ANSWERING ATHEISTS: HISTORICAL ERRORS IN THE BIBLE

Let's start out with the often quoted objection that says the mention of certain Jewish patriarchs having domesticated camels (Genesis 24:10-11, 31:24) is an error because archeologists haven't found widespread evidence in that area until centuries later. Generally, all they are able to prove is that the use of camels was not widespread until later, but that doesn't exclude the domestication of some camels by a few wealthy people of the time, such as the patriarchs.

Here is part of a more detailed rebuttal from the New Bible Commentary (pp. 181-182): “The mention of camels in the Pentateuch, especially in Genesis, has been often and persistently dismissed as anachronistic. The truth appears to be as follows. From the 12^th century BC the camel becomes a regular feature of the biblical world (other than Egypt, where it remains rare). Though limited and imperfect, the extant evidence clearly indicates that the domesticated camel was known by 3000 BC; and continued in limited use as a slow-moving burden-carrier down through the second millennium BC.” The evidence includes a Syrian cuneiform tablet, a Ugaritic text, a drawing found at Byblos, camel remains from Middle Bronze Age tombs (1900-1550 BC) and in Egypt (2000-1400 BC), and a 13th cent. BC picture from Egypt.

Similarly, Mark W. Chavalas (Biblical Archaeology Review, Nov/Dec 2018, p. 52) cites the fact that Abraham did not come from Israel, but from Mesopotamia where archaeological evidence for the use of camels long before Abraham's time was known. Two-humped camels are pictured on a sherd from eastern Iran dating from the 4^th millennium BC. Skeletal remains date from the 3^rd millennium. A Sumerian list of animals from 2400 BC lists camels as part of their caravans.

Most of the historical objections to the Bible by past and present critics follows this same pattern: making deductions before all the evidence is in. So keep in mind this general principle: “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” And since in archeology, the evidence is never all in, we should be rightly suspicious of any absolute statements from that quarter that deny the historical accuracy of the Bible.

It really boils down to the philosophical differences between archeological minimalists and the maximalists. The former will deny the historical accuracy of the biblical account unless absolutely proved otherwise by solid facts. The latter assume the strict historical accuracy of the Bible even if the facts tend to indicate otherwise. Then there are those somewhere in-between who start out with the working assumption that the Bible is historically correct in all details but are willing to interpret the text differently if undisputed facts warrant it. Thus, one important use of archeology is to help us properly interpret the events narrated the Bible. This may occasionally mean changing our view of events a little. The next example illustrates this point.

The city of Jericho was supposedly abandoned long before the Israelite invasion of Canaan. This was based on the fact that early excavations at Jericho uncovered no bichrome pottery, widely traded in the Middle East during the time of the Exodus. However, more recent excavations in a different part of Jericho did uncover this type of pottery as well as seals and scarabs clearly indicating that the city was occupied during that time.

“They raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.” Joshua 6:20b

But these excavations gave us even more valuable information helping us to understand the meaning in this text. One logical interpretation of the above verse would be that all the walls fell down so that the soldiers could go straight into the city wherever they happened to be around its perimeter. But the archeological evidence indicates another understanding of this verse. As the walls collapsed in one spot, it formed a natural ramp so that the soldiers could storm the city by going straight up into it without having to scale the two walls in between.

Another famous example is that for years scholars said that the Bible made up the existence of the Hittites. That was, however, before archeologists uncovered the capital of its empire. And it has been said that David never founded a dynasty. He was only a local tribal leader. However, an inscription referencing the “house of David” was found in the territory of Dan at the northern tip of David's extended territory.

Did Solomon institute the widespread construction projects listed in the Bible? I Kings 9:15 says that 

Solomon was responsible for building the gates of Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. In the late 1950's Yigael 

Yadin was excavating the Solomonic level at Hazor and he had the plan of the gate at Megiddo with 

him, since it had already been excavated. On a hunch that the three cities might have been built on an 

identical plan, he made markings on the ground estimating where the gate at Hazor would be and told 

the laborers to remove the rubble. “When they were finished, they looked at us with astonishment, as if 

we were magicians or fortune-tellers.” The gate was a replica of the Megiddo gate, both built at the 

same time by Solomon. He then re-examined the published reports from Gezer, which had been 

partially excavated, and found an identical gate. The measurements of all three closely matched in the 

length of the gates, their width, space between towers, width of entrance passage, and width of walls.

Here are a few NT examples. Luke 2 starts out with the familiar words regarding a census undertaken 

at the request of the Emperor Augustus while Quirinius was governor of Syria. There were strong 

doubts as to whether Quirinius was ever governor of Syria at all and certainly concerning any so-called 

census he might have conducted there. That was until a grave inscription was uncovered confirming 

both facts.

In describing the pool of Bethsaida, John 5:2 says it had five porticos, or covered walkways. But for 

years, scholars said that the number 5 was obviously made up because of its symbolic meaning. How 

could a pool have five walkways around it unless it was built in the shape of a pentagon? In fact, 

excavations have uncovered this pool, and there are porticoes on all four sides with a fifth one dividing 

the pool in two. Then it was strongly suspected by historians that Pontius Pilate was just a fictitious 

character made up by the gospel writers since no Roman records of his name had been found. In 1961 a 

piece of carved limestone was discovered having his name on it. And in 2018 a ring uncovered in 1968 

at Herodium was finally cleaned and found to be inscribed with Pilate's name on it also.

And the list of such examples goes on and on, and is still going one today. Consider two articles in the 

June 2018 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. The cover story concerned discovery of the tomb of a 

high official in the Egyptian government who had a definitely Semitic name, Abdiel. His name literally 

means servant of El, one of God's names. It had been felt by critics that there was no way Joseph could 

have risen to power during the reign of the pharaohs since they were known to be very xenophobic. 

Several other examples of Semitic officials in the Egyptian government have been similarly attested. 

Another interesting thing is that Abdiel is called “a child of the palace,” meaning he was raised there – 

just as Moses was during the same general time period.

The next article of interest in that same issue concerned the conquest of Canaan.

“Many modern scholars subscribe to various permutations of the Social Revolution Model, in which the earliest Israelites were originally disaffected Canaanites who fled their oppressive overlords in the urban centers in the coastal region and headed for the central hill country. There, they met a few Yahwists...who had lived in southern Canaan under Egyptian influence. The two groups entered into a covenant with each other and became 'Israel.'”

So what does this mean? The picture proposed by sociologists is this: A few believers in the true God living in southern Canaan escaped the influence of Egypt by moving north. They joined up with some poor Philistines on the coast who were fleeing eastward because of oppressive living conditions under their rich bosses, and together they formed the basis of what was later called Israel. The only factual basis for this scenario came from the fact that no remains of any Israelite dwelling from the time period had been found in the eastern part of the Holy Land. Therefore, the absence of evidence appeared to contradict the biblical picture of the Jews entering Canaan from the east and spreading outward from there. However, as it says in the article, “A recent archaeological survey uncovered nearly 70 sites with pottery from the early Israelite settlement period in this area (eastern Israel).”

All of these and similar examples have led to what has been called the death of biblical minimalism.