Troubled Waters

History X

[Ebal, sixteen of thirty]

After the press conference, twelve months passed. Then, on 12 May 2023, three and a half years from the Mt. Ebal Curse Tablet’s discovery, Heritage Science finally published Stripling’s article.

How was that Heritage Science article received?

People were elated, some disappointed, others disgusted.

In succeeding posts, I scrutinize the article, its photos, and various responses.

Here, though, I recall the context of these days. Significant currents darkened the times from the finding of the tablet through and beyond publication.

Of these, three particularly warrant recounting.

This is the sixteenth post of my memorandum opposing the views of scholars such as Professor Amihai Mazar. This retired Hebrew University, Jerusalem archaeologist declares that the Mt. Ebal Curse Tablet is not a tablet but merely a fishing weight. Instead, I maintain that the tablet displays sufficient written evidence to not only warrant its present Curse Tablet designation. Further, it justifies posthaste excavation of its discovery site, the proposed Joshua’s Altar in northern Judea / Samaria.

To read my memorandum from the beginning, click here.

Otherwise, proceed below.

Pandemic

In December 2019, as we have seen, the lead tablet landed in Frankie Synder’s wet-sifting tray.

In that same month, ominous events brewed in another part of the world.

The Museum of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) displays this December 12, 2019 log entry:

“A cluster of patients in China’s Hubei Province, in the city of Wuhan, begin to experience the symptoms of an atypical pneumonia-like illness that does not respond well to standard treatments.”

Subsequently, COVID-19 led to a two-year Stripling hiatus from work in Israel.

Local Perils

On January 24, 2023 JNS, Jewish News Syndicate, reported this protest by the Israel Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant:

“Israel will not allow Palestinians to damage a major archaeological site located deep in the biblical heartland of Samaria, one that is revered by millions of Jews and Christians as the location where Joshua built an altar.”

This statement he issued in response to a Palestinian news report about planned construction in the vicinity of the Ebal altar site.

In a letter to the Palestinian Authority, Gallant further directed:

“…it has been clarified…to the Palestinian Authority that we will not allow any damage to the altar, which has been defined as an archaeological site of historic cultural and religious significance.”

Events past and present underscored the necessity of Gallant’s manifesto.These include:

• In 2021, a Palestinian road crew damaged the outer “footprint” enclosing the Ebal altar.
• During the last two decades, alarming incidents occurred in Nablus. This included the alleged tomb of Joseph, son of Jacob, venerated by Jews and Christians, being defaced, fire bombed, and otherwise purposely damaged. (Note that the actual location of Joseph’s tomb near ancient Shechem is a matter of speculation rather than exact historical or archaeological evidence.)
• Resultantly, heavily armed military units started escorting pilgrims to the area. This began after the Oslo Accords designated the region as “Area B”, one under the dual authority of the Palestinian civil government and the Israeli military.

From this last bullet, one can readily perceive what might be the sentiments among some locals. Especially aggrieved would be descendants who have resided in the region for generations.

Of what these Israeli military escorts consist, I cannot relate. Of what, however, an American equivalent would consist, I can envision. Vehicles arrive armed with 50 caliber machine guns, 240 Bravos, 249 SAWS, or equivalent menacing weaponry. Infantrymen clad in full armor climb to elevated positions with M4 rifles equipped with zeroed mechanical and electronic sights. A defensive cordon restricts unvetted civilians from entering the area.

If some power not representing me executed such near my home, I can well imagine the caustic feelings that would swirl within!

On the other hand, one can also perceive the necessity of these escort measures.

The bottom line is this: Embitterment among some locals must factor in when evaluating the security of the Mt. Ebal altar.

October 7, 2023

During my life, little, if anything, equates the ghastly evil of Hamas’s cowardly massacre of innocents on this date.

Whether one labels Israel’s response “hard”, “harsh,” or “brutal” is not the question. Hard, harsh, and brutal can fall well within the acceptable context of the laws of war.

The real questions are whether war crimes have been perpetrated. World authorities appropriately should evaluate what lands fair and foul. Later, individual soldiers, units, and leaders, where appropriate, should be held accountable.

Nevertheless, while there can be no excuse for violations of the law of war, one should not forget the horror which initially precipitated the resulting conflagration.

From it, dominoes have since fallen, ones that have shaken much of the world.

For our purposes, we must remember this: Mt. Ebal lies proximate to the eye of this tumult.

All of this having been noted, let us now bridge these troubled waters.

In the next post, I begin my review of the Stripling team’s Heritage Science article.

Now for some questions: Do you remember when you first heard of a pathogen of grave concern emanating from China? At the time, were you aware that in 1918 a similar flu emanated likely from near Ft Riley, Kansas, one that speedily killed between twenty and a hundred million people worldwide, one that arguably hastened the end of World War I and figured into the tensions leading to World War II?

Let me know below in “comments”.

Thank you for engaging this topic with me thus far!

The next post, entitled “Stripling’s Article”, introduces our Curse Tablet’s photo study..

I look forward to continuing with you there.

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Next post: “Stripling’s Article”