Tel Hazor
Alice C. Linsley
Known in Joshua’s day as “the head of all those kingdoms,” Hazor is the largest tell in Israel at 200 acres. It was the main urban center for the large city-state that was culturally influenced by the Egyptians.
The Horite Hebrew priests there were devotees of the High God, his son HR, and HR's mother Hathor. The conflict between the Israelite warriors who attacked Hazor may have been a conflict between native Hebrew people and the invading Hebrew under Joshua.
There are two accounts of the conquest of Canaan in the Bible. One would have us believe that the Israelites came out of Egypt and conquered the cities of Canaan under divine guidance. Those who want archaeology to validate the Biblical account will be content with this interpretation, but is it the most accurate interpretation?
Hershel Shanks has written that archaeology "sometimes provides evidence that seems to refute the Biblical account. That is the case, for example, with the Israelite conquest of the land as described in the Book of Joshua. The various cities that the Israelites supposedly conquered simply cannot be lined up with the archaeological evidence." (BAR, July-August 2013, p. 6)
Another version requires a deeper look at the Hebrew who were living dispersed among the Canaanites before the time of the Exodus. They were the priests, warriors, and metalworkers who enjoyed relatively high status in the Canaanite shrine settlements. Hazor was one of those shrine cities as evidenced by the discovery of the royal upper level with a chapel and offering table. The few preserved Egyptian hieroglyphs indicate that this shrine was dedicated by a Horite priest called Ra-hotep some time before 1250 BC.
The idea of dual origins appears to be true until one investigates the genealogical information and finds that the kinship pattern of Abraham and Moses is the pattern identified with and unique to the Horites. This should not surprise us since the Bible claims that Moses is a descendant of Abraham and Abraham's people were Horites whose cultural context was Nilo-Saharan.
The shrine cities in which the early Hebrew lived included Hazor, Ramah, Bethel, Jerusalem, Hebron and Beersheba. They were built on high ground and were mound settlements, as was Shechem, another Horite shrine, where there was an ombligo stone symbolizing the navel of the earth, or the sacred center. They had permanent water sources and were organized with separate neighborhoods for the ruling class, the elite tradesmen, and the commoners. Extended families lived in close proximity, usually with a common courtyard. The ruler's complex was on higher ground and included quarters for residential staff such as cooks, craftsmen, warriors and priests. The most holy shrine or small temple was often within the royal complex.
Hershel Shanks has written that archaeology "sometimes provides evidence that seems to refute the Biblical account. That is the case, for example, with the Israelite conquest of the land as described in the Book of Joshua. The various cities that the Israelites supposedly conquered simply cannot be lined up with the archaeological evidence." (BAR, July-August 2013, p. 6)
Another version requires a deeper look at the Hebrew who were living dispersed among the Canaanites before the time of the Exodus. They were the priests, warriors, and metalworkers who enjoyed relatively high status in the Canaanite shrine settlements. Hazor was one of those shrine cities as evidenced by the discovery of the royal upper level with a chapel and offering table. The few preserved Egyptian hieroglyphs indicate that this shrine was dedicated by a Horite priest called Ra-hotep some time before 1250 BC.
The idea of dual origins appears to be true until one investigates the genealogical information and finds that the kinship pattern of Abraham and Moses is the pattern identified with and unique to the Horites. This should not surprise us since the Bible claims that Moses is a descendant of Abraham and Abraham's people were Horites whose cultural context was Nilo-Saharan.
The shrine cities in which the early Hebrew lived included Hazor, Ramah, Bethel, Jerusalem, Hebron and Beersheba. They were built on high ground and were mound settlements, as was Shechem, another Horite shrine, where there was an ombligo stone symbolizing the navel of the earth, or the sacred center. They had permanent water sources and were organized with separate neighborhoods for the ruling class, the elite tradesmen, and the commoners. Extended families lived in close proximity, usually with a common courtyard. The ruler's complex was on higher ground and included quarters for residential staff such as cooks, craftsmen, warriors and priests. The most holy shrine or small temple was often within the royal complex.
Northern Shrine Cities
Ramah, about 4 or 5 miles north-west of Jerusalem, is an important northern shrine as it was the home of the prophet Samuel whose father's two-wife pattern (1 Sam. 1) suggests that Samuel's family was Horite Hebrew. Ramah is also named in connection with the prophetess Deborah who judged from her date nut palm between Ramah and Bethel (note the south-north axis versus the west-east axis indicated by Abraham's tent being pitched between Bethel and Ai). This suggests that for some of Abraham's descendants the sacred center was not always identified with shrine cities. People seeking divine guidance had to make the effort to go out to the wilderness (cf. pilgrims going to John the Forerunner).
