from: Israel Finkelstein /
Neil A. Silberman: The Bible unearthed.
Archeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin
of Its Sacred Texts; The Free Press, a division of Simon
& Schuster, Inc., 2001; German edition has got the
title "No trombones before Jericho" (orig. German:
"Keine Posaunen vor Jericho"): edition C.H.Beck oHG,
Munich 2002;
Here in this analysis is used the
German version "Keine Posaunen vor Jericho" of DTV,
Munich 2004, second edition of 2005. All page
indications refer to the German version. I hope the page
numbers are not very different.
OT claims there had
been another invasion
[Addition: It can be admitted that the
clique of power of child king Josiah took the resolution
for this invasion and not the child king Josiah himself].
In the situation between the retreat of
the Assyrians and the replacement by Egypt the leadership
of Judah under child king Josiah has the dream to re-unify the ex
kingdom of Israel with Judah (p.83) installing a powerful
state of all Israelites with the capital of Jerusalem. As
an ideological help are working the new myths of Moses 1
to 4 and the chronologies (p.84).
Following this [with the help of the new
"holy books" as a mental background for all soldiers] a
new military campaign with religious cleansing is planned.
the description of the events are completed in the "holy
books" later.
OT:
-- the center of cults of all other
beliefs are said having been declares as "bad" and
destroyed (p.13)
-- in Bethel the site of cult resp. the
temple is said having been destroyed and the local priests
who had put into question the monopoly of Jerusalem since
king Jeroboam are said having been slaughtered (1st book
of Kings 13,2) (p.296-297).
-- the site of the temple in Jerusalem
is said having been the lonely sanctuary for the people of
Israel with one single God
-- the assistants or the other celestial
beings are said having been qualified as invalid (p.13)
-- Judah is said having occupied Bethel
and is said having integrated all descendants of the
population which was settled there by the Assyrians, and
is said having integrated also all who were well minded to
the kingdom of Judah (p.108)
-- the kingdom of Judah is said having
occupied Jericho (p.108-109).
Documents and
archeology are telling: A religious campaign under the
child king of Josiah never had been
Archeology can confirm only some reforms
performed by king Josiah:
-- according to Finkelstein / Silberman
a temple in Bethel or its remnants are never found, and by
this the whole military campaign against Bethel under
Josiah is put into question because the main cause for the
campaign was - according to OT - the destruction of the
temple in Bethel
-- but archeology can find the ruins of
a Judean temple near the fortress of Arad with was out of
function since the end of 7th / beginning of 6th century -
according to archaeologist Yoahanan Aharoni, so probably
was given up under king Josiah
-- other archaeologists and historians
have another temporal dating for the temple near the
fortress of Arad, and the temple would fall out of
consideration (p.309)
-- there is also missing any definite
archaeological proof for a territorial expansion near
Samaria (p.310)
-- but for the town of Lachish a new
fortified wall can be stated for a better control of the
Shfela region (p.310)
-- later Jericho is living in a new
flourishing under king Josiah (p.109).
Conclusion
The archaeological findings resp. non findings indicate
clearly that there was an invasion under king Josiah was
NEVER performed.
End of 7th century B.C.
627 B.C.
Assyria: Death of king
Ashurbanipal
(p.303)
since 626 B.C.
Rebellion in Babylonia
(Babel) against Assyria
(p.303)
623 B.C.
Assyria is falling into a
civil war
(p.303)
622 B.C.
Kingdom of Judah: A new code
of law is "found" - the folk's oath on the "book of
alliance"
OT claims:
-- king Josiah is said [24 years old] having ordered to
the high priest Hilkia a renovation of the temple "house
of the Lord" (p.298)
-- during the renovation the high priest is said having
detected an old text book and the royal clerk Shafan is
said having presented the text lecturing it to king Josiah
(p.298)
-- the earlier cult of Lord is said having been wrong and
has to be corrected according to the new text (p.298)
-- Josiah is said having made an oath before all
inhabitants to observe completely all commandments of the
new text, with an oath on the "alliance of the Lord"
(p.298) with the "book of alliance" (2d book of Kings
13,2-3) (p.300)
-- "and the whole population was joining this alliance"
(2d book of Kings 13,2-3) (p.298).
