tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112Fri, 22 May 2026 11:19:53 +0000Ancient IsraelAncient Judaism; Early ChristianityDavila 666ScriptureTenured professor Hebrew Bibleias<p><big><b>Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.</b></big> <p> E-mail: paleojudaica-at-talktalk-dot-net ("-at-" = "@", "-dot-" = ".")</p></p>http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)Blogger24172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-4998576504291541781Fri, 22 May 2026 10:53:29 +00002026-05-22T11:53:29.591+01:00TEMPLE MOUNT WATCH: Archaeologists spotlight first Solomon’s Temple-era artifacts ever found on Temple Mount. Carried out in rare cooperation with Muslim authorities, series of digs in recent years at flashpoint site yielded unprecedented proof of biblical-time activity, scholars say (Ilan Ben Zion, Times of Israel).Israeli archaeologists on Thursday presented new details of what they said were http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/archaeologists-have-excavated-first.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-5660540901554847764Fri, 22 May 2026 10:36:47 +00002026-05-22T11:36:47.591+01:00FOR SHAVUOT: Do We Know the Original Text of the Torah? (Emanuel Tov, TheTorah.com).Well, we can theoretically arrive at a 3rd century B.C.E. archetype by using the conservative Masoretic Text (MT) as the default and comparing it with non-harmonistic variants in the Septuagint (LXX), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Qumran fragments. But textual criticism offers little help in understanding what http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/how-far-does-textual-criticism-of-torah.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-585603992560858609Fri, 22 May 2026 10:15:46 +00002026-05-22T11:15:46.574+01:00ARCHAEOLOGY AND POLITICS: Knesset panel ends without advancing West Bank and Gaza antiquities bill, will resume discussions next week (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).The Knesset Education, Culture and Sports Committee ends without a vote to send the controversial “West Bank and Gaza” antiquities bill, which many say amounts to de facto annexation, to the plenum for its final approval. [..http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/west-bank-and-gaza-archaeology-bills-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-6982946659415267018Thu, 21 May 2026 10:17:00 +00002026-05-21T11:17:00.112+01:00THE FESTIVAL OF SHAVUOT (Weeks, Pentecost) begins tonight at sundown. Best wishes to all those celebrating. Last year's Shavuot post is here, linking back to previous years' posts. For biblical references, see here. Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/shavuot-2026.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-265134172756544334Wed, 20 May 2026 09:50:00 +00002026-05-20T10:50:00.129+01:00ARCHAEOLOGY: How ancient seeds are rewriting the history of biblical-era trade with Arabia. New radiocarbon dating of Ein Hatzeva fortress on ancient trade route in the Arava suggests it was built 2,800 years ago by the Kingdom of Israel, shoring up Bible’s account (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).New research from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) uses C14 dating of preserved organic http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/redating-iron-age-fortress-at-ein.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-3759794882891190009Wed, 20 May 2026 09:23:00 +00002026-05-20T10:23:00.123+01:00THE ROGUE CLASSICISM BLOG, run by David Meadows, is undergoing refurbishment. Regular reader know that I consult this blog and refer to it frequently. It's still under construction, but go and have a look. I like the new formatting. More compact and easier to follow. Sad to see the Latin headings go, but probably better for overall clarity. Well done, David! Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/rogue-classicism-reloaded.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-2305251207506598792Tue, 19 May 2026 09:37:22 +00002026-05-19T10:37:22.664+01:00CINEMA AND PUNIC WATCH: Denzel Washington Beat Vin Diesel to the Role He's Wanted for 24 Years (Philip Etemesi, MovieWeb).Once upon a time, there lived a Carthaginian general and statesman. Born in 247 BC, he would wage war against the Roman Empire for decades, notably during the Second Punic War. Hannibal Barca was his name. Today, his tactics still wow historians, especially his choice to http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/more-on-washingtons-hannibal-movie.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-5147303497703448543Tue, 19 May 2026 09:20:55 +00002026-05-19T10:20:58.166+01:00NEW TESTAMENT APOCRYPHA FICTION: Scriptures: Lost, Found, And Forged (Philip Jenkins).... But by the same token, it is tempting for anyone wishing to make their own point to exploit this rediscovery idea, either by interpreting new finds in devious or subversive ways, or else by inventing fake ancient texts. These themes, of false interpretation and forgery, account for a large part of the http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/fictional-lost-gospels-etc-in-popular.