Has The House of Lehi Been Discovered?
In 1961 wheels of an Israeli military bulldozer sunk into the top of an underground cavern outside Jerusalem. Subsequent excavations show a very large community existed in the area. The local Bedouin tradition is that the site is "The House of Lehi," named after a prophet who disappeared centuries ago. And it dates to 700-600 B.C.
Elder Hartman Rector Jr. of The Church of Jesus Christ visited the site and felt this was a significant find. It is about 17 miles southwest of Jerusalem where Latter-day Saints believe Lehi, a great prophet, lived before coming to the Americas. Elder Rector encouraged other Latter-day Saints to visit, and agreeing this was an important site, they started the “House of Lehi Foundation.”
Live interviews of Bedouins who share their tradition that before Mohammed there was a prophet named Lehi who lived there can be found on YouTube under the title "Beit Lehi." The
Bedouins say this Lehi warned the Jews and people of Ishmael of difficult times to come. Then he disappeared. No one knew where he went. When going to the top of a hill where the site was found, they said it was a very sacred place. Josephus in his Antiquities (7:12:4) speaks of the mountains of Lehi.
Such traditions are consistent with the life of Lehi as told in The Book of Mormon. A prophet named Lehi, a very wealthy man, did live in or near Jerusalem. He did warn about the coming destruction of the Babylonians. And he did disappear -- to come to the Americas with his family.
Nothing was done about this site until recent years. Elder Rector and the House of Lehi Foundation encouraged and financially helped excavation. Such excavations have been carried out by Israeli archaeologists. Students and faculty from Utah Valley University have helped with surveying and site mapping.
There are inscriptions carved on the rock walls. One is poetic, with several phrases praising Yahweh, and several other phrases pleading with Him to remember and help Jerusalem. One LDS commentator felt the inscriptions appear in every way similar to other writings of the prophets.
Other things discovered there are an extremely large and well preserved olive press and a room for olive oil storage. Right next to them was a mikvah or place for a ritual bath. A large Columbarium with dovecotes for 2200 birds was found there. [These are holes in the rock walls for pigeons/doves to nest] They were being raised to sell for food or for sacrifice.
Of course, Lehi left and the place later was inhabited by others. But there are some signs that it was inhabited by later believers in Christ. For example, there was another inscription found in another place. It said “Jesus is here.” And there was also a carving of a man in a boat. [The site is far from the sea]. It certainly makes one wonder if the inscription was not an exclamation of one who had waited for the Messiah and was now proclaiming that He at last had come.
A large Christian chapel was built there at a later time. It had a beautiful mosaic floor which said “Jesus Christ.” There was also a baptistry built in it. On the entrance was written “Righteousness to all who enter.” The baptismal font was made for baptism by immersion.
Only 15% of the site has been excavated. There are 20 other places indicating something of significance, but not yet touched. The site’s history covers many centuries and many faiths: Hebrew, Christian, Muslim. There are signs that after the Christians, Muslims moved into the site. They made attempts to deface art and writings that pertained to Christ or that they felt were idolatrous.
The Israeli archaeologists attach this site to Samson, referring to the story in Judges (Chapter 15) where Samson, once conquered by the Gentiles, is said to have been revived by water drunk from the jawbone of an ass at Lehi where there is a spring (verse19). Samson overcame the power of the Gentiles with this jawbone.
Some prominent Biblical scholars who believed Samson in many ways was a “type” of Israel, felt this “jawbone” represented the word of God which would re-awaken Israel to its spiritual heritage (such as Irenaeus and John Foxe). In 1995, I published Unveiling Biblical Prophecy, and suggested the witness of this jawbone was likely a prophecy of the Book of Mormon. For the name "Lehi "means jawbone or cheek. To me Samson’s story was prophecy that Israel would first be overcome by the Gentiles, (This occurred physically when the Romans took the Jews captive. It occurred spiritually when the Gentiles received the Gospel and the leadership of Christ’s church). However, in time, Samson's story shows that Israel would receive back its inheritance, revived by the word of God. Paul prophesied the same thing more clearly in Romans 11:25-28.
But the specific “word of God” that would revive Israel would come through the prophet Lehi, from his and his descendants' history and testimony. For he was the first prophet and patriarch of The Book of Mormon people. Lehi did not disappear from the sight of God, only from sight of those in the Old World. But he left an archaeological record of his existence there, which may now have been newly discovered.
And the truth is that because of the Book of Mormon, Israel has received back the blessings of the Gospel from the Gentiles.
