Dr Paul Allen

Qeiyafa_western_gate1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Prior to the mid-1990s recovery of an Aramaic inscription at Tel Dan , no extrabiblical sources supported the existence of David. Fragments discovered near Israel ’s northern border show that an Aramean king (ninth-eighth centuries BC) erected a monument boasting about his victory over the kings of Israel and “ the house of David ” (Ahituv, Echoes, 466–73). This may demonstrate that David lived and founded a dynasty which was referred to by one foreign king more than a century after David’s reign. However, Lemche challenges the reconstruction and authenticity of the inscription (Lemche, Israelites in History and Tradition , 39–43). He suggests that since “House of David” (Bēt Davîd) has no word dividers, it is better understood as a place name like Bethlehem or Beth-shean. The discovery at Tel Dan led to the reexamination of other inscriptions with possible references to David. By restoring a missing letter in the Mesha Inscription

English: Jerusalem Model, The city of David, the Pool of Siloam and the southern wall of Mount Moriah Deutsch: Jerusalem Modell, Davidstadt, im Vordergrund der Teich von Siloah und die Südmauer des Tempelberges Français : Maquette de Jérusalem, la Ville de David. Au premier plan, la piscine de Siloé et la muraille sud du Mont du Temple (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) After assuming the throne, David launched a swift and effective campaign that raised Israel from the threat of extinction to the pinnacle of ancient Near Eastern power. A weakened Egypt to the southwest and still coalescing Mesopotamian powers in the northeast offered a window of opportunity for a smaller nation like Israel to dominate. • David conquered Jerusalem , and made it royal rather than tribal property (“the city of David ”). • David moved the capital from Hebron in the southern hills to the more central, neutral, and strategically located Jerusalem, from which he could launch his international exp