Table of Contents
Foreword Stephen C. Meyer 7
Introduction 9
Chapter 1 Stories of Creation, Flood, Babel, and the Patriarchs (Genesis and job)
1 Alternate Creation Tablets (Girsu and Ebla) 12
2 The Double Creation of Humans (Enuma Elish, Enki and Ninhursag, Adapa) 14
3 The Mesopotamian Version of the Flood (Atra-Hasis) 18
4 The Preflood World (Sumerian King List) 20
5 The Tower of Babel (Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta) 22
6 Abraham and Ur (Lament for Ur) 24
7 Desecration of Names (Execration Texts) 26
8 Laws, Customs, Economy, and Hammurabi (Stele of Hammurabi) 28
9 Names, Covenants, and Social Customs (Mari and Nuzi Tablets) 30
10 Camels and the Patriarchs (Camel Riders Cylinder Seal) 34
11 Migrating to Egypt (Tomb of Khnumhotep II) 36
12 Jacob and Joseph in Egypt (Jacob-El and Sheshi Scarabs) 38
13 The Early Philistines (Phaistos Disk) 40
14 The Golden Necklace (Gold of Valor) 42
15 Job and the Conversation with God (Dialogue Between a Man and His God) 44
Chapter 2 The Israelites in Egypt, Exodus, and the Wilderness (Exodus-Deuteronomy)
16 Hebrew Servants in Egypt (Papyrus Brooklyn) 48
17 Brickmaking Slaves in Egypt (Tomb of Rekmire) 50
18 Pharaoh and the Hardening Heart (The Negative Confession) 52
19 The Poetic Plagues (Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage) 54
20 Pharaoh of the Exodus (Elephantine Stele of Amenhotep II) 56
21 The Sphinx and the Death of the Firstborn (Dream Stele) 58
22 Wandering in the Wilderness with Yahweh (Nomads of YHWH) 60
23 The Ark of the Covenant and Anubis (Shrine of Anubis) 62
24 Balaam the Seer (Deir Alia Inscription) 64
Chapter 3 Conquest Settlement, and the Judges (Joshua-Ruth)
25 Jericho and Pharaoh Amenhotep III (Scarab of Amenhotep III) 68
26 The Curious Case of Shechem (Amarna Letters of Labayu) 70
27 Child Sacrifice in Canaan (Pozo Moro Relief) 72
28 Israel in Canaan (The Merneptah Stele) 74
29 Ashtarte and the Asherah (Astarte Plaque) 76
30 Baal Hadad, God of Canaan (Ba'al Statue and Altar) 80
31 Destruction and Settlement of Dan (Collared-Rim Jars) 82
32 The Ark and the Philistines (Izbet Sartah Ostracon) 84
Chapter 4 The United Monarchy of Saul, David, and Solomon (Samuel-Kings)
33 Eshbaal and Saul (Ishbaal Son of Beda Jar) 88
34 The Mysterious Piym (Inscribed PYM Weight) 90
35 Letter about a King (Qeiyafa Ostracon) 92
36 Goliath of Gath (The Goliath Ostracon) 94
37 Agriculture and the Calendar (Gezer Calendar) 96
38 The Royal House of David (Tel Dan Stele) 98
39 Kings and Crowns (Ammonite King Statue) 100
40 Casting Lots (Israelite Astragali) 102
41 The Gold of Ophir (Tell Qasile Ophir Inscription) 104
Chapter 5 Shattered Kingdoms (Kings-Chronicles)
42 Pharaoh Shishak (Shoshenq I Megiddo Stele) 106
43 King Jeroboam (Seal of Jeroboam) 108
44 The God Milcom (Amman Citadel Inscription) 110
45 Mesha of Moab (The Mesha Stele) 112
46 Elisha on Pottery (Rehov Elisha Ostracon) 114
47 Ahab and His Army (Kurkh Stele of Shalmaneser III) 116
48 Queen Jezebel (Seal of Jezebel) 118
49 The Ivory House (Samaria Ivories) 120
50 King Jehu and the Assyrians (Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III) 122