Only Latter-day Saints would understand why the word of God that revives Israel tuly is connected to the "jawbone" of Lehi.
There is much to be discovered yet at this site. There may be more fascinating things found.
Elder Hartman Rector Jr. of The Church of Jesus Christ visited the site and felt this was a significant find. It is about 17 miles southwest of Jerusalem where Latter-day Saints believe Lehi, a great prophet, lived before coming to the Americas. Elder Rector encouraged other Latter-day Saints to visit, and agreeing this was an important site, they started the “House of Lehi Foundation.”
Live interviews of Bedouins who share their tradition that before Mohammed there was a prophet named Lehi who lived there can be found on YouTube under the title "Beit Lehi." The
Bedouins say this Lehi warned the Jews and people of Ishmael of difficult times to come. Then he disappeared. No one knew where he went. When going to the top of a hill where the site was found, they said it was a very sacred place. Josephus in his Antiquities (7:12:4) speaks of the mountains of Lehi.
Such traditions are consistent with the life of Lehi as told in The Book of Mormon. A prophet named Lehi, a very wealthy man, did live in or near Jerusalem. He did warn about the coming destruction of the Babylonians. And he did disappear -- to come to the Americas with his family.
Nothing was done about this site until recent years. Elder Rector and the House of Lehi Foundation encouraged and financially helped excavation. Such excavations have been carried out by Israeli archaeologists. Students and faculty from Utah Valley University have helped with surveying and site mapping.
There are inscriptions carved on the rock walls. One is poetic, with several phrases praising Yahweh, and several other phrases pleading with Him to remember and help Jerusalem. One LDS commentator felt the inscriptions appear in every way similar to other writings of the prophets.
Other things discovered there are an extremely large and well preserved olive press and a room for olive oil storage. Right next to them was a mikvah or place for a ritual bath. A large Columbarium with dovecotes for 2200 birds was found there. [These are holes in the rock walls for pigeons/doves to nest] They were being raised to sell for food or for sacrifice.
Of course, Lehi left and the place later was inhabited by others. But there are some signs that it was inhabited by later believers in Christ. For example, there was another inscription found in another place. It said “Jesus is here.” And there was also a carving of a man in a boat. [The site is far from the sea]. It certainly makes one wonder if the inscription was not an exclamation of one who had waited for the Messiah and was now proclaiming that He at last had come.
A large Christian chapel was built there at a later time. It had a beautiful mosaic floor which said “Jesus Christ.” There was also a baptistry built in it. On the entrance was written “Righteousness to all who enter.” The baptismal font was made for baptism by immersion.
Only 15% of the site has been excavated. There are 20 other places indicating something of significance, but not yet touched. The site’s history covers many centuries and many faiths: Hebrew, Christian, Muslim. There are signs that after the Christians, Muslims moved into the site. They made attempts to deface art and writings that pertained to Christ or that they felt were idolatrous.
The Israeli archaeologists attach this site to Samson, referring to the story in Judges (Chapter 15) where Samson, once conquered by the Gentiles, is said to have been revived by water drunk from the jawbone of an ass at Lehi where there is a spring (verse19). Samson overcame the power of the Gentiles with this jawbone.
Some prominent Biblical scholars who believed Samson in many ways was a “type” of Israel, felt this “jawbone” represented the word of God which would re-awaken Israel to its spiritual heritage (such as Irenaeus and John Foxe). In 1995, I published Unveiling Biblical Prophecy, and suggested the witness of this jawbone was likely a prophecy of the Book of Mormon. For the name "Lehi "means jawbone or cheek. To me Samson’s story was prophecy that Israel would first be overcome by the Gentiles, (This occurred physically when the Romans took the Jews captive. It occurred spiritually when the Gentiles received the Gospel and the leadership of Christ’s church). However, in time, Samson's story shows that Israel would receive back its inheritance, revived by the word of God. Paul prophesied the same thing more clearly in Romans 11:25-28.
But the specific “word of God” that would revive Israel would come through the prophet Lehi, from his and his descendants' history and testimony. For he was the first prophet and patriarch of The Book of Mormon people. Lehi did not disappear from the sight of God, only from sight of those in the Old World. But he left an archaeological record of his existence there, which may now have been newly discovered.
And the truth is that because of the Book of Mormon, Israel has received back the blessings of the Gospel from the Gentiles.
Only Latter-day Saints would understand why the word of God that revives Israel tuly is connected to the "jawbone" of Lehi.
There is much to be discovered yet at this site. There may be more fascinating things found.