This is an important discovery so we are handed a fundamental diversion from what it implies. How could we expect otherwise?
They pass off the implication as an "Assyrian influence". All the smart people already know that, since Assyria was right next door. But of course it's Assyrian! Is that all? No.
A more detailed description of the item and it's context is in this article:
It is likely that the owner was a senior official during the Kingdom of Judah and used the seal to sign documents or certificates, the IAA said.
But think about that: a top-level Jew is using the image of a pagan deity to seal official documentation. Does that make sense? It should draw our attention as much as seeing an bishop wave bye-bye with the mano cornuto (and no, he's not at the rock show).
Also, two names are inscribed on the seal: Yehoʼezer and Hoshʼayahu. They describe the importance as being that these names are very similar to names of characters in the Bible. Sure, okay, but that's not the important part. Another diversion.
The "yeho" and the "yahu" in those names are variants of Yahweh. The first name means something like "Yahweh is preeminent" and the second "Yahweh has helped". So clearly, father and son thought Yahweh was a great guy, didn't they?
That's a big problem: the Bible says the Juden slipped back and forth from paganism, but here we have both Yahweh, paganism, and official Jewdom combined in a single object. Can the circle be squared?
The answer is yes, but this post has gone on long enough. Such a thing as discussed here is far from the only instance. Another one--also entirely ignored--concerns the very city of Jerusalem.
The Jews had a millennium to name the city whatever they wanted. They could do so now, if they so pleased. Nor is it all that strange an idea, since the Muslims already refer to it as Al Quds ("The Holy").
It turns out the name Jerusalem comes originally from "uru shalem", which means something like "the city of Shalim". And who is Shalim? A pagan deity, of the Ugarit pantheon to be precise. Is the city named after a pagan god when it should be named after Yahweh?
This is an important discovery so we are handed a fundamental diversion from what it implies. How could we expect otherwise?
They pass off the implication as an "Assyrian influence". All the smart people already know that, since Assyria was right next door. But of course it's Assyrian! Is that all? No.
A more detailed description of the item and it's context is in this article:
‘Extremely rare, beautiful’ First Temple-era ‘genie’ seal discovered in Jerusalem 2,700-year-old stone seal is inscribed with the words ‘Yehoʼezer son of Hoshʼayahu’; its image of a protective winged demon or genie betrays Assyrian influence (Times of Israel 8/29/2024)
But think about that: a top-level Jew is using the image of a pagan deity to seal official documentation. Does that make sense? It should draw our attention as much as seeing an bishop wave bye-bye with the mano cornuto (and no, he's not at the rock show).
Also, two names are inscribed on the seal: Yehoʼezer and Hoshʼayahu. They describe the importance as being that these names are very similar to names of characters in the Bible. Sure, okay, but that's not the important part. Another diversion.
The "yeho" and the "yahu" in those names are variants of Yahweh. The first name means something like "Yahweh is preeminent" and the second "Yahweh has helped". So clearly, father and son thought Yahweh was a great guy, didn't they?
That's a big problem: the Bible says the Juden slipped back and forth from paganism, but here we have both Yahweh, paganism, and official Jewdom combined in a single object. Can the circle be squared?
The answer is yes, but this post has gone on long enough. Such a thing as discussed here is far from the only instance. Another one--also entirely ignored--concerns the very city of Jerusalem.
The Jews had a millennium to name the city whatever they wanted. They could do so now, if they so pleased. Nor is it all that strange an idea, since the Muslims already refer to it as Al Quds ("The Holy").
It turns out the name Jerusalem comes originally from "uru shalem", which means something like "the city of Shalim". And who is Shalim? A pagan deity, of the Ugarit pantheon to be precise. Is the city named after a pagan god when it should be named after Yahweh?
Well, maybe it already is.