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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2016 The Expansion of Judah Under Uzziah into Philistia: The Historical Credibility of 2 Chronicles 26:6-7a in Light of Archaeological Evidence Jeffrey P. Hudon Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Hudon, Jeffrey P., "The Expansion of Judah Under Uzziah into Philistia: The Historical Credibility of 2 Chronicles 26:6-7a in Light of Archaeological Evidence" (2016). Dissertations. 1618. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1618 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT THE EXPANSION OF JUDAH UNDER UZZIAH INTO PHILISTIA: THE HISTORICAL CREDIBILITY OF 2 CHRONICLES 26:6-7a IN LIGHT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE by Jeffrey P. Hudon Adviser: Randall W. Younker ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: THE EXPANSION OF JUDAH UNDER UZZIAH INTO PHILISTIA: THE HISTORICAL CREDIBILITY OF 2 CHRONICLES 26:6-7a IN LIGHT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE Name of researcher: Jeffrey P. Hudon Name and degree of faculty adviser: Randall W. Younker Date completed: November 2016 The Problem Since the eighteenth century, many biblical scholars and historians have seriously questioned the historical reliability of the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles for two important reasons. First, these books were clearly composed no earlier than the late sixth and most likely during the fifth century B.C. Consequently, the question arises as to whether the author, writing during the Persian Period, was able to access annalistic sources from the Iron Age II. Secondly, the author seems to display a strong theological tendentious view that often appears to influence his portrayal of the kings and people of Judah and hence casts serious doubts on the historical credibility of his work. In his treatment of the kings of Judah, the author regularly provides information missing from parallel biblical texts. Accordingly, whether the author of Chronicles penned his narrative directly from annals and records from the period of the monarchy, or deliberately created and composed his own theological history of ancient Israel and Judah remains a contested issue. The Method This study selected Judah’s war against the Philistines during the reign of Uzziah, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 26:6-7a, as an ideal “test case” for determining the historical credibility of information preserved only in Chronicles. The careful, exhaustive study of published archaeological data from the numerous surveys and excavations conducted in the Shephelah and the Philistine Plain provide a crucial, independent witness to eighth century B.C. constructive and destructive events in this region. All aspects of material culture were examined, notably architecture, epigraphic material and other key ethnic indicators in order to help determine the predominant ethnicity of each site. Special attention was given to the sites specifically mentioned in the text of Chronicles; Gath (assumably Tell es-Safi), (Tel) Ashdod and (Tel) Yavneh. The Results The archaeological evidence portrays a strong, resurgent Judah during the reign of Uzziah and confirms a strong Judahite material cultural presence at several sites in the Philistine Plain, including Tell es-Safi. However, earlier claims that ascribe destructive layers to Uzziah, notably at the site of Ashdod, have been called into questions, while recent excavations at an extramural suburb of this Philistine city unearthed a destruction layer that may correlate with his actions. Conclusions The study has demonstrated, utilizing various lines of archaeological evidence gleaned from numerous sites relevant to the historical issue at hand, that the weight of probability supports the historical credibility of 2 Chronicles 26:6-7a and provides a reasonably persuasive case that this biblical text preserves archival data dating from the period of the monarchy (Iron Age II), but falls short of offering definitive proof. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary THE EXPANSION OF JUDAH UNDER UZZIAH INTO PHILISTIA: THE HISTORICAL CREDIBILITY OF 2 CHRONICLES 26:6-7a IN LIGHT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Jeffrey P. Hudon 2016 © Copyright by Jeffrey P. Hudon 2016 All Rights Reserved THE EXPANSION OF JUDAH UNDER UZZIAH INTO PHILISTIA: THE HISTORICAL CREDIBILITY OF 2 CHRONICLES 26:6-7a IN LIGHT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Jeffrey P. Hudon APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: __________________________________ ___________________________________ Faculty Advisor, Director, PhD: Biblical and Ancient Randall W. Younker Near Eastern Archaeology Professor of Archaeology and History of Antiquity Randall W. Younker __________________________________ ___________________________________ Paul J. Ray, Jr. Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Associate Professor of Old Testament Jiří Moskala and Biblical Archaeology __________________________________ Richard M. Davidson Professor of Old Testament Interpretation __________________________________ Constance E. C. Gane Associate Professor of Archaeology and Old Testament ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Andrew G. Vaughn Date approved Executive Director American Schools of Oriental Research לדוֹדי לסלי TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................ x PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................... xi Chapter 1. HISTORY OF RESEARCH .............................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 Background Statement .................................................................................. 2 Problem Statement ........................................................................................ 3 Purpose Statement ......................................................................................... 5 Methodology Statement ................................................................................ 5 The Historical Reliability of Chronicles: An Overview ................................ 6 Uzziah in Historical Sources: An Overview ................................................. 9 Uzziah in Archaeological Sources: An Overview ......................................... 13 2. THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF WESTERN JUDAH AND PHILISTIA DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE EIGHTH CENTURY B.C. ................. 16 Introduction ................................................................................................... 16 The “Pots and Peoples” Paradigm and Uzziah: On Identifying Judahite Material Cultural Remains in the Shephelah and Philistine Plain ......... 22 General Concerns ................................................................................... 23 Artifacts as an Ethnic Indicator.............................................................. 25 Pottery as an Ethnic Indicator ................................................................ 28 Architectural Remains as an Ethnic Indicator ....................................... 31 Tomb Architecture and Burial Practices as an Ethnic Indicator ............ 32 Settlement Patterns................................................................................. 33 Bones as an Ethnic Indicator .................................................................. 33 Destruction Layers ................................................................................. 34 Epigraphy ............................................................................................... 34 The Geopolitical Status of the Shephelah and the Philistine Plain During the Early Eighth Century B.C.: Evidence for Judahite Expansion .............................................................................................. 35 Geopolitical Motivations and Opportunities for Expansion .................. 37 Uzziah’s Quest for Trade Outlets and Revenue ..................................... 38 Acquisition of Agricultural Land and Royal Properties ........................ 42 iii Tribal and Other Ancestral Land Claims ............................................... 43 The Geopolitical Expediency of Neutralizing Philistia ......................... 43 Ideological and Nationalistic Motivations ............................................. 44 The Shephelah During Iron Age IIB ...................................................... 45 Philistia During Iron Age IIB-C ............................................................ 47 The Philistines in Eighth Century B.C. Prophetic Texts ....................... 50 Flavius Josephus .................................................................................... 51 Excursus One: Historical Issues Related to 2 Chronicles 26:6 .................... 52 The Extent of Uzziah’s Expansion into Philistia ..................................

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