Why is the Torah a valuable artifact that historians used to learn about the ancient Hebrews and their times?

Answer 1

The Torah tells us about the genealogy of the Hebrews (esp. Genesis ch.10 and 11), their language, their beliefs, their laws, their lives, and the milieu in which they lived. All kinds of bits of information are there, from how people swore oaths (Gen. ch.31) to how Egyptian officials were instated (Gen. ch.41).

Answer 2

it was a record of the hebrews lives

Answer:

The more that the secular scholars (Bible-critics) tried/try to discredit Tanakh-verses, the more these verses are vindicated. Hundreds of Biblical verses were doubted due to lack of outside evidence, and were later substantiated by Archaeology. Thus, the Tanakh has repeatedly shown itself to be a useful picture of ancient life, language, countries, etc.
Some examples of archaeology corroborating Bible verses:
1) Before the late 1800s, the Hittites were known only from the Bible, and many critics said that they were an invention of the Bible.
In 1876 a dramatic discovery changed this view. A. H. Sayce, a British scholar, found inscriptions carved on rocks in Turkey. Ten years later, more clay tablets were found in Turkey at Boghaz-koy. German expert Hugo Winckler uncovered five temples, a fortified citadel and several big sculptures. Boghaz-koy turned out to have been the Hittite capital city.
2) Until recently, no evidence outside the Bible attested to King David's existence. Many critics questioned his existence. In 1993, an archaeologist named Dr. Avraham Biran and his team, digging at Tell Dan, discovered a black basalt stele, containing Aramaic inscriptions. Two of the lines included the phrases "The King of Israel" and "House of David." This discovery has caused critics to reconsider their view of the historicity of the Davidic kingdom. In 1994 more pieces were found with inscriptions referring to Jehoram, the son of Ahab, ruler over Israel, and Ahaziah, who was the ruler over the "House of David." Dr. Hershel Shanks of the Biblical Archaeological Review states, "The stele brings to life the biblical text in a dramatic way."
3) At one time the 39 kings of ancient Israel and Judah were known only from the Biblical books. Some critics charged fabrication. But then came to light the royal cuneiform records of many Assyrian kings, mentioning the kings of Israel and Judah, including Omri, Ahab, Jehu, Menahem, Hoshea, Pekah, Hezekiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoram and Jehoshaphat.
4) The Assyrian king Sargon was known only from the Bible account (Isaiah 20:1). This Bible verse was discounted by critics as of no historical value. Then excavations revealed the ruins of Sargon's palace at Khorsabad, with many inscriptions. Sargon is now one of the best known of the Assyrian kings.
5) In 1934-39, excavations were conducted at ancient Mari on the Euphrates River (present-day Iraq). They found that ancient towns were named after the ancestors (Genesis ch.11) of Abraham:
The "city of Nahor" was found near the city of Haran which still exists to this day. Equally clear signs of Hebrew residence appear in the names of other towns nearby: Serug (Assyrian SARUGI), Terah (TIL TURAKHI, "Mound of Terah"), and Peleg (PALIGA, on the Euphrates near the mouth of the Habur).
6) The critics claimed that the Babylonian captivity never happened.
However, in 1935-38, important finds were made 30 miles from Jerusalem at a site thought to be ancient Lachish. Lachish was one of the cities recorded in the Bible as being besieged by the Babylonians at the same time as the siege of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 34:7).
Twenty-one pottery fragments were found in the latest pre-exilic levels of the site. Called the Lachish Ostraca, they were written during the Babylonian siege. Some of them are exchanges between the military commander and an outlying observation post, vividly picturing the final days of Judah's struggle against Babylon.
Since the 1930s, there has been more unearthing of Babylonian texts describing the conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The historical fact of the Babylonian captivity is now firmly established.
7) The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III shows Jehu, king of Israel, bowing before the Assyrian king.
8) Tablets from the time of Tiglath-Pileser state that he received tribute from Jehoahaz of Judah. This is the full name of Ahaz (2 Kings 16:7).
9) A limestone relief from Sennacherib's palace at Nineveh shows the siege of Lachish.
10) The cylinder of Nabonidus, last ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, shows that his son Belshazzar was co-regent with him (Daniel 5; 7:1; 8:1). Scholars had previously scoffed at Belshazzar's very existence.
The above examples are among many thousands. Dr. William Albright, who was probably the foremost authority in Middle East archaeology in his time, said: "There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of the Old Testament."
And for those who would like a little more:

• Ahab, king of Israel, is identified in the Kurkh Monolith inscription of Shalmaneser III which describes the Battle of Qarqar and mentions the soldiers of Ahab the Israelite.
• Ahaz (Jehoahaz), king of Judah, is named in the inscription of Tiglath-Pileser III which records that he "received tribute from Jehoahaz the Judahite," as mentioned in 2 Kings 16:7-8.
• Baruch ben Neriah, a scribe in the time of Jeremiah. Two identical imprints of his seal were discovered in 1975 and 1996. They read 'to Berachyahu son of Neriyahu the scribe.
• Darius I, king of Persia, mentioned in the books of Haggai, Zechariah and Ezra, is the author of the famous Behistun Inscription.
• Esarhaddon, son of Sennacherib, was king of Assyria. His name survives in his own writings, as well as in those of his son Ashurbanipal.
• Hezekiah, king of Judah eis mentioned in an inscription of Sennacherib. A signet-seal was also found bearing Hezekiah's name and title.
• Hoshea, king of Israel, was put into power by Tilgath-Pileser III, king of Assyria, as recorded in his "Annals," found in Calah.
• Jehoash, king of Israel, is mentioned in records of Adad-nirari III of Assyria as "Jehoash of Samaria."
• Jehoiachin, King of Judah, was taken captive to Babylon after Nebuchadrezzar first captured Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:15). Texts from Nebuchadrezzar's Southern Palace record the rations given to "Jehoiachin king of the Judeans" (Ya'ukin sar Yaudaya).
• Jehu, king of Israel, named on the Moabite Black Obelisk.
• Johanan, high priest during the reign of Darius II. His name is found in Nehemiah 12:22,23 and also in a letter from the Elephantine Papyri.
• Manasseh, king of Judah, is mentioned in the writings of Esarhaddon, who lists him as one of the kings who had brought him gifts and aided his conquest of Egypt.
• Menahem, king of Israel is recorded in the annals of Tiglath-Pileser to have paid tribute to him.
• Omri, king of Israel is mentioned on the Mesha Stele.
• Pekah, who became king of Israel after assassinating Pekahiah (2 Kings 15:25), is mentioned in the annals of Tiglath-Pileser III.
• Sanballat, governor of Samaria and the leader of the opposition which Nehemiah encountered during the rebuilding of the walls around the temple in Jerusalem, is mentioned in the Elephantine Papyri.
• Taharqa, pharaoh of Egypt is mentioned in the books of Kings and Isaiah. Several contemporary sources mention him and fragments of three statues bearing his name were excavated at Nineveh.
• Tattenai, governor of "Beyond the River" (Ezra 5:6) during the reign of Darius I, is known from contemporary Babylonian documents.

Answer 3

The Torah tells us about the genealogy of the Hebrews (esp. Genesis ch.10 and 11), their language, their beliefs, their laws, their lives, and the milieu in which they lived. All kinds of bits of information are there, from how people swore oaths (Gen. ch.31) to how Egyptian officials were instated (Gen. ch.41).