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-2361212755027838793Mon, 18 May 2026 10:19:41 +00002026-05-18T11:19:41.817+01:00RELIGION PROF: Paul, Mark, And Revelation Within Judaism (Enoch Seminar) (James McGrath).The Enoch Seminar puts on wonderful conferences and this one on “The New Testament Within Judaism” was no exception. I took extensive notes on the days that I attended, and will share some of them here and in a follow-up post, even though the conference sessions are now on YouTube (and I will of course share http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/notes-on-latest-enoch-seminar.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-2317190949411804304Mon, 18 May 2026 09:41:12 +00002026-05-18T10:41:12.914+01:00SPELUNKIC ARCHAEOLOGY UPDATE: Two more articles cover the news about the apparently ancient, but of uncertain date and purpose, tunnel recently discovered in southern Jerusalem. Both include interviews with excavation co-director Zinovi Matskevich. 'We Know What It Wasn't': Strange Tunnel Exposed in Jerusalem Near Ramat Rahel. Tunnel up to five meters in height discovered in bedrock near ancienthttp://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/more-on-jerusalems-mystery-tunnel.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-1919681994168994047Mon, 18 May 2026 09:26:45 +00002026-05-18T10:26:45.520+01:00PHILOLOGY: Lost Multilingual World Shows Greek Culture Flourished Across Ancient Asia (Abdul Moeed, Greek Reporter).A new study of ancient written records shows that multilingual societies thrived across Hellenistic Central Asia for nearly a thousand years, with scribes regularly switching between languages and scripts to serve whichever empire happened to be in power. Rachel Mairs, a researcherhttp://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-languages-of-achaemenid-hellenistic.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-5509012746891407413Sun, 17 May 2026 09:12:00 +00002026-05-17T10:12:00.112+01:00NEW BOOK FROM BLOOMSBURY/T&T CLARK:Jesus' Physical Appearance Biography, Christology, Philosophy John D. Nelson (Author) Hardback $120.00 $108.00 Ebook (PDF) $108.00 $86.40 Ebook (Epub & Mobi) $108.00 $86.40 Product details Published Dec 11 2025 Format Hardback Edition 1st Pages 264 ISBN 9780567723208 Imprint T&T Clark Dimensions 9 x 6 inches Series The Library of New Testament http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/nelson-jesus-physical-appearance-t-clark.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-1080446555534904408Sat, 16 May 2026 09:20:00 +00002026-05-16T10:20:00.113+01:00NEW BOOK FROM SBL PRESS:Phoenician Inscriptions Robert D. Holmstedt, Aaron Schade, Philip C. Schmitz ISBN 9781628377675 Volume WAW 45 Status Available Publication Date March 2026 Paperback $70.00 Hardback $90.00 eBook $70.00 Phoenician Inscriptions introduces readers to the writing of the ancient people groups who originated in the ancient Levantine cities of Byblos, Tyre, and Sidon by the http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/holmstedt-et-al-phoenician-inscriptions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-9140374610091547260Fri, 15 May 2026 09:32:12 +00002026-05-15T10:32:12.605+01:00EXHIBITION: Great Isaiah Scroll, oldest near-complete biblical book ever found, to be displayed again after Iran war (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).The Great Isaiah Scroll, the oldest nearly complete book from the Hebrew Bible ever found, will be back on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem starting from Friday, a spokesperson for the museum says. [...]This is very good news, even if http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/report-great-isaiah-scroll-exhibit-is.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-7515747398010616169Fri, 15 May 2026 09:09:56 +00002026-05-15T10:09:56.738+01:00FOR JERUSALEM DAY: Psalm 122: A Visit to the Jerusalem of Old (Prof. Adele Berlin, TheTorah.com).What did it feel like to stand inside the gates of ancient Jerusalem at the height of its glory? A postexilic psalm imagines just that—revisiting a bustling city filled with pilgrims, justice, and divine presence. Blending memory, longing, and hope, Psalm 122 transforms Jerusalem into both a vivid http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/jerusalem-in-psalm-122.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-7047186088362660190Fri, 15 May 2026 08:49:28 +00002026-05-15T09:49:28.717+01:00THE ANXIOUS BENCH: Books, Epics, And Scriptures, Lost And Found. Lots of good links here. Background here and links. Cross-file under Lost Books. For more on those lost "Biblical-adjacent texts" cited in the Hebrew Bible, see here and links, plus here and here. Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/more-on-lost-books-from-jenkins.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-6648141135615901401Thu, 14 May 2026 10:00:37 +00002026-05-14T11:00:37.299+01:00REPATRIATED NUMISMATICS: Early Persian silver coin smuggled from Israel to Big Apple also regained after being offered for sale (Ruth Schuster, Haaretz).Antiquities detectives in New York have recovered two rare ancient coins smuggled out of Israel, which will be returned home, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Wednesday. They aren't on a plane yet but will be at some point thanks to http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/us-returns-smuggled-rare-coins-to-israel.