ENTRY

For a full 100 years, American, British, French and German scientists conducted excavations in the Middle East, Mesopotamia, Palestine and Egypt. In all major countries have established institutions and schools engaged in such research.

These breathtaking discoveries, of which it is impossible to comprehend at once, have forced us to reconsider our views on the Bible. Many of the events, first considered "religious legends, acquired the status of historical facts. Research results are often matched in detail with Biblical stories. Not only do they support them, but also covered the historic ground, which increased the Old Testament and the Gospel.

No book in human history did not provide such a revolutionary impact, such a decisive impact on the development of the Western world, such a broad response to the world as "the book of books-the Bible. There is no doubt that the long history of the triumphal procession of only gaining scale.

Is it always right to the Bible? We can answer this question with regard to the fragments, confirmed with non-biblical resources and data of archaeology. In addition, the Bible in any case may qualify for another, more indirect form of innocence: it somehow helps us better understand the thinking and behavior of people past, their teachings, parables, allegories, allusions, symbols and visions. Maybe sooner or later we will be able to understand even the fragments that remain far vague and embarrassing us. And then we say that the Bible is absolutely right!

 

Werner Keller from the book "the Bible as history".

 

NOTE: This book was published in 1955. Since then, archaeologists have found a huge amount of new evidence of the truth of the biblical narrative and no rebuttal.

 

UR THE CHALDEAN

Ur arose from the depths of the misty past as the capital of Sumer, one of the oldest civilizations of Mesopotamia. As we know, the Sumerians were Semites, in contrast to the ancient Jews. When some 2000 years BC of the Arabian Desert covered great invasion of Semitic nomads, the first thing they faced in the South, were vast plantations, its buildings and canals.

No one could guess that quest RAH, referred to in the Bible, will lead to the discovery of the civilization, which we were able to dive into prehistoric times darkness deeper than leave traces of ancient man found in Egypt.

Once, 4000 years ago, here grew vast fields of wheat and barley. Everywhere, as far as you can reach the eye, stretched orchards, groves of date palms and fig trees. These extensive lands could successfully withstand the comparison with current Canadian wheat farms or gardens and fruit farms of California. The lush green fields and orchards have been with network level artificial canals and ditches-the masterpiece of the irrigation system. Once upon a time, back in the stone age, the most experienced of the local people have learned to use the water of the great rivers. Skillfully and systematically to accord a precious moisture from dying this way and transformed the desert into a rich and fertile land.

Around the middle of the 19th century throughout Egypt, Mesopotamia and Palestine began research and excavation.

Until the Bible was the only documented source of our knowledge about this part of Asia to 550 BC. But the Bible does not talk about the historical period, leaving a vague twilight of the past. About people and names found in the Bible, does not even know the ancient Greeks and Romans.

In the same way as the Frenchman Champollion, which happens to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs, Rawlinson, who identified the city, successfully solved the riddle of cuneiform writing. Ancient documents talk!

THE DELUGE

When we hear about the global flood, then almost immediately remember the Bible and the story of Noah's Ark. It's a great old story went around the world together with Christianity. But although it is the most famous of the legends of the flood, it is by no means the only one. Many nationalities, there are legends about giant and catastrophic flooding. The Greeks tell the story of the flood and tied her with Dequalion. Long before Columbus set of legends, the accepted wisdom among the natives of America, kept alive the memory of the great flood. In Australia, India, Polynesia, Tibet, Kashmir and Lithuania of the flood stories passed down from generation to generation until today.

Countless attempts to solve the riddle of the flood had left long before because scientists of previous generations have not achieved concrete results. Already for a long time it seemed that the solution of this mystery lies in the depths of time, where people never get ...

The deluge was the only possible explanation for the appearance of a large deposits of silt under the Hill in UR, which so clearly divided into two epochs. At the foot of the ancient Sumerians, Tower near Cheers on the lower Euphrates, anyone could descend into a narrow shaft and touch the remains of a giant catastrophic flood. To count age stratum, which has maintained traces of human settlements can be set, when there was a great flood.

This event had broad international implications, which explains the persistence of the legend of the flood of many peoples.

 

Mount Ararat is located in Eastern Turkey, near the border with Iran and Russia. The snow peak reaches a height of 5165 m. In the last century, many years before the shovels of archaeologists digging up the land of Mesopotamia, the first expedition to Mount Ararat. This was the story of the Shepherd.

At the foot of Mount Ararat lies a small Armenian village whose inhabitants, Bayazit held from generation to generation pass on the story of a remarkable event, with mountain Shepherd. The Shepherd said that he once saw on the Hill a huge wooden ship. Report of the Turkish expedition, apparently confirmed the story, since it refers to the wooden bow of a ship, who was peeping in the summer from the glacier on the South side of the mountain.

During the first world war, the Russian officer, Aviator Roskovitskij, said he noticed from his airplane on the southern slope of Mount Ararat "remnants of the broken vessel of decent size. While the war was still raging, Tsar Nicholas II immediately sent a search party of Ararat. We hoped that the ship will be able to take a picture. However, all reports on this expedition are gone (presumably during the Revolution).

