I don't know if this has been discussed yet or not. But has anyone noticed the article on the back page of the 11/15/06 WT, with the above title? It quotes a Ephraim Stern in the journal "Biblical Archaeology review" as stating "The Assyrians and Babylonians both ravaged large parts of ancient Israel, yet the archaeological evidence from the aftermath of their respective conquests tells two very different stories." "While the Assyrians left a clear imprint of their presence in Palestine, there is a strange gap after the Babylonian destruction." "there is a complete gap in evidence suggesting occupation. In all that time, not a single town destroyed by the Babylonians was resettled." Well I had to search around for the article, and I found it here Biblical Archaeology Society Online Archive Search Here is his article as he wrote it, notice how the Society skips around all the parts involving dates, picking and choosing what they want the flock to hear. The Babylonian Gap The Assyrians and Babylonians both ravaged large parts of ancient Israel, yet the archaeological evidence from the aftermath of their respective conquests tells two very different stories. Why? In 721 B.C.E., the Assyrians brought an end to the northern kingdom of Israel. A little more than a century later, the Assyrians themselves suffered defeat at the hands of the Babylonians, who became the world’s new superpower. The Babylonians were no less bent on mayhem and destruction than the Assyrians had been: In 586 B.C.E., they burnt Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, bringing an end to the southern kingdom of Judah and 400 years of Davidic rule. As destroyers, the Assyrians and Babylonians had much in common. But the periods that followed their conquests could not be less alike. While the Assyrians left a clear imprint of their presence in Palestine, there is a strange gap after the Babylonian destruction. Call it an archaeological gap, if you wish. The savage Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem is well documented both in the Bible (in the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations) and in the archaeological record. When Nebuchadnezzar first placed the city under siege in 597 B.C.E., the city quickly capitulated, thereby avoiding a general destruction. But in response to a revolt by Judah’s King Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar dispatched an army that, after an 18-month siege, captured and destroyed the city in 586 B.C.E. The evidence of this destruction is widely confirmed in Jerusalem excavations. On his first swing through Judah, Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed much of Philistia—Ekron, Tel Batash, Tell Jemmeh, Ruqeish and Tel Sera‘. Particularly devastated was Ashkelon, which the Babylonians sacked in 604 B.C.E. Similar evidence of Babylonian destruction can be found throughout the Beersheba Valley, in the Aravah (the valley south of the Dead Sea) and in the Jordan River valley. From south to north, we can trace the effects of Babylonian might—at Tell el-Kheleifeh on the coast of the Red Sea, at Ein Gedi on the shore of the Dead Sea, and further north at Dan, the source of the Jordan River. The same is true in excavations at major northern sites—Hazor; Megiddo, overlooking the Jezreel Valley; and Dor, on the Mediterranean coast—and in central Judah, where, in addition to Jerusalem, we may look at Ramat Rahel and Lachish, among other sites. But the strange thing is that above the remains left by these destructions, we find no evidence of occupation until the Persian period, which began in about 538 B.C.E. For roughly half a century—from 604 B.C.E. to 538 B.C.E.—there is a complete gap in evidence suggesting occupation. In all that time, not a single town destroyed by the Babylonians was resettled. This is true even of the old Assyrian fortresses along the Way of the Sea (the Via Maris); they were reoccupied only in the Persian period, as shown by the recently excavated fort at Rishon le-Zion. The article continues on, if you would like to read it all, check out the above link. What I find truly priceless is the sister who calls on me brought me this to prove the WT's chronology, mainly concerning the question i had as to why the Society believes that Jerusalem was destroyed in 607bce. She brought me this to prove her 607 date! I can't wait till she calls back and I present her with the entire article.. BTW I was a true beliver until my thirties, I have been out for some time now, but I like to try to get JW's to think, so I encourage them to call on me.
Watchtower 11/15/06 Did Judah remain desolate?
by aSphereisnotaCircle 5 Replies latest watchtower bible
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skyking
They had to work hard to miss the dates did they not. That is funny but typical.
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Leolaia
The short article is refuted here:
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jwfacts
That is a great find. Your JW will be back peddling like crazy. Comments such as "well you have to trust the [WTS interpretation of the] bible, not archeology"
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aSphereisnotaCircle
Leo, thanks for the link,
I figured it had allready been discussed, but i couldn't seem to find it.
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IP_SEC
And scholar on 4, 3, 2, action
