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The Two Jerusalems

According to the Tanakh, there were twoconstructed in the time of King David
locations called Jerusalem, oneand Solomon. Artifacts found within the
inhabited by the Amorites (Joshua 10:5),sanctuary of the citadel mostly spoke
and the other inhabited by the Jebusitesconcerning offerings of oil, wine,
(Joshua 15:63; Judges 1:21). One in thewheat, and etc. brought to there by
mountains (Joshua 10:6) and the othernumerous people from not just David and
surrounded by mountains (Psalm 125:2;Solomon's time but throughout the reign
Nehemiah 8:15). One the Children ofof the kings of Judah til the kingdoms
Israel conquered when they entered thefall to Babylon. However, in the
land of Israel (Judges 1:8) and thePersian, Maccabean, Roman, and early
other was took by King David some 300Mohammadean eras locals continued to
years later (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Chroniclestransport these items to the sacred
11:5). One in the mount of Ephraimprecinct of the upper hill. Markers of
(Genesis 33:18; Genesis 14:18; Joshuathis ancient Israelite service remain
18:1; Judges 4:5;) and the other justtil this day from broken pottery litered
north of Rimmon which is in the southernupon the entire site.
part of Judah (and the inheritance ofDuring the reign of the kings of Judah
Simeon- Joshua 19:7-8) (Zechariah 14:10;the citadel was periodically
Joshua 15:21-32). Therefore, reasonablyrefortified, remodeled and rebuilt upon
two questions come to mind: Which one isone another a number of times, until
the modern city Jerusalem that we allultimately it was destroyed between 597
know? And where is the other Jerusalem?BCE and 577 BCE whilst Jerusalem was
Modern Jerusalem's name is well known tounder siege from the Babylonian
mean Salem that was the place of KingNebuchadnezzar. Among the most
Melechzedek, and was written to be infascinating artifacts unearthed from
the mountain of Ephraim. Jerusalem isthis time are ostraca from the mid-7th
located in some of the highest mountainscentury BCE that refered to this citadel
in the region (on the top, notas the House of Yahweh.
surrounded by mountains) and is alsoHabitation of Tel Arad and the upper
just next to Bethel. The mountains fromcitadel did not end with the
the site of Shechem, Bethel, and modernBabylonians. In fact, during the Persian
Jerusalem are all on the same mountainperiod (5th - 4th centuries BCE) almost
range that streach from Shimron north toa hundred ostracon and pottery were
Har Hebron south. Just considering thewritten in Aramaic and were mostly
geographic clues I would conclude thataccounts of locals that brought oil,
Modern Jerusalem is the Jerusalem ofwine, wheat, and etc to the upper hill.
King Adoni-zedek the Amorite that JoshuaThus, several citadels were built upon
fought against and chased to Makkedahone another and existed in the
(also not far from modern Jerusalem).Hellenistic and Roman periods. Herod
However, if this is the Amoriteeven reconstructed the lower city for
Jerusalem then where is the Jebusitethe purpose of making bread.
one? It was this Jerusalem that DavidThe Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in
came to and took a fortress that wasthe first century wrote an almost
built there on mount Zion. And thisperfect geographic description that fits
place he set up his own tabernacle toTel Arad and also gave a matching
place the Ark within the citadel. Thisexplaination of why the citadel dealt
place was a House of Yahweh and the citywith so much food and supplies in
of David fortified by Solomon and otherpottery. As stated in the 'Wars of the
kings of Judah (2 Samuel 5:9; 2Jews' 5:1: ".. The city was built upon
Chronicles 8:11; 1 Kings 9:24; 1 Kingstwo hills which are opposite to one
11:27; 2 Chronicles 32:5), but wasn'tanother, and have a valley to divide
the Temple built by Solomon on Mountthem asunder; at which valley the
Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1). Today therecorresponding rows of houses on both
is only one place that has been foundhills end. Of these hills, that which
and proven to be a House of Yahweh incontains the upper city is much higher,
Israel.and in length more direct. Accordingly,
Tel Arad (Hebrew: תלit was called the "Citadel," by king
ער×"‎) (not to be confusedDavid; he was the father of that Solomon
with biblical Arad) is located west ofwho built this temple at the first; but
the Dead Sea, about 10km west of modernit is by us called the "Upper
Arad in an area surrounded by mountainMarket-place." But the other hill, which
ridges which is known as the Aradwas called "Acra," and sustains the
Becken. The Arad area is north of thelower city, is of the shape of a moon
old and modern place of Mizpe Rimmon Thewhen she is horned; over-against this
site is divided into a lower city and anwas a third hill, but naturally lower
upper hill which holds the only everthan Acra, and parted formerly from the
discovered 'House of Yahweh' in the landother by a broad valley."
of Israel.The site lasted til the Romans destroyed
The House of Yahweh upon the hill of TelJerusalem and completely expelled the
Arad even after over 40 years has'circumcised' in 135 AD.
sparked a number of questions with manyArchaeology has already substanciated
trying to understand why the site has athat Tel Arad existed and was inhabited
sanctuary, holy of holies that wereat the time that Josephus would have
built in time of the two greatest kingswrote this. However, this description of
of Judah. Why does it have records ofthe citadel of David could only be on
well known priestly families, andmount Zion and only in Jerusalem. Yet,
countless amounts of offerings andone fact that is rarely spoken of
pottery from the time of itsdirectly in the Tanakh is that there
establishment in King David's time towere two Jerusalems.
the Roman and Islamic Empires. OneWith such clear cut differences between
conclusion many are beginning to come tothe two Jerusalems the possibility that
is that this is the tabernacle of Davidthe House of Yahweh at 'Tel Arad' is the
(1 Chronicles 6:32; Isaiah 16:5; AmosCitadel of David, the Arad Becken is the
9:11), the hill of Zion, and area of theJerusalem surrounded by mountains, and
Jerusalem of the Jebusites. And althoughnot too far north from Mizpe Rimmon does
it might seem unbelievable the evidencenot stray too far from logic.
behind the theory is beginning to haveNevertheless, time will tell whether
allot of weight.clear proof will come to the light on
In the 11th century BCE (the time ofthe issue.
Samuel, Saul and David), initially theFor more developments on this I suggest
upper hill was an unwalled piece of landyou search 'House of Yahweh' or 'Tel
cut off as an official or sacred domain,Arad' on Wikipedia and read these two
and then later as a garrison-town knownpages Citadel History, Zion Search from
as 'The Citadel'.people presently on the site.
The citadel and sanctuary were



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