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The Silver Scrolls

Return to: Ancient Biblical Manuscripts


‘Silver scrolls’ are oldest O.T. scripture, archaeologist says.


The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24–26

In 1979 during the excavation of a late Iron Age (seventh century B.C.) tomb at the funerary site of Ketef Hinnom outside of Jerusalem, archaeologist Gabriel Barkay uncovered two small silver scrolls—no bigger than the diameter of a quarter—that were originally worn as amulets around the neck. When researchers from the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, unrolled the sheets of silver, they detected tiny lines of the ancient Hebrew script inscribed on them. High-resolution photos of the miniature writing were taken in 1994 by the West Semitic Research Project at the University of Southern California, giving researchers the opportunity to study and decipher the Hebrew text on the ancient amulets. When they finally read the arcane writing, the researchers discovered that the inscriptions, dating to the late seventh century B.C., contained the blessings of Numbers 6:24–26.



In addition to containing blessings similar to Numbers 6:24–26, the inscriptions are illuminating for what they reveal about Yahweh as well.

Amulet 1 refers to Yahweh as the one who shows graciousness to those who love Him and keep His commandments. This expression exhibits close parallels to several Biblical texts (cf. Deuteronomy 7:9; Nehemiah 1:5; Daniel 9:4). Amulet 2 refers to Yahweh as God who has the power to expel Evil.

Miniatures—especially those worn on the human body … were said to create a sense of intimacy, privacy, and personal time between the body and the object. Such objects became part of one’s daily routine and lifecycle. Their lightweight quality allows them to dangle comfortably from necks, producing a feeling that they are part of the body. In the case of miniature texts on jewelry, this means that even though the writing might be invisible or hidden from eyes, the words are always accessible in the wearer’s mind as the writing interacts with the body on a physical level. As the jewelry dangles from, bounces off, and returns to the body, the words inscribed on their surfaces are replayed in the mind.


Return to: Ancient Biblical Manuscripts


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