During the second world war happened several more cases like this-with a Russian pilot and four American pilots. These are the latest reports were submitted for study of American historian and missionary doctor Aaron Smith of Greensboro, a specialist in the study of the flood. As a result of years of labour he has collected all the bibliography on Noah's Ark. In the collection of Dr. Smith was 80 thousand works of the flood on the 72 languages, of which 70 thousand refers to the remains of the legendary Ark.

In the early morning hours of July 6, 1955 year Frenchman Fernando Navarra, in charge of the search for the most famous ship in history, to his very great surprise, was lucky: he has found and walked away with three pieces of timber,  frozen into a block of ice at the top of the mountain. A fallen log. 4484.

 

NOTE: It is clear that somehow obtained the age of findings coincides with the Biblical chronology.

 

ABRAHAM'S JOURNEY

About 1900 b.c. Canaan was not inhabited. Indeed, this family does not belong to anyone. Somewhere among the plowed fields were fortified with towers. On the surrounding slopes to grow vineyards or fig and date palms.

Abraham, as the Bible tells us, chose with its first study of Palestine deserted and the hard way, which led to the South: here the wooded slopes of the hills an unfamiliar country gave shelter and a safe haven, but the open plots served as grazing ground for his Stud.

Between sedentary farmers and pastoralists and wild hordes, nowhere bound, whose houses were tents of goat hides somewhere in the desert under the stars, was in constant war. And it is in this troubled country went to Abraham, his wife Sarah, his nephew lot, with

their families and their livestock.

 

We are grateful to the dry sands of the Egyptian desert: it has full-with the majority of the hieroglyphic texts, including valuable written evidence of Semitic in the Nile Valley. And yet the best and precise evidence is the images, one of which-the Semitic family.

In 1890, the Cairo authorities have charged a British professional Percy e. Newberry explore several ancient tombs. The expedition was funded by the Egyptian Research Fund.

Having spent a lot of time and effort, Newberry eventually made it to the great stone house. In the light of torches, he managed to make out in three land protruding out of the crypt and the remains of two rows of columns. Bright walls were covered with magnificent coloured paintings on wet plaster. They carry depictions of scenes from the life of a person, learn about the harvesting, hunting, dancing and competitions. In one of the paintings on the North wall, immediately on the portrait of a nobleman in life-size, Newberry found figures of people, looked like. They were fair-skinned persons, with pointed facial features and unusual for the Egyptians. Two Egyptian officials portrayed in the foreground, represented this group of aliens noble dignitary. What were their people?

The style and the color of their clothes played with great precision. Rectangular woolen capes, reaching to the knees for men and calves in women moved through one shoulder. They are made of multicolored striped fabrics and cloaks. If they do not resemble us the famous "coat of many colors", which Jacob, to the great annoyance of his other sons, gave his beloved son Joseph? Men-trimmed beard is gabled. Women's hair free fall to the chest and bandaged shoulders and a narrow white tape around the forehead.

For the dating of this picture approximately 1900-m BC (the time of the Patriarchs), we can imagine that Abraham (then still called Abram) and his family looked almost the same.

SODOM AND GOMORRAH

The disaster is the subject of a biblical story of a divine punishment for the sin of not-paid, has left a deep imprint on human memory to this day. Sodom and Gomorrah have become synonymous of Vice and wickedness. People always remember the loss of these cities when euphemistically speak of total destruction. It is inexplicable, a terrible disaster always struck their imagination, what is mentioned since ancient times. Amazing, totally unbelievable events took place at the Dead Sea, "Salty sea", where according to the Bible, was a disaster.

The dead sea has a depth of about 500 meters, so his bottom more than 1000 metres below the Mediterranean Sea. There are almost 30% table salt (Oceans and seas 3.3-4%) and a variety of chemicals from tributaries. Jordan fall and many small rivers, but no river it follows. Only recently, along with the excavations in other parts of Palestine, awakened interest in Sodom and Gomorrah. It was known that these extinct cities existed in biblical times in the Valley of the Sit, and archaeologists have started their quest. For discoveries and observations, geologists have added new explanations that might shed light on the origin and the ending of the biblical story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

An American expedition led by Lynch provided the first information about the surprisingly rapid lowering of the Jordan River for its short journey through Palestine. Is also place of invasion of the Dead Sea in a flat region of the southern basin.

THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT

American Professor William Albright Ekogrin-invest, which is one of the few scholars of universal skills-theologian, historian, philosopher and orientalist, archaeologist and specialist in comparative philology. On his word completely reliable. "According to our current knowledge of the topography of the Eastern Delta, an early Outcome. absolutely right ". Further evidence of authentic historical nature of the story on the outcome and on the journey to the land of Midian, Sinai and Kadešh can be presented without much difficulty, thanks to our growing knowledge of topography and archaeology.

The first leg, made refugees, can be easily traced on a map. The main road was too dangerous. So the Israelis headed south.

"The miracle of the sea constantly takes human minds. The difficulties faced by scientists and researchers are not to the flight of the Israelites, which was quite plausible. The problem was the location of the event.

 

ISRAEL IN THE DESERT

By the American archaeologist, Nelson Glûek, our understanding of the living conditions of Israelis during that period became even more. According to the scholar, the area was inhabited by the semi-nomad tribes, who supported trade and commercial relations with both Canaan and Egypt. Among them was composed of Midian, Moses was living in exile.

