It’s very likely that the story you’ve heard about the Dead Sea Scrolls and the young shepherd boy who was chasing the goats… isn’t quite the way it really happened. In this final episode of Season 2 of the Digging Deeper Podcast, Barry and Dan talk with Shebly Kando, the grandson of the famous Khalil Eskander Shahin “Kando”, the antiquities dealer that played a key role in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls after they were find found by Bedouin shepherds, and hear him retell the story of what is considered to be one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th centuries.

Discovered in the caves near Qumran, the Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient scrolls that include portions of nearly every book of the Old Testament scriptures, dating back over 2,000 years and dramatically closing the gap between our modern Bibles and their earliest sources. From the handwritten scrolls written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, to the copper scroll and jars (some of which are still owned by the Kando family today), this episode describes the evidence that shows how faithfully the Bible has been preserved across centuries.

In this episode of Digging Deeper, Dan and Barry discuss the fascinating story of how the renowned Israeli archaeologist Gabriel Barkay, together with an overly curious 13-year old boy, discovered the Ketef Hinnom Scrolls-the oldest known copies of biblical text every found. Hidden in a tomb in the Hinnon Valley in southwest Jerusalem, these tiny silver scrolls contain portions of the Priestly blessing in Numbers 6, as well as a portion of Deuteronomy chapter 7.

Hailed by many as the greatest of Dr. Barkay’s many discoveries, these scrolls give us a remarkable glimpse into the early uses and reverence of the Old Testament scriptures. The find not only preserves the sacred name of YHWH, but also challenges many false assumptions of when the Bible was written.

Special thanks to the sponsors of this season of Digging Deeper:

CEI Bookstore (https://truthbooks.com) - CEI Books is a retail supplier of Bibles, books, and other religious materials to individuals and churches nationwide.

Sacred Connections (https://www.sacredconnections.com) - Sacred Connections is a safe, online space for Christians to connect and build meaningful relationships. With a focus on community and channels dedicated to various interests and events there is something for users at every life stage.

What can a small piece of clay tell us about the Bible? In this episode of Digging Deeper, Barry and Dan talk about the world of bullate-ancient seal impressions used to secure and authenticate documents. Found across the ancient world, these tiny artifacts carry huge significance when they contain names we recognize from scripture.

From King Hezekiah's seal to the possible bulla of the prophet Isaiah, these discoveries offer powerful archaeological proof of the people and places mentioned in the Bible.

Special thanks to the sponsors of this season of Digging Deeper:

CEI Bookstore (https://truthbooks.com) - CEI Books is a retail supplier of Bibles, books, and other religious materials to individuals and churches nationwide.

Sacred Connections (https://www.sacredconnections.com) - Sacred Connections is a safe, online space for Christians to connect and build meaningful relationships. With a focus on community and channels dedicated to various interests and events there is something for users at every life stage.