King Sized Controversy: Evaluating the Extent of David’s Kingdom

Rachel Urowitz, Lecturer, University of Toronto

The extent of the kingdom of Judah has been in the limelight since the discovery of Khirbet Qeiyafa in the Elah Valley in Israel in 2007. Archaeologists at this site have proclaimed that it is directly linked to David’s kingdom and that it proves the strength and size of Judah in the Iron Age. This lecture will examine the archaeological record of the Kingdom of Judah in the 10th century BCE and introduce theories that challenge the strength and size of David’s kingdom in this period.