An Israeli archaeologist made his Rothenberg, Benno accidental discovery (he found the idol in the form of a bronze serpent up five inches and partially decorated with gold leaf) is the archaeological site, where there were traces of Midian. And, as if this sensational confirmation of such controversial biblical story about wandering the Israelites in the desert were not enough, the same place where the snake was found sanctuary!

Its dimensions are close to the sanctuary, described in the Bible. It was the site of a more ancient Egyptian places of worship of the goddess Hathor. Midian, the Egyptians developed the Timna copper mines, have turned this place into a sanctuary of their own religion and covered his canopy; Rothenberg found not only the holes for the Poles, instead of a tent, but also the remnants of fabric from the canopy.

Opening of Rotenberga gave us the possibility to suggest that Israelis are in fairly early had buff as described in the Bible.

 

AN ENTRY TO THE PROMISED LAND

Immediately after the conquest of an amazing thing: tribes of Israel taken root in the occupied land. They have abandoned the nomadic lifestyle. Canaan since time immemorial experienced raids of nomads, but they have always been sporadic. Tribes of the invaders appeared suddenly, grazed their cattle, and then also disappeared suddenly. The Israelis, on the other hand, have become sedentary, have started to process fields and clear forests. The children of Israel have left tents and built a hut: they settled among the ruins of houses in conquered cities. During the excavation of the Davira, Vefsamisa and Bethel on the surface of the remaining burnt formation in these cities remains of utensils.

The excavation has unequivocally established in that era a historic turning point. Where once were the homes of aristocrats and the palaces of ancient feudal lords, rural huts and fences. The massive defensive walls bear traces of repair. But the Israelis have very thin walls of brickwork. Erection of new strong defensive walls required the forced labour and the Israelis hate it more than anything else. They considered themselves free and independent people.

Quickly, many new settlements had traces of archaeologists found throughout the mountain districts. But the settlements remained very few: the basic building blocks of Israelis were Sun dried bricks of mud, and the construction of these were short-lived.

The Israelis were the real pioneers in these mountains. They are living in the uninhabited area of arid regions. It may sound implausible, but the technique used by the ancestors of the present-day Israelis were partially picked and used again in the modern State of Israel. The ancient children of Israel buried in the land of big vessels to collect rainwater and faced them inside a special lime stucco, which is still unknown. The catch was so strong that he could resist the destruction of thousands of years.

THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW HISTORY

 

Recently, after 3000 years, once again it has been proven that Saul was a tactician. One example shows how the Bible can be fine even in the slightest details, and how reliable are her dates and information. The description of this truly amazing event we owe the British army officer, major Vivinu Gilbert. In his memoirs he says:

"During the first world war, Allenby in Palestine, once by the light of candles was looking for in the Bible one name. His squad was ordered to take the village, which was situated on a rocky hill on the far side of a deep valley. The village was called Mikhmas settlement and this name seemed familiar. The Scripture was the story of how Jonathan at night with his Squire went through two sharp rocks to get to the filistimskomu: "there was a sharp rock on the one hand; the name of one Bocec, and the name of the other Hay. They scrambled up the rock and beat a number of the Philistines on the half of the field, "the pair of oxen in the day. The main force of the enemy were surrounded by armies of Saul, scattered and ran. Then Saul attacked enemies with all his army and defeated them.

The Commander thought this place could still be the narrow passage between two cliffs, and at the end of the aisle "half of the field. Then they sent a patrol discovered the passage, which very loosely guarded by the Turks and passed by two pointed rocks-it's clearly been Bocec and hay. From the top of the patrol were able to make out in the Moonlight next to Mihmasom a level field. The Commander changed the plan of attack and decided not to attack the detachment and Mikhmas settlement sent through the Gorge under the cover of darkness, only one company.

Soldiers silently killed several met the Turks and fled through the rocks. Shortly before dawn, company took up a position at the half of the field.

Turks woke up and began to run in panic: they decided that are surrounded by an army of Allenby. All of them were either killed or captured. So, after thousands of years the British army has successfully used the tactics of Saul and Jonathan.

LIFE IN ANCIENT ISRAEL

Against the backdrop of the magnificent luxury of ancient Egypt, Babylon and Assyria home life of ancient Israel may seem drab and monotonous. Indeed, it does not compare with the Golden splendor of Troy, nor with the elegance of Egypt's Tutankhamen and Nefertiti. But the Israelis were languishing in hopeless, sad existence, not any entertainment?

Far from it.

 

Recipes cooking aromas from the plant, archaeologists found beneath the rubble walls, remains of aristocratic houses and Royal palaces. Expert advice on production of incense were highly valued. For mixing the ingredients applied mortar with Pestles; they were made of ivory, limestone, and sometimes of precious Alabaster. The spirits were stored in small bottles of burnt clay. In larger vessels and jugs were holding incense, usually olive oil. Olive oil was considered useful for skin and hair. They were even poor people (of course, without aromatic additives and high value components), since olive trees in Palestine met in abundance.

Ablution water was part of Israel's tradition. The Israelis first before and after meals, washed the feet of visitors who came to the House, and every night they washed themselves. Numerous biblical evidence of this custom are found during excavations stone bowls, basins and clay sinks. For swimming, the Israelis used SOAP, made from plants and various minerals.

