1
Literal Translation / Primary Inscription
Epigraphic RecordKH2 lines 5–12 reads: 'May YHWH bless you and keep you; may YHWH make his face shine upon you and give you peace', exactly matching the Priestly Blessing of Numbers 6:24–26.
Ketef Hinnom Silver Amulet Scrolls
7th-century BC tiny rolled silver plaques preserving the oldest surviving citation of biblical scripture (Priestly Blessing)
Direct Archaeological Attestation 98%
c. 650–600 BC (Late First Temple Period)
Discovery Excavation: Chamber 25, Cave 24, Ketef Hinnom, Jerusalem (Gabriel Barkay, 1979)
Current Museum / Accession: Israel Museum, Jerusalem (IAA 1980-1499, IAA 1980-1500)
Two miniature rolled silver amulets (KH1 and KH2) discovered in an unlooted burial repository beneath St. Andrew's Church in Jerusalem, unrolled in 1980 to reveal microscopic Paleo-Hebrew text.
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Corroboration Distribution for Connected Passages (11 records)
89% Confidence
11 sources
36.36%
36.36%
27.27%
Direct Archaeology 4 (36.36%)
Ancient Historians 0 (0%)
Dead Sea Scrolls & Manuscripts 4 (36.36%)
Scholarly Consensus 3 (27.27%)
Debated & Traditional 0 (0%)
Claim-by-Claim Epistemic Verification Breakdown
Rigorous 4-part empirical analysis separating ancient text from bias and consensus
2
Biblical Corroboration & Cross-References
Scriptural HarmonyProvides physical proof that the Priestly Blessing of Numbers 6:24–26 and Deuteronomy's covenant love formulas (`DEU.7:9`) were in active liturgical use in pre-exilic Jerusalem prior to the Babylonian destruction.
Corroborated Passages:
3
Scholarly Debate, Historiography & Modern Consensus
Critical NuanceIn 2004, high-resolution photographic analysis using advanced multispectral imaging by the West Semitic Research Project (Barkay, Lundberg, Zuckerman) definitively disproved late Hellenistic dating hypotheses, locking the date to ~600 BC.
4
Ancient Author Bias, Royal Propaganda & Perspective
Ideological ContextApotropaic personal burial amulets worn around the neck for protection against evil and illness; reflects deeply personal Yahwistic piety rather than royal state propaganda.
Corroborated Scripture Passages
Attested Figures & Kings
Excavations & Ancient Geography
Scholarly Editions & Critical Publications
- Barkay, G. et al. (2004). 'The Amulets from Ketef Hinnom: A New Edition and Evaluation'. BASOR 334: 41-71.
- COS 2.61: 221