There are new social rights
according to this 5th book of Moses (Deuteronomy)
Critics of Josiah's government are kept quiet with new
social reforms and educational measures, and all these
reforms can only be found in the Deuteronomy:
-- protection of the individual
-- defense of human rights and human dignity
-- appeal for giving credits to the poor (Dtn. 15,7-8)
-- foreigners, orphans and widows should have the same
rights as natives (Dtn. 24,17-18; 24,14-15) (p.306)
-- rights for women (Dtn. 21,15-17) (p.206-207)
-- duty to pay the tithe by the farmers to the poor every
third year (Dtn. 14,28-29)
-- liberation of the slaves after 6 years of service (Dtn.
15,12-15)
-- limitation of corruption by limitation of power (Dtn.
16,18-19) also with the limitation of the power of the
king (Dtn. 17,15-20) (p.307).
Revolution: this 5th book of
Moses is a breakthrough against the slave mentality of
Asia
By this book it's the first time in the world
that suppressed people have a right of action. By
this the clan like Asiatic slave mentality is broken, with
a right of appeal etc. (p.308). So, the Deuteronomy
installs an new human consciousness and a new system of
common values which are working partly until today
[respectively are not implemented in many until today]
(p.308).
But without the Greek culture it would never had been
possible to put down these social rights. By this it's not
possible that the 5th book of Moses (Deuteronomy)comes
from the Moses figure (p.308).
[At the same time the religious racism against other
beliefs is going on].
The documents are speaking
about the "finding" of the code of law with the
"alliance with the Lord"
The point of time of the "finding" of the code of law is
well coordinated at the moment when Assyria is in danger
to collapse in a civil war. This is concealed in the Bible
deliberately (p.303).
The "alliance with the Lord" is similar to Assyrian
contracts of the early 7th century with it's vassals
(p.302).
[Addition: The Israelites under king Josiah are all made
to vassals of God with a false hope of an alleged promised
land which will be given by God...]
Research: The "book of
alliance" is the 5th book of Moses, and the law is
tightened
According to Finkelstein / Silberman this book "found" in
the temple is a tightening of the laws of Moses in the
books 1 to 4. It's written of the "1 god movement" again,
but by another author than the books of Moses 1 to 4
(p.302).
The text of the "code of law" from the temple ("book of
alliance") is written in the same style as the books of
Joshua and David and Solomon (p.300).
A further law of Moses has been found, and now all should
live in the "alliance with the Lord" according to the laws
of Moses: The book claims that fulfilling the laws would
ensure to survive to the people of Israel (p.301).
[But all political conditions in the neighboring countries
are concealed again].
In the books of Moses 1 to 4 are mentioned sacrifices on
altars without criticism (p.301) and Paschal Festival does
not exist yet (p.301).
Now there are new laws in the 5th book of Moses with a
strong regime:
-- there are strong laws against idolatry (p.65): A strong
ideology of only one single good shall rule which should
be celebrated only in one spot on the world, in Jerusalem
(p.301)
-- all other cults in other locations shall be forbidden
(5th book of Mose 12,5)
-- a new calendar with new festivals is introduced (p.65):
there is a compulsion for a Paschal Festival as a memory
festival for the faked flight from Egypt, and the festival
has to be celebrated at one single spot which will be
given by God yet (5th book of Mose 16,1-8) (p.301)
-- there are given prescriptions for a construction of a
temple, whereas only one temple is allowed
-- and there is a completely new [and partly
revolutionary] social legislation (p.65).
Thanks to the "book of
alliance" the new religious cleansing can be performed
This newly "found" code of law requires new statal changes
in it's structures:
-- God can be adhered only in one single spot
-- the Jewish festivals have to be centralized under a
national patronage: Paschal Festival, Feast of Tabernacles
(p.297).
The new "code of law" is developing it's full effect in
the population which can read and write (for example
proved by the seals with writings of this time) (p.301).
[Parallelism: Also the
populations under Lenin and Mao were fascinated by
"books"
The fascination to be able to read and to write and having
a state's book is always great in the beginning of the
capacity. There are parallelisms with Communist books
under Lenin and Mao where Communism first teaches to all
people the capacity to read and to write, and there after
comes directly the manipulation and the population
believed all what had been "written"...]