It is known that the people of ancient Israel had a penchant for bright colours. Israelis have stained your clothes and house walls, and Israeli women enjoy colorful make-up.

 

In the Old Testament there are mentions of cushions that members sat at the table, but the beds in the modern sense of the Word does not refer anywhere: bed was a rare luxury in ancient Israel.

In Israel with familiarity only aristocrats. The bed was a commoner's cloak, which he went to envelop for the night. This is reflected in the legislation, which States that "human bed" can be taken as collateral, but only for the day: at night it should return. In 1959, due to a fluke in the ruins of Yavne-Yam, South of Tel Aviv, was discovered by a unique instrument that has a real case of the cloak as a pledge.

The cloak was a woolen blanket and served for various purposes. Not only does it protect from the cold and used as a bed, but could also serve as a bedding and carpet.

 

Us removes from the noise and clatter of the century of technology, and we often dream about returning peace and quiet good old times. But whether the life of ancient Israel was calmer than the life of the modern European.

Instead of roaring speakers and loudspeakers surrounding Israeli tents and buildings announced the rumbling mill grinders. Mills worked from dawn to dusk, grinding grain into flour. This process was similar to the modern coffee grinders, but was far more difficult. To move a heavy millstone, requiring a lot of strength.

Protests and then emerging about increased noise levels in the major cities, in the old days would have been simply impossible. If, around the mill and the mill would have reigned in the country. In the vision of Jeremiah, said  the horrors that await the nation of Israel during the period of the Babylonian captivity, says: "and stop the voice of joy and the voice of gaiety, the voice of bridegroom and bride's voice, the sound of millstones and the light fixture. And all the land that is desolate and horror; and these people will serve the King of Babylon seventy years.

 

ABOUT THE MEDICINE OF THE ANCIENT WORLD

In those days Hezekiah became ill terminally. What illness coincided with the moment of feverish political activity, was a serious setback. After all, many States Syria and Palestine stand on cunning and prudent King of Judea, with hope. But how does Hezekiah was healed?

"And Isaiah said: take a layer of figs. And they took, and appended a abscess; and he recovered.

In the history it is not uncommon to find amazing Parallels and analogies. It happened in the case of this biblical method of treatment.

In 1939, in the North of the Syrian harbor of Ras shamra French archaeologists discovered among the ruins of the Phoenician port of Ugarit fragments of ancient books on veterinary medicine. Recipes collected in it, have been successfully used by peoples of the ancient East since time immemorial. These natural medicines can be effectively used to treat people.

Many of the tried and tested remedies of this kind, rising back to biblical times and are usually made from natural components, now irrevocably lost. But many have survived to pass on from generation to generation; among them-and therapeutic SALVES of figs recipe. To this day, Swiss doctors prescribe to treat some kinds of abscesses broth chopped figs to milk. Another tool, like a layer of figs-thick sticky cream of grape juice. To figs also added raisins and oatmeal.

 NOTE. Under an existing information, in ancient Israel in different centuries art of doctoring women owned all.

JEWS OUTSIDE THE NATIVE LAND

"Build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens. And take care of the welfare of the city, in which I moved you, and pray for the Lord; because the well-being of him and you will be peace. "

So wrote the Prophet Jeremiah from Jerusalem the elders, priests, other prophets, and an entire nation, which is on the order of Nebuchadnezzar was relocated to Babylon. Following his wise Council, exiles began to care about the well-being of the people "and succeeded in doing so. Babylonian captivity was not any comparison with the harsh living conditions of the children of Israel on the Nile, Pitome and Raamsese in the days of Moses. The Babylonians, with rare exceptions, not forced Jews to the heavy physical labor. So, nowhere does it say that the prisoners were involved in the production of bricks, the brick industry in Babylon was in those days, perhaps the first in the world. After all, when Nebuchadnezzar in Mesopotamia was a great building.

Anyone who has taken advantage of by Jeremiah, have made great strides.

At home, the Judea were sedentary farmers, shepherds and artisans. Now, however, the profession of merchant, merchant became the main among these people, and it remains to this day.

A better school than the Babylonian captivity, it was impossible for Israelis and imagine. Babylon, this international centre of trade, industry and commerce, was, in fact, the greatest of the school and the other cities of the ancient world, House all the homeless. This metropolis, the ruins of which 2500 years later, traces of the former greatness and glory, was second to none in the ancient East.

THE SHROUD

The Gospel says, "so they took Jesus ' body and particular its swaddling clothes with fragrances, as commonly executed Jews".

In 1204, during the 4th crusade, the Crusaders captured Constantine and Paul, in connection with the event chronicler Rober de Clary said that a Frenchman by the name of Otto de la Roche took as a trophy piece of linen cloth. This shroud size 1.1 x 4.36 m was notable because bore the fingerprints of blood and sweat. If you look closely you can see the outlines of the human body. She was first in France and then came to Turin.

Claim that the shroud was in Jerusalem to V or VI century. Tradition says that this is precisely the linen shroud, which Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body of Christ.

In 1889, the interest in the legendary piece of flax broke out with renewed vigor. Technological progress has allowed to photograph the Shroud for the first time, finally. And the result was astounding: a photographic negative, changing black and white scenes, it became clear seen face.

