Of particular interest is one inscription containing a very early appearance in Hebrew of the name ירשלם (Jerusalem).[1]
Interpretationedit
There is disagreement about how they should be read. It appears that the words YHWH (Yahweh) and YRŠLM (Jerusalem) feature in the inscriptions, which Joseph Naveh dated to the late 6th century BCE.[1][2]
Naveh read it as
יהוה אלהי כל הארץ הרי יהד לו לאלהי ירשלם yhwh ʾlhy kl hʾrṣ hry yhd lw lʾlhy yršlm
which he translated as "Yahweh (is) the God of the whole earth; the mountains of Judah belong to him, to the God of Jerusalem".[1] An older example on papyrus is known from the previous century.[3]
Close up of the word "Jerusalem" on the Khirbet Beit Lei inscription
Frank Moore Cross disagreed with many of Naveh's readings of the letters, instead interpreting the inscription as a poetic rubric in the first person: "I am Yahweh thy God: I will accept the cities of Judah, and will redeem Jerusalem".[4] Cross speculated that it was "the citation of a lost prophecy", perhaps written by a refugee fleeing the 587 BCE destruction of Jerusalem.[4] Naveh later dismissed Cross's reading and stuck to his own version.[5]
Other scholars, including Lemaire and Puech, have proposed additional readings. Patrick D. Miller read it almost the same as Cross did: "[I am] Yahweh your God. I will accept the cities of Judah. I will redeem Jerusalem."[6]
Referencesedit
^ abcJoseph Naveh (1963). "Old Hebrew Inscriptions in a Burial Cave". Israel Exploration Journal. 13 (2): 74–92.
^Patrich, Joseph; Tsafrir, Yoram (1992). E. Stern (ed.). האנצקלופדיה החדשה לחפירות ארכיאולוגיות בארץ ישראל [The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land] (in Hebrew). Vol. I. pp. 181–186.
^Yuval Baruch, Danit Levi & Ronny Reich (2020). "The Name Jerusalem in a Late Second Temple Period Jewish Inscription". Tel Aviv. 47 (1): 108–118. doi:10.1080/03344355.2020.1707452. S2CID 219879544.
^ abFrank Moore Cross (1970). "The cave inscriptions from Khirbet Beit Lei". Near Eastern archaeology in the twentieth century : essays in honor of Nelson Glueck. Doubleday. pp. 299–306.
^Joseph Naveh (2001). "Hebrew Graffiti from the First Temple Period". Israel Exploration Journal. 51 (2): 194–207.
^Patrick D. Miller (2000). Israelite Religion and Biblical Theology: Collected Essays. Continuum. p. 222.
October 27, 2023
khirbet, beit, graffiti, seven, inscriptions, hebrew, various, states, preservation, found, excavations, khirbet, beit, inscription, from, israel, museumof, particular, interest, inscription, containing, very, early, appearance, hebrew, name, ירשלם, jerusalem,. The Khirbet Beit Lei graffiti are seven inscriptions in Hebrew in various states of preservation found in the excavations at Khirbet Beit Lei Inscription A from the Israel MuseumOf particular interest is one inscription containing a very early appearance in Hebrew of the name ירשלם Jerusalem 1 Interpretation editThere is disagreement about how they should be read It appears that the words YHWH Yahweh and YRSLM Jerusalem feature in the inscriptions which Joseph Naveh dated to the late 6th century BCE 1 2 Naveh read it as יהוה אלהי כל הארץ הרי יהד לו לאלהי ירשלם yhwh ʾlhy kl hʾrṣ hry yhd lw lʾlhy yrslm which he translated as Yahweh is the God of the whole earth the mountains of Judah belong to him to the God of Jerusalem 1 An older example on papyrus is known from the previous century 3 nbsp Close up of the word Jerusalem on the Khirbet Beit Lei inscriptionFrank Moore Cross disagreed with many of Naveh s readings of the letters instead interpreting the inscription as a poetic rubric in the first person I am Yahweh thy God I will accept the cities of Judah and will redeem Jerusalem 4 Cross speculated that it was the citation of a lost prophecy perhaps written by a refugee fleeing the 587 BCE destruction of Jerusalem 4 Naveh later dismissed Cross s reading and stuck to his own version 5 Other scholars including Lemaire and Puech have proposed additional readings Patrick D Miller read it almost the same as Cross did I am Yahweh your God I will accept the cities of Judah I will redeem Jerusalem 6 References edit a b c Joseph Naveh 1963 Old Hebrew Inscriptions in a Burial Cave Israel Exploration Journal 13 2 74 92 Patrich Joseph Tsafrir Yoram 1992 E Stern ed האנצקלופדיה החדשה לחפירות ארכיאולוגיות בארץ ישראל The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land in Hebrew Vol I pp 181 186 Yuval Baruch Danit Levi amp Ronny Reich 2020 The Name Jerusalem in a Late Second Temple Period Jewish Inscription Tel Aviv 47 1 108 118 doi 10 1080 03344355 2020 1707452 S2CID 219879544 a b Frank Moore Cross 1970 The cave inscriptions from Khirbet Beit Lei Near Eastern archaeology in the twentieth century essays in honor of Nelson Glueck Doubleday pp 299 306 Joseph Naveh 2001 Hebrew Graffiti from the First Temple Period Israel Exploration Journal 51 2 194 207 Patrick D Miller 2000 Israelite Religion and Biblical Theology Collected Essays Continuum p 222 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Khirbet Beit Lei graffiti amp oldid 1125392690, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
