An Unexpected Twist
However, a recent investigation conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), Tel Aviv University, and the Weizmann Institute of Science has unveiled a surprising revelation. Through advanced carbon-14 dating techniques, the research team accurately determined the timeline of the wall’s construction. Their findings definitively attribute the creation of the fortification to Hezekiah’s great-grandfather, Uzziah.
Dr. Joe Uziel from the IAA explains, “For decades, the assumption was that this wall was built by Hezekiah, King of Judah. But we now have compelling evidence that it dates back to the days of King Uzziah, as hinted at in the Bible.”
Bridging Ancient Texts and Scientific Evidence
Biblical references support this new revelation, as the Second Book of Chronicles describes Uzziah’s efforts in constructing towers at various points in Jerusalem’s city walls. Furthermore, the Book of Amos even mentions an earthquake that occurred “two years before the earthquake when Uzziah was king of Judah.”
This discovery not only rectifies the historical timeline but also sheds light on our understanding of ancient Jerusalem. The research reveals that Jerusalem expanded westward earlier than previously believed, during the reign of King Jehoash – five generations before Hezekiah.
According to Dr. Yuval Gadot from Tel Aviv University, “The new findings support the idea that Jerusalem experienced growth and expansion towards Mount Zion during the ninth century BC. This occurred during the reign of King Jehoash, a hundred years before the Assyrian exile.”