This sensational photograph rushed study specialists from all over the world. Critics have noticed that the image on the negative looks absolutely natural and anatomically correct, because, like every living person, left and right sides of a person were in this image are not the same. It is known that the painters of the middle ages did not pay attention to these subtle differences. The artists have tried to prove that no Wizard, even if the model is not able to accurately re-create the mind of negative human face and play it in the portrait.

Thus, Found the shroud can no longer be considered forgery: it really was an imprint of a human face. Even art historians, initially told her authenticity, have now agreed that the portrait on it not to deliberately portray as negative. It's just nobody.

After this exciting discovery scientists too often shroud. Many eminent experts in different fields have begun to research. Decades of experiments and explorations have yielded impressive results.

Print on canvas shows traces of tumors on the face. It is possible that it is. In addition, there are clearly places where hammered nails-they discovered and studied by Dr. V Barbe in Paris. Traces of blood on it as discharged, while the victim was still alive and after his death from wounds on the chest and feet.

What period is this famous shroud? The manner in which it carries, determines the time of its occurrence period of several decades after the start of a new era; more precise dating is difficult. However, the date can be specified by using the sensitive Geiger counters. Then error will be narrowed to a few years at least, you can determine when grown flax, from which is woven the robe.

THE BIBLE AND OUR DAYS

No one would object to the fact that the Old Testament is full of incredible moral and spiritual force, weakening over time. But a sensation for all was the opportunity on the basis of this great book to organize the formation of prose.

In 1948, the book of books age more than 3000 years, plays the role of a trusted advisor in the development of the modern State. Department of agriculture and industry in this country largely relies on accurate historical information that appeared in the text of the Bible.

 

The territory of the new State encompasses about 20 thousand. kV. km. In 1948, the Biblical descriptions of the promised land, where rivers flow with milk and honey, like the Lake of Galilee and the plain of Jezreel. Large areas in the Galilee and almost all entirely Jewish Highlands differed sharply from what is written about them in the Bible. In these places, even the grass was destroyed, not to mention the olive and fig groves. Because of this accelerated soil erosion.

Inexperienced settlers, completely unfamiliar with the nature of the new lands discovered that the old testament can provide invaluable assistance. It prompted questions in the field of agriculture, the planting of forests and industrial development. "Fortunately," says Dr. Walter Clay Loudermilk, an expert on the agricultural economy, the Bible told us what plants can grow in different places. Based on the book of judges we know that Philistines grew wheat and grapes. All these plants are grown there today.

Any attempt to settle in the Negev had seemed doomed to defeat. To the South of the mountains of Judea between Hebron and Egypt was a desert, cross the dry riverbeds, which does not grow any edible plants. Meteorological measurements have shown that the average annual rainfall in these areas is less than 150 mm. It is very little, and with this level of precipitation all the plants dry up. Therefore, the draft settlement of this area was not enthusiastic. Search the geological party spent many weeks to investigate the arid dunes and rocky hills "of the South", that is, in the Negev. And in the end they found what they were looking for. And Isaac departed thence, and settled mainly in the line Gerarskoj, and settled there. And once again dug up the Well ofIsaac of water that were dug in the days of Abraham his father, "according to chapter 26 of Genesis. These ancient wells were still there, and below them a clean source-"the well of living water", as they called the slaves of Isaac. With these words they called drinking water because other underground sources in the Negev, as shown by modern tests, contained water unsuitable for drinking. In addition, Beer-Sheva tamarisk trees were planted, the ones who once planted a Abraham, and which take root in a hot and dry climate.

Landscaping is a task for the terrain which is suffering from lack of water. Settling in Palestine, settlers immediately started to plant forests. In the selection of tree species and suitable areas for landscaping they could safely rely on observations of their distant ancestors, namely: the forest is best promoted in place of the old forests. "But Jesus (Nun) said home Iosifovu, Ephraim and Manasseh: you are crowded and the power you have is great; not one lot will have you; and thy will, mountain and forest views this; thou will clean′ it, and it will be yours until the very end of it. " It was known that the tribe of Israel occupied the land to the North of Jerusalem. Their territory stretched from the mountain ridge at Bethel through biblical Shechem (Nablus) to the foot of the mountain Garizim East of the Jezreel valley. The settlers have trusted Book books
as for this reason, in the words of Professor Zohari from Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

In the Pentateuch of Moses also said: «he fed it (Israel) works the fields and fed him honey from stone and oil from the solid rock. In the Negev were found thousands of small circular stone walls. In the area there was no water-no sources, no underground lakes. When researchers removed the layer of sand. They found the remains of stone circles in the center of the roots of ancient olive trees and vineyards. The stone walls of ancient times served to collect dew. The design of these "traps" testifies to the amazing knowledge concerning the process of condensation. The stones were fit to each other not to wind penetrated through the cracks. This "traps" was about the moisture from the air. Inside each fences grew one tree. Sweet grape juice in ancient times was often called "honey". From the fruit of the olive trees produce oil. This is the "butter" and "honey", "made of stone" and "hard rock". Traps for Israeli residents, modern well dew great service.

