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This is a temporary page to work on the article List_of_Biblical_figures_identified_in_extra-Biblical_sources.
The Hebrew Bible section is now completely sourced.
This page is now hibernating, maybe in the future I will have the time and motivation to work on the New Testament section.
By the way: anyone who wants to improve the article may use this page for experiments.

Current Progress:

55 checked, 22 remaining; result: 33 confirmed, 7 rejected, 14 doubtful, 2 removed


Note: Fathers of biblical figures identified here are not listed separately if they have no important part in the biblical narrative. So e.g. Baruch son of Neriah is listed here, but not Neriah father of Baruch.

Confirmed

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What follows is a list of biblical figures that are unambiguously identified in extra-biblical contemporary sources according to a reliable source:

  1. Ahab, king of Israel: Mentioned extensively in Kings and Chronicles. Identified in the contemporary Kurkh Monolith inscription of Shalmaneser III [1] which describes the Battle of Qarqar and mentions 2,000 chariots, 10,000 soldiers of Ahab the Israelite defeated by Shalmaneser [2].
  2. Ahaz (Jehoahaz), king of Judah: Mentioned extensively in Kings, Chronicles and Isaiah as well as in Hosea 1:1 and Micah 1:1. Identified in the contemporary Summary Inscription of Tiglath-Pileser III which records that he received tribute from Jehoahaz the Judahite, as mentioned in 2 Kings 16:7-8 and 2 Chronicles 28:21 [3]. Also identified in a contemporary clay bulla, reading of Ahaz [son of] Jotham king of Judah [4][5]. Another bulla reading of Ushna servant of Ahaz is likely a reference to King Ahaz as well [4]. (A third bulla mentioning Ahaz as the father of Hezekiah is being investigated as a possible forgery.)
  3. Apries (Hophra), pharaoh of Egypt: Mentioned in Jeremiah 44:30. Identified in numerous contemporary inscriptions including those of the capitals of the columns of his palace.[6][7] Herodotus speaks of him in Histories II, 161-171. [8]
  4. Ashurbanipal (Asenappar/Sardanapalus), king of Assyria: Mentioned in Ezra 4:10. Identified in numerous contemporary inscriptions including one listing Manasseh king of Judah amongst the kings who had brought him gifts and aided his conquest of Egypt [9]. His inscriptions tell of his conquest of Elam and Babylon which accords with Ezra 4:9-10 where people that he exiled from these regions are mentioned [10]. Diodorus Siculus (book II, 21) preserved a fanciful account of him by Ctesias. (See Sardanapalus in [11].)
  5. Balaam, a Moabite diviner in the Book of Numbers; see: Balaam inscription[12]
  6. Baruch ben Neriah, a scribe in the time of Jeremiah. Two identical imprints of his seal were discovered in 1975 and 1996. They read 'to Berachyahu son of Neriyahu the scribe'.[13][14]
  7. Belshazzar, coregent of Babylon, son of king Nabonidus.[15], see Nabonidus Cylinder.
  8. Benhadad, king of Aram Damascus. He is the author of the inscription of a stela dating to around 860 BCE, wich bears his name.[9]
  9. Cyrus II of Persia, appears in many ancient inscriptions, most notably in the Cyrus Cylinder[16].
