From wars and rumors of war abroad, to the rise of anti-Christian, "woke" ideology here at home, it’s clear that Americans are living in perilous and unprecedented times. Some would even say that we’re witnessing biblical prophecy unfold in real time. Stakelbeck Tonight will make sense of these stunning developments through a bold and biblical lens.
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Stakelbeck Tonight | Erick Stakelbeck: Exploring the Hidden Cave of Zedekiah | Stakelbeck Tonight | July 16, 2025
- Coming up on a very special stakelbeck tonight,
- 00:00:03.693 --> 00:00:06.362
- Welcome to the largest manmade cave complex in all of israel.
- 00:00:06.362 --> 00:00:11.301
- This is zedekiah cave.
- 00:00:11.301 --> 00:00:13.436
- That's king zedekiah, the last king of judah.
- 00:00:13.436 --> 00:00:16.372
- The final king in the davidic line.
- 00:00:16.372 --> 00:00:19.109
- Did he attempt to flee through this massive series of caves?
- 00:00:19.109 --> 00:00:23.379
- As the babylonians were closing in
- 00:00:23.379 --> 00:00:25.849
- And the destruction of jerusalem was at hand?
- 00:00:25.849 --> 00:00:28.852
- You see the chisel marks where stones from
- 00:00:28.852 --> 00:00:30.720
- This quarry were used to help build the first temple,
- 00:00:30.720 --> 00:00:33.823
- Solomon's temple,
- 00:00:33.823 --> 00:00:35.024
- And perhaps even the second temple, herod's temple.
- 00:00:35.024 --> 00:00:38.461
- Well, our good friend
- 00:00:38.461 --> 00:00:39.796
- Danny the digger herman is back to help us unlock
- 00:00:39.796 --> 00:00:42.699
- The ancient mysteries of zedekiah his cave.
- 00:00:42.699 --> 00:00:45.902
- So come with us as we go deep underground
- 00:00:45.902 --> 00:00:48.872
- Into one of the true hidden gems of jerusalem.
- 00:00:48.872 --> 00:00:52.275
- And it all starts now.
- 00:00:52.275 --> 00:01:24.607
- Well, danny, welcome back my friend.
- 00:01:25.375 --> 00:01:27.310
- Always great to be with you in jerusalem.
- 00:01:27.310 --> 00:01:29.312
- Always a pleasure to be with you. yeah.
- 00:01:29.312 --> 00:01:31.047
- You always take us to the best spots and the hidden gems.
- 00:01:31.047 --> 00:01:33.816
- And this is one of the top hidden gems in all of jerusalem.
- 00:01:33.816 --> 00:01:37.620
- This is zedekiah cave, danny.
- 00:01:37.620 --> 00:01:39.689
- And man, this has a fascinating backstory.
- 00:01:39.689 --> 00:01:42.125
- Tell us a little bit about why this place is so important.
- 00:01:42.125 --> 00:01:45.428
- This is really a fantastic site.
- 00:01:45.428 --> 00:01:47.497
- First of all, the damascus gate, the biggest
- 00:01:47.497 --> 00:01:50.667
- And the most ornate gate
- 00:01:50.667 --> 00:01:51.935
- In the old city of jerusalem is right here around the corner.
- 00:01:51.935 --> 00:01:55.004
- These are the old city walls. there's this.
- 00:01:55.004 --> 00:01:57.173
- These cliffs and walls stood against the crusaders
- 00:01:57.173 --> 00:02:01.211
- When they stormed over the city.
- 00:02:01.211 --> 00:02:02.979
- Later they were rebuilt by suleiman
- 00:02:02.979 --> 00:02:05.081
- The magnificent and are standing to this day.
- 00:02:05.081 --> 00:02:07.450
- Yeah. okay.
- 00:02:07.450 --> 00:02:08.618
- Rockefeller museum, mount of olives, the garden tomb.
- 00:02:08.618 --> 00:02:11.654
- Yeah. they're all around. here.
- 00:02:11.654 --> 00:02:12.989
- This is the heartbeat of jerusalem. here.