 

In the second half of the year 1953 in Israel for the first time produced 3000 tons of copper. Where 3000 years ago stood the home of artisans and slaves of King Solomon, now there are homes for miners. Copper mining in these areas continues to pay off. Geologist, Dr. Ben-Tor in 1949, explored the ancient copper mines in order to ascertain their economic value for our time. Experts have concluded that the ore from here, you can get 100, 000 tons of copper, and the expansion of the mine will have at least 200 thousand. And since the "Etzion-Geber, Elafe (Eilat), on the shore of the Red Sea", said Samuel 3, has begun to work. In the Head Office of the company on the wall hangs a poster, which reads: "for the Lord your God, guides you into the land of the good, in which stones, iron, and out of the mountains which will be carving copper".

The discovered iron ore output, also found Ben fan, have been researched and shown that it contains it is estimated that 15 million tonnes of ore. Most of the low quality, but in the more careful study found excellent content of pure iron ore from 60 to 65%.

 

In the field of ancient biblical Bathsheba was Dana and settlements over 50 agricultural communities. Almost every one of them is modern again, connected with the ancient source or structure. Gradually increasing and large areas are starting to resemble the picturesque panorama of the times of the old testament.

 

"The empty Earth will be flowering, the former desolate in the eyes of all the walking about then will say, ' This desert became-like garden of Eden".

 

AMEN

ВВЕДЕНИЕ

Вот уже целое столетие американские, английские, французские и немецкие учёные проводят раскопки на Ближнем Востоке, в Месопотамии, Палестине и в Египте. Во всех крупных странах были созданы институты и школы, занимающиеся именно такими исследованиями.
Эти захватывающие дух открытия, значения которых невозможно постичь сразу, заставили нас пересмотреть нашу точку зрения на Библию. Многие события, прежде считавшиеся «религиозными легендами», обрели статус исторических фактов. Результаты исследований часто совпадали в деталях с библейскими рассказами. Они не только подтверждали их, но и освещали историческую почву, на которой выросли Ветхий Завет и Евангелие.
Ни одна книга за всю историю человечества не оказывала такого революционного влияния, такого решающего воздействия на развитие западного мира, такого широкого мирового отклика, как «Книга книг» - Библия. Нет сомнений, что за двухтысячелетнюю историю её триумфальное шествие только набирает размах.
Всегда ли права Библия? Мы можем утвердительно ответить на этот вопрос в том, что касается фрагментов, подтверждённых внебиблейскими источниками и данными археологии. Кроме того, Библия в любом случае может претендовать на другую, более косвенную форму правоты: она так или иначе помогает нам лучше понять образ мысли и поведение людей далёкого прошлого, их учение, их притчи, аллегории, видения, символы и аллюзии. Возможно, рано или поздно мы сможем разобраться даже в тех фрагментах, которые остаются пока что неясными и озадачивают нас. И тогда мы скажем, что Библия совершенно права!
Из книги Вернера Келлера "Библия как история".
ПРИМЕЧАНИЕ. Эта книга вышла в 1955 году. С того времени археологами найдено огромное количество новых доказательств истинности библейского повествования и не найдено ни одного опровержения.

УР ХАЛДЕЙСКИЙ

Ур возник из глубины туманного прошлого как столица шумеров, одной из древнейших цивилизаций Месопотамии. Как нам известно, шумеры не были семитами, в отличие от древних евреев. Когда около 2000 лет до нашей эры из аравийской пустыни хлынуло великое нашествие семитских кочевников, то первое, с чем они столкнулись на юге, были обширные плантации Ура, его постройки и каналы.
Никто не мог догадаться, что поиски ура, упоминающегося в Библии, приведут к открытию цивилизации, благодаря которому мы смогли погрузиться в потёмки доисторических времён ещё глубже, чем уходят следы древнего человека, обнаруженные в Египте.
Когда-то, 4000 лет назад, здесь колосились безбрежные поля пшеницы и ячменя. Повсюду, насколько можно было охватить взором, простирались фруктовые сады, рощи финиковых пальм и фиговых деревьев. Эти обширные угодья могли бы с успехом выдержать сравнение с нынешними канадскими пшеничными фермерскими хозяйствами или садами и фруктовыми фермами Калифорнии. Пышные зелёные поля и огороды были оплетены сетью ровных искусственных каналов и рвов - шедевром оросительной системы. Давным-давно, ещё в каменном веке, наиболее опытные из местного населения научились использовать воду великих рек. Искусно и систематически они отводили драгоценную влагу от и превращали таким образом чахлую пустыню в богатую и плодородную землю.
Около середины XIX столетия по всему Египту, Месопотамии и Палестине начались исследования и раскопки.
До тех пор Библия оставалась единственным документальным источником наших познаний об этой части Азии до 550 года до нашей эры. Но Библия ничего не говорила об историческом периоде, уходящем в неясные сумерки прошлого. О людях и именах, обнаруженных в Библии, ничего не знали даже древние греки и римляне.
Так же, как и француз Шампольон, которому посчастливилось расшифровать египетские иероглифы, Роулинсон, обнаруживший Ниневию, успешно разрешил загадку клинописи. Древние документы заговорили!

