Take, for example, the well-known Israelite King David. Until recently, the sole basis for knowledge of his existence was the Bible. Although mainline historians accept him as an authentic figure, some skeptics try to dismiss him as a legend invented by Jewish propagandists. What do the facts show?

⁶ In 1993 an inscription referring to the “House of David” was found in the ruins of the ancient Israelite city of Dan. The inscription was part of a shattered monument from the ninth century B.C.E., commemorating a victory over the Israelites by their enemy. Suddenly, there was an ancient reference to David outside of the pages of the Bible! Was this significant? Regarding this finding, Israel Finkelstein, of Tel Aviv University, observed: “Biblical nihilism collapsed overnight with the discovery of the David inscription.”