Monocle & Spade

Is the Hebrew language much older than most philologists think it is? In our third episode of Monocle & Spade we interview Old Testament scholar and philologist, Dr. Doug Petrovich about a remarkable theory he has put forth in his book, "The World's Oldest Alphabet: Hebrew as the Language of the Proto-Consonantal Script," recently published by Carta in Jerusalem. The theory has already generated a passionate reaction from both conservative and liberal scholars alike. The question itself centers on the historical existence of the Israelites in Egypt, and their miraculous exodus as it is recorded in the Torah.

It is well documented in history and archaeology that in AD 70 the Roman Legions under Titus & Vespasian laid siege to Jerusalem and destroyed it along with the gleaming Jewish Temple that Herod I had built on the expanded Temple Mount. In 1948 the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in the Judean desert at Wadi Qumran near the ancient archaeological site of Qumran (believed to be the home of the Jewish sect of the Essenes). In 1952 two rolled up copper scrolls were discovered in Cave 3 at Qumran. In this episode Ted interviews Shelley Neese, a journalist who has lived and worked in Israel and is also the author of the book, "The Copper Scroll Project." Don't miss this fascinating interview to learn what the Copper Scroll is and the possibility that amazing artifacts from the Second Temple Period may be buried in the ground right at the site Qumran itself! Be sure to get Shelley's book and check out here website at http://www.shelleyneese.com/

In the inaugural podcast of Monocle & Spade, Ted discusses a summary of archaeological evidences for the early date of the Exodus and Conquest with archaeologist Dr. Scott Stripling. Scott is the current Director of Excavations at Tel Shiloh in Israel. Scott previously served as Field Supervisor at Tall el-Hammam Excavation Project in Jordan from 2005-2010, and as Director of the Khirbet el-Maqatir project since 2010, as well as Supervisor of the Jerusalem Temple Mount Salvage Project. Ted and Scott begin the discussion with the Israelites in Egypt, then they give a summary of evidences for the Israelite conquest of Canaan during the Early Bronze Age period (EBI).