  10. Esarhaddon, son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria[17]
  11. Gedaliah son of Ahikam, governor of Judah. A seal impression with the name 'Gedaliah who is over the house' is commonly identified with Gedaliah, son of Ahikam.[18]
  12. Gedaliah son of Pashhur, an opponent of Jeremiah a bulla bearing his seal was found in the City of David [19]
  13. Hezekiah, king of Judah. A number of artifacts dating to his reign were found including a bulla bearing his name and title.[20]
  14. Hoshea, king of Israel, was put into power by Tilgath-Pileser III, king of Assyria, as recorded in his 'Annals', found in Calah.[9]
  15. Jerahmeel, prince of Judah. A bulla bearing his name was found.[13]
  16. Jehu, king of Israel; see: Black Obelisk[21]
  17. Johanan, high priest during the reign of Darius I. His name is found in Nehemiah 12:22,23 and also in a letter from the Elephantine Papyri[9]
  18. Manasseh, king of Judah, mentioned in the writings of Esarhaddon.[17]
  19. Menahem, king of Israel is recorded in the annals of Tiglath-Pileser to have paid tribute to him.[9]
  20. Mesha, king of Moab, author of the Mesha Stele.[22]
  21. Merodach-baladan, king of Babylon is found in the Great Inscription of Sargon II in his palace at Khorsabat.[23]
  22. Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon is mentioned in numerous contemporary sources, including the inscription of the Ishtar Gate, which he built.[24]
  23. Nebuzaradan, captain of Nebuchadnezzar's guard is mentioned in a prism in Instanbul (No. 7834), found in Babylon where he is listed as the "chief armorer (Lord High Steward)." [9]
  24. Nebo-Sarsekim, is listed as Nabu-sharrussu-ukin in a Babylonian tablet.[25][26]
  25. Necho, pharaoh of Egypt, mentioned in the writings of Ashurbanipal[9]
  26. Nergal-sharezer, king of Babylon. A record of his war with Syria was found on a tablet from the 'Neo-Babylonian Chronicle texts'.[27]
  27. Omri, king of Israel is mentioned on the Mesha Stele.[22]
  28. Pekah, king of Israel is mentioned in the annals of Tiglath-Pileser III.[9]
  29. Rezin, king of Aram was a tributary of Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria.[28]
  30. Sanballat, governor of Samaria the leading figure of the opposition which Nehemiah encountered during the rebuilding of the walls around the temple in Jerusalem. Sanballat is mentioned in the Elephantine Papyri.[9]
  31. Sargon II, king of Assyria besieged and conquered the city of Samaria and took many thousands captive, as recorded in the bible and in an inscription in his royal palace.[29] His name, however does not appear in the biblical account of this siege, but in Isaiah 20:1, in reference to his siege of Ashdod.
  32. Sennacherib, king of Assyria is the author of a number of inscriptions discovered near Nineveh.[30]
  33. Shalmaneser III, king of Assyria authored the inscription on the Black Obelisk.[21]
  34. Taharqa, pharaoh of Egypt. Several sources mention him and fragments of three statues bearing his name were excavated at Nineveh.[31]
  35. Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria. Numerous writings are ascribed to him and he is mentioned, among others, in an inscription by Barrakab, king of Sam'al[9] and also in the Assyrian king list.

