Inscription · Tel Dan · Ninth century BC
The House of David on the Tel Dan Stele
An inscription from outside the Bible names David’s royal house.
The artifact
Fragments of this basalt monument were discovered at Tel Dan in 1993 and 1994. The Aramaic victory inscription refers to a king of the House of David. The Jewish Museum dates it to the ninth century BC and associates it with Hazael of Aram, whose name does not survive in the text.
What the evidence establishes
The inscription is independent evidence that David’s dynastic name was known in the ninth century BC. Its value lies in an external witness to the royal house, rather than a retelling of David’s life.
Scripture in context
- 2 Samuel 7:12–16: God’s covenant promise concerning David’s descendants and kingdom. The inscription is historical evidence for the dynastic name, not a test of the entire covenant promise.
- 2 Kings 8:28–29: Joram, Ahaziah, and conflict with Hazael provide biblical context for the kingdoms involved.