Biblically Compatible Archaeology and Geography

  by    Damien F. Mackey         “And the Lord gave Israel a saviour, and they were delivered out of the hand of the king of Syria: and the children of Israel dwelt in their pavilions as yesterday and the day before”.   2 Kings 13:5     Various candidates have been suggested for the “deliverer”, or “saviour” ( מוֹשִׁיעַ ), of the prayers of Jehoahaz of Israel: e.g., Adad-nirari III of Assyria; Zakir of Hamath - neither of whom is named in the biblical account - Jehoash of Israel, or his son, Jeroboam II. Dr John Bimson had considered, for one, the possibility that Jehoash, amongst other candidates, may have been this “saviour”, whilst also stating the objections to this view (“Dating the Wars of Seti I”, p. 22):   There has been much discussion over the identity of the anonymous “saviour”. One view is that the verse refers to Joash [Jehoash], Jehoahaz’s successor, who defeated Ben...

  by   Damien F. Mackey       Considers the controversies raging about the dating and meaning of the famous Victory Stele of pharaoh Merenptah - son of Ramses II ‘the Great’ - thought to include a mention of “Israel”.     I discussed this fascinating subject in some detail in my university thesis:   A Revised History of the Era of King Hezekiah of Judah and its Background   AMAIC_Final_Thesis_2009.pdf   (Volume One, Chapter 11, pp. 300-305: “ Interpreting Merenptah’s Victory Stele”).   Whilst I am now inclined to reconsider much of what I then wrote, I shall reproduce below, with a few comments, the parts of my discussion that I would still consider to be of relevance.     Relevant Strophe of Stele [As quoted in D. Rohl’s A Test of Time, p. 168]: ….   “The princes are prostrate, saying ‘Peace!’. Not one raises his head among the Nine Bows. Desolati...