| According to the Tanakh, there were two | | | | constructed in the time of King David |
| locations called Jerusalem, one | | | | and Solomon. Artifacts found within the |
| inhabited by the Amorites (Joshua 10:5), | | | | sanctuary of the citadel mostly spoke |
| and the other inhabited by the Jebusites | | | | concerning offerings of oil, wine, |
| (Joshua 15:63; Judges 1:21). One in the | | | | wheat, and etc. brought to there by |
| mountains (Joshua 10:6) and the other | | | | numerous 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 of | | | | of the kings of Judah til the kingdoms |
| Israel conquered when they entered the | | | | fall to Babylon. However, in the |
| land of Israel (Judges 1:8) and the | | | | Persian, Maccabean, Roman, and early |
| other was took by King David some 300 | | | | Mohammadean eras locals continued to |
| years later (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Chronicles | | | | transport these items to the sacred |
| 11:5). One in the mount of Ephraim | | | | precinct of the upper hill. Markers of |
| (Genesis 33:18; Genesis 14:18; Joshua | | | | this ancient Israelite service remain |
| 18:1; Judges 4:5;) and the other just | | | | til this day from broken pottery litered |
| north of Rimmon which is in the southern | | | | upon the entire site. |
| part of Judah (and the inheritance of | | | | During the reign of the kings of Judah |
| Simeon- Joshua 19:7-8) (Zechariah 14:10; | | | | the citadel was periodically |
| Joshua 15:21-32). Therefore, reasonably | | | | refortified, remodeled and rebuilt upon |
| two questions come to mind: Which one is | | | | one another a number of times, until |
| the modern city Jerusalem that we all | | | | ultimately 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 to | | | | under siege from the Babylonian |
| mean Salem that was the place of King | | | | Nebuchadnezzar. Among the most |
| Melechzedek, and was written to be in | | | | fascinating artifacts unearthed from |
| the mountain of Ephraim. Jerusalem is | | | | this time are ostraca from the mid-7th |
| located in some of the highest mountains | | | | century BCE that refered to this citadel |
| in the region (on the top, not | | | | as the House of Yahweh. |
| surrounded by mountains) and is also | | | | Habitation of Tel Arad and the upper |
| just next to Bethel. The mountains from | | | | citadel did not end with the |
| the site of Shechem, Bethel, and modern | | | | Babylonians. In fact, during the Persian |
| Jerusalem are all on the same mountain | | | | period (5th - 4th centuries BCE) almost |
| range that streach from Shimron north to | | | | a hundred ostracon and pottery were |
| Har Hebron south. Just considering the | | | | written in Aramaic and were mostly |
| geographic clues I would conclude that | | | | accounts of locals that brought oil, |
| Modern Jerusalem is the Jerusalem of | | | | wine, wheat, and etc to the upper hill. |
| King Adoni-zedek the Amorite that Joshua | | | | Thus, several citadels were built upon |
| fought against and chased to Makkedah | | | | one another and existed in the |
| (also not far from modern Jerusalem). | | | | Hellenistic and Roman periods. Herod |
| However, if this is the Amorite | | | | even reconstructed the lower city for |
| Jerusalem then where is the Jebusite | | | | the purpose of making bread. |
| one? It was this Jerusalem that David | | | | The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in |
| came to and took a fortress that was | | | | the first century wrote an almost |
| built there on mount Zion. And this | | | | perfect geographic description that fits |
| place he set up his own tabernacle to | | | | Tel Arad and also gave a matching |
| place the Ark within the citadel. This | | | | explaination of why the citadel dealt |
| place was a House of Yahweh and the city | | | | with so much food and supplies in |
| of David fortified by Solomon and other | | | | pottery. As stated in the 'Wars of the |
| kings of Judah (2 Samuel 5:9; 2 | | | | Jews' 5:1: ".. The city was built upon |
| Chronicles 8:11; 1 Kings 9:24; 1 Kings | | | | two hills which are opposite to one |
| 11:27; 2 Chronicles 32:5), but wasn't | | | | another, and have a valley to divide |
| the Temple built by Solomon on Mount | | | | them asunder; at which valley the |
| Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1). Today there | | | | corresponding rows of houses on both |
| is only one place that has been found | | | | hills end. Of these hills, that which |
| and proven to be a House of Yahweh in | | | | contains the upper city is much higher, |
| Israel. | | | | and in length more direct. Accordingly, |
| Tel Arad (Hebrew: ×ª× | | | | it was called the "Citadel," by king |
| ער×"â) (not to be confused | | | | David; he was the father of that Solomon |
| with biblical Arad) is located west of | | | | who built this temple at the first; but |
| the Dead Sea, about 10km west of modern | | | | it is by us called the "Upper |
| Arad in an area surrounded by mountain | | | | Market-place." But the other hill, which |
| ridges which is known as the Arad | | | | was called "Acra," and sustains the |
| Becken. The Arad area is north of the | | | | lower city, is of the shape of a moon |
| old and modern place of Mizpe Rimmon The | | | | when she is horned; over-against this |
| site is divided into a lower city and an | | | | was a third hill, but naturally lower |
| upper hill which holds the only ever | | | | than Acra, and parted formerly from the |
| discovered 'House of Yahweh' in the land | | | | other by a broad valley." |
| of Israel. | | | | The site lasted til the Romans destroyed |
| The House of Yahweh upon the hill of Tel | | | | Jerusalem and completely expelled the |
| Arad even after over 40 years has | | | | 'circumcised' in 135 AD. |
| sparked a number of questions with many | | | | Archaeology has already substanciated |
| trying to understand why the site has a | | | | that Tel Arad existed and was inhabited |
| sanctuary, holy of holies that were | | | | at the time that Josephus would have |
| built in time of the two greatest kings | | | | wrote this. However, this description of |
| of Judah. Why does it have records of | | | | the citadel of David could only be on |
| well known priestly families, and | | | | mount Zion and only in Jerusalem. Yet, |
| countless amounts of offerings and | | | | one fact that is rarely spoken of |
| pottery from the time of its | | | | directly in the Tanakh is that there |
| establishment in King David's time to | | | | were two Jerusalems. |
| the Roman and Islamic Empires. One | | | | With such clear cut differences between |
| conclusion many are beginning to come to | | | | the two Jerusalems the possibility that |
| is that this is the tabernacle of David | | | | the House of Yahweh at 'Tel Arad' is the |
| (1 Chronicles 6:32; Isaiah 16:5; Amos | | | | Citadel of David, the Arad Becken is the |
| 9:11), the hill of Zion, and area of the | | | | Jerusalem surrounded by mountains, and |
| Jerusalem of the Jebusites. And although | | | | not too far north from Mizpe Rimmon does |
| it might seem unbelievable the evidence | | | | not stray too far from logic. |
| behind the theory is beginning to have | | | | Nevertheless, time will tell whether |
| allot of weight. | | | | clear proof will come to the light on |
| In the 11th century BCE (the time of | | | | the issue. |
| Samuel, Saul and David), initially the | | | | For more developments on this I suggest |
| upper hill was an unwalled piece of land | | | | you 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 known | | | | pages Citadel History, Zion Search from |
| as 'The Citadel'. | | | | people presently on the site. |
| The citadel and sanctuary were | | | | |