ARCHAEOLOGY: Scientists make things difficult for themselves;

... all they had to do was ask me and I could have told them what God said.

In biblical lore, Edom was the implacable adversary and menacing neighbor of the Israelites. The Edomites lived south of the Dead Sea and east of the desolate rift valley known as Wadi Arabah, and from time to time they had to be dealt with by force, notably by the likes of Kings David and Solomon.

[...]

Chronology is at the crux of the debate. Exactly when did the nomadic tribes of Edom become an organized society with the might to threaten Israel? Were David and Solomon really kings of a state with growing power in the 10th century B.C.? Had writers of the Bible magnified the stature of the two societies at such an early time in history? [NYT]

I know, scientists are stubborn, independent cusses. Well, give them and some monkeys enough time and they'll come up with something. Which group do you think will side with God and the Scriptures?

Historians and archaeologists who generally endorse the new findings welcomed the more precise dating of ruins in the under-explored region and the attention focused on copper production in Edomite history. But they cautioned against interpretations that might encourage uncritical reliance on the Bible as a source of early history.

There, does that help?

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John Sexton

TAGS: Archaeology, Bible, David, Edom,
History, Israel, New York Times, Religion, Solomon