Museum of the Bible

The Water System

Megiddo's huge water system was hewn during the period of the Israelite kings, in order to bring water into the city without having to exit the walls. To this end, Megiddo's inhabitants dug a gigantic, 36-meter-deep shaft, from which a 70-meter-long horizontal tunnel extended to the spring, which emerged in a cave at the foot of the mound outside the walls. The tunnel was cut on an incline so the water would flow to the bottom of the shaft and the inhabitants could draw water while standing at the top. The outer entrance to the spring was sealed with a massive stone wall, concealed with earth so that an enemy besieging the city would not discover its location.

Timeline of Historic findings

Northern Stables

Megiddo was a major Israelite city that was transformed into a horse training center, with large stables and arenas where the palaces once stood. Scholars once attributed these stables to Solomon, but they are actually from the 8th century B.C.E., built by Jeroboam II to provide war horses to the Assyrian Empire.The biblical account in 1 Kings 10:26: Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.According to the famous Israeli archeologist, Yigal Yadin, he believes that the stables belong to Ahab and the number of chariots and horses are referred to in the Kurkh Monolith, pictured here.

Canaanite City Gates

The Ceremonial entrance until the end of the Canaanite period - later repurposed into ovens or baking facilities for the palace.

Burial Chambers - The Aegean Tomb

– A large hole in the ground to the left of the path marks the location of the 'Aegean Tomb.' This impressive arched-roofed structure, partially built of ashlars, was preserved in its entirety. The sign presents an artist's rendering of the tomb's facade. Comparing it to similar structures throughout the Levant and Greece, the excavators deduced it was a burial structure. However, since it was found empty, both its purpose and its date are difficult to determine. It is unclear whether the structure stood out on the surface or was built underground and therefore it is difficult to ascribe it to a particular stratum. Even today, after renewed excavation around the burial chamber, controversy persists over its dating – to either the Late Canaanite or the Israelite period I. Efforts have been made in recent years to conserve the building and prevent its collapse. A number of upright stone slabs were found near the structure; the one on the left, on a large stone base, has recently been rebuilt.

Map of Israel

Eastern Lookout Point

Take a look at this amazing valley, the Jezre'el valley (Yizra El) literally, "God will plant"To the direct east hilltop - Mt. Tavor, site of Deborah's battle in Judges and the likely time of destruction of Megiddo:Judge's 5: "Kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought. At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, they took no plunder of silver. From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. The river Kishon swept them away,the age-old river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul; be strong! Then thundered the horses' hooves— galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds.

Shishak's Inscription on Conquering Megiddo

Near the end of his reign, shortly after King Solomon died, Shishak invaded the lands of Judah and Israel. Upon returning to Egypt, he commissioned a record of his success to be inscribed on a wall of the Great Temple of Amun-Re at Karnak. Known as the Bubastite Portal, it lists over 150 places he claims to have conquered in his conquest of the land to the north.[Timeline of the Kings of Israel](https://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/116628/The-Kings-of-Israel-and-Judah/#vars!date=0928_BC-01-01_02:03:00!)In the Bible 1 Kings 14: "In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, Shishak king of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He seized the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields that Solomon had made."Shishak, 926BC definitely campaigned in ancient Israel and fought Solomon's son, Rehoboam.Shishak's inscription was found at Megiddo in photo 3 stating: "Enduring Life, the Good god Sheshonq, beloved of Amun."

Extra-Biblical inscriptions Mernaptah and Shelmanesar

[Merneptath Stele - 1200BC Amenhotep iii, Thebes, Egypt](https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=1561) Canaan is captive with all woe. Ashkelon is conquered, Gezer seized, Yanoam made nonexistent; Israel is wasted, bare of seed""The Israel Stele's importance to archaeology cannot be overstated. Its contents disprove the later dating of the Exodus. If the Exodus had not occurred until the 13th century b.c.e., then at the time of Merneptah's 1207 conquest, Israel would not have been an established power; therefore, mentioning Israel by name in victory would have been unnecessary." - Armstrong Institute[The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser - 841BC, Shlmaneser iii, Nimrud, Iraq (Assyria)](https://armstronginstitute.org/128-the-black-obelisk-of-shalmaneser-and-the-earliest-depiction-of-an-israelite) The tribute of Jehu, son of Omri: I received from him silver, gold, a golden bowl, a golden vase with pointed bottom, golden tumblers, golden buckets, tin, a staff for a king [and] spears.2 Kings 32: In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory"[The Mesha Stele](https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=5053) - 850BC, Mesha, Dibon JordanOmri was the king of Israel, and he oppressed Moab for many days, for Kemoš was angry with his land. And his son succeeded him, and he said - he too - "I will oppress Moab!" In my days he did so, but I looked down on him and on his house, and Israel has gone to ruin, yes, it has gone to ruin for ever!And from there, I took the vessels of YHWH, and I hauled them before the face of Kemoš.

3D Model of the site aerial view

View towards Mt. Carmel

The Southern Stables

The stables remained "Ahab's Stables" until 2000 when Israel Finkelstein, the co-director of Tel Aviv University's renewed excavations at Megiddo, launched in 1992, announced a revised date for Stratum IV, based on their excavation results from another part of the site, Area H, as well as in the area of the Northern Stable Complex.2 Kings 14:23: In the fifteenth year of King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel became king in Samaria—for forty-one years…. 14:25 It was he who restored the territory of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the promise of YHWH, the God of Israel…The most expensive traded items in the ancient world were trained chariot horses, and the northern Kingdom of Israel, in particular Megiddo, was an essential link in this trade. The great Assyrian Empire required horses, specifically the large Kushite horses from Egypt, for their chariot teams.

Canaanite Palace

On the other side of the Canaanite gate, on the right, is a massive stone wall, two meters thick, the sole remnant on the site of the palace of Megiddo's Canaanite ruler. The palace was built during the Middle Canaanite period, reaching its greatest size and opulence in the Late Canaanite period. It was a huge structure in local terms – the portion unearthed in the excavations measured 50 x 30 meters. Its plan, with a central, open courtyard surrounded by rooms and smaller courtyards, was influenced by contemporaneous Syrian architecture. Basalt steps alongside the stone wall were part of a street that ascended from the city gate to a plaza in front of the palace. The palace was destroyed in a conflagration in the mid-twelfth century BCE. An assemblage of hundreds of carved ivory artifacts was discovered in one of its rooms, dubbed the 'treasure room' by the excavators. The assemblage attests to the status of Megiddo's rulers at the time. Another sign of the rulers' eminence can be seen in the seashell flooring of one of the vestibules leading to the central courtyard and the remains of colored plaster on the courtyard walls. Most of the palace walls were removed during the excavation to expose earlier strata; however, the southern portion of the palace has not yet been excavated

Israelite Gates?

Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord's temple, his own palace, the terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer. 1 Kings 9:15

Ancient Israelite Dwelling - Wealthy House

Two rows of three monolithic pillars each are vestiges of a dwelling from the Israelite period. The building was planned as a 'four-room house,' which was typical of sites from the Israelite period. The plan featured three parallel spaces with a fourth space perpendicular to them. The side spaces were used for storage, the middle was an open courtyard and the perpendicular space was the dwelling area. A small industrial zone near the dwelling was dated to the eleventh and tenth centuries BCE.

Ancient Seal of King Jerobaum