What’s in the (biblical) jug?

Bilbical jug with raw silver from the time of King David
Biblical jug with raw silver from the time of King David

The jar you see in front of you was unearthed in the ancient biblical city of Eshtamoa (Israel) and according to some researchers dates back to the time of King David (10th century BC). The greyish material you see inside is raw silver which was commonly used before coins were invented. The Bible tells us that after David defeated the Amalekites he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, saying “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies” (1Samuel 30:26). Amongst them were the elders of Eshtamoa – the same city in which this jar was discovered. Since the location and age of the jar corresponds to that of the biblical story, it’s possible that this could be the plunder mentioned in the Bible.  This simple jar therefore, might contain more than just raw silver, but a “hello” from King David 3000 years ago!    

Comments are closed.