What details of Ebla tablets relate to the Bible and how?

Answer 1

Henry O. Thompson (Biblical Archaeology) says early translations of the Ebla tablets indicated many connections with The Bible, including mention of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and even an ancestor of Abraham.

Thompson says the biblical connection is now said to be "dead", because the early translations were all mistakes.

Answer 2

Henry O. Thompson (Biblical Archaeology) says early translations of the Ebla tablets indicated many connections with The Bible, including mention of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and even an ancestor of Abraham.

Thompson says the biblical connection is now said to be "dead", because the early translations were all mistakes.

Answer 3

The Ebla tablets, one of the most important archaeogical discoveries of modern times, contain details which confirm a number of the details of Biblical people. Names such as Canaan, Abraham, Saul, Israel, and David have been recognized in the tablets, which date to around 2300 BC. They also contain the oldest reference to Jerusalem, dated to before the time of Abraham (the reference is to Salem, a name from which Jerusalem is derived).

Other details mentioned include Sodom and Gomorrah and a number of other cities of the plains. Even more interesting is that they are noted in the same order as in the Biblical account found in Genesis 14:2 being: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar. Repeatedly critics have ridiculed the idea of the existence of Sodom and Gomorrah and these tablets reveal that they existed even before the time of Abraham.

Another interesting find is the detail of the tribute that was paid by the king of Mari to Ebla after a defeat in battle. Among the payment was 11,000 pounds of silver and 880 pounds of gold. What makes this interesting is how it relates to the tribute money paid to Solomon during his reign. The amount of 10 tons of gold coming to Solomon has been scoffed at as ridiculous (see 1 Kings 10:14 and 2 Chronicles 9:13) when here we have tribute of over half a ton from just one city. This would seem to make the ten tons coming to Solomon as not at all unreasonable given the great difference in size.

Ur, from which Abram left with his father Terah is also mentioned in the Ebla tablets as is Haran.

An important aspect of such a substantial collection is the demonstration of the use of writing in everyday life, around 900 years before Moses. This adds to the evidence from other discoveries, that writing existed in this period of history. This is contrary to one of the major pillars of the 19th century documentary hypothesis of Julius Wellhausen and others, that Moses could not have written the pentateuch because writing, if it existed at all, was not in widespread use.

The Ebla discoveries also included a creation tablet with details similar to the creation account found in Genesis 1. This having been written around 900 years before Moses.

Answer 4

The tablets, whose language is related to Biblical Hebrew, make reference to five "Cities of the Plain" (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela) mentioned in Genesis 14, and they are named in the same order. Also mentioned is the creation of Adam, and the name Eber. For such examples from additional sources:

http://judaism.answers.com/hebrew/does-archaeology-support-the-hebrew-bible

Answer 5

The tablets, whose language is related to Biblical Hebrew, make reference to five "Cities of the Plain" (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebo'im, and Bela) mentioned in Genesis 14, and they are named in the same order. Also mentioned is the creation of Adam, and the name Eber.For such examples from additional sources:

http://judaism.answers.com/hebrew/does-archaeology-support-the-hebrew-bible