Gary A. Byers
The fall of 1995 brings a very special celebration — Jerusalem 3000 — the 3,000th anniversary of King David’s capture of ancient Jerusalem. Beginning in 1990, during the administration of former mayor Teddy Kollek, the modern city of Jerusalem has been planning to celebrate the ancient city.
Of course, this celebration is not without its detractors. In fact, in international circles, it is not “politically correct” to even participate. Because Jerusalem has been a divided city in modern times, unified under Israeli control only since 1967, the Jewish-oriented celebration is rejected by most Palestinians, as well as the surrounding Arab and Moslem states. Many European nations are also boycotting the party, out of sympathy for Moslem/Arab concerns.
An additional problem for the organizers of Jerusalem 3000 is the date. By virtually no one’s calculations is this the 3,000th anniversary of David’s capture of Jerusalem (2 Sm 5:6–9; 1 Chr 11:4–8). Most scholars, Israeli and others, date the capture of Jerusalem to 996–1000 BC. Apparently some political or advertising type saw the 996 BC date and thought AD 1996 would be a great time for a major public relations event.
Unfortunately, AD 1996 is not 3, 000 years after 996 BC. Due to the nature of our calendar, going from BC to AD and no year zero, 3, 000 years from 996 BC is AD 2003! Exactly how the mayor’s office came up with its calculations has remained unstated. In addition, according to their calculations, ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel say the 3,000th anniversary will not happen until AD 2132. But, the party is on, anyway!
The mayor’s office in Jerusalem notes that the 15 month celebration will be full of operas, sound-and-light shows and gala symphonies. They point out there is no real Jewish content. Unfortunately, this satisfies no-one. Palestinians are not impressed and ultra-Orthodox Jews are not pleased with all the secular activity.
Of course, by the very nature of this event, archaeology will play a special part. The Israeli Antiquities Authority, which oversees all archaeological activity in the country, has already cleaned up a number of significant archaeological sites around the city in expectation of coming visitors.
For over 100 years archaeologists have been slowly uncovering the ancient site. They found that the earliest city was not built within the present walled city, as previously assumed, but outside the walls on the lower hill south of the ancient Temple Mount.
BSP 8:4 (Autumn 1995) p. 112
Originally called Jebus (its inhabitants were the Jebusites) and later known as the City of David, this 10–12 acre city was captured by David’s army and made his capital. The city wall from that time (constructed about 1800 BC and presently being renovated for the anniversary) was discovered about halfway up the eastern slope. The reason the earliest city was constructed here, on the lowest hill in the area, was due to the Gihon Spring located on the eastern edge of the hill.
The Gihon Spring was the source for a number of significant water systems used throughout the history of Jerusalem: the rock-cut 1,700 ft long Hezekiah’s Tunnel; the Pool of Siloam at the other end of Hezekiah’s Tunnel, known from Jesus’ healing of the blind man (Jn 9); the Siloam channel which watered agricultural fields in the Kidron Valley east of the city; and the Warren’s Shaft System including a rock-cut horizontal tunnel and vertical shaft to the spring, the latter may have been the means of David’s capture of the Jebusite city (2 Sm 5:8). Each system is now accessible for visitors to see.
The monumental stepped stone structure along the eastern crest of the hill was apparently constructed around the time of King David. It was either the substructure of his own palace or of the Jebusite stronghold (the Fortress of Zion) which he captured. It has been fully excavated and is open for visitors. Later Judean houses destroyed in the 586 BC Babylonian capture of Jerusalem, including a huge stone toilet seat (not the throne of David, as some have suggested!) are also there to see.
In addition, a series of rock cut-tombs at the southern end of the City
Stepped stone structure, possibly from the time of David.
BSP 8:4 (Autumn 1995) p. 113
The author in front of the entrance to one of the rock-cut tombs at Aceldema,
south of the City of David.
of David, possibly the tombs of David and Soloman, have also been recently cleaned out. Originally excavated early this century, they had been left unattended and filled with garbage for decades.
Unfortunately, still in terrible shape are the tombs of Aceldema (traditional site of the Field of Blood or Potter’s Field purchased with the betrayal money given to Judas). Located just south of the City of David, on the southern side of the Hinnom Valley, most of these beautiful rock-carved tombs are now filled with trash and used as animal pens. Apparently plundered in ancient times, they were all empty when entered by archaeologists. Too ornate to have been used as a cemetery for strangers, it may have been a burial ground for Jewish priests. These tombs are magnificent and should be cleaned out for all to view.
Finally, the area around the ancient Jewish Temple Mount is also being renovated. Here, not only Jewish levels of the ancient city, but Arab structures as well, are being prepared for visitors.
Whatever one’s political leaning, historical perspective, or talent for chronological calculations, this is an exciting time for those interested in the archaeology of Jerusalem. While all this attention will probably produce minimal new information about ancient Jerusalem, the city will be cleaned up and put on display unlike anything it has known for the past 3, 000 years.