Doubtful

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These are biblical figures whose possible identification in extra-biblical contemporary sources is sourced, but not universally accepted.

  1. Azaliah son of Meshullam, scribe in the Temple in Jerusalem: Mentioned in 2 Kings 22:3 and 2 Chronicles 34:8. A bulla reading "belonging to Azaliabu son of Meshullam." is likely to be his, according to archaeologist Ahman Avigad.[32]
  2. Azariah son of Hilkiah and grandfather of Ezra: Mentioned in 1 Chronicles 6:13,14; 9:11 and Ezra 7:1. A bulla reading Azariah son of Hilkiah is likely to be his, according to Tsvi Schneider.[33]
  3. Gemariah, son of Shaphan the scribe. A bulla was found with the text "To Gemaryahu ben Shaphan". This may have been the same person as "Gemariah son of Shaphan the scribe" mentioned in Jeremiah 36:10,12.[34]
  4. Geshem (Gusham) the Arab, mentioned in Nehemia 6:1,6 is likely the same person ans Gusham, king of Kedar, found in two inscriptions in Dedan and Tell el-Mashkutah (near the Suez Canal)[35]
  5. Hilkiah, high priest in the Temple in Jerusalem: Mentioned throughout 2 Kings 22:8-23:24 and 2 Chronicles 34:9-35:8 as well as in 1 Chronicles 6:13; 9:11 and Ezra 7:1. The clay bulla naming a Hilkiah as the father of an Azariah, as well as another bulla reading Hanan son of Hilkiah the priest are possibly to be references to him.[33][4].
  6. Jehucal son of Shelemiah, an opponent of Jeremiah. Archaeologists excavated a bulla with his name[36], but some scholars question the dating of the seal to the time of Jeremiah. According to Robert Deutsch the bulla is from the late 8th to early 7th century BCE, before the time of Jeremiah.[37]
  7. Jezebel, wife of king Ahab of Israel. A seal was found that may bear her name, but the dating and identification with the biblical Jezebel is a subject of debate among scholars.[38]
  8. Josiah, king of Judah. Three seals were found that may have belonged to his son Eliashib.[9]
  9. Jotham, king of Judah. An 8th century BCE signet ring with his name was found, but it is not certain if it belonged to the biblical Jotham.[39]
  10. Seraiah son of Neriah. He was the brother of Baruch. Ahman Avigad identified him as the owner of a seal with the name " to Seriahu/Neriyahu".[33]
  11. Shalmaneser V, king of Assyria. An inscription was found that is thought to be his, but the name of the author is only partly preserved.[40]
    The so-called Shebna Lintel
  12. Shebna (or Shebaniah), royal steward of Hezekiah: only the last two letters of a name (hw) survive on the so-called Shebna lintel, but the title of his position ("over the house" of the king) and the date indicated by the script style, have inclined many scholars to identify the person it refers to with Shebna.[41]
  13. Uzziah, king of Judah. The writings of Tiglath-Pileser III may refer to him, but this identification is disputed.[42] There is also an inscription that refers to his bones, but it dates from the first century CE.
  14. Zedekiah, son of Hananiah (Jeremiah 36:12). A seal was found of "Zedekiah son of Hanani", identification is likely, but uncertain.[43]

No evidence

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These are biblical people originally included in the article, but for which I have found no reliable sources that they have been identified in extra-biblical sources.

  1. Cyaxares (Achiachar/Ahasuerus), ally of Nebuchadnezzar (in Tobit) and father of Darius the Mede (in Daniel). Although Cyaxares is found in contemporary sources, the bible does not mention this name. So while the Ahasuerus mentioned in Daniel 9:1 may have been the same person, there is no direct confirmation of this biblical figure.
  2. Evil-merodach, king of Babylon. Although he is included in the Uruk King List (around 200 BCE) and mentioned by Berosus (early 3rd century BCE), it appears that no truly contemporary sources concerning him have been discovered [1]. So while there is little doubt that he existed, I think he should not be included in this list.This was based on an outdated source. Contemporary references have been discovered since.
  3. Goliath, a Philistine warrior famously slain by David; see: Goliath Potsherd. note: the 'Goliath' potsherd only bears names similar to Goliath. It is not thought that the biblical Goliath is directly connected to these names.
  4. Jedidiah the name given to Solomon by the prophet Nathan in 2 Samuel 12:25 note: Jedidiah and Solomon are both mentioned in the bible, I could not find that either name has been found in extra-biblical contemporary sources
  5. Jehoiachin, king of Judah. Several impressions of a seal were found that were initially interpreted as belonging to a servant of Jehoiachin. However, it was later demonstrated that the impressions were much older than the reign of Jehoiachin. Source: Sixty Years of Confusion in Biblical Archaeological Research.
  6. Sharezer (and Adrammelech), son(s) of Sennacherib. According to Kings and Chronicles, Sennacherib was murdered by his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer. In the Babylonian Chronicle, column III, it is said that "Sennacherib king of Assyria by his own son was murdered in an insurrection." The Babylonian Chronicle goes on to state that he was succeeded by his son Esarhaddon (in accordance with the Book of Kings). There is a Neo-Babylonian letter, published decades ago, which explicitly states the name of the murderer, and this name is not only known to have been borne by a son of Sennacherib but it also virtually agrees with the name forms found in the Bible and at Berossus. The text in question, R. Harper, Assyrian and Babylonian Letters (=ABL) XI no.1091 (Chicago 1911), has escaped attention because it was completely misunderstood and mistranslated by its editor, Leroy Waterman; the name has remained unidentified because its actual pronunciation has been obscured by its misleading logographic spelling. [44]
  7. Zedekiah, king of Judah. I could find no evidence of contemporary sources mentioning him. Perhaps he was confused with Zedekiah son of Hananiah.