The description of the religious cleansing in the OT
claims:
By this 5th book of Moses king Josiah is said having
performed rigorous and puritanical cleansing in the whole
population installing in the "1 god movement" in every
corner exterminating all foreign traditions, also the
center of cult of Bethel (p.296).
The religious reforms are also said having for atoning the
"bad" deeds of kings (p.300).
[A religious dictatorship is said having atoned plurality
and tolerance. God is said to be a dictator. There is no
bigger contradiction than this...]
OT claims:
The government of Josiah is said having followed to this
"found" code of law and is said having defined a new
Israeli identity, and according to this is said having
reformed the state (p.297)
-- all objects for all cults are said having banned from
the temple of Jerusalem, also all objects in connection
with Baal, Ashera, and with the host of heaven. The
objects are said having been burned in Kidron valley and
the ashes are said having been brought to Bethel (p.298)
-- the priest for the cults of Baal, Ashera and for the
host of heaven are said having degraded, also the priest
who had done sacrifices on the heights or have celebrated
cults of stars (p.298-299)
-- king Josiah is said having ordered that the picture of
Ashera on Kidron creek was milled to dust and the dust is
said having distributed on the graves of the simple
population
-- king Josiah is said having ordered the destruction of
houses of whore men (2d book of Kings 23,4-7)
-- king Josiah is said having ordered the elimination of
the cult of fire, and the site of fire in the Hinnom
valley is said having been destroyed (p.299)
-- king Josiah is said having abrogated the cult of sun
chariot, and is said having ordered the dismissal of the
horses and the destruction of the sun chariot by fire
(p.299)
-- king Josiah is said having ordered the destruction of
the altars of the Judean kings and the altars of Manasseh
in the temple complex, they are said having been milled,
and the dust is said having been disposed by the Kidron
creek (p.299)
-- king Josiah is said having ordered that the altars on
the heights of the faked time of Solomon will be
destroyed: the altar of goddess Astarte of Sidon, another
altar of the god Kamos of Moab, and one more altar of the
god Milkom of Ammon(2d book of Kings 23,10-14) (p.299)
-- all heights and sites of cults on the countryside are
said having been destroyed, from Geba down to Beersheba
(2d book of Kings 23,8) (p.299)
-- the altar in Bethel erected by Jeroboam is said having
been destroyed, is said having been milled to dust and the
local picture of Ashera is said having been burnt (p.299)
-- and also further far in the North are said having been
performed the religious purges, for example on the heights
in the towns of Samaria province
-- and all priests of the heights in the ex northern Reich
of Israel are said having been killed and having been
slaughtered on the altars (2d book of Kings 23,19-20)
(p.300).
And now there is a new
compulsion for festivals in mini Reich of Judah:
Passover / Pesach festival glorifying the composed
exodus from Egypt
Also 2d book of Kings 23,21-22 describes the introduction
of the new Pesach festival: "Passover as it is written in
this book of alliance" (2d book of Kings 23,21-22).
[There
are other parallelisms
Such a constellation of a folk festival for a faked event
is not a singular case. Similar festivals celebrating
events which never have occurred are for example the Tell
festivals in Switzerland with a Swiss national hero
Wilhelm Tell who never existed either, or the Christmas
festivals with a Jesus story of a mother who has kept to
be a virgin which is just a normal baby dream etc.].
Josiah
is the new Moses...
In the 2d book of Kings in the OT Josiah is indirectly
compared with Moses. He is said representing a milestone
in the history of the kingdom of Judah. Add to this the
memory of the collapse of the northern Reich of Israel is
refreshed mentioning the religious cleansing in Bethel and
in Samaria (p.300).
What
say the documents and archeology to the 5th book
of Moses (Deuteronomy)?
According to Bible scholar Moshe Weinfeld the 5th book of
Moses is similar to early Greek literature in reference to
speeches, blessings and damnifications and ceremonies
during foundations of towns. By this the 5th book of Moses
had been written in the early Greek period (p.302).
since 622 B.C.
The first biblical tradition
in mini Judah
With the new puritanical harsh law is installed a biblical
tradition in mini Reich of Judah, the first time in the
world (p.297)
[that means: the "tradition of the book" is executed the
first time in the world, the power of papyri and ink over
mankind].