ПОТОП

Когда мы слышим о мировом потопе, то почти сразу же вспоминаем Библию и рассказ о Ноевом ковчеге. Эта замечательная ветхозаветная история обошла весь мир вместе с христианством. Но хотя это - самое известное из преданий о потопе, оно отнюдь не единственное. У множества народностей существуют предания о гигантском и катастрофическом наводнении. Греки рассказывают историю о потопе и связывали её с Деквалионом. Задолго до Колумба множество легенд, бытовавших среди аборигенов Америки, хранили живую память о великом потопе. В Австралии, Индии, Полинезии, Тибете, Кашмире и Литве рассказы о потопе передавались из поколения в поколение вплоть до сегодняшнего дня.
Бесчисленные попытки разрешить загадку потопа были оставлены задолго до того, поскольку учёные предшествующих поколений так и не добились конкретных результатов. Уже давно казалось, что разгадка этой тайны лежит в такой глубине времён, куда человек никогда не проникнет…
Потоп - это было единственно возможное объяснение появления большого отложения ила под холмом в Уре, которое так чётко разделило две эпохи поселений. У подножия древней башни шумеров, возле Ура на нижнем Евфрате, любой мог спуститься в узкую шахту и прикоснуться к остаткам гигантского катастрофического потопа. Высчитав возраст пласта, сохранившего следы человеческого поселения, можно установить, когда произошёл великий потоп.
Это событие имело широкие мировые последствия, чем и объясняется стойкость существования преданий о потопе среди многих народов.
Гора Арарат находится на востоке Турции, у границы с Россией и Ираном. Её покрытая снегом вершина достигает высоты 5165 метров. В прошлом веке, за много лет до того, как лопаты археологов перекопали землю Месопотамии, на Арарат отправилась первая экспедиция. Причиной этого послужил рассказ пастуха.
У подножия Арарата лежит маленькая армянская деревня Баязит, обитатели которой из поколения в поколение передают рассказ о замечательном случае, произошедшем с горным пастухом. Этот пастух рассказывал, что однажды он видел на горе огромный деревянный корабль. Отчёт турецкой экспедиции, по- видимому, подтвердил рассказ пастуха, так как в нём упоминается деревянный нос корабля, который выглядывал летом из ледника на южной стороне горы.
Во время первой мировой войны русский офицер, лётчик Росковитский, заявил, что заметил со своего аэроплана на южном склоне Арарата «остатки разбитого корабля порядочных размеров». Несмотря на то, что война была в самом разгаре, царь Николай II тут же послал на Арарат поисковую партию. Надеялись, что корабль удастся сфотографировать. Однако все отчёты об этой экспедиции пропали ( по-видимому, во время революции ).
Во время второй мировой войны произошло ещё несколько подобных случаев - с русским пилотом и с четырьмя американскими лётчиками. Эти последние отчёты были переданы для изучения американскому историку и миссионеру доктору Аарону Смиту из Гринсборо, специалисту по исследованию потопа. В результате многолетних трудов он собрал всю библиографию о Ноевом ковчеге. В коллекцию доктора Смита входило 80 тысяч работ о потопе на 72 языках, из которых в 70 тысячах упоминаются легендарные останки ковчега.
Ранним утром 6 июля 1955 года французу Фернанду Наварре, занимавшемуся поисками самого известного корабля в истории, к его весьма огромному удивлению, повезло: он нашёл и забрал с собой три куска от деревянного бруса, вмерзшего в глыбу льда на вершине горы. Бревну было… 4484 года.
ПРИМЕЧАНИЕ. Очевидно, что каким-то образом полученный возраст находки совпадает с библейской хронологией !
 

ПУТЕШЕСТВИЯ АВРААМА

Около 1900 г. до н.э. Ханаан был мало заселён. Собственно говоря, эта семья не принадлежала никому. Кое-где среди вспаханных полей находились укреплённые башни. На окрестных склонах росли виноградники или смоковницы и финиковые пальмы.
Авраам, как рассказывает нам Библия, выбрал при своём первом исследовании Палестины безлюдную и трудную дорогу, которая вела к югу: здесь лесистые склоны холмов незнакомой страны давали убежище и укрытие чужестранцу, а открытые участки служили пастбищем для его стад.
Между оседлыми земледельцами и скотоводами и дикими ордами, ни к чему не привязанными, чьими домами были шатры из козьих шкур где-нибудь в пустыне под открытым небом, велась постоянная война. И именно в эту беспокойную страну отправился Авраам со своей женой Сарой, своим племянником Лотом, со
своими родственниками и своим скотом.
Мы благодарны сухости песков Египетской пустыни: в ней сохранилось множество иероглифических текстов, среди которых - ценное письменное свидетельство о переселении семитских родов в долину Нила. И всё же самое лучшее и точное доказательство тому - это изображения, на одном из которых - семитская семья.

