Bible Archeology Discoveries

Temple at Tel Qasile
Discovered: Tel Aviv, Israel
From: (c. 1100 BC)

The story of Samson dates from the same period as the Philistine temple at Qasile. After Delilah cut Samson’s hair as he slept, the Philistines were able to capture and imprison him. Samson’s eyes were gouged out and he was set to grinding corn. In prison, however, his hair began to grow back. When the Philistine lords assembled in Gaza for a great sacrifice to Dagon they had the blinded Samson brought to the temple. The Israelite asked a young boy to put him where he could feel the pillars which supported the temple. Feeling the pillars, Samson cried to the Lord: “Give me strength only this once, O God, and let me at one stroke be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes”. “Then Samson leaned forward with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and on all the people who were in it.

Two Philistine temples have been uncovered by archaeologists. One at Tel Qasile, near Tel Aviv, and one in Tel Miqne, ancient Ekron, (21 miles south of Tel Aviv). Both temples share a unique design—the roof was supported by two central pillars. The pillars were made of wood and rested on stone support bases.

The Philistine temple at Qasile was supported by two such wooden pillars set on round, well-made stone bases placed on the central axis of the building. One of the pillars was set into the lower of the two steps leading up to the platform near the end of the temple; the step was built around the pillar and on top of its stone base. The archaeologists found the imprint of the pillar clearly visible in the hole in the step. The stone base of the second pillar stands near the center of the main hall. The wall between the main hall and the antechamber provided the roof support at the other end of the main hall. The two pillars are close enough to one another as to indicate that in a similar temple the two central pillars might both be reached by a man of such unusually large proportions as Samson.

These archaeological findings would appear to match the Biblical story and attest to the plausibility of the account in which Samson, in his final act, brings down the temple of Dagon upon the Philistines..

"And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison-house; and he made sport before them. And they set him between the pillars:
and Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
And Samson called unto Jehovah, and said, O Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house rested, and leaned upon them, the one with his right hand, and the other with his left.
And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead that he slew at his death were more than they that he slew in his life."

Judges 16:25-30

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Notable Finds

Much of what is described in Bible text is lost to history, requiring readers to assume the historicity of the scriptures.

However, many of the places and events described in the Old and New Testaments are periodically corroborated by archeological finds.

Some finds simply help us to better understand things from the ancient world. However, others provide important evidence as to the truth of scripture regarding things about which there had previously been skepticism.

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