Ketef Hinnom Silver Scrolls

The claim

The Priestly Blessing: 'The Lord bless you and keep you…'

What archaeology found

Two tiny rolled silver amulets found by Gabriel Barkay in 1979 in a burial cave at Ketef Hinnom, Jerusalem. When unrolled, they contained a version of the Priestly Blessing. They are the oldest known texts that quote a passage also found in the Bible. They are in the Israel Museum.

Where it was found

Ketef Hinnom, JerusalemView on OpenStreetMap

Sources

1. Gabriel Barkay, Andrew G. Vaughn, Marilyn J. Lundberg and Bruce Zuckerman, The Amulets from Ketef Hinnom: A New Edition and Evaluation, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 334 (2004)

Verdict history

• Nov 10, 2026SupportedInitial verdict.