Biblical History/Scholarship Trivia

[cyberjosh]

Okay, so I was just thinking of how we can make the most of this new forum section and perhaps make it a bit more lively and participatory for everyone and came up with the idea for a trivia thread. Hopefully this will spark some good ideas and educate all of us. We can use a multiple choice, yes/no, or fill-in-the-blank type questions. I suppose some general Bible trivia could go in here but I was thinking more on the order of scholarship, archaeology, historical information, and maybe etymology of names of people & places, etc. But tying the information back to the Bible will probably require some general "Bible Trivia".

So I will start us off with some trivia questions. Feel free to answer what you can, and add some of your own questions.

1. Which gods are Daniel (his assigned pagan name) and Mordecai's names thought to be named after (respectively)? Are they related? If so, how?

2. Which two archaeological artifacts are believed to mention the House of David? Where were they found? What centuries do they date to respectively?

3. Josephus identifies in his work Against Apion a then-extant list of Phoenician Kings going back to the 10th century BC. Which Biblical personage is thought to be the same as Ithobaal I mentioned on the King List? What is the relevance of this person in the Biblical narrative? Who did Josephus cite as his source for the information on the King List?


That should be enough for now to ponder on. And yes, I actually expect people to research answers for themselves (use google!) - not as if I think you may already know all this off the top of your head! The point is to make you look for the answers and discover something. Have fun!

 

[researcher]

2. Which two archaeological artifacts are believed to mention the House of David? Where were they found? What centuries do they date to respectively?

The Tel Dan stele, and the Mesha stele.

Found in: Tel Dan, and Moab (area of Jordan)

Time: 850 BC, and 900 BC

 

[wavy]

1. Bel and Marduk respectively. If I'm not mistaken I think Bel and Marduk are the same god, head of the Babylonian pantheon.

2. The Tell Dan inscription definitely. My mind was blank on the other one. I had to look it up. I didn't think it was the Mesha Stele. (due respect to researcher) I recalled it being an Assyrian royal inscription, but I was incorrect. 9th century BC for both.

3. Have very slight inklings at the moment. Too lazy right now to look. But my hunch is Hiram of Tyre. That's the only Phoenician king from the bible I can remember right now. According to the bible he was in good international intercourse with Solomon. Josephus's reputed source? I have no idea.


This was a good idea.

Finis,
Eric

 

[cyberjosh]

Kudos to researcher on #2! And we have a winner on #1 with Eric!

As for #3, Hiram actually is on the list but is not Ithobaal I, there is another less known Phoenician King mentioned (I believe) only once in the OT. Wikipedia may be of some assistance in this case, although I've learned this via a video lecture from Michael Coogan and, just recently, also from Kenneth Kitchen in his book On the Reliability of the Old Testament (yes, I did get it for Christmas!).

 

[Vic C.]

Great idea! I'll I can't answer all the time, I will be sure to read along.

 

[cyberjosh]

Glad to have you Vic!

While the rest of you are still figuring out the answer to #3, here are some more:

4. In 1983 Gabriel Barkay excavated one of the 19 documented tumuli (man-made earthen mounds) located to the west of Jerusalem. From his excavations, observation of the exact number of the tumuli, and personal research what theory relevant to the history of the OT did Barkay propose about what the tumuli were used for and the significance of their number (19)?

5. What other monumental find is Gabriel Barkay known for concerning the text of the OT?

 

[Nick]

Number 4: is this concerning the Priestly Blessing in the Book of Numbers? Or maybe this is number 5.

 

[cyberjosh]

Number 4: is this concerning the Priestly Blessing in the Book of Numbers? Or maybe this is number 5.

Yes Nick, you got it - and it is #5. I can fill in the additional details: In 1979 Gabriel Barkay discovered in a burial cave at Ketef Hinnom (near the Biblical 'Valley of Hinnom' south of Jerusalem) two small silver scrolls (or as they are called - 'amulets'; only inches in length) which date to the 6th century BC, and have written on them the earliest copy of any Hebrew Scripture (predates any of the Dead Sea Scrolls by at least 400 years)! The text is from Numbers 6:24-26. You can read here and here for more about it. Below is a picture I found of one of the scrolls.

 

[Nick]

Interesting Josh...thankyou.

I'll do a bit more digging and see if I can find number 4.

 

[Caroline H]

This IS a good idea Josh Next semester I am taking a course on Biblical Archaeology, so I would probably be able to participate more in a few weeks. I will keep reading though, this is interesting

 

[cyberjosh]

Since #4 can be hard to get all the info on from a simple google search I will cheat a bit and give you a link to an article written by Gabriel Barkay and you all can figure out the answer from reading it: Mounds of Mystery. It came from a 2003 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review magazine, and the link at the top give you a PDF format of the article with pictures and all as it appeared in the magazine.

