

·         River of the water of life

§  Quran mentions rivers of water, milk, drink, honey

o    Why is Jerusalem the center of the world? (“Access Mundi”)

·         “Sacred Space”

o    Construction of Sacred Space

§  Sacred Space must be founded

·         “Tower of Babel”

o    Men want to be closer to Heave à build tall building; Lord comes down and scattered them by making the languages they speak different so they couldn’t come together to build tower; felt that without doing so, men could have actually built a tower tall enough to reach Heaven

§  Etiology of multiple languages

·         Etiology: attempt to explain naturally occurring phenomena

·         Genesis “Beth-el and Jacob’s Ladder”

o    Jacob claims the land he lies on is the House of God because he dreams of angels ascending and descending ladder à God claims that his children will be fertile and many à fertility blessing

§  Jacob names land “Bethel”

§  To show it is House of God, he sets up pillar and anoints it with oil

o    Events of Jewish Temple

§  Solomon’s Temple

·         Built 950 BCE

·         Destroyed by Babylonians 586 BCE

§  2^nd Temple

·         Rebuilt 515 BCE

·         Aggrandized 20 BCE

o    Western/Wailing Wall

·         Destoryed 70 CE by Romans

§  Dome of the Rock: First build 691 CE