A 2,900 basalt stone slab unveiled King David’s name, supporting the fact that he is an actual “historical figure.”
2,900 Stone Slab
In 1868, researchers discovered a Mesha Stele, also called a Moabite Stone. It is a basalt stone slab from the ninth-century B.C. that chronicles the military victories of King Mesha of Moab. It was set up in King Mesha’s capital Dibon. However, it was damaged in 1869, making certain parts of the tablet unreadable.
Franck Raux (Photographer). (2008). stèle [Photograph], Retrieved January 30, 2023, from: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010120339#
“In 2015, a team from the West Semitic Research Project of the University of Southern California took new digital photographs of both the restored stela and the paper squeeze,” they wrote. “The team used a method called Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), in which numerous digital images are taken of an artifact from different angles and then combined to create a precise, three-dimensional digital rendering of the piece. This method is especially valuable because the digital rendering allows researchers to control the lighting of an inscribed artifact so that hidden, faint, or worn incisions become visible.”
Franck Raux (Photographer). (2008). stèle [Photograph], Retrieved January 30, 2023, from: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010120339#
“House of David”
“In 2018, the Louvre Museum also took new, high-resolution backlit pictures of the squeeze, where the light was projected directly through the 150-year-old paper to provide a clearer view of the ancient letters it records”
The “House Of David” reference consists of five letters: btdwd (“bt” means “house of” and “dwd” means David.) This new discovery supports the claims that King David is a historical figure.
“The stone contains a possible reference to the ‘House of David’ as Judah’s rulers, which seems to support King David as a historical figure,” a summary of the research says. “Thanks to recent photographic evidence, our authors argue that this reading can now be confirmed.”
Read also: ISRAEL CHURCH ORDAINS FIRST-EVER WOMAN PASTOR
Grow closer to God daily by getting exclusive video teachings on God Today!
Read God’s Word For You Today directly from your phone. Download the Daily Word app now on Google Play and Appstore
Reference: Biblical Archaeology Society
Header Image: Franck Raux (Photographer). (2008). stèle [Photograph], Retrieved January 30, 2023, from: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010120339#