BIBLE HISTORY

Evening Star, Issue 20048, 13 December 1928, Page 1

BIBLE HISTORY

A QUESTION OF DATES JOSHUA’S CAMPAIGNS IN CANAAN RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS. The so-called higher critics of the Bible, mostly under tlie direction of German professors, have been constructing clues regarding the various Books of tho_ Bible but it seems that many of their conclusions are more guesswork, and. therefore, valueless. Referring to tho subject in a recent issue of the ‘Daily Telegraph,’ Sir Charles Marston expresses the view that the time bar- come to scrap all their guesses and to examine tho whole theatre of Bible history. Let us take advantage of the fact that most of the ground where Bible events purport to have happened is at present under British control, be writes. AVith this object in view, two extpeditions have already left England, and have started work—that of Professor Garstang, lato Director of Antiquities to the, Palestine Government and that of the Palestine exploration fund, under Mr Crowfoot. In December, 1926, Professor Garstang discovered, four miles from the south-west end of La Ice Merom, at a place called El Qedah, an enormous fortified site, capable of permanently containing a garrison of 50,000 men. Ho has provisionally identified this camp as the site of Hazor, and he has gone out now to make some excavations there. Those who study the map of Palestine will find Lake Merom about ton miles north of the Sea of Galilee, and Bible readers will recognise Hazor as a place burnt by Joshua (Joshua xi., 1 to 10). It occurs again in the Book of Judges, presumably as the source where Sisera afflicted Israel with 900 chariots of Iron (Judges iv., 2). The site lies on tho main road between the two most important cities of Sidon and Damascus: while southward there are routes from it, both to Bethshan, below the Lake of Galilee, and south-west to Megiddo. Countless potsherds aro strewn all over tho site; they pertain almost exclusively to tho Bronze Age, which terminated about b.c. 1200. GREAT HILL FORTRESS. Mr Adams describes the dominant feature of the entire landscape of lower Galilee (Kuril Haltin) as a jagged outcrop of rocky crags. On examination- it proved to be an immense hill fortress, with huge mound ramparts, and an enclosure capable of containing many hundreds of chariots. It is a Bronze Age site; although more famous now from its association with tlie Crusades, Mr Adams associates it with Jabiu’s confederacy, and describes it as a miniature of Hazor (Quedah). The very name of the neighbouring Khurhit Mad in suggests tho Madon of Jabin’s confederacy (Johsua xi., 1). Such, in condensed outline, arc the reports of this expedition, and I understand that already some fifty sites have been visited. It is remarkable to-day, with tho improved roads and motor facilities and archaeological criteria established, how quickly and satisfactory one can proceed. The actual work of excavating Hazor (Quedah) should have commenced the third week in September, that of Jericho will come afterwards; for deep down in that Jordan Valley, so near the Dead Sea, far below sea level, the coolest weather is the most welcome.

Professor Gnrstang is one of the most experienced excavators of onr day. and his intimate knowledge of Palestine should he invaluable in what is certainly the greatest and most important detective search in the world. Ho has just written that his impression (already strong) of the historicity of the Bible narrative is supported in j general and in detail. A STUPENDOUS SITE. El Qcdah —believed to he Hazor—was reached the following day. Mr Adams describes it as a stupendous site; he even goes as far as to suggest that it is the most important in Palestine. I gather that on account of danger from malaria the actual work of excavation there has been deferred till tho cooler weather, so the party proceeded across the frontier into French Syria, then eastward, and finally southward to Banins and 'Tel el Kadi. Tho latter has been identified with Dan; ; t is an imposing mound enclosure, has a rampart round three sides, and a great pool and spring ou the fourth side. The pottery fragments there indicate that it was last inhabited in the Bronze Age, and Mr Adams seems tc think that it may not ho the Israelite Da a, but the Canaanite Lcsliem, which the Dauitcs captured and destroyed (Joshua xix., 47). In theii subsequent survey Mr Adams describes how they motored over a most beautiful road from Safed to Acre, passing Toll Beruch, an im- ’ nieu.se and imposing fortress moflnd, and another (Kli Vanin) of similar proportions, both waiting identification. Further on they made Nazareth their centre, and visited the excavations at Beisan and Meguldo At those places, strategically bound with Hazor, Professor Garstang has previously pointed out that Hittite remains have been found. Tho work at Beisan had only just been restarted, and there was therefore no news. At Megiddo they inspected the “Stables of Solomon,” and are inclined to accept the identification. The party fhen took a rather rough journey completely round Mount Tabor, and visited Endor, associated our minds with the witch that Saul consulted. They found there an ancient hill fortress which has been-en-tirely overlooked, and are inclined to identify an imposing mound on the summit of Tabor (Tel! el Makorkusk) with Dor of Judges i., 27. DATE OF JERICHO'S FALL. But Professor Garstang’s movements in Palestine arc not to bo confined to Hazor; he is making a study of tho other historical sites mentioned in the Books of Joshua and Judges. Indeed, the main object of his expedition is to endeavour to date the conquest of Canaan by Joshua. As we all know, this commenced with tho capture of Jericho in the south, near tho Dead Sea. Some excavations wore ma<lc among these ruins by the Gomans nearly twenty years ago, and the conclusion was reached that it was destroyed by an invasion from the East. Since that time our knowledge of the dates of ancient potsherds has so increased that it seems probable from them and from other media to reach a fairly accurate date for the destruction of Jericho. Anyhow, Professor Garstnng’s mission is to examine the site of Jericho in the south and of what he believes to he Hazor in the north, with this object in view. Tho attacks winch resulted in the destruction of these places were the first and last incidents of Joshua’s campaigns. If their dates can be settled

—and .should they confirm each other —wc ought soon to have a better chronology to work out that most important period of Bible history, the date of the Exodus from Egypt. As already mentioned in the earlier part of his survey, Professor Garstang has been accompanied by the Rev. J. Pythian Adams. Starting from Jerusalem on August 28 last, the two stayed a night on the route to Hazor, in order to inspect the ruins of what was believed to he Schechem, now being excavated by Dr Walter. Present indications on the work of this site appear to show that it is not the city of Schechem, which must have been where now stands Nablus, but the Tower of Schechem mentioned in the story of Abimelech (Judges iz. ( 46). |