Yesterday we listed the top stories related to discoveries and technology. Today we conclude with three additional categories. Yesterday’s introduction applies here as well.


Significant Stories in 2013:

Museums Return Artifacts to Turkey (and here and here)

The Level of the Dead Sea Rose (and may keep rising)

King Herod Exhibit Opening at Israel Museum (and here and here)

Israel’s Water Crisis Is Over

The Cyrus Cylinder Toured the US (and here)

Dead Sea Scrolls for Sale

IAA: Jehoash Tablet Is an Antiquity and Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Oded Golan

King Solomon’s Mines, After All

Replica of King Tut’s Tomb Planned To Save Original

Antiquities of War-torn Syria Are Being Extensively Looted

Two Major Snow Storms in Jerusalem

Noteworthy Posts:

Arguments Against Locating Sodom at Tall al-Hammam

Online Museum: Bible and Archaeology

Report Published for Gezer Regional Survey 

Picture of the Week: Jordan River Flooding in 1935

Why Is There Little Evidence for David’s Kingdom?

Video below the Temple Mount

Picture of the Week: Locust Plague of 1915

The Grotto of Saint Paul in Ephesus

Secret Places: 1st Century Synagogue at Magdala

Favorite Resources in 2013:

Satellite Bible Atlas, by William Schlegel (and here)

Views That Have Vanished (in Accordance)

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Archaeology, ed., Daniel M. Master

Everyday Life in Bible Times, by John Beck

The World of the New Testament, eds., Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald

Previous Years:

Top Stories of 2012 (and more)

Top Stories of 2011 (and more)

Top Stories of 2010 (and more)

Top 8 of 2008 (and more)

We wish our readers a happy new year!

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The recent snowstorm killed six animals in the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

Shmuel Browns shows what it’s like to guide in the Jerusalem snow.

Ferrell Jenkins notes that his favorite single-volume Bible dictionary is now on sale for Kindle for $4.99.

Biblical Archaeology Society is offering a new free eBook: Life in the Ancient World.

Christopher Rollston has published a preliminary report on the Ninth-Century “Moabite Pedestal 
Inscription” from Ataroth.

Aren Maeir gives his viewpoint on the ASOR Blog of how archaeologists should use the Bible. (I would argue that it is precisely the approach that he advocates that leads to the mess that biblical
archaeology is in.)

Princeton University Press is giving away 5 copies of the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World app this weekend (iPad only).

HT: Jack Sasson, Charles Savelle

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The recent snowfall in Jerusalem was the heaviest December storm since 1953. Haaretz has the latest.

Where is Mount Sinai in Arabia (Galatians 4:25)? This is the final article in Gordon Franz’s series challenging the arguments of Robert Cornuke.

Can you trace the presence of God on earth throughout history? Wayne Stiles begins with the Garden of Eden and the tabernacle and goes from there.

Emek Shaveh posts some details on the forthcoming seven-story visitors’ center to be constructed in the Givati parking lot below the Dung Gate of Jerusalem. (Scroll down for the English version.)

The Cyrus Cylinder is wrapping up its tour of the U.S. and heading for India.

Miriam Feinberg Vamosh describes life for the wealthy in New Testament times.

Ferrell Jenkins reviews the new Zondervan Essential Atlas of the Bible.

David Livingston, founder of the Associates for Biblical Research, died recently. In honor of his life,
ABR has posted an issue of Bible and Spade devoted to his years of service.

Ferrell Jenkins asks, If not Tell Hesbân, where is Heshbon?

The National Museum of Iraq remains closed to the public. This is one Iraqi journalist’s tale of trying to get an explanation.

Wayne Stiles recommends the Top 5 Gifts for Bible Lands Study.

HT: Joseph Lauer, Jack Sasson

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Robert Deutsch is suing the Israel Antiquities Authority for $3 million.

Leen Ritmeyer points to a Washington Post article and detailed graphic of the Temple Mount.

Seth Rodriquez shares an animated map that shows who controlled the Middle East from 3000 BC to present.

The story of Eilat Mazar’s discovery of gold coins and medallion near the Temple Mount and how she kept it secret is recounted by Israel HaYom.

The Egyptian Museum is open, but King Tut is all alone, according to an update in the Washington Post.

The first winter storm in Israel brought snow to Mount Hermon and a rise in the level of the Sea of Galilee.

HT: Jack Sasson

Graphic from The Washington Post
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We announced this in the latest BiblePlaces Newsletter, but if you missed that, you may want to know that a new edition of the Satellite Bible Atlas is available. The hardcover edition is more durable and lays flat, making it ideal for study at home and on the field. For only $28, this is an affordable investment for all who love the Bible. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Every map covers a full page and is in full color. That allows for lots of detail and context.

3. The atlas provides maps of everything from Abraham’s journey from Ur to Paul’s arrival in Rome. Whatever you’re reading or teaching, you will find a map that marks the location and explains the event. You’ll never have to guess where something took place.

7. Purchase includes free access to all of the maps in digital (jpg) format. This makes it easy to use the maps in the classroom and on location.

You can see the full list of why I think this new atlas by Bill Schlegel is a fantastic resource here.

A wall/door map is also available for $7, but if you buy it together with the atlas, the cost is only $4.

If you’re like us, you always wonder what surprise you’ll find when you go to checkout and learn the shipping cost. For those in the U.S., shipping is free. (And for those not in the U.S., the shipping is outrageous, but that’s beyond our control. There is an Israeli distributor who can ship to some countries less expensively.)

We encourage you to consider this as a gift for a parent, child, pastor, teacher, or friend. This is a unique resource at a terrific price.

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Aren Maier reports that he may have been the last archaeologist to see the excavations of Eshtaol.

But you can see a video of the site before it was buried.

Some are unhappy that the Palestinian Authority is excavating a Hasmonean fortress between Bethlehem and the Herodium.

Barry Britnell saw the Jerusalem movie and he declares it to be “fantastic.” You can see if it is in a theater near you here.

The Kathleen Kenyon collection is now on display at the Ian Potter Museum in Melbourne.

This travel piece may inspire you to do more on your next trip to Israel than ride on a bus.

If you expect to be touring Israel in late May, you should plan now to avoid the pope.

You can save an extra 30% on any print book at Amazon through Dec 1, 11:59pm. Enter “BOOKDEAL” at checkout under the “Gift cards & promotional codes.” Up to $10 off. I recommend this book (for an amazing $21.47 after discount. I’ll say more about this book later, but not before this deal expires. Preview here.)

HT: Charles Savelle, Joseph Lauer

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