 

[cyberjosh]

This IS a good idea Josh Next semester I am taking a course on Biblical Archaeology, so I would probably be able to participate more in a few weeks. I will keep reading though, this is interesting

Cool. I took an intro-level general archaeology (Egypt, Minoan, Roman, Celtic, Viking, etc.) class this past semester and aced it, and it was taught by a professor who is an Egyptologist (Gregory Mumford) who has done some excavations in the Sinai & Egyptian Delta. What I've discovered from reading several Biblical archaeology books is that learning the history of Egypt is very useful (and sometimes essential) in understanding the history of Israel. I will be following up Dr. Mumford's class this semester with another class from him (this time in his forte) about Imperial Egypt (ca. 1550 BC - Greek Period), and this he said will inevitably have parts about Egypt's interaction with Canaan. I currently am reading a book by Donald Redford called Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times which interweaves the history of Egypt and Canaan in a very detailed way, although I'm just now fighting my way past the initial 200 pages of Egyptian history which was difficult to slog through at parts but I'm very close to the second half of the book which brings Israel's history into consideration.

So far I've become educated as to the "distant past" of Canaan and its culture and have learned a great deal about northern Canaan's (aka Syria's) strong influence on the history of Canaan. Interesting stuff. We should keep in touch about how your class goes and what materials you are reading. And I have a good intro-level book suggestion (with dozens of complimentary full-color photos) if you would like it. I'm sure there is plenty we could talk about.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[cyberjosh]

So, would anyone else like to make up their own questions, or should I maybe ask easier questions? I suppose even questions you don't know the answer to, if framed correctly, could be admissible - like the meaning/etymology of a person's name or "what is the oldest evidence we have for ______ ". I dunno, just trying to fan the flames a bit to get some activity.

 

[Nick]

So, would anyone else like to make up their own questions, or should I maybe ask easier questions? I suppose even questions you don't know the answer to, if framed correctly, could be admissible - like the meaning/etymology of a person's name or "what is the oldest evidence we have for ______ ". I dunno, just trying to fan the flames a bit to get some activity.

I don't have the depth of knowledge to ask questions, but I'll try and answer the questions, and hopefully learn heaps along the way.

 

[Nick]

Is this still going? Got another question for us Josh? (or anyone else?). I'm in a good mood for this at the moment.

 

[cyberjosh]

Is this still going? Got another question for us Josh? (or anyone else?). I'm in a good mood for this at the moment.

I'll try to get some more going soon. The next time I post I will give the answers for the two that were not answered as well.

~Josh

 

[Nick]

Is this still going? Got another question for us Josh? (or anyone else?). I'm in a good mood for this at the moment.

I'll try to get some more going soon. The next time I post I will give the answers for the two that were not answered as well.

~Josh

Awesome.

 

[Caroline H]

This IS a good idea Josh Next semester I am taking a course on Biblical Archaeology, so I would probably be able to participate more in a few weeks. I will keep reading though, this is interesting

Cool. I took an intro-level general archaeology (Egypt, Minoan, Roman, Celtic, Viking, etc.) class this past semester and aced it, and it was taught by a professor who is an Egyptologist (Gregory Mumford) who has done some excavations in the Sinai & Egyptian Delta. What I've discovered from reading several Biblical archaeology books is that learning the history of Egypt is very useful (and sometimes essential) in understanding the history of Israel. I will be following up Dr. Mumford's class this semester with another class from him (this time in his forte) about Imperial Egypt (ca. 1550 BC - Greek Period), and this he said will inevitably have parts about Egypt's interaction with Canaan. I currently am reading a book by Donald Redford called Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times which interweaves the history of Egypt and Canaan in a very detailed way, although I'm just now fighting my way past the initial 200 pages of Egyptian history which was difficult to slog through at parts but I'm very close to the second half of the book which brings Israel's history into consideration.

So far I've become educated as to the "distant past" of Canaan and its culture and have learned a great deal about northern Canaan's (aka Syria's) strong influence on the history of Canaan. Interesting stuff. We should keep in touch about how your class goes and what materials you are reading. And I have a good intro-level book suggestion (with dozens of complimentary full-color photos) if you would like it. I'm sure there is plenty we could talk about.

