An ancient biblical scroll was discovered in a cave, known as the "Cave of Horror" located in the Judean desert this week, marking the first time an artifact of this type has been discovered since the Dead Sea scrolls nearly 70 years ago, according to the Jpost.
The scroll, which was written in Greek with God’s name in paleo-Hebrew, includes portions of the Minor Prophets, including passages from Zechariah chapter eight and Nahum chapter one.
"The mountains quake before him, the hills melt, the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him." — Nahum 1:5-6
Along with the ancient manuscript, which was dated to the end of the first century BCE—around the time that the Essenes began to form communities in the desert—coins with a palm tree and a vine leaf with the phrase, "Year 1 for the redemption of Israel," from the period of the Bar Kochba Revolt, and an exceptionally preserved basket were found in the cave. These finds add to a myriad of evidence confirming the Jewish historical presence in the biblical heartland.
It seems strange presenting this as “proof” that the Jews have a history in Judea. Yet the international community and many individuals and organizations around the world are determined to argue that the Jews have no right to Jewish land. They seek to disassociate Judea and Samaria from the Jewish people and ignore the historical and biblical evidence that Jews have lived in this Land for thousands of years. They claim that Israel is "illegally occupying" the "West Bank," when the Jewish people return to Land in which they have a long unbroken history; land promised to them by God thousands of years ago.
The United Nations publishes resolution after resolution condemning Israel for resettling its own land, releases lists to boycott companies that are conducting business in what they call “Occupied Palestinian Territory,”—or as we know it, Judea and Samaria—and seeks to delegitimize Jews returning to rebuild the ancient heartland of Israel.
It was in Judea and Samaria that much of the Bible was written or took place, it was on Elon Moreh that God promised the land to Abraham and his descendants forever. It is in Judea and Samaria that Jews have continuously lived for thousands of years, and this latest discovery of a biblical scroll from 1,900 years ago, is just one example among countless others, of the Jewish peoples' claim to Judea and Samaria.
Ironically, it is sites like Jerusalem, Hebron, Shiloh, and Shechem, places with deep spiritual and historical significance to the Jewish people—even this cave which contains so much significant history—that the world says is not part of Israel, and should become part of a Palestinian state.
The international community seeks to erase history, change terms and definitions (West Bank instead of Judea and Samaria) and they condemn the beautiful restoration of the land by brave Jewish pioneers. Let us be those who believe the truth: that the biblical heartland belongs to the Jewish people, legally, historically, and morally. Let us also be those who act on our belief and do all we can to stand with the people of Judea and Samaria.
From the Zechariah scroll:
"These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor. Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace. Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate, says the Lord." — Zechariah 8:16-17