Ancient Inscription on the Western Wall

JerusalemIsrael

In 1969, the excavation expedition at the Western Wall discovered an inscription in Hebrew engraved on the sixth course of the stones of the Western Wall. The identity of the author and the time of writing are unknown. One of the hypotheses is that the inscription was probably written in the fourth century AD, during the reign of Emperor Julian.

לשון הכתובת: "וּרְאִיתֶם וְשָׂשׂ לִבְּכֶם וְעַצְמוֹתֵם כַּדֶּשֶׁא;". מקורו של משפט זה הוא בפרק האחרון של ספר ישעיהו (פרק ס"ו), והוא כלול באחת מנבואות הנחמה על גאולת ירושלים (פסוקים י' – י"ד):

"שִׂמְחוּ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְגִילוּ בָהּ כָּל אֹהֲבֶיהָ; שִׂישׂוּ אִתָּהּ מָשׂוֹשׂ כָּל הַמִּתְאַבְּלִים עָלֶיהָ. לְמַעַן תִּינְקוּ וּשְׂבַעְתֶּם מִשֹּׁד תַּנְחֻמֶיהָ; לְמַעַן תָּמֹצּוּ וְהִתְעַנַּגְתֶּם מִזִּיז כְּבוֹדָהּ. כִּי כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה הִנְנִי נֹטֶה אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם וּכְנַחַל שׁוֹטֵף כְּבוֹד גּוֹיִם וִינַקְתֶּם; עַל צַד  תִּנָּשֵׂאוּ וְעַל-בִּרְכַּיִם תְּשָׁעֳשָׁעוּ. כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִמּוֹ תְּנַחֲמֶנּוּ כֵּן אָנֹכִי אֲנַחֶמְכֶם וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם תְּנֻחָמוּ. וּרְאִיתֶם וְשָׂשׂ לִבְּכֶם וְעַצְמוֹתֵיכֶם כַּדֶּשֶׁא תִפְרַחְנָה; וְנוֹדְעָה יַד יְהוָה אֶת עֲבָדָיו וְזָעַם אֶת-אֹיְבָיו."

It seems that the inscription is not complete. It is very possible that the writing was interrupted because the very act of engraving on the stones of the wall or the presence of the scribe (probably a Jew) was not allowed.

The location of the inscription:

It is interesting to note the late discovery year of this inscription, as well as the fact that it is under the Robinson Arch. The location of the address indicates, apparently, that the street level at that time was higher and that the ancient street was covered with dirt or rubble on which the author stood.

(Anecdote authored by: דניאל)

(Number of views: 55)

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