Unchecked

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These are biblical figures originally included in the article, which I have not looked into yet. Their status is considered to be unknown. This is mostly a copy/paste from the original article

Hebrew Bible

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New Testament

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Gospels

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  1. Jesus of Nazareth, itinerant preacher
  2. Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome
  3. Quirinius
  4. Pontius Pilate, procurator and prefect of Judea
  5. Annas, high priest
  6. Caiaphas, high priest
  7. Herod the Great
  8. Herod Antipas
  9. Herod Archelaus
  10. Herod Philip II
  11. John the Baptist

Acts of the Apostles

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  1. Theudas
  2. Judas of Galilee
  3. Herod Agrippa I
  4. Herod Agrippa II
  5. Gamaliel
  6. Gallio
  7. Berenice
  8. Antonius Felix
  9. Porcius Festus
  10. Sergius Paulus
  11. Aretas IV Philopatris

Biblical figures tentatively identified in contemporary sources

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These are Biblical figures for which tentative but likely identifications have been found in contemporary sources based on matching names and credentials. The possibility of coincidental matching of names cannot be ruled out however.


References

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  1. ^ Rainey, Anson F. Stones for Bread: Archaeology versus History in Near Eastern Archaeology, Vol. 64, No. 3 (Sep., 2001), pp. 140-149
  2. ^ Hallo, William W. ed., The Context of Scripture, Brill Academic Publishers, 1997-2002
  3. ^ Caiger, Stephen L. Bible and Spade, Oxford University Press, 1936
  4. ^ a b c Argubright, John Bible Believer's Archaeology, Xulon Press, 2003
  5. ^ Deutsch, Robert First Impression: What We Learn from King Ahaz’s Seal
  6. ^ The palace of Apries
  7. ^ Petrie, W. M. Flinders and Walker, J. H., The palace of Apries (Memphis II), published by School of Archaeology in Egypt, University College.)
  8. ^ Wolfram Grajetzki, Stephen Quirke, Narushige Shiode, Digital Egypt for Universities, University College London, 2000
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Pritchard, James B. ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, Princeton University Press, third edition with supplement 1969: Ashurbanipal and Necho: p. 294; Benhadad and Tiglath-Pileser III: p. 655; Hoshea and Pekah: p. 282; Johanan and Sanballat: 492; Josiah: p. 569; Menahem: p. 283; Nebuzaradan: p. 307;
  10. ^ Goodspeed, George A History of the Babylonians and Assyrians, New York NY, C. Scribners Sons, 1902
  11. ^ Peck, Harry Thurston Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York, Harper and Brothers, 1898
  12. ^ Hoftijzer, Jacob The Prophet Balaam in a 6th Century Aramaic Inscription in The Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 39, No. 1 (Mar., 1976), pp. 11-17
  13. ^ a b Avigad, Nahman Baruch the Scribe and Jerahmeel the King's Son in The Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 42, No. 2 (Spring, 1979), pp. 114-118
  14. ^ Shanks, Hershel Fingerprint of Jeremiah’s Scribe in Biblical Archeology Review 2 (1996): 36-38.
  15. ^ Nabonidus Cylinder translation by Paul-Alain Beaulieu, author of The Reign of Nabonidus, King of Babylon 556-539 B.C. (1989)
  16. ^ Cyrus cylinder at the British Museum
  17. ^ a b Thompson, R. Campbell The prisms of Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal found at Nineveh, p. 9 and 25
  18. ^ Wright, G. Ernest Some Personal Seals of Judean Royal Officials in The Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May, 1938), pp. 10-12
