Category: OI Chicago

The largest collection of Biblical artifacts is in the Midwest, the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. The first thing you may appreciate is there are bathrooms in the basement. Upon entering, go behind the staircase on your right, and descend the steps to find the facilities. The University of Chicago was founded (and Read more…

The Cleveland Public Library contains an ancient peace treaty cone from Uruk/Erech, and the archaeologist’s note states “Erech is the city mentioned in the Biblical book of Genesis 10:10” Genesis 10:8-10 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is Read more…

Abraham was born in 2166 BC, and 75 when he left Ur, making the year 2091 BC. The artifacts you see here would have been from around the time of Abraham. Genesis 11:31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his Read more…

The Amarna Letters are a collection of 380 clay tablets from the Office-House of Letters of Pharoah at Amarna, Egypt, now mostly in the British Museum. Conservatives believe that the Exodus was in 1446 BC, while liberal scholars believe that “if” there was an Exodus it was several centuries later. From a conservative date, these Read more…

Halfway down on the right. Hammurabi’s code is divided into 12 sections, and consists of 282 laws. Some claim Moses just borrowed from Hammurabi, so the Mosaic Code rather than being God-breathed is nothing special. Both the Mosaic Code and the Hammurabi Code impose the death penalty for adultery and kidnapping. Hammurabi’s code however imposes Read more…

Behind the Hammurabi Code, this brick features the inscription, “Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, provider for Esagila [temple of Marduk] and Ezida [temple of Nabu], eldest son of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon.” 2 Kings 24:1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled Read more…

Located on your left, halfway down the hall.   Gilgamesh was King of Uruk, and the earliest account of his tale is dated around 1800 BC. Some argue the Epic was source material for Moses. In the Epic, Gilgamesh finds Utnapishtim, who was told by a god to build a boat to survive a global Read more…

Located near the Epic of Gilgamesh. Who forged a document using someone else’s seal in the Bible?   1 Kings 21:7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise , and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry : I will give thee the vineyard of Read more…

Formerly at eye level, these are now above the right wall, near paintings depicting what an aerial view of Babylon might have been. These glazed lions were part of the Ishtar Gate. Babylon, at the time of the fall of the Southern Kingdom of Judaea had about 200,000 inhabitants, joined by 10,000 Jewish captives. 2 Read more…