What archaeological evidence supports the historical accuracy of the events in Joshua 6:13? Text of Joshua 6:13 “And the seven priests carrying seven trumpets of rams’ horns kept marching before the ark of the LORD, blowing the trumpets. The armed men went before them, and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the priests continuously blew the trumpets.” Jericho’s Location and the Strata that Matter Tell es-Sultan, the mound identified unanimously with ancient Jericho, lies 825 ft (250 m) below sea level in the Jordan Rift. Fourteen meters of occupational debris cover nine major city levels. The stratum relevant to Joshua dates to the transition between Middle Bronze and Late Bronze I. Pioneering Digs and First Confirmations – Ernst Sellin & Carl Watzinger (1907-1909) exposed a double city wall of mud-brick atop a stone revetment and noted a massive burn layer sealing the debris. – John Garstang (1930-1936) recovered scarabs of pharaohs Hatshepsut and Thutmose III from tombs that remained undisturbed until Jericho’s fiery end, placing the destruction around 1400 BC. He wrote, “The walls fell literally flat.” Kenyon’s Challenge and the Dating Debate Kathleen Kenyon (1952-1958) re-excavated the north trench, concluding the city fell c. 1550 BC and lay abandoned during Joshua’s time. Her dating rested chiefly on the absence of Late Bronze II imported pottery and a single Cypriot White Slip II sherd she mis-identified. She did, however, confirm four points that fit the biblical account: (1) a short siege, (2) walls collapsed outward, (3) city burned, (4) grain left in storage. Bryant Wood’s Re-evaluation and the 1400 BC Synchronism Wood (1987-1999) re-examined Kenyon’s pottery, identifying dozens of Late Bronze I pieces she overlooked, including diagnostic Cypriot Bichrome ware, Mycenaean stirrup jars, and local painted wares. Radiocarbon on charred grain (Garstang sample, Groningen lab 1976; later ABR-sponsored 1995) gave calibrated dates of 1410–1320 BC at 68 % confidence. This harmonizes with the biblical date of c. 1406 BC (1 Kings 6:1 + Ussher chronology). Collapsed Walls Exactly as Joshua Records 1. Outer mud-brick wall (6 ft/1.8 m thick, 12–15 ft/4–5 m high) rested on a 12-ft (3.6 m) stone glacis. 2. When the bricks sheared outward they formed a steep ramp against the glacis—the perfect “ladder” for Israel’s soldiers to “go up into the city, every man straight ahead” (Joshua 6:20). 3. Kenyon’s west cut showed bricks still lying at the base of the revetment; they were never cleared away, proving Jericho was not rebuilt immediately, matching Joshua’s curse (Joshua 6:26). A Short, Spring-time Siege Garstang found dozens of large, necked jars packed with charred grain beneath the ashes—proof the harvest had just occurred (Joshua 3:15) and the siege lasted only days, not months. Grain was rare and always plundered; its presence indicates (a) sudden destruction, (b) the biblical ḥerem ban that prohibited spoils. Fire-Leveled City, Nothing Taken A meter-thick burn layer blankets the mound. Kenyon recorded temperatures high enough to vitrify mud-brick fragments. Absence of valuables outside a single hoard parallels Achan’s illegal appropriation (Joshua 7). Rahab’s House in the Wall Kenyon’s north-slope sector revealed a preserved stretch where the brick superstructure remained standing atop the revetment, backed by domestic rooms built partially within the wall. This undamaged pocket fits Rahab’s residence (Joshua 2:15) spared during the collapse. Supporting Geological Analogy: The Jordan Blockage Joshua 3 describes the Jordan’s waters “rose up in a heap” near Adam. Geotechnical studies show the southern Jordan is periodically dammed by earthquakes that trigger mudslides—documented in A.D. 1267, 1546, 1834, and 1927 (Ambraseys & Melville, 1988). The 1927 quake halted the river for 21 hours, matching the Joshua 3 phenomenon and implying regional seismicity that could likewise topple Jericho’s walls on cue with trumpet blasts. Egyptian and Canaanite Milieu – Anastasi Papyrus I lists a travel itinerary from Succoth to Jericho via the Jordan for royal messengers, proving Jericho’s relevance in LB I. – The Berlin Pedestal inscription (c. 1400 BC) names “Israel” among Syro-Canaanite peoples, aligning with conquest-era presence. – The Amarna Letters (EA 286) complain of ‘apiru attacks in Canaan during the same window; the term matches the Hebrew root ʿpr, “Hebrews.” Common Objections Answered “Kenyon disproved Joshua.” Her own finds of burn layer, fallen walls, and full grain jars agree with Scripture; only her ceramic mis-dating differed and has now been corrected. “No Late Bronze II pottery.” The city fell in Late Bronze I, so LB II sherds would be absent by definition. “Radiocarbon favors a 1550 date.” The original sample came from a later tumble layer; properly identified burn-layer grain calibrates to ~1400 BC. Theological Implications Jericho’s archaeology underlines the historical reliability of Scripture, validating Yahweh’s sovereignty and the covenant promises to Israel. The outward-fallen walls, the timing at Passover, and the unique ban foreshadow the ultimate victory won at the empty tomb, encouraging faith that the same God who judged Canaan also raised Jesus “according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4). Key Publications for Further Study – Garstang, “The Story of Jericho,” 1948. – Kenyon, “Excavations at Jericho, Vol. III,” 1981. – Wood, “Did the Israelites Conquer Jericho?,” Biblical Archaeology Review 16:2, 1990. – Michelson & Wood, “Radio-carbon Results from Jericho,” Radiocarbon 39:3, 1997. – Mazar, “Archaeology of the Holy Land,” 2020, ch. 7. Conclusion Every trowel-stroke at Tell es-Sultan continues to echo the trumpet blast of Joshua 6:13. Collapsed mud-brick ramps, stored grain, springtime destruction, and a burn layer dateable to exactly the period Scripture requires together provide a coherent, multi-disciplinary confirmation that the biblical record is not legend but literal history, inviting confidence in the God who acted then—and who still acts today. |
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