Shalom to all, the Lord gave me such a sweet day, filled with good memories of the dig that I was on, while in college, in 1980. Yikes, where has the time gone? While on each tour since, we have driven by the site but I was never able to stop and see what was done with it. Today that changed, I spent all afternoon there. Because so much was found (it took more than two years for them to catalog the thousands of pieces and then years before much was published), I did not realize how famous it is until this trip. The two most important findings being the two little silver scrolls with Numbers 6:24-26 priestly blessing and parts of Dan., Nea., and Deut. on them. They are the oldest pieces of the Bible ever found in Isreal. They date back to the prophet Jeremiah and are older than the Dead Sea Scrolls by nearly 700 years. Also, pieces from the Romans during the distruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and much more. Duane, you would not recognize the place.
They have built a museum, dedicated to Menachem Begin, next to the site (and partially over it). There is a lovely restaurant there now, where I had lunch with the Lord, looking over the Hinnom Valley at the school where our small group of diggers stayed. I just found out that it is the second oldest building outside the Old City walls. Yep, I took communion at the dig site as well. What a time of thanksgiving! Much more happened today (Divine appointments) but this was the best. 🙂 Blessings, D