Did ancient Israel really exist

Answer 1

There is some uncertainty as to whether the biblical United Monarchy known as Israel ever existed. Israel Finkelstein (Archaeologies of the Middle East: Critical Perspectives, Archaeology, Bible, and the History of the Levant in the lron Age) says that archaeology shows absolutely no sign of a great tenth-century territorial state ruled from Jerusalem.

On the other hand, the short-lived northern kingdom of Israel did no doubt exist. It was finally destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BCE.

Answer 2

Yes. Until recently, the existence of King David, who ruled the United Monarchy in Israel, was doubted by secular academicians. Then, 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 forced 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."

There are many such examples.

People should be aware that hundreds of Biblical verses were doubted due to lack of outside evidence, and were later substantiated by archaeology.

Accordingly, researchers should have an open mind, viewing obscure verses as being potential pointers to as-yet-undiscovered finds.

• Link: Refuting the Bible-critics
  

Some examples of archaeology corroborating the existence of ancient Israel:
1) 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.

2) 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 which describe the conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The historical fact of the Babylonian captivity is now undisputed.

3) The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser the 3rd shows Jehu, king of Israel, bowing before the Assyrian king.

4) 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).

5) A limestone relief from Sennacherib's palace at Nineveh shows the siege of Lachish.

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 the 3rd, 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 the 3rd, which records that he "received tribute from Jehoahaz the Judahite," as mentioned in 2 Kings 16:7-8.
• Two imprints of the seal of Baruch ben Neriah, a scribe in the time of Jeremiah, were discovered in 1975 and 1996. They read "Of Berachyahu son of Neriyahu the scribe."
• Hezekiah, king of Judah, is 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 the 3rd, king of Assyria, as recorded in the royal annals, found in Calah.
• Jehoash, king of Israel, is mentioned in records of Adad-nirari the 3rd of Assyria as "Jehoash of Samaria."
• Jehoiachin, King of Judah, was taken captive to Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar first captured Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:15). Texts from Nebuchadnezzar's southern palace record the rations given to "Jehoiachin king of the Judeans" (Ya'ukin sar Ya'udaya).
• Johanan was high priest during the reign of Darius II. His name is found in Nehemiah 12:22 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 the 3rd.

Link: Jewish history timeline

Answer 3

Yes. Archaeologists do not doubt that there were the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah in the southwest Levant. Arguments turn on how powerful these kingdoms are and how accurate The Bible is as a history book.

Answer 4

Yes.