В 1890 году каирские власти поручили британскому специалисту Перси Э.Ньюберри исследовать здесь несколько древних гробниц. Экспедиция финансировалась Египетским Исследовательским фондом.
Затратив много времени и усилий, Ньюберри в конце концов добрался до огромной каменной палаты. При свете множества факелов он сумел разглядеть внутри три склепа и выступающие из земли остатки двух рядов колонн. Яркие стены были покрыты великолепными цветными картинами, написанными по сырой штукатурке. На них изображались сцены из жизни знатного человека, рассказывавшие о сборе урожая, охоте, танцах и соревнованиях. На одной из картин на северной стене, сразу же над портретом сановника в натуральную величину, Ньюберри обнаружил фигуры людей, выглядевших чужестранцами. Они были светлокожими, с заострёнными чертами лица и в необычных для египтян одеждах. Два египетских чиновника, изображённых на переднем плане, представляли эту группу чужестранцев знатному сановнику. Что же это были за люди?
Фасон и цвет их одежд воспроизведён с большой точностью. Прямоугольные шерстяные накидки, доходящие до колен у мужчин и до икр у женщин, переброшены через одно плечо. Они сделаны из разноцветной полосатой ткани и служат плащами. Не напоминают ли они нам знаменитую «разноцветную одежду», которую Иаков, к большой досаде других его сыновей, подарил своему любимому сыну Иосифу? У мужчин - подстриженные остроконечные бороды. У женщин волосы свободно падают на грудь и плечи и перевязаны узкой белой лентой вокруг лба.
По датировке этой картины приблизительно 1900-м годом до н.э. ( время жизни патриархов ) мы можем представить себе, что Авраам ( тогда ещё звавшийся Аврам ) и его семейство выглядели почти так же.

СОДОМ И ГОМОРРА

Бедствие, ставшее сюжетом яркого библейского рассказа о Божественном наказании за неискупимый грех, оставило глубокий след в человеческой памяти по сей день. Содом и Гоморра стали синонимами порока и безбожия. Люди всегда вспоминают о гибели этих городов, когда иносказательно говорят о полном уничтожении чего-либо. Это необъяснимое, страшное бедствие всегда поражало их воображение, о чём упоминается ещё с древних времён. Удивительные, совершенно невероятные события произошли у Мёртвого моря - «Солёного моря», там, где, согласно Библии, случилась катастрофа.
Мёртвое море имеет глубину около 500 метров, поэтому его дно более чем на 1000 метров ниже уровня Средиземного моря. Там содержится почти 30% поваренной соли ( в морях и океанах 3.3-4% ) и разнообразные химические вещества, приносимые притоками. В него впадают Иордан и множество мелких речек, но ни одна река из него не вытекает. Лишь недавно, наряду с раскопками в других частях Палестины, проснулся интерес к Содому и Гоморре. Было известно, что эти исчезнувшие города существовали в библейские времена в долине Сидим, и археологи начали их поиски. К открытиям и наблюдениям геологи добавили новые объяснения, которые могут прояснить происхождение и развязку библейской истории об уничтожении Содома и Гоморры.
Американская экспедиция под руководством Линча предоставила первую информацию об удивительно быстром понижении русла Иордана на протяжении его короткого пути через Палестину. Имеет место также место вторжение Мёртвого моря в более равнинную область южного бассейна.

ИСХОД ИЗ ЕГИПТА

Американский профессор Вильям Фоксвелл Олбрайт, который является одним из немногих учёных, имеющих универсальную квалификацию - теолога, историка, философа, востоковеда, археолога и специалиста по сравнительной филологии. На его слова вполне можно положиться. «В соответствии с нашим нынешним знанием топографии восточной дельты, сообщение о начале Исхода… абсолютно верное». Дальнейшие доказательства подлинной исторической природы рассказа об Исходе и о путешествии по Синаю, Мадиамской земле и Кадешу могут быть представлены без особого труда, благодаря нашим возрастающим знаниям в области топографии и археологии.
Первый отрезок пути, проделанный беженцами, можно легко проследить по карте. Главная дорога была слишком опасной. Поэтому израильтяне направились к югу.
«Чудо на море» постоянно занимает человеческие умы. Трудности, с которыми столкнулись учёные и исследователи, относятся не к самому бегству израильтян, которое было вполне правдоподобным. Проблема заключалась в месте события.
 

ИЗРАИЛЬ В ПУСТЫНЕ

Благодаря американскому археологу Нельсону Глюеку, наше представление об условиях жизни израильтян в тот период стало ещё подробнее. Согласно этому учёному, указанная местность была заселена полукочевыми племенами, поддерживавшими торговые и коммерческие отношения как с Ханааном, так и с Египтом. В число их входили Мадианитяне, среди которых Моисей жил в изгнании.
Израильский археолог Бенно Ротенберг совершил своё случайное открытие ( он нашёл идола в форме медного змея длиной в пять дюймов и частично украшенного позолотой ) именно на месте археологических раскопок, где обнаружились следы деятельности Мадианитян. И, словно бы этого сенсационного подтверждения столь спорного библейского рассказа о скитаниях израильтян по пустыне было недостаточно, на том же месте, где и змейка, было найдено святилище!
Его размеры близки к параметрам святилища, описанного в Библии. Оно находилось на месте более древнего египетского места поклонения богине Хатхор. Мадианитяне, вслед за египтянами разрабатывавшие медные рудники в Тимне, превратили это место в святилище своей собственной религии и покрыли его навесом; Ротенберг обнаружил не только отверстия для шестов, на которые натягивался тент, но также остатки ткани от навеса.
Открытие Ротенберга дало нам принципиальную возможность предполагать, что израильтяне уже в достаточно ранний период располагали святилищем, описанным в Библии.