51 Religion and the Masses (Khirbet el-Qom Inscription) 124
52 The Latrine of Desecration (Iron Age Toilet Seat) 126
53 The Reforms of Hezekiah (Beersheba Horned Altar) 128
54 Isaiah the Prophet's Seal (Bulla of Isaiah) 130
55 The Tomb Inscription of Shebna (Shebna Lintel) 132
56 Hezekiah and the Water Tunnel (Siloam Inscription) 134
57 The Siege of Lachish (Lachish Reliefs) 136
58 Sennacherib Versus Hezekiah (Sennacherib Prisms) 138
59 The Fall of Nineveh (Nineveh Chronicle) 140
60 Arad and the Temple of Yahweh (Arad Yahwefi Ostracon) 142
Chapter 6 Empires of Babylon and Persia (Jeremiah-Malachi)
61 Baruch, Scribe of Jeremiah (Bulla of Baruch) 146
62 Letters to Lachish (The Lachish Ostraca) 148
63 Nebo-Sarsekim the Chief Eunuch (Nebo-Sarsekim Tablet) 150
64 The Babylonian Conquest of Judah (The Jerusalem Chronicle) 152
65 Nebuchadnezzar and the Image (Nabu Statue) 154
66 Evil-Merodach in Prison (Prayer Tablet of Amel-Marduk) 156
67 Jehoiachin's Daily Rations (The Ration Tablets) 158
68 Belshazzar and Daniel (Cylinder of Nabonidus) 160
69 The Persians Capture Babylon (Nabonidus Chronicle) 162
70 Return from Exile (The Cyrus Cylinder) 164
71 Darius, Ahasuerus, and Artaxerxes (Achaemenid Royal Inscribed Bowl) 166
72 Friends and Enemies of Nehemiah (Elephantine Papyri) 168
73 Geshem, King of Qedar (Bowl of Qaynu and Geshem) 170
74 Dead Sea Scrolls (Great Isaiah Scroll) 172
Chapter 7 Jesus and his World (Matthew-John)
75 Herod the Great and the Temple (Herodian Temple Donation Inscription) 176
76 The Census of Quirinius (Epitaph of Secundus) 178
77 Coins of the Gospels (1st Century Coinage) 180
78 The Cana Wedding Jars (Ritual Stone Vessels) 184
79 Moses Seat (Magdala Stone Moses Seat) 186
80 Caiaphas the High Priest (Caiaphas Ossuary) 188
81 Pontius Pilate the Governor (The Pilate Stone) 190
82 Crucifixion in Judea (Crucified Man Remains) 194
83 Jesus Artwork in Rome (The Alexamenos Graffito) 196
84 The Tomb of Jesus (Burial Bench in the Holy Sepulchre) 198
85 Rumors of the Resurrection (The Nazareth Inscription) 200
Chapter 8 The First Christians and the Early Church (Acts-Revelation)
86 Aretas the King and Paul (Burial Inscription of Itaybel) 204
87 Sergius Paulus on Cyprus (Paulus the Proconsul Inscription) 206
88 Lystra and Derbe Discovered (Lystra and Derbe Inscriptions) 208
89 The City Authorities of Thessalonica (Politarch Inscription) 210
90 Altar to the Unknown God (Unknown Gods Altars) 212
91 The Corinth Synagogue (Synagogue of the Hebrews Inscription) 214
92 Gallto the Governor (Delphi Inscription) 216
93 Erastus of Corinth (Erastus Pavement Inscription) 218
94 Artemis and Ephesus (Statue of Artemis) 220
95 Trouble at the Jerusalem Temple (Temple Warning Inscription) 222
96 James, Brother of Jesus (James Ossuary) 224
97 Fighting Wild Beasts (Bestiarius Oil Lamp) 226
98 Paul on Malta (First Man of Malta Inscription) 228
99 Titus and the Temple Destruction (Arch of Titus Relief) 230
100 Domitian as a God ("Genius" of Emperor Domitian) 232
101 Early New Testament Manuscripts (John Rylands Papyrus 52) 234
Conclusion 237
Key Terms 241
Archaeological Periods 243
Timeline 245
Maps 247
Scripture Index 251
