In the 1980s, it was fashionable within biblical scholarship to deny that King David ever existed. Then, in 1993, archaeologists unearthed the Tel Dan Stele, a fragment of stone dated to the 9th century BC. The stele contains an inscription by an Aramean monarch chronicling his victory over a certain king “of the house of David”. This sensational discovery appeared to provide historical corroboration for the events described in 2 Kings 12:17–18. More than that, it proved the sceptics wrong. King David manifestly was a real historical figure, and scholars had been overly hasty in dismissing the biblical stories as pious fables.
2:15 PM
How Scott Hahn transformed the way Catholics read the Bible
As the theologian and bible scholar prepares to publish three new books, a former student reflects on his scholarship, his theological vision and his influence on generations of Catholics
Clement Harrold
10 min read
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