Ramah, about 4 or 5 miles north-west of Jerusalem, is an important northern shrine as it was the home of the prophet Samuel whose father's two-wife pattern (1 Sam. 1) suggests that Samuel's family was Horite Hebrew. Ramah is also named in connection with the prophetess Deborah who judged from her date nut palm between Ramah and Bethel (note the south-north axis versus the west-east axis indicated by Abraham's tent being pitched between Bethel and Ai). This suggests that for some of Abraham's descendants the sacred center was not always identified with shrine cities. People seeking divine guidance had to make the effort to go out to the wilderness (cf. pilgrims going to John the Forerunner).
Hazor was the administrative center of an ancient territory. This is attested in Joshua 11:10: "Hazor in olden days was the capital of all these kingdoms." Grain and other commodities were brought as tribute to Hazor and were stored there. Excavations have uncovered huge storage facilities there. These and tunnels to the subterranean water pits testify to the importance of the city.
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| Amulet of Hathor found at Hazor |
From the Upper Egyptian Amarna letters come evidence that the king of Hazor was under the rule of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Other rulers mentioned in the Letters include Lib'ayu of the shrine city of Shechem and Abdi-Heba who ruled in the shrine city of Jerusalem in the mid-1330s BC. Abdi-Heba hired some Apiru/Habiru (Hebrew) to serve as mercenaries. Among the Habiru were clans known for their skill in spying and combat. Others were known for their skill in metal work some of which was done at the shrine cities since these had sufficient water, and metal articles such as jewelry, mirrors, tools, weapons and sacred vessels were crafted for the rulers.
Hazor was destroyed by a large fire between 1400 and 1100 BC. Fourteen massive jars of scorched 3,400 year-old wheat have been found in a Late Bronze Age palace at Hazor. Scholars do not agree on the cause of the fire. Israeli Archaeologist Amnon Tor-Ben believes that the Israelites conquered the city of Hazor and burned it as described in Joshua 11:11- "None of the cities that stood on mounds did Israel burn, except Hazor only; that Joshua burned." However, Joshua 6:24-28 credits the Israelites with burning Jericho and Ai, but does not mention Hazor.
It is also possible that Hazor was burned by the Egyptians with the help of Nilotic Hebrew warriors. Seti I claimed to have destroyed Hazor in a military campaign around 1300 BC. It is possible that Hebrew warriors were among Seti's destroyers of Hazor and memory of the event came into the Hebrew Bible from them.
It seems doubtful that the Hebrew would have burned Hazor on their own initiative since the king of Hazor was friendly to the Hebrew (Habiru/Hapiru) as evidenced by Amarna document EA 148 (Cairo Museum Cat. Number 4765, ca. 1400-1100 BC).
Perhaps the fire that destroyed parts of Hazor broke out due to granary explosions. This was one of the risks of storing large amounts of grain offered as tribute.
The most important of the southern shrines was Beersheba, inhabited from at least 4000 BC. The shrine is named after the well of Sheba, a huge cistern carved out of the rock beneath the town. There were numerous wells in the area due to the abundance of underground water. Beersheba had separate areas for the ruler and his soldiers, a commercial center, and housing for the average citizens. Sophisticated metal work was being done in the area and the patron of the metal workers was Hathor-Meri, the virgin mother of Horus.
Beersheba is mentioned as a holy place in the patriarchal narratives. Archaeologists have found Edomite and Midianite pottery here which indicates that these related peoples lived here together at different times throughout the Iron Age. A four-horned brazen altar identical in structure to the altar used later by the Israelites was uncovered in 1973.This discovery was made by a team under the direction of Yohanan Aharoni and Ze'ev Herzog of Tel Aviv University.
The horned altar and the mercy seat of the Ark are apophatic representations of the presence of the Creator whose emblem was the Sun. The ancient Horites never worshiped the sun. The Creator and the sun were viewed as distinct since the Lord created a tent for the sun. The negative orb-shaped space is evidence that Israel repudiated earthly representations of the Creator. This likely emerged as the devotees of Horus (Horite Hebrew) sought to separate themselves from the syncretistic developments of the Egyptian and Babylonian empires.