The total collapse of Assyria
- and Egypt's last great Empire
Assyria's power is reducing on and on. Babylon's rebellion
is affecting the Assyrian core land and against Egyptian
interests, when Babylonia would become too strong (p.311).
Egypt with it's 26th dynasty has the last heyday of
imperial power (p.7) and is constructing new towns or
amplifying them:
-- the town of Pithom is built at the end of 7th century
B.C., Pithom is hardly populated before (p.80)
-- Migdol is getting an important spot in 7th century B.C.
in the eastern delta and is mentioned with it's name by
Jeremiah 44,1 and 46,14 (p.80)
616 B.C.
First Egypt aid for Assyria
with an army
Egypt is helping Assyria against Babylonia [and the
Egypt army is passing Canaan]. But the collapse of Assyria
is going on (p.311).
612 B.C.
Assyria is collapsing: fall
of the capital of Ninive
OT claims:
The Assyrian court is said having fled to Haran in the
West (Zephaniah 2,13-15) (p.311).
Pharaoh Necho II.
of Egypt.
|
|
610 B.C.
Egypt: death of Pharaoh Psamtik I - successor is his son
Necho II
Archeology says: Pharaoh Necho II (610-595 B.C.) tries the
construction of the Suez Canal with many foreign workers.
But the channel stays incomplete. Archaeological remnants
are proved (p.79-80).
610 B.C.
Assyria: Egypt defeat against
Babylonia
So, Babylonia can occupy Haran. The Egypt army has to
retreat from Assyria. From Assyria is nothing left
(p.311).
609 B.C.
Egypt under Pharaoh Necho II
takes the resolution of another military campaign to
Assyria
Necho II wants to help to Assyria in the civil war against
Babylonia and sends another army (p.310-311)
OT claims:
The kingdom of Judah wanted to
block the Egypt army
According to OT there is said that king
Josiah with it's mini army wanted to block the huge army of
Egypt and then king Josiah was killed.
Well, OT claims also some versions in the
books of Kings:
-- OT claims that there was an Egypt
military campaign against Assyria reaching the Euphrates
-- king Josiah is said having confronted
the Egypt army and is said having been killed by Necho in
Megiddo (2d book of Kings 23,29) (p.311)
OT claims also some versions in the book
of Chronicle:
-- Pharaoh Necho II is said having started
to Carchemish at the Euphrates river
-- king Josiah is said having confronted
the Egypt army
-- Pharaoh Necho II is said having sent
messengers indicating that Necho II did not want any
confrontation with Josiah
-- Josiah is said having stayed stubborn
and is said having provoked a battle in the plain of Megiddo
-- king Josiah is said having been
severely wounded by Egypt shooters and is said having been
brought to Jerusalem where he is said having died (2d book
of Chronicle 35,20-24) (p.311).
But there
is a logic: king Josiah never can have conducted war
against Egypt
-- king Josiah cannot have started with
Samaria and Megiddo because these territories were not in
the mini kingdom of Judah any more, there should have had
annexations of Samaria and Megiddo, eventual up to Galilee
(2d book of Chronicle 34,6) or he could have made an
alliance with Babylonia against Egypt provoking a battle in
Megiddo (p.312)
with the little number of 75,000
inhabitants [which corresponds to the number of the canton
of Schaffhausen in 2001] (p.310) king Josiah never had been
able to arrange an army against Egypt, and the whole
existence of Judah had been put into question (p.312).
So, the version of the book of Chronicle
with a battle in Megiddo seems absolutely impossible, and
the version of the books of Kings without indication of a
location seems possible (p.312).
According to Nadav Naaman one possibility
would be for example an oath of loyalty in Megiddo for the
new Pharaoh Necho II. But by some reason the king of Josiah
could have been ordered to be executed, perhaps because of
territorial expansions of Judah in Samaria or in the region
of the Shfela (p.312).
According to Bible scholar Baruch Halpern
Pharaoh Necho II also could have ordered the murder of king
Josiah because of his independent religious policy, because
by a strong autonomy the trade routes to Arabia would have
been be in danger (p.312).
[O.k. anybody can speculate here...]
