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Israel

What New Archaeological Discoveries in Jerusalem Relate to Hezekiah? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 30A)

October 1, 2018 by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

Shukron in room with markings

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 30: “Come to the House of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 29-30; 32; 34) (JBOTL30A)

Question: Hezekiah is known as being, after David, the greatest king in Israelite times. Are there any archaeological remains of his reign in Jerusalem?

Summary:Recent discoveries at the Ophel and Gihon Spring sites relating to Hezekiah are providing new insights into the history of ancient Jerusalem and its temple.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL30A — What New Archaeological Discoveries in Jerusalem Relate to Hezekiah?

Filed Under: Bible, Evidences, Lesson Aids, Prophets, Questions, Resources, Temples Tagged With: 2 Chronicles, 2 Kings, archaeology, Benjamin Mazar, Eilat Mazar, Eli Shukron, Gihon, Gospel Doctrine: Old Testament, Hezekiah, Hezekiah's Tunnel, Isaiah, Israel, Matzevah, Ophel, Ronny Reich, Siloam, Silwan, Solomon

Did Joshua “Utterly Destroy” the Canaanites? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 18A)

May 12, 2018 by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

James Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902): The Songs of Joy, ca. 1896-1902. Photo © The Jewish Museum, New York

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 18: “Be Strong and of a Good Courage” (Joshua 1-6; 23-24) (JBOTL18A)

Question: Israel was commanded to “utterly destroy” the Canaanites and the book of Joshua later claimed that they had done so. Why do archaeological findings and other references in the Bible make it seem that this was not actually done? What does it mean to “utterly destroy”? And why would God command such a thing in the first place?

Summary: There is no simple answer to these questions. As confidence in the likely timeframe for the Exodus and the rise of early Israel has increased, it has easier for archaeologists to pinpoint the conditions in Canaan when Joshua and his people entered the land. Surprisingly, there is little evidence for the picture of widespread warfare and displacement of Canaanite religion and culture that the book of Joshua seems to portray. After summarizing the archaeological evidence, I will argue that we can sometimes be misled by the assumptions we make when we encounter difficult-to-understand scriptural passages. Although the scriptures are trustworthy, coming to understand them is a lifelong effort. To understand the book of Joshua, we need to consider that its purpose is something more than simply laying out “exactly what happened” (in the modern sense) when Israel entered Canaan. Part of the problem in understanding Joshua may be in that the words “utterly destroy” do not accurately convey the meaning of the Hebrew term ḥerem. The story of Joshua should be interpreted in light of the larger, divine scheme of things outlined throughout the rest of scripture. It is a story from which everyone can continue to learn.

 

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL18A — Did Joshua “Utterly Destroy” the Canaanites

For an interview of John Walton about his book on the conquest of Canaan, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbm_JSa9Hcw

Filed Under: Bible, Book of Mormon, Lesson Aids, Questions, Resources, Temples Tagged With: Canaan, Exodus, Genocide, Gospel Doctrine: Old Testament, Historicity, Israel, Israelites, Joshua, Judges, Utterly Destroy

What Can We Learn About Patriarchal Blessings from a Congolese Patriarch? (Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 12B)

April 5, 2018 by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

Laurent Clément Shambuyi Biaya Katembwe, patriarch in DR Congo

 Photo Essay and Video Shorts for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 12:“Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction”(Genesis 40-45) (JBOTL12B)

Summary: This photo essay with accompanying video shorts are intended to supplement the study of Jacob’s blessings to his twelve sons as recorded in Genesis 49. As part of an assignment to gather oral histories for the Church History Library in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), I was accompanied by Brother Daniel Tusey Kola on a visit to Laurent Clément Shambuyi Biaya Katembwe, one of the first members of the Church in the DRC. Brother Shambuyi has served diligently in many leadership assignments and has now been called as a stake patriarch. The video shorts, subtitled in English, Brother Shambuyi’s answers to three questions: “What is a patriarchal blessing?” “What is the significance of the declaration of lineage?” And “What is the role of revelation in patriarchal blessings?”

The photo essay and video shorts may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL12B — What Can We Learn About Patriarchal Blessings from a Congolese Patriarch?

Filed Under: Bible, Lesson Aids, Questions, Racial Issues Tagged With: Congo, Genesis, Gospel Doctrine: Old Testament, Israel, Jacob, Patriarchal Blessings, Revelation, Shambuyi

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