  19. ^ "Unique biblical discovery at City of David excavation site". Israel Ministry of Foreign affairs. 18-Aug-2008. Retrieved 2009-11-16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ Cross, Frank Moore King Hezekiah's Seal Bears Phoenician Imagery in Biblical Archaeology Review, March-April, 1999
  21. ^ a b The Black Obelisk at the British Museum. Translation adapted by K.C. Hanson from Luckenbill, Daniel David Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia. Vol. 1. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1927
  22. ^ a b The Mesha Stele at the Louvre Museum. Translation by K. C. Hanson (Adapted from Albright 1969:320-21)
  23. ^ Birch, Samuel and Sayce, A.H., Records of the past : being English translations of the Ancient monuments of Egypt and western Asia, published under the sanction of the Society of Biblical Archaeology (1873), p. 13
  24. ^ The Ishtar Gate, translation from The Ishtar Gate, The Processional Way, The New Year Festival of Babylon. by Joachim Marzahn, Mainz am Rhein, Germany: Philipp von Zaubern, 1995
  25. ^ Greenspoon, Leonard (November 2007). "Recording of Gold Delivery by the Chief Eunuch of Nebuchadnezzar II". BAR. 33 (6): 18. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  26. ^ "Nabu-sharrussu-ukin, You Say?". British Heritage. 28 (6): 8. January 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  27. ^ The Chronicle Concerning Year Three of Neriglissar
  28. ^ Grabbe, Lester L. Ancient Israel: What Do We Know and How Do We Know It? (New York: T&T Clark, 2007): 134
  29. ^ The Annals of Sargon, Excerpted from "Great Inscription in the Palace of Khorsabad," Julius Oppert, tr., in Records of the Past, vol. 9 (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1877), pp. 3-20
  30. ^ Reade, Julian Sources for Sennacherib: The Prisms in Journal of Cuneiform Studies, Vol. 27, No. 4 (Oct., 1975), pp. 189-196
  31. ^ Thomason, Allison Karmel From Sennacherib's Bronzes to Taharqa's Feet: Conceptions of the Material World at Nineveh Iraq, Vol. 66, Nineveh. Papers of the 49th Rencontre Assriologique Internationale, Part One (2004), pp. 151-162
  32. ^ Avigad, Ahman, Corpus of West Semitic Stamp Seals, (p. 237 WSS 90).
  33. ^ a b c Schneider, Tsvi, Six Biblical Signatures: Seals and seal impressions of six biblical personages recovered', Biblical Archeology Review, July/August 1991
  34. ^ Ogden, D. Kelly Bulla #2 "To Gemaryahu ben Shaphan", published by Brigham Young University. Dept. of Religious Education
  35. ^ Wright, G. Ernest Judean Lachish in The Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Feb., 1955), pp. 9-17
  36. ^ Flurry, Stephen Royal Seal of Prophet Jeremiah’s Accuser Found, published by theTrumpet.com.
  37. ^ More on the Jehucal, son of Shelemiahu Bulla
  38. ^ Scholars Debate “Jezebel” Seal, Biblical Archeology Review
  39. ^ Avigad, Nahman. The Jotham Seal from Elath Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, No. 163 (Oct., 1961), pp. 18-2
  40. ^ Luckenbill, D. D. The First Inscription of Shalmaneser V, The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Vol. 41, No. 3 (Apr., 1925), pp. 162-164
  41. ^ Deutsch, Robert, Tracking Down Shebnayahu, Servant of the King in Biblical Archeology Review May/Jun 2009
  42. ^ Haydn, Howell M. Azariah of Judah and Tiglath-Pileser III in Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 28, No. 2 (1909), pp. 182-199
  43. ^ Day, John In search of pre-exilic Israel: proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar p. 376
  44. ^ Parpola, Simo (1980). Death in Mesopotamia. Akademisk Forlag. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
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