Beersheba was a sacred water shrine in the time of Abraham (2000 BC). Abraham's second wife Keturah lived at Beersheba. Their firstborn son was Joktan (Yaqtan). Beersheba is where Abraham spent the last years of his life.
Hazor was destroyed by a large fire between 1400 and 1100 BC. Fourteen massive jars of scorched 3,400 year-old wheat have been found in a Late Bronze Age palace at Hazor. Scholars do not agree on the cause of the fire. Israeli Archaeologist Amnon Tor-Ben believes that the Israelites conquered the city of Hazor and burned it as described in Joshua 11:11- "None of the cities that stood on mounds did Israel burn, except Hazor only; that Joshua burned." However, Joshua 6:24-28 credits the Israelites with burning Jericho and Ai, but does not mention Hazor.
It is also possible that Hazor was burned by the Egyptians with the help of Nilotic Hebrew warriors. Seti I claimed to have destroyed Hazor in a military campaign around 1300 BC. It is possible that Hebrew warriors were among Seti's destroyers of Hazor and memory of the event came into the Hebrew Bible from them.
It seems doubtful that the Hebrew would have burned Hazor on their own initiative since the king of Hazor was friendly to the Hebrew (Habiru/Hapiru) as evidenced by Amarna document EA 148 (Cairo Museum Cat. Number 4765, ca. 1400-1100 BC).
Perhaps the fire that destroyed parts of Hazor broke out due to granary explosions. This was one of the risks of storing large amounts of grain offered as tribute.
Southern Shrine Cities
Beersheba is mentioned as a holy place in the patriarchal narratives. Archaeologists have found Edomite and Midianite pottery here which indicates that these related peoples lived here together at different times throughout the Iron Age. A four-horned brazen altar identical in structure to the altar used later by the Israelites was uncovered in 1973.This discovery was made by a team under the direction of Yohanan Aharoni and Ze'ev Herzog of Tel Aviv University.
The horned altar and the mercy seat of the Ark are apophatic representations of the presence of the Creator whose emblem was the Sun. The ancient Horites never worshiped the sun. The Creator and the sun were viewed as distinct since the Lord created a tent for the sun. The negative orb-shaped space is evidence that Israel repudiated earthly representations of the Creator. This likely emerged as the devotees of Horus (Horite Hebrew) sought to separate themselves from the syncretistic developments of the Egyptian and Babylonian empires.
Beersheba was a sacred water shrine in the time of Abraham (2000 BC). Abraham's second wife Keturah lived at Beersheba. Their firstborn son was Joktan (Yaqtan). Beersheba is where Abraham spent the last years of his life.
Beersheba had strategic importance because it was the largest settlement in the Negev. It guarded the trade routes between Mesopotamia and Egypt and between the Nile Delta and Southern Arabia. Its fortifications in the late Iron Age were impressive and included a moat that encircled the city and a steeply-sloped earthen rampart. Beyond the rampart the city was surrounded by thick stone walls. The gate was a chambered type, and inside the gate archaeologists found an incense altar at the high place, just as described in II Kings 23:8.
Archaeological discoveries indicate that Beersheba was from the earliest time associated with a ruler class. This explains the discovery of crowns, specters, and objects of ivory and copper of exquisite craftsmanship. It also may explain why Sheba defied David's rule, hoping to make himself king (2 Samuel 20:1–22).
Archaeological discoveries indicate that Beersheba was from the earliest time associated with a ruler class. This explains the discovery of crowns, specters, and objects of ivory and copper of exquisite craftsmanship. It also may explain why Sheba defied David's rule, hoping to make himself king (2 Samuel 20:1–22).
Josephus calls the descendants of Abraham and Keturah "Horites" and, quoting an ancient historian, speaks of them as "conquerors of Egypt and founders of the Assyrian Empire." However, the Horite and Sethite Hebrew maintained temples and shrines along the Nile River long before Egypt and Assyria appeared as political entities. The oldest Horite Hebrew shrine city is Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) on the Nile. Nekhen is marked by a star on the map.
Related reading: Sphinx Discovered at Hazor; The Men Who Spied on Canaan; Jacob Leaves Beersheba; The Saharan Antecedents of Pharaonic Egypt; The Hebrew were a Caste; Horite and Sethite Mounds; The Earliest Known Site of Horite Hebrew Worship
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