God Bless,

~Josh

Josh, I only just now found this reply! Wow, I guess I've been sorta busy since classes started again, so sorry

Wow! It sounds like you have a great resource in your professor there. My professor is definitely NOT an archaeologist, he's just interested in it. He is our OT professor. We are reading the Holman Bible Atlas, and Archaeology of the Bible by James Hoffmeier. Is that the one you were suggesting, or do you have another one?

 

[cyberjosh]

This IS a good idea Josh Next semester I am taking a course on Biblical Archaeology, so I would probably be able to participate more in a few weeks. I will keep reading though, this is interesting

Cool. I took an intro-level general archaeology (Egypt, Minoan, Roman, Celtic, Viking, etc.) class this past semester and aced it, and it was taught by a professor who is an Egyptologist (Gregory Mumford) who has done some excavations in the Sinai & Egyptian Delta. What I've discovered from reading several Biblical archaeology books is that learning the history of Egypt is very useful (and sometimes essential) in understanding the history of Israel. I will be following up Dr. Mumford's class this semester with another class from him (this time in his forte) about Imperial Egypt (ca. 1550 BC - Greek Period), and this he said will inevitably have parts about Egypt's interaction with Canaan. I currently am reading a book by Donald Redford called Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times which interweaves the history of Egypt and Canaan in a very detailed way, although I'm just now fighting my way past the initial 200 pages of Egyptian history which was difficult to slog through at parts but I'm very close to the second half of the book which brings Israel's history into consideration.

So far I've become educated as to the "distant past" of Canaan and its culture and have learned a great deal about northern Canaan's (aka Syria's) strong influence on the history of Canaan. Interesting stuff. We should keep in touch about how your class goes and what materials you are reading. And I have a good intro-level book suggestion (with dozens of complimentary full-color photos) if you would like it. I'm sure there is plenty we could talk about.

God Bless,

~Josh

Josh, I only just now found this reply! Wow, I guess I've been sorta busy since classes started again, so sorry

Wow! It sounds like you have a great resource in your professor there. My professor is definitely NOT an archaeologist, he's just interested in it. He is our OT professor. We are reading the Holman Bible Atlas, and Archaeology of the Bible by James Hoffmeier. Is that the one you were suggesting, or do you have another one?

Being busy with classes is an unending granted truth with me, so you are covered there. That's really cool, I have both of those books. I've read the entire OT section of Hoffmeier's Archaeology of the Bible. I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but my professor Greg Mumford knows Hoffmeier personally and excavated with him in Sinai. He was talking about trying to convince him to come to our university when he is in nearby state Gerogia at the end of the year and speak. As for the Holman Bible Atlas I bought that relatively recently. I was impressed by the level of detail in the book, because most Bible atlases are "so-so" and only moderately useful. The Holman Atlas however is exceptional, I like it. I still have much to look at in it.

P.S. I've been slacking in this thread. I need to go get some more questions.

 

[cyberjosh]

Alright you lazy researchers(!), I will tell you the answers to the 2 as-of-yet-unanswered questions:

3. Josephus identifies in his work Against Apion a then-extant list of Phoenician Kings going back to the 10th century BC. Which Biblical personage is thought to be the same as Ithobaal I mentioned on the King List? What is the relevance of this person in the Biblical narrative? Who did Josephus cite as his source for the information on the King List?

Ittobaal I is the same person as Ethbaal in 1 Kings 16:31, and the significance of this Biblical figure is that he was the father of Jezebel. Read here if you are interested further.

So now you can tell others that we have independent proof that Jezebel's father who is mentioned in the Bible existed (from Josephus, who quoted Menander of Ephesus)! Also, as an aside, a few years ago a seal with the Hebrew/Phoenician letters YZBL in were found on it, leading many to believe that it is the seal of Jezebel, therefore confirming her existence as well. Although some scholars say it could have been another Jezebel. Yet the counter point is made that not many people would have been prominent enough to have their own seal, therefore it is likely that it was the Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal.

4. In 1983 Gabriel Barkay excavated one of the 19 documented tumuli (man-made earthen mounds) located to the west of Jerusalem. From his excavations, observation of the exact number of the tumuli, and personal research what theory relevant to the history of the OT did Barkay propose about what the tumuli were used for and the significance of their number (19)?

Barkay believes that, not without good reason, that the 19 tumuli mounds are funeral mounds for the funerary pyre/burning of the Kings of Judah when they died, for which (out of Judah's 21 Kings) two are mentioned as not being burned in the Bible (Zedekiah and Jehoram - which brings the number to 19, a perfect correspondence). This would not be where the Kings were buried (what was left of them), only where the funeral pyre ceremony would have been held. See here for more details. It is a very interesting theory and is the most reasonable hypothesis unless a better one can be offered.