EPISODE 3: The Gold Book
This week (March 29) on Shabbat Night Live, like a scene out of Indiana Jones, the real Dr. Jones (Miles Jones), soon after arriving in Saudi Arabia, received a call in the middle of the night to a secret meeting with an unnamed man. Upon arriving at the meeting, Dr. Jones was handed an ancient, pocket-sized book with pages made of gold.
What was written on those pages revealed the reason for secrecy — and you’ll hear the whole story!
Watch the episode — included on this blog post.
While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section and let’s get some discussion going!
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:07) What is the significance of the gold book discovered in Arabia, and how does it relate to the archives of the Banu Qurayza?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:47) What significance did the phrase ‘Yehovah is the seed of seeds’ hold in the ancient inscriptions found on the gold pages?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 25:22) How do the elements identified in the artifact relate to the historical context of the Banu Qurayza’s departure from the promised land?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 27:36) Considering the cultural and artistic influences evident in the artifacts discussed, how do the Egyptian origins manifest in the iconography and what does this suggest about the integration of Egyptian culture into the practices of the people who appeared in the Sinai desert?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 30:49) What methods were employed to clean and preserve the embossed artifacts discovered in the hidden chamber, and how did these techniques contribute to the longevity and historical significance of the findings?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 33:44) How did the introduction of agriculture by the Banu Qurayza tribe affect the prosperity and significance of Arabia?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 37:15) Considering the evidence of Hebrew artifacts such as gold books with ancient alphabets found in Arabia, what does this suggest about the historical involvement of Hebrews in Arabian history, and how does this align with the scriptural accounts of the patriarchs originating from this region?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 46:17) What are the possible reasons for the use of gold and lead in the creation of historical books, and how might these materials reflect the importance and content of the stories within them?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 51:58) What evidence suggests that the recently discovered metal document with 12 seals might represent an agreement between tribes, and how does its discovery in Saudi Arabia contribute to our understanding of history?
- (VIDEO TIMELINE: 54:34) How do the 12 seals mentioned in the Banu Qurayza archives relate to the ancient Hebrew tribes in Arabia?