The End of Minimalism as We Know It

That’s how important the finds from Khirbet Qeiyafa appear to be: as announcing the end of minimalism as we know it. That is, the C-14 dates, pottery, inscription, and other data so far alluded to in news accounts are strong prima facie evidence in favor of the high chronology, the essential historicity of the reigns of David and Solomon, and a relatively high degree of literacy at that date.

Go here for an article with telling quotes from minimalists and non-minimalists alike.

But don’t worry! The minimalists will regroup and draw a line in the sand somewhere else. The irony is this: the minimalists are to be thanked for the discovery. The excavation of Khirbet Qeiyafa would  probably never have been undertaken were it not for attempts made by minimalists to deny the historicity of even the most basic outline of the story told in 1 Samuel through 2 Kings.  Minimalism will go down in the annals of scholarship as a classic example of over-reach.

 

Here is the website of the excavation team. The excavation directors are: Prof. Yosef (Yossi) Garfinkel (Hebrew University) and Mr. Saar Ganor (Israel Antiquities Authority).

Comments

[N. T. Wrong]

It surely shows that David wrote the Psalms, too. ;-)

[JohnFH]

I thought the inscription was supposed to prove David slew Goliath.

One over-reach does not justify another.

As for David writing psalms, I've always liked to imagine he wrote Psalm 18 and perhaps a few others. But of course there is no way to prove this.

[Phil Sumpter]

I wonder why this hasn't been discussed on this list yet.

[JohnFH]

Hi Phil,

What list are you referring to?

[Phil Sumpter]

The Biblical Studies List. Or have I missed something? Yizhak wrote something, but it generated no discussion.