Despite the fact that the name of many characters mentioned in the Old Testament, like David, King of Israel, have been recently confirmed by archaeology as well as their epoch and the events in which they were involved, most archaeologists continue to deny the historicity of the Bible they view as pious fiction or a mythical account. They argue that the major events in the Bible such as the victory of Abraham against Chedorlaomer, an unknown king of Elam around 2000 BCE, the victory of Moses against an unknown Pharaoh around 1500 BCE or the victory of Esther, an unknown Persian Queen, against an unknown vizier of Xerxes, never existed because they left absolutely no evidence. They also explain that according to what we know today, these events could not have occurred. These logical arguments are impressive but a precise chronological analysis based on absolute dates, coupled with a rigorous historical investigation, shows that all those major events really took place at the dates and places indicated.

In this groundbreaking work that sets apart fact and legend, authors Finkelstein and Silberman use significant archeological discoveries to provide historical information about biblical Israel and its neighbors. In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible—the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon’s vast empire—reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts. Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today.

Historians consider the biblical account of Noah and the Deluge as a myth. However, this famous event occurred at the earliest times of recorded history (Sumerian King List). Today scientists believe in the last ice age called Pleistocene ending in 10,000 BCE, but there is no witness of this planetary cataclysmic event and its existence is based solely on the controversial interpretation of its consequences and their dating. The existence of erratic blocks and the disappearance of mammoths are presented as evidence of the last glaciation. However, despite dating obtained by 14C (calibrated by dendrochronology) is considered absolute by most experts its confrontation with the Egyptian chronology, in which some dates are fixed by astronomy, reverses this widespread belief and shows that dates obtained by 14C increase exponentially before -2200. Thus the rate of 14C tends gradually to 0 around -3500, which implies an important consequence: before -3500, 14C dating is no longer possible.

Historians consider the biblical account about Chedorlaomer's campaign against Sodom (1954 BCE) as a pious fiction. However, the Gospels refer to it as a real story (Heb 7:1) and a chronological reconstruction based on synchronisms shows that, among dynasties from Sumerian lists, the 3rd and last Elamite king of the Awan I dynasty was Kudur-Lagamar (1990-1954). The Spartoli tablets (c. 650 BCE) describe this famous attack of Babylonia by a coalition of evil kings named Kudur-KUKUmal, king of Elam, Tudḫula, king of Gutium, and Eri-Aku [king of Larsa]. The route of Chedorlaomer and the description of his actions show that this king came to this region near Egypt in order to maintain control over this new land trade route. This ambitious project had to have worried Amenemhat I because southern Canaan was a big source of supply. In order to protect Egypt, Amenemhat I built the "Walls of the Ruler". One can notice that the area of Sodom was called Sutu[m] in execration texts (then Moab after 1800 BCE).

The existence Moses as well as the Exodus is a crucial question because, according to the Bible, the character related to that famous event forms the basis of the Passover which meant the Promised Land for Jews and later the Paradise for Christians. However, according to most Egyptologists, there is absolutely no evidence of Moses and the Exodus in Egyptian documents, which leads them to conclude that the whole biblical story is a myth written for gullible people. However, according to Egyptian accounts the last king of the 15th dynasty named Apopi, “very pretty”, which was Moses' birth name (Ex 2:2), reigned 40 years in Egypt (1613-1573) and met Seqenenre Taa, 40 years later, the last pharaoh of the 17th dynasty who died in May 1533 BCE in dramatic and unclear circumstances (Ps 136:15). The state of his mummy proves that his body received severe injuries and remained abandoned for several days before being mummified. The eldest son of Seqenenre Taa, Ahmose Sapaïr, who was crown prince died in a dramatic and unexplained way shortly before his father (Ex 12:29). Prince Kamose, Seqenenre Taa's brother, assured interim of authority for 3 years and threatened attack the former pharaoh Apopi, new prince of Retenu (Palestine) who took the name Moses, according to Manetho, an Egyptian priest and historian. In the stele of the Tempest, Kamose also blames Apopi for all the disasters that come to fall upon Egypt, which caused many deaths. Ironically, those who believe Egyptologists are actually the real gullible ones

Archaeological discoveries can shed a flood of light on the biblical text. This richly illustrated resource, now available in paperback, offers illuminating archaeological information related to the Old Testament. In this readable and accessible volume, Alfred Hoerth surveys the entire Old Testament, pointing out the relevant archaeological material and explaining how it enriches biblical studies. In an attempt to bridge the Old and New Testament worlds, he devotes the final chapter to an examination of the intertestamental period. The text boasts over 250 illustrative items--charts, photographs, line drawings, and maps.

The traditional date of 4 BCE for Herod's death, as set forth by E. Schurer (1896), has been accepted by historians for years without notable controversy. However, according to the texts of Luke and Matthew, Herod died shortly after Jesus' birth, which can be fixed in 2 BCE. Consequently, there is apparently a major chronological contradiction, however Josephus gives a dozen synchronisms that enable us to date his death on 26 January 1 BCE just after a total lunar eclipse (9 January 1 BCE) prior to the Passover. Two important events confirm the dating of Herod's death: the 'census of Quirinius' in Syria which was a part of the 'Inventory of the world' ordered by Augustus when he became 'Father of the Country' in 2 BCE and the 'war of Varus' after Herod's death conducted under the auspices of Caius Caesar, the imperial legate of the East, and dated during the year of his consulship in 1 CE."