|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| According to the Bible, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and destroyed the city and captured Zedekiah king of Judah. He then appointed a man by the name of Gedaliah to be Governor over Judah. |
| In 1935 during excavations in the Biblical city of Lachish, a clay seal was found in a layer of ashes left behind from Nebuchadnezzar's fire containing the following words: |
| |
| "Belonging to Gedaliah, who is over the House." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Seal of |
| "Gedaliah, who is over the House" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| These finds are an amazing confirmation of the scriptural account of Nebuchadnezzar's invasion we read about in 2Kings 25: 22-24: |
| "Then he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left. Now when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah." |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A second clay seal housed in the British Museum is inscribed with the words "Hannaniah son of Gedaliah." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| "Hannaniah, Son of Gedaliah" Seal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| It is possible that this Hannaniah is the son of either Gedaliah the son of Ahikam as mentioned above, or Gedaliah the son of Pashhur who is mentioned in Jeremiah chapter 38. His seal was found in 2008 just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Seal of |
| "Gedaliah, son of Pashur." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| WORDS OF WISDOM FROM GEDALIAH: |
| |
| "And Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men, and said to them, "Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans." "Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you." II Kings 25:24 |
| |
| BIBLE STUDY: Proverbs 29:25, Titus 3:1-2 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| This article is a chapter from our 3 volume book series "Bible Believer's Archaeology" which can be downloaded for your ebook reader or mobile device by visiting our resource download page by Clicking Here. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Photo Links to Artifacts Mentioned in this Article |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gedaliah, who is over the House seal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hannaniah, son of Gedaliah seal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gedaliah, son of Pashur seal |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sources: |
| |
| The Bible in the British Museum - Interpreting the Evidence, Author:TC Mitchell ISBN: 0-9091-4292-9 |
| pg.85 "Hannaniah son of Gedaliah seal" BM#134695 |
|
| Evidence That Demands a Verdict Vol.II, Author: Josh Mcdowell |
| ISBN 0-8407-4379-3 |
| Pg.344-345 Gedaliah seal, |
| |
| Halley's Bible Handbook, Author:Henry H. Halley, |
| ISBN 0-310-25720-4 Pg.317 Gedaliah Seals |
| |
| The Revell Bible Dictionary, Author: Fleming H. Revell |
| ISBN 0-8007-1594-2 Pg.422 Hannaniah son of Gedaliah Seal Picture |
| (British Museum, London) |
|
| Gedaliah's Seal Material Revisited - some preliminary notes on new evidence from the City of David, in: M. Luketski (ed.), New Seals and Inscriptions ... Vol. 2, 2012 by Peter van der Veen |
| pg,23 Gedaliah son of Pashur, pg.25 Gedaliah, who is over the house |
|
| Illustration pen and ink reproduction of the Gedaliah seals |
| Artist: John Argubright, copyright © 1997-(current year) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
