A 2,700-year-old Hebrew clay bulla discovered at the City of David excavation site in Jerusalem has provided the first extra-biblical mention of Bethlehem ever found. The tiny seal impression, dating to the First Temple period, bears the inscription “Bishv’at Bat Lechem Lemelekh” — “In the seventh year, from Bethlehem, for the king.” Israeli archaeologist Eli Shukron explained that the artifact confirms Bethlehem’s status as an established city within the Kingdom of Judah, likely sending tax shipments of silver or agricultural goods to the royal administration in Jerusalem.

According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, the bulla belongs to a class of fiscal seals used to mark royal taxes in the late eighth to seventh centuries BC. This discovery powerfully reinforces the biblical record, which identifies Bethlehem as the burial place of Rachel, the setting of Ruth and Boaz, the hometown of King David, and the birthplace of Jesus Christ. In an age when biblical history is routinely questioned or politicized, this small fragment of clay stands as a silent but enduring witness: Bethlehem’s biblical identity is not legend, but history—etched into the administrative life of ancient Judah.

SOURCE: All Israel News