PART I The World's Richest King

TEN IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

1. Did the tomb ever exist?

We have ample evidence from the Bible and Josephus, coupled with pure logic, that King David's burial occurred under special circumstances. His interment, in a select tomb designed by none other than King David himself, was part of a major plan. History and tradition demonstrate that David�s tomb, seemingly miraculously preserved, continued to exist throughout ancient times. This knowledge comes to us from a variety of sources including: I Kings and the writings of Nehemiah, Simon Peter, Josephus, Rabbi Akiba, and Dio Cassius.

One account, which survives from as late as 1163 C.E., was reported by a Spanish Jew named Benjamin of Tudela. In a travel account, written in Hebrew, Benjamin preserves a story told him by a Jew named Abraham. Benjamin is the first known Jew to follow this traditional account. The story is so fantastic, that it is suspect. While clear geographical points are not included with the account it appears to be an embellishment of the tradition locating the tomb on Jerusalem's southwestern hill. Apparently the workman actually had entered into the remains of a Herodian era synagogue.

According to the story, while employed by the Christian patriarch to reconstruct a damaged monument on Mt. Zion, two Jewish workers accidentally happened upon a secret passage and suddenly found themselves in a palace made of marble columns�the tombs of David and the Kings of Israel! A golden scepter and golden crown rested upon a table. There were riches all around. Suddenly they were struck down by a fierce whirlwind and began to hear voices telling them to leave immediately. Frightened, they crept back through the secret passageway, out into the open. They related their discovery to the patriarch. The patriarch with the help of Abraham, wrote a report to Constantinople. After three days, the two workmen were found sick in bed. They could not be persuaded to return to the site. They reported: �We shall never again return there, for God does not want this place to be seen by any human being.� (Pixner 1990:34�35, see also Armstrong 1996:286�287.)

The account focuses on the southwestern hill, known to be a spurious site for the authentic tomb of King David ever since Edward Robinson discovered Hezekiah�s Tunnel under the Eastern Hill in 1838. Conrad Schick, in 1880, confirmed Robinson's discovery when he found the Siloam inscription much deeper in the tunnel. In 1897, Clermont-Ganneau proposed his celebrated theory that David�s Tomb was �...the capital problem of Hebrew Archaeology� (Simons 1952:213).

Archaeological data, contrasted with literary evidence, shows that King David�s tomb could not have been discovered to this day. The only possible exception is a sepulcher, excavated by Raymond Weill in 1913-14, designated as T1. Researchers, however, reject that notion. Also, T1 will not withstand clear statements about the tomb by Josephus and Rabbi Akiba.

Six different forms of protection made certain the survival of David�s tomb during the period of Roman occupation. In order, they are: (1) obscuration, (2) intervention, (3) Persian, (4) forgetfulness, (5) superstition, and (6) repulsion. These factors combine to provide a �cosmic shield� of protection over David�s tomb. Following the time of the Romans, a reasonable case can be made for the continued existence of the tomb and treasury.

Ernest Martin in The Temples That Jerusalem Forgot (Martin 2002) argues that David�s tomb was moved by Simon the Hasmonean when he cut down the citadel of Mount Zion on the SE hill and moved Zion "along with the transference of David's tomb (that is, all hewn stones and furniture) and rebuilt them all on the southwest hill (Martin 2002:162). This is where Jews celebrate the traditional site of David�s tomb today. Although various factors in the total scenario seem indisputable, the record is anything but clear about the alleged move of David�s sepulcher�except for the creation of a substitute cenotaph. This Cenotaph of David, a Crusader work showing Gothic profiles and adorned on the front with a rosette of stylized acanthus leaves in the same style, is only a symbolic �marker� (Pinkerfeld 1960:42; Finegan 1992:238). The building, known as the Coenaculum or Cenacle, was not a real tomb. Originally it was a Judeo-Christian synagogue dating to ca. 75 CE which had no place for storing treasure (see Cenacle). This �replacement tomb� does not fit the description given by Josephus. The original tomb of David must exist in its original location somewhere within the southeastern hill.

No active search for David�s Tomb is currently underway but a serious prospect of its hidden existence could quickly alter this state of affairs. The development of various forms of high technology now provide the capability for the detection of deep underground voids and/or masses of metal. The presence of subterranean caves and a cash of precious metals hidden below the ancient city of David are research hypotheses which only actual exploration can confirm or falsify. The tomb and treasury probably lie quite deep, especially when understood in the context of the recent discovery of the underground city of Maresha (see Kloner 1997). The treasury may have a vertical shaft as part of a multi-level and multi-room substructure. This implies that, depending on the relative depth, a reasonably inexpensive exploration in the most likely spots could confirm, or falsify, these hypotheses.

Although different locations have been suggested for David's Tomb, it appears that two locations have the most credibility. The first would be in the approximate area of the tombs discovered by Raymond Weill in 1913-14. Only the site would be located further south�either near the stairs that were discovered, or else still further south under �the few houses on this site� (according to archaeologist Shmuel Yeivin) (Yeivin 1948:45). This notion is based on a number of factors which includes the position of the SE corner of the rock-like structure called the City of David. The other most likely spot for David�s tomb is further north along the rock citadel near the Gihon Spring. This viewpoint takes three factors into account.

First is the concept of the tomb being located South of the Temple and/or near the SE corner of the Temple Mount. This is based primarily on biblical evidence that includes vital symbolism. In regards to the SE direction of the Temple Mount structure (450 feet high), consider that this was where Satan tempted Jesus to �jump��and perhaps �fly.� Besides, as Peter stood in the Temple precincts, he said that David's tomb �...is with us [close proximity] unto this day� (Acts 2:29). Peter was preaching reasonably near the tomb.

Second is the work of Ernest Martin pointing to the Temple being located above the Gihon Spring and south of the Haram esh-Sharif. According to Martin's identification of the Temple�s location, no stones^F3 exist today in that area to guide us, just as Jesus said in Matthew 24:2. Martin also observes that:

But for now, note that in Isaiah 32:14 (where �Ophel� is translated �forts� in the KJV), Isaiah said some of the main geographical features of the Ophel were its �caves� (KJV: "dens") located underneath and within the mountain ridge. (Martin 2002:139.)

These caves are part of the karst water system that feeds the Gihon Spring.

Third is a �flue� mentioned by Rabbi Akiba. Due to later seismic disturbances, this may have connected with the nearby Gihon Spring. Earthquakes could also help to explain the natural/super�natural contamination of the Gihon Spring after Jerusalem�s destruction. For reasons expounded in the book and the one that follows, it appears that David�s Tomb would have been located near the South side of the Temple and/or toward the SE corner of the huge cube-like plat�form supporting the Temple. At its further limit, it may have served as a symbolic �corner�stone� for the entire structure above. This hypothesis holds that the tomb doubled as a vault for the treasures of Israel buried deep within its interior.

The logic of the tomb being somewhere between the area on the South near the base of the Temple Mount on the Ophel and as close as possible to the actual position of the Holy of Holies would suggest that the search area is relatively small. The use of high-tech equipment to locate voids and/or masses of metal should not be that difficult�depending upon the depth involved.

If King David�s Tomb were discovered by technology�even if it remained intact (without its excavation)�the news would probably create a firestorm of controversy. It would severely damage and frustrate the efforts of minimalists to destroy the credibility and sacred nature of the Hebrew Scriptures. It would attest to the veracity of the Old Testament and close the mouths of many critics. Such a discovery would also undermine Arabic claims that title to Jerusalem belongs to them and not the people of Israel. If nothing else, the discovery of David�s Tomb would be a significant boost to local economies through tourism.