Source Materials / **News and Magazines** # **First Archaeological Proof of King David's Existence** ##### *The Missoulian*, Saturday, August 7, 1993, p. 8. #### **Associated Press** 📄 [↓ PDF](https://leland-jensen-info.netlify.app/1993-08-07-missoulian-king-david-proof.pdf) --- ### Archeologists find proof of King David's dynasty   JERUSALEM (AP) – A fragment of a shattered monument found this summer is the first non-Biblical evidence of the dynasty founded by King David, an Israeli archeologist said Friday. The words "King of Israel" and "House of David" appear in Aramaic script on a shattered stele, or monument, uncovered by Israeli archeologists at Tel Dan in northern Israel. Team leader Avraham Biran said the language and style of the fragment point to the ninth century B.C., when David's great-great grandson, Asa, King of Judah, paid the King of Aram to battle a rival Israeli leader. The battle is described in I Kings 15:19–19. "This is a very important precedent," said Binyamin Mazar, the dean of Israeli archeologists. The earliest archeological reference to a biblical figure until now has been to "the House of Omri," an Israelite king. The 12 tribes of Israel split into two kingdoms after the reign of David's son, Solomon. Two tribes formed Judah in the south and the remaining 10 tribes formed Israel in the north. The Judean monarchy maintained the line of King David. The word "Hadad" also appears on the roughly one-foot-square fragment, Biran said. This could refer to the King of Aram or to one of the gods of Aram, also named Hadad. In either case, its appearance indicates the stele was installed by the Aramites. Other words in the 13-line fragment included "chariots" and "thousands of horsemen."   --- **Sources** - "Archeologists find proof of King David's dynasty." *The Missoulian* (Missoula, MT), August 7, 1993. Transcribed from copies on file and proofread from online sources. **Note:** This excerpt is frequently cited in discussions of Dr. Leland Jensen and is provided here as supplementary reference material for researchers, teachers, and students. This limited reproduction is presented for educational and scholarly purposes under fair use (17 U.S.C. § 107).   --- **Archive Classification** - **Collection:** Source Materials → News and Magazines **Reference Information** - **Permanent Link:** https://leland-jensen.info/source-materials/news/1993-08-07-missoulian-king-david-proof/ - **Download PDF:** [1993-08-07-missoulian-king-david-proof.pdf](https://leland-jensen-info.netlify.app/1993-08-07-missoulian-king-david-proof.pdf) - **Archive Home:** https://leland-jensen.info - **Last Updated:** 19 August 2026 --- [Site Guide](site%20guide.md)  |   [Sitemap](Clickable%20Sitemap.md)  |   [Downloads](downloads.md)  |  [Contact Us](contact%20us.md) **Dr. Leland Jensen**: Teachings and Commentaries Archive © 2026 Baha'i Council of Dane County, all rights reserved.  [Copyright & Usage Policy](copyright.md) ___