There is no doubt that the Bible has had a dramatic impact on western culture. When the Bible was produced, however, continues to be a subject of debate among some circles. Options for composition range from the mid 2nd millennium to the late first millennium BC. The Silver Scrolls are an archaeological discovery important for anyone interested in discussions about the reliability of the text of the Bible. These amulets, which date to the late-7th century BC, suggest that portions of the Hebrew scriptures were known before the Babylonian exile of 586 BC.
On October 24, 2013, Emmaus Bible College (Dubuque, IA) will sponsor a lecture delivered by Dr. Gabriel Barkay, Professor of Archaeology at Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, Israel. The title of his lecture is “Discovering the Earliest Verses of the Bible.”
This lecture will detail the archaeological excavation which Gabriel Barkay led and which uncovered the oldest copies of biblical inscriptions ever found. Known as “The Silver Scrolls,” these amulets are inscribed with the priestly benediction from Numbers 6:24-26 and date to the late-7th century B.C.
Dr. Gabriel Barkay was born in Hungary in 1944, and immigrated to Israel in 1950. After graduating from Hebrew University summa cum laude where he studied archaeology, comparative religion and geography, he graduated summa cum laude from Tel Aviv University with a Ph.D in archaeology in 1985.
He has participated on various levels in numerous digs, including Megiddo, Lachish, Momshit, and Susa in Iran. He has concentrated on sites in Jerusalem since the 1970s, participating and directing on various levels. Since 2004 he has been the director of the Israel Excavation Society Sifting Project, sifting soil from the Temple Mount area.
Dr. Barkay is the recipient of the 1996 Jerusalem Prize for Archaeological Research, and is a professor at Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv. He has spent more than 30 years teaching at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies.
Emmaus Bible College cordially invites the public to attend this free lecture. Join us Thursday, October 24 from 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm in the Emmaus Auditorium, located at 2570 Asbury Road, Dubuque, IA 52001.
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