Historicity of the Bible

The study of whether and to what extent the Bible’s people, events, and settings correspond to historical reality, using textual, archaeological, and comparative evidence.

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Biblical archaeology: The study of archaeological evidence related to the Bible’s historical settings, peoples, and events. It tests biblical claims against excavated sites, artifacts, and inscriptions.
Merneptah Stele: An Egyptian victory inscription from the late thirteenth century BCE that includes the earliest widely accepted reference to Israel. It independently attests to a people called Israel in Canaan, without confirming biblical accounts of their origins.
Biblical minimalism: A historiographical approach skeptical of reconstructing early Israelite history from biblical texts without independent corroboration. It sets a cautious threshold for treating biblical narratives as evidence.
Chronology of ancient Israel and Judah: The reconstruction of dates and sequences for the kingdoms of Israel and Judah from textual and archaeological evidence. Disputed biblical events can shift timelines for rulers, wars, and state formation.
Textual criticism: The comparison of manuscript witnesses to reconstruct the wording and transmission of ancient texts. A historical claim depends partly on which wording and textual layer is being examined.
Tel Dan Stele: A ninth-century BCE Aramaic inscription commonly understood to mention the ‘House of David.’ It provides extra-biblical evidence for a dynasty associated with David, while leaving the biblical portrait unsettled.
Biblical maximalism: A historiographical approach that grants biblical accounts substantial historical value, while allowing for critical scrutiny. It contrasts with minimalism over how much historical weight biblical texts can bear.
United Monarchy: The biblical account of a kingdom ruled by Saul, David, and Solomon before the division of Israel and Judah. Its scale and historical basis remain central disputes in reconstructing early Israel.
Ancient Near East: A region encompassing ancient West Asian civilizations, including Mesopotamia, the Levant, and Anatolia. Biblical texts emerged within societies whose records and customs offer essential comparisons.
Sennacherib's campaign in Judah: The Assyrian king Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah in 701 BCE, recorded in Assyrian and biblical sources. The sources agree on the campaign but frame its outcome differently.