Tel Burna (Libnah?)
A Shephelah fortress proposed as Libnah of Joshua 10
Found 2009 — Itzhaq Shai (Ariel University) with Joe Uziel, Tel Burna Archaeological Project, 2009–present
Where Tel Burna (Tell Bornat), Nahal Guvrin, Shephelah (Israel)
Dates from c. 1300–700 BCE · Late Bronze IIB – Iron Age II · Conquest; later a Levitical city and Judahite border fort
Now at Site; finds at Ariel University and the Israel Antiquities Authority
How Tel Burna (Libnah?) was found
Survey and excavation on a flat-topped mound between Lachish and Gath found an Iron II casemate-walled fortress on the summit and, in the lower area, a Late Bronze cultic enclosure with masks, huge pithoi imported from Cyprus, goblets, and a cache of burnt offerings.
What it is
A 16-acre site with a square walled acropolis. The Late Bronze cult building, about 16 by 16 m, held two ceramic masks, a scarab, chalices, and a stone offering table, suggesting a public shrine of the 13th century BCE.
Why it matters for the Bible
Libnah appears in Yehoshua 10:29-30 as the city taken right after Makkedah, then as a Levitical city and a Judahite town that revolted under Yehoram (2 Melachim 8:22). Tel Burna's location, size, and Late Bronze to Iron II sequence make it the leading candidate, though Tel Zayit is also proposed. The Late Bronze shrine gives a rare look at Canaanite worship in the Shephelah on the eve of the Israelite settlement.
The Hebrew word: leev-NAH
לִבְנָה
לִבְנָה is pronounced leev-NAH and means Libnah ('white'), possibly from the chalky Shephelah hills (Strong's H3841).
People this discovery connects to
- Joshua — יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (ye-ho-SHOO-ah) — YHVH is salvation
Places
- Libnah — לִבְנָה (leev-NAH) — whiteness
Events
Capture of Libnah (Joshua 10:29-30) · Libnah as a Levitical city (Joshua 21:13) · Libnah's revolt from Judah (2 Kings 8:22)
Tel Burna (Libnah?) in Scripture
Joshua 10:29-30 Yehoshua passed from Makkedah to Libnah and took it; Tel Burna is the leading candidate for Libnah.
Joshua 21:13 Libnah given to the priests; an Iron II fortress town fits.
Questions people ask
What is Tel Burna (Libnah?)?
A 16-acre site with a square walled acropolis. The Late Bronze cult building, about 16 by 16 m, held two ceramic masks, a scarab, chalices, and a stone offering table, suggesting a public shrine of the 13th century BCE.
When was Tel Burna (Libnah?) discovered?
It was found in 2009 by Itzhaq Shai (Ariel University) with Joe Uziel, Tel Burna Archaeological Project, 2009–present, at Tel Burna (Tell Bornat), Nahal Guvrin, Shephelah.
Where is Tel Burna (Libnah?) today?
Site; finds at Ariel University and the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Which Bible verses does Tel Burna (Libnah?) relate to?
Joshua 10:29-30, Joshua 21:13.
Is Tel Burna (Libnah?) authentic?
The excavations are not in question; the identification of the site with Libnah is probable but unconfirmed.
Related discoveries
- בַּעַלTel Burna Canaanite Cult EnclosureMasks, goblets and giant Cypriot jars from a 13th-century shrine courtyard
- עִבְרִיAmarna Letters and the HabiruCanaanite kings beg Pharaoh for help against roving 'Apiru' bands
- מַצֵּבָהShechem (Tell Balata) Temple-FortressThe great Canaanite temple in the city of Avraham's first altar
- הָעַיAi: et-TellThe traditional site of Ai, empty when Joshua is said to have taken it
- מִזְבֵּחַMount Ebal Altar SiteZertal's Iron I stone structure identified by some as Joshua's altar
- מַצֵּבָהHazor Shrine of the StelaeA small Canaanite chapel with a row of standing stones and hands lifted to the moon
Sources
- I. Shai et al., 'The Late Bronze Age Cultic Enclosure at Tel Burna', in Tell it in Gath (2018)
- Tel Burna Archaeological Project
- Wikipedia: Tel Burna