Which Archaeological Finds Support the Bible?

Several finds from biblical archaeology support the Bible’s narrative on the people, places, and events it details. The most notable discoveries of the last two centuries are Hezekiah’s Tunnel, the Pool of Siloam, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Tel Dan Inscription, the Cyrus Cylinder, Shishak’s Invasion, and the Moabite Stone.

The Hezekiah Tunnel, also known as the Siloam Tunnel, situated in Jerusalem, is a remarkable feat of ancient engineering. Constructed during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, the tunnel serves as a vital water channel, redirecting water from the Gihon Spring outside the city walls to the Pool of Siloam within the city.

The biblical narrative describes the measures King Hezekiah took to fortify Jerusalem against the Assyrian threat, including efforts to secure the city’s water supply. 2 Kings 20:20 mentions that the king engaged in projects to bring water to Jerusalem, and claims that the now-lost Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah supplied more information. 2 Chronicles 32:2–4 provides more detail on the context, stating that King Hezekiah stopped the water from the spring from being used by Sennacherib who was to lead the armies of the Assyrians against Jerusalem.

In 1867, explorer Charles Warren discovered the Hezekiah Tunnel. The tunnel’s existence and construction techniques align with the descriptions found in the Bible. The tunnel redirected water from the Gihon Spring into Jerusalem and ensured a reliable water supply for the inhabitants of Jerusalem during times of siege, as described in 2 Chronicles 32:30.

Some scholars claimed that the tunnel predated the time of Hezekiah. However, the discovery of the Siloam Inscription, found near the southern end of the tunnel in 1880, aligns with the description of King Hezekiah constructing a conduit and a pool to supply Jerusalem with water. Archaeological findings published in 2023 further demonstrated the engineering features of the water management system that included sluices to regulate the water flow through the tunnel to prevent flooding in the city.

In the Bible, 2 King 20:20 refers to King Hezekiah constructing a pool, not just a tunnel. In John 9:1-11, Jesus heals a blind man by instructing him to wash in the Pool of Siloam after applying mud to his eyes.

Hezekiah’s Tunnel is also called the Siloam Tunnel, hence the Siloam Inscription. The tunnel exits into the Pool of Siloam, discovered in Jerusalem in 2004. The discovery of the actual pool reinforces the authenticity of the biblical account in the Old and New Testaments. Additionally, it verifies the accuracy of the geographical details and the vital role the Pool of Siloam played in Jerusalem society.

3. The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls is one of the most significant discoveries that support the Bible. This discovery relates more to the authenticity and accuracy of the versions of Biblical manuscripts than it does to any individual, place, or event in the Bible.

The Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran in 1947 contain fragments of every book in the Old Testament except for the Book of Esther. Some of these manuscripts date to the third century BCE. What is significant about this discovery is that it proves how little manuscripts have changed since the time of Christ. The narrative that changes, omissions, and additions over time had a corrupting effect on the Bible manuscripts, was proven incorrect.

4. The Tel Dan Inscription

The lack of reference to King David in the historical record once gave rise to the idea that no such king existed, or that he was merely a local, tribal chieftain of no real significance. The Tel Dan Inscription, discovered in 1993–94 during excavations at Tel Dan in northern Israel, proved the contrary. The inscription consists of several fragments of an Aramaic victory stele erected by an Aramean king, most likely Hazael or his son Bar-Hadad II.

The inscription references the “House of David,” which scholars believe refers to the dynasty of King David from the Bible. This inscription is the first extra-biblical mention of King David. The term “House of David” indicates that he was the first of a line of kings, which confirms the biblical account of the reign of David, his son, grandson, and so forth.

The Tel Dan Inscription dates to the 9th century BCE and aligns with biblical accounts of geopolitical conflicts and Israel’s interactions with neighboring nations during the same period. The inscription also refers to the House of Israel, further supporting the Bible narrative.

The Cyrus Cylinder is an ancient clay artifact, dated to the 6th century BCE, housed at the British Museum in London. The cylinder features an inscription with a declaration attributed to King Cyrus II of Persia, also known as Cyrus the Great.

The Cylinder does not mention events or individuals from the Bible, but its content and historical context indirectly support the Bible. It aligns with Biblical prophecy and reflects the biblical account of the Persians toward the exiled people, including the Israelites.

The policy of religious tolerance described on the cylinder supports the biblical account that the kings of the Medes and Persians allowed the Israelites to return to their native land to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. The Bible mentions the Cyrus decree that allowed the Jews to return and rebuild their capital and house of worship in Ezra and 2 Chronicles.

6. Shishak’s Invasion

The Bible mentions the Egyptian king Shishak invading Judah and plundering the Temple in 1 Kings 14:25-26 and 2 Chronicles 12:2-9. Some inscriptions and reliefs in Egypt, particularly at Karnak Temple in Thebes (Luxor), provide corroborating evidence of the military campaign by Shishak into Judah and neighboring areas. The place names correlate with Biblical names and places, confirming the narrative.

The list of the spoils of war brought back to Karnak Temple corroborates the biblical account of the seizure of wealth from the Temple by Shishak. This archaeological evidence validates the historical accuracy of the biblical description of Shishak’s actions during his campaign against Judah.

The Moabite Stone, also known as the Mesha Stele, is a significant archaeological discovery made in Dibon (modern-day Jordan) in 1868. The Mesha Stele is a black basalt stone monument inscribed with an account of victories and accomplishments by King Mesha of Moab. It dates to the 9th century BCE, making it one of the oldest known examples of writing from that region.

The stone mentions King Omri, the father of King Ahab (1 Kings 16:21-28), and the Kingdom of Israel.  The stele reflects the power struggles between the kingdoms of Moab and Israel and aligns with biblical accounts of those conflicts. One such conflict involved King Jehoram (2 Kings 3) of Israel.

The stele mentions Mesha’s capture of several cities mentioned in the Bible, such as Ataroth and Nebo (Numbers 32:3, Deuteronomy 32:49). These conquests are consistent with the biblical depiction of military conflicts between Moab and Israel.

8. Ruins in the City of Jericho

Archaeological discoveries in Jericho support the Bible’s story about the destruction and burning of the city. Excavations at Jericho have revealed evidence of a fortified city with massive walls dating to the Late Bronze Age (around 1550–1200 BCE). These dates correspond to the biblical time frame of the Israelite conquest. Archaeologists have identified layers of destruction within the city’s ruins, indicating that Jericho experienced violent destruction around the time traditionally associated with Joshua’s conquest.

Archaeological findings suggest that the city’s walls did collapse outward, matching the description in Joshua 6:20: “The wall collapsed, so that every man charged straight in, and they took the city.” This collapse aligns with the biblical account of the Israelites’ marching around the city, sounding trumpets and shouting. In addition, evidence of extensive burning within the city is consistent with the biblical narrative that the Israelites burned Jericho after its conquest (Joshua 6:24).

Following its destruction, Jericho remained uninhabited for several centuries, as evidenced by the absence of significant occupation layers in the archaeological record. This matches the biblical account, which describes Jericho as being placed under a curse, with Joshua declaring, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho” (Joshua 6:26).

Many of the discoveries mentioned above do not provide direct evidence of the details of the Bible narrative but provide circumstantial evidence. They verify that places, people, or events mentioned in the Bible existed or occurred during the period the narrative describes. This verification increases the likelihood that these narratives reflect actual historical events.

Many of these discoveries have silenced skeptics who believed the Bible consists of fables and myths. Because many of these discoveries provide a perspective from outside of the Israelite context, it is that much more believable.