Digging Up the Bible: Cult Shrine

DIGGING UP THE BIBLE
Important Archeological Finds that help Us Understand Scripture
pdf
Linda Manuel—1996

Cult Shrine at Ein Hatzeva—Biblical Tamar
(7^th century BC)

The excavators of Ein Hatzeva (biblical Tamar in southern Judah) found the foundation remains of a large Iron Age fortress and shrine. In a pit nearby were seventy-five cult objects. Large hewn stones covering the pit had concealed and crushed the items, but researchers were able to recover and reconstruct each one. Nevertheless, their destruction was deliberate, suggesting some kind of purge, perhaps connected to religious reform, such as that under King Josiah, who destroyed shrines and cult centers in an effort to bring worship back to Jerusalem:

Josiah...desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba. (2 Kgs 23:8)

Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites. (2 Chr 34:33)

 

The cult objects at Ein Hatzeva identify the site as Edomite, but Edom was not friendly toward Israel. In fact the Edomites had refused the Israelites passage through their territory on the way to Canaan:

Edom answered: "You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword." (Num 20:18)

This incident did not presage good relations between Israel and Edom.

 

After Israel's conquest of Canaan, Edom's position alternated between servant to God's people and independent from God's people:

• King David ruled over Edom:

All the Edomites became subject to David. (2 Sam 8:14)

• Edom rebelled against King David:

David was fighting with Edom. (1 Kgs 11:15)

• King Uzziah ruled over Edom:

You have indeed defeated Edom. (2 Kgs 14:10)

• Edom rebelled against King Ahaz:

The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah. (2 Chr 28:17)

So why was an Edomite shrine in Judean territory? The answer is probably that some of God's people succumbed to the attraction of paganism even when the source of that attraction was an enemy.

 

The shrine at Ein Hatzeva was close to the border with Edom, so it is not unusual that there would be some cross-border influence. Nevertheless, God was very clear about His condemnation of idolatry and about His insistence that the Israelites have nothing to do with the paganism of their neighbors:

The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'I am the LORD your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD. (Lev 18:1-5)

It is an opinion He did not change even many years later: "Flee from idolatry" (1 Cor 10:14).

 

Significance for Biblical Studies: The cult shrine at Ein Hatzeva illustrates the tension that existed between worship of the true God and worship of false gods, even within the borders of Israel. It may also show one attempt to eradicate idolatry by destroying the many accouterments of paganism.

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