1 jan 860 ano antes da era comum - Ostracon of Elisha

Descrição:

watchjerusalem.co.il, The Biblical Prophets: Archaeological Evidence?
Proof of the biblical kings abounds. What, if anything, about the prophets?
By Christopher Eames • March 21, 2019

In 2013, during excavations led by Prof. Amihai Mazar at Tel Rehov, a unique artifact caught the attention of the excavators. A shard of pottery was discovered with ancient text written on it in red ink. The shard, along with the layer within which it was found, was dated to the middle-ninth century b.c.e. The ancient Hebrew script was damaged, yet still could be translated with virtually complete certainty as the name “Elisha.”

Not only does the name parallel the biblical prophet, it also dates to the same time period that he lived. And it was found in an area where he spent much of his time (he was born only seven miles away, in a town named Abel-Meholah). The Bible states that Elisha spent so much time in this area, that a couple living in nearby Shunem were inspired to make a chamber in their house for him to stay in (2 Kings 4).

Additionally, an inscription bearing the name “Nimshi” was found nearby (as well as a second “Nimshi” inscription five miles away). Elisha told one of his disciples to go and anoint as king a man named Jehu, specifically telling him that Jehu was a descendant of Nimshi (2 Kings 9:1-3). So this name had significance to Elisha’s record.

Added to this ancillary evidence is the simple fact that, based on current knowledge, the name “Elisha” was quite rare in ancient Israel—thus, the chances of this being the prophet are even higher.

The ancient house itself, within which the Elisha ostracon was found, was unique. It had a slightly unusual design: It was divided into two wings, with two entrances from the street (as opposed to one entrance and one central room). It was thus a more publicly accessible building. Furthermore, large vessels were found, larger than would be expected for family use. It seems that this building served as a communal area—maybe as a gathering place for Elisha’s disciples, one of his “schools of the prophets.” Even the way the name was written, centered and alone on the partially-rounded ostracon, gives a sense of something special about this particular individual.

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