Gedaliah son of Pashhur Bulla
Seal of a second official from Jeremiah 38, found beside the Jehucal bulla
Found 2008 — Eilat Mazar (Hebrew University)
Where City of David, Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) (Israel)
Dates from c. 600–586 BCE · Iron Age IIC · Reign of Tsidkiyahu (Zedekiah)
Now at Israel Antiquities Authority / Hebrew University (City of David excavation finds)
Names a biblical person Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Pashhur
How Gedaliah son of Pashhur Bulla was found
Found in July 2008 (announced 1 August 2008) in the Iron Age layer outside the wall at the foot of the Large Stone Structure, a few metres from where the Jehucal bulla had been found in 2005.
What it is
A clay bulla with two lines of paleo-Hebrew reading 'l-Gedalyahu ben Pashchur' — belonging to Gedaliah son of Pashhur.
Why it matters for the Bible
Jeremiah 38:1 lists four officials who heard Jeremiah urging surrender and demanded his death: Shephatiah, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah and Pashhur son of Malchiah. Two of the four are now attested by seals found within metres of each other in the royal quarter. Together they anchor Jeremiah 38 in a real government office in the years before 586.
The Hebrew word: choh-TAHM
חוֹתָם
חוֹתָם is pronounced choh-TAHM and means seal, signet (Strong's H2368).
People this discovery connects to
- Gedaliah son of Pashhur — גְּדַלְיָהוּ (ge-dal-YAH-hoo) — YHVH is great
- Pashhur — פַּשְׁחוּר (pash-CHOOR) — uncertain; possibly Egyptian
Places
- City of David — עִיר דָּוִד (eer dah-VEED) — city of David
Events
Officials demand Jeremiah's death (Jeremiah 38)
Gedaliah son of Pashhur Bulla in Scripture
Jeremiah 38:1 Names Gedaliah son of Pashhur among the officials who opposed Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 38:4 The same officials ask the king to put Jeremiah to death.
Questions people ask
What is Gedaliah son of Pashhur Bulla?
A clay bulla with two lines of paleo-Hebrew reading 'l-Gedalyahu ben Pashchur' — belonging to Gedaliah son of Pashhur.
When was Gedaliah son of Pashhur Bulla discovered?
It was found in 2008 by Eilat Mazar (Hebrew University), at City of David, Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).
Where is Gedaliah son of Pashhur Bulla today?
Israel Antiquities Authority / Hebrew University (City of David excavation finds).
Which Bible verses does Gedaliah son of Pashhur Bulla relate to?
Jeremiah 38:1, Jeremiah 38:4.
Related discoveries
- שַׂרJehucal son of Shelemiah BullaSeal of the royal official who was sent to Jeremiah and later had him thrown in a cistern
- סֹפֵרHouse of Bullae and the Gemariah son of Shaphan BullaFifty-one seal impressions baked hard in the fire of 586 BCE, one naming a scribe from Jeremiah 36
- מִלּוֹאStepped Stone StructureA giant stone rampart on the slope of the City of David, perhaps the biblical Millo
- עָלָהPilgrimage Road (Stepped Street)The 600-meter stepped street from the Pool of Siloam up to the Temple Mount, built under Pilate
- בָּמָהCity of David Rock-Cut Sanctuary RoomsEight bedrock chambers near the Gihon with an altar, olive press and winepress, sealed in the 8th century BCE
- מִלּוֹאThe Millo: Where Was It?The Stepped Stone Structure and the Gihon Spring fortifications as rival candidates for the biblical Millo
Sources
- E. Mazar, The Palace of King David: Excavations at the Summit of the City of David (2009)
- Wikipedia, 'Gedaliah, son of Pashhur'
- BiblePlaces blog, 'Seal of King Zedekiah's Official Discovered' (Aug 2008)