The structure of the tomb was of interest to Barkay because it dated to the First Temple period, but it appeared that over centuries looters had taken all the artifacts. The two silver scrolls were discovered by Barkay's team in a rock-hewn burial cave southwest of the ancient city of Jerusalem. They provide evidence of the antiquity of the Bible. These scrolls are significant for the dating of the Old Testament. The importance of the Ketef Hinnom inscriptions tends to be overlooked among students and pastors,' Ortiz said.

'I wanted our students to be exposed to one of the top scholars in the field of biblical archaeology. 'He is an excellent and engaging lecturer,' Ortiz said. Asking Barkay to deliver the center's first lecture was an easy decision, Ortiz said. When Ortiz heard that Barkay was coming to America to lecture at Emory University, he convinced his archaeology mentor to come to New Orleans to speak as well. Steven Ortiz, assistant professor of archaeology and biblical studies and director of the Center for Archaeological Research at NOBTS, served as field archaeologist at the Ketef Hinnom site where the scrolls were found. They are the only biblical verses we have from the time of the First Temple period. These verses pre-date the famous Dead Sea Scrolls by approximately four centuries. This was a discovery of utmost importance,' said Barkay, professor of archaeology at Bar Ilan University near Tel Aviv. The priestly blessing, recorded in Numbers 6:24-26, was discovered on two small silver scrolls dated to the 7th century B.C. While excavating a burial tomb near Jerusalem in 1979, Gabriel Barkay uncovered the oldest known copy of Old Testament scripture.

scripture, archaeologist saysīiblical Archaeology News - February 27, 2004

The 7th scroll