King Saul at the Valley of Elah

Read while you listen

​The ostracon in this picture, found at Khirbet Qeiyafa, might be the oldest Hebrew text ever found.

Known as the Tel Qeiyafa Inscription it is written in proto-Canaanite script and appears to be a letter or document in Hebrew relaying the following:

The men and the chiefs, or officers, have established a king..."

The king that is referred to here, might very well be King Saul.

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Overview

Tel Qeiyafa Inscription

Early Hebrew writing:  “The men and the chiefs/officers have established a king..." (Most likely Saul.)

In the Bible

1 Samuel 13:1, 17:2

Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty two years over Israel.…

Saul and the men of Israel massed and encamped in the valley of Elah. They drew up their line of battle against the Philistines.                    

שְׁמוּאֵל א' י"ז:ב'

שָׁאוּל הָיָה בֶּן שְׁלוֹשִׁים שָׁנָה כְּשֶׁהֵחֵל לִמְלֹךְ, וְהוּא מָלַךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנָה...

וְשָׁא֤וּל וְאִֽישׁ-יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נֶאֶסְפ֔וּ וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּעֵ֣מֶק הָאֵלָ֑ה וַיַּעַרְכ֥וּ מִלְחָמָ֖ה לִקְרַ֥את פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים:

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