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-5496915198798685800Thu, 14 May 2026 09:41:55 +00002026-05-14T10:41:55.048+01:00POLITICS AND ARCHAEOLOGY: Esther Shreiber for next IAA director, first woman in role. Her appointment will soon be submitted for approval by the IAA’s council and the government (Miriam Sela-Eitam, Jerusalem Post).Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu tapped Esther Shreiber, CEO of the INEXTG Group, to be the next director of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), which would make her the first http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/controversial-nomination-for-iaa.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-3754119178336195803Thu, 14 May 2026 09:24:01 +00002026-05-14T10:24:01.748+01:00SPELUNKIC ARCHAEOLOGY: Ancient tunnel with unknown age, purpose found near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel ahead of Jerusalem Day. After descending a set of ancient stairs from the surface, archaeologists found themselves standing at the hewn opening of the tunnel, found to be filled with hundreds of years of ancient sewage (Miriam Sela-Eitam, Jerusalem Post).A mysterious and ancient stone tunnel was http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/mystery-tunnel-found-in-jerusalem.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-7905688596256911002Wed, 13 May 2026 10:16:00 +00002026-05-13T11:16:00.126+01:00PAPYROLOGY: Egyptian Museum of Turin, ME-Scripta, a laboratory for the study of artefacts, is born. Fondazione Crt guarantees 3 million euro for 10-year project combining restoration and philological study (Filomena Greco, Il Sole 24 ore).The Laboratory of the Egyptian Museum will be called ME-Script and will be directed by Susanne Töpfer, curator in charge of the Egyptian Museum's papyrological http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/turin-egyptian-papyri-restoration.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-6933444387396379062Wed, 13 May 2026 10:02:00 +00002026-05-13T11:02:00.123+01:00THE WORLD IS FULL OF HISTORY: Alexander’s Legacy: The Ptolemaic Era of Greek Rule in Egypt (Nick Kampouris, Greek Reporter).When Alexander the Great conquered Egypt in 332 BCE, he signaled the beginning of the era of Ptolemaic rule. His general Ptolemy established the Ptolemaic dynasty that would govern the vast lands of Egypt for the next 300 years. The Ptolemies became the rulers over a http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/on-ptolemaic-era-in-egypt.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-3768656945593298818Tue, 12 May 2026 09:45:00 +00002026-05-12T10:45:39.865+01:00MATERIAL CULTURE IN THE ROUND: Eight-year-old boy finds 1,700-year-old statuette fragment while hiking in Negev. Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist says the artifact might depict Roman god Jupiter (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).[IAA Theft Prevention Unit supervisor Akiva] Goldenhersh acknowledged it was difficult to precisely identify who the statuette portrays. “Stylistically, it http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/boy-finds-late-antique-god-figurine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-5902596880281922711Tue, 12 May 2026 09:28:00 +00002026-05-12T10:28:59.788+01:00ANCIENT JEW REVIEW: Jewish Cultures and Material Artifacts (Karen Stern).Jewish Cultures and Material Artifacts: Comments on The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, Vol.2, Emerging Judaism, 332 BCE–600 CE, ed. Carol Bakhos ... In this grand volume, everything is an artifact and everything (appropriately) requires guided interpretation. Indeed, Carol Bakhos and her entire editorial http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/expansive-cultural-and-material-range.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-7846247669278709476Tue, 12 May 2026 09:17:00 +00002026-05-12T10:17:34.437+01:00ARCHAEOLOGY AND POLITICS: Knesset advances controversial West Bank antiquity bill in first reading. Legislation’s critics maintain it amounts to de facto annexation, while supporters say it is necessary to preserve territory’s unique heritage (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).A controversial bill creating a new civilian authority in charge of antiquities in the West Bank was approved by the http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/revised-bill-for-new-west-bank.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5184112.post-9102690707889172489Mon, 11 May 2026 16:55:00 +00002026-05-11T17:55:58.104+01:00BOOK REVIEW: The Gospel of Mark’s Judaism and the Death of Christ as a Ransom for Many (R. B. JAMIESON, Themelios).Many monographs proclaim their ambition to shift a paradigm; few do. In my opinion, this volume stands a better chance than most. This monograph is the second to develop from the author’s doctoral dissertation at McMaster University; the first was published as The Boundaries of http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2026/05/review-of-van-maaren-gospel-of-marks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jim Davila)