TEN ANCIENT JUGS PREDATING

Ten ancient jugs unearthed at the Judea & Samaria site of the ancient city of Shiloh could lead researchers to new discoveries about the Jewish tabernacle that existed there before the First Temple was built in Jerusalem. The jugs, only some of which were broken, date to the time when the Jewish people first entered the land of Israel. The Bible attributes the tabernacle at Shiloh to the time of the high priest Eli and the prophet Samuel. The newly discovered jugs indicate that in ancient times, the area was vacated abruptly, with residents not having enough time to collect and pack up their belongings. Hanina Hizami, coordination officer for archaeology at the Civil Administration, said, "This is a very exciting find. The destruction could have been caused by the Philistine invasion and the fire that raged at Shiloh.” (Algemeiner) Scripture says of Israel that God’s people take pleasure in her very stones and favor even the dust (Ps 102:15). Such words are confirmed as archaeological excavations continue to unearth layers of history beneath the sand and stones of the Jewish nation. Ongoing discoveries confirm the continuous Jewish connection to the land over the centuries, and in many cases bear out the truth of Biblical accounts.