In 1993, the biblical archaeology world was rocked with the discovery of the Tel Dan inscription, which mentions the ‘House of David’ – proving that King David existed and that he was the start of a ruling dynasty of kings. However, a year prior, a new reading of the Mesha stele discovered a century earlier claimed to find the same phrase, “House of David.” This second House of David inscription was far more difficult to decipher, leading many to dismiss that it mentioned anything about the king from Jerusalem.
Now, with the help of modern technology, Prof. Michael Langlois and colleagues have been able to present evidence all but confirming the ‘House of David’ reading. On today’s program, Prof Langlois joins host Brent Nagtegaal to discuss the Mesha Stele along with current scholarship’s unscientific reluctance to accept the historicity of King David.
Show Notes
Prof. Michael Langlois website - https://michaellanglois.org/
Langlois, Michael. “The Kings, the City and the House of David on the Mesha Stele in Light of New Imaging Techniques.” Semitica 61, 2019, p. 23–47. http://michaellanglois.org?p=18615.
