BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Dating of the Samaritan Temple on Mt. Gerizim

Introduction

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In the November/December 2010 issue of BAR, we published “Bells, Pendants, Snakes and Stones” by archaeologist Yitzhak Magen about the decades-long excavations on Mt. Gerizim in Samaria. Magen revealed evidence of a Samaritan temple that he said dated to the time of Nehemiah, the fifth century B.C.E. In response to that article, reader John Merrill wrote in looking for clarification about the date, which conflicts with Josephus’s account of events surrounding the Samaritan temple’s construction. See below Yitzhak Magen’s detailed explanation of the temple dating and timeline of related events.

John Merrill’s letter

Yitzhak Magen’s response


This Bible History Daily feature originally appeared in March, 2011


3 Responses

  1. personal says:

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  2. “Stop Day” Thoughts Continued « Sherri Gragg says:

    […] group was descending Mnt. Gerizim at the end of a beautiful day when, I spotted it there in the dust at my feet- my first pottery […]

  3. Nathaniel says:

    Jewish sources understand the name Artakhshast in Ezra 7 and Nehemyah to be another name for the Daryavesh who allowed the Second Temple to be completed.

    Nehemyah’s time as governor of the land of Yehudah would have started around 502 BCE and ended around 490 BCE.

    Which, if the temple on Mt. Gerizim was built in the middle of 5th century BCE, would put the end of his time as governor decades before the Mt. Gerizim temple was built.

Write a Reply or Comment

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3 Responses

  1. personal says:

    I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here.
    The sketch is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish.
    nonetheless, you command get got an shakiness over that
    you wsh be delivering the following. unwell unquestionablky come further formerly again sjnce exactloy
    the same nearly very often inside case you shield this hike.

  2. “Stop Day” Thoughts Continued « Sherri Gragg says:

    […] group was descending Mnt. Gerizim at the end of a beautiful day when, I spotted it there in the dust at my feet- my first pottery […]

  3. Nathaniel says:

    Jewish sources understand the name Artakhshast in Ezra 7 and Nehemyah to be another name for the Daryavesh who allowed the Second Temple to be completed.

    Nehemyah’s time as governor of the land of Yehudah would have started around 502 BCE and ended around 490 BCE.

    Which, if the temple on Mt. Gerizim was built in the middle of 5th century BCE, would put the end of his time as governor decades before the Mt. Gerizim temple was built.

Write a Reply or Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


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