Archaeologists believe they
have found the biblical city of Shaaraim [meaning 'Two Gates'] that is
mentioned in the story of the battle of David and the Philistine giant,
Goliath.
Excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa overlooking the
Elah Valley southwest of Jerusalem uncovered an ancient fortified city around a
decade ago.
But it was not until the second year of excavations in 2008 that
archaeologists realized they had stumbled upon what was possibly the earliest
physical evidence of a Davidic city dating back to the 11th Century BCE.
Over the course of seven years, excavations revealed a walled city with
two equally large and dominant gates - a highly unusual feature for a
relatively small city. The Elah Valley, where the Bible describes the encounter
between David and Goliath, divided the lands of the Israelites and the Philistines. When archaeologists
excavated the gates they were reminded of the ancient city of Shaaraim that
featured in the famous story.
“When the Phi·lisʹtines saw that their
mighty one had died, they fled. At that the men of Israel and of Judah rose and
broke into shouting and pursued the Phi·lisʹtines all the way from the valley to the gates of
Ekʹron, and the slain of
the Phi·lisʹtines lay fallen along
the road from Shaʹa·raʹim, as far as Gath and
Ekʹron. (1
Samuel 17:51, 52) [read more…]
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