- 00:02:12.989 --> 00:02:14.557
- We're in the center of jerusalem,
- 00:02:14.557 --> 00:02:15.825
- In the shadow of the old city.
- 00:02:15.825 --> 00:02:17.260
- It's. you can hear the rush hour traffic.
- 00:02:17.260 --> 00:02:19.128
- It's a bustling, busy place, but not that
- 00:02:19.128 --> 00:02:22.398
- Long ago, say, mid 19th century.
- 00:02:22.398 --> 00:02:25.468
- It wasn't like that. it looked totally different.
- 00:02:25.468 --> 00:02:27.604
- Okay.
- 00:02:27.604 --> 00:02:28.004
- Instead of,
- 00:02:28.004 --> 00:02:29.138
- Cars and motorcycles, you had camels and donkeys here.
- 00:02:29.138 --> 00:02:32.141
- Yeah.
- 00:02:32.141 --> 00:02:33.343
- And, an american, scholar and a physician, james barkley.
- 00:02:33.343 --> 00:02:37.814
- He's known also for the discovery
- 00:02:37.814 --> 00:02:39.349
- Of a gate in the western world.
- 00:02:39.349 --> 00:02:40.750
- It's called to the state. barclay's gate.
- 00:02:40.750 --> 00:02:42.719
- So, 1854.
- 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:44.087
- He walks around here with his dog,
- 00:02:44.087 --> 00:02:46.823
- Who suddenly trips and disappears.
- 00:02:46.823 --> 00:02:49.892
- And as he bends over to grab him,
- 00:02:49.892 --> 00:02:51.828
- He notices this is a really big ditch.
- 00:02:51.828 --> 00:02:54.631
- So he decides to investigate this the following day,
- 00:02:54.631 --> 00:02:58.034
- Returning to the site with his two sons and torches
- 00:02:58.034 --> 00:03:01.337
- Concealed behind their gowns so they wouldn't be noticed.
- 00:03:01.337 --> 00:03:04.607
- So kind of slide. in
- 00:03:04.607 --> 00:03:06.976
- And they find, say, the keys.
- 00:03:07.610 --> 00:03:09.779
- Okay, so we're going to go underground now.
- 00:03:09.779 --> 00:03:11.514
- I can't wait to get going.
- 00:03:11.514 --> 00:03:12.515
- It's a little chilly out here in jerusalem.
- 00:03:12.515 --> 00:03:13.750
- We're going to take off these jackets first.
- 00:03:13.750 --> 00:03:15.551
- Then we're going to go inside.
- 00:03:15.551 --> 00:03:16.519
- Danny. let's go, let's go.
- 00:03:16.519 --> 00:03:19.856
- You have to imagine this minute
- 00:03:19.856 --> 00:03:22.091
- When barkley and his children, they sneak in,
- 00:03:22.091 --> 00:03:25.228
- They take out the torches and they like them up.
- 00:03:25.228 --> 00:03:28.131
- And boom, boom, they see all of this.
- 00:03:28.131 --> 00:03:31.467
- Look at this.
- 00:03:31.467 --> 00:03:32.702
- This is.
- 00:03:32.702 --> 00:03:33.836
- Let me gather myself and take this all in for a second.
- 00:03:33.836 --> 00:03:36.806
- Now, danny, this place looks huge.
- 00:03:36.806 --> 00:03:38.775
- It looks like it goes deep down.
- 00:03:38.775 --> 00:03:40.543
- How far does it go down? it's amazing.
- 00:03:40.543 --> 00:03:42.512
- It's literally a hidden gem.
- 00:03:42.512 --> 00:03:44.280
- Yeah, and it's a very big hidden gem.
- 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:46.783
- We actually don't know the full size of it.
- 00:03:46.783 --> 00:03:49.319
- Only about half of the cave has been uncovered.
- 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:52.021
- Okay, it's got a lot of evidence of quarrying activity.
- 00:03:52.021 --> 00:03:56.092
- This was definitely a quarry.
- 00:03:56.092 --> 00:03:57.627
- Yeah, and it's, in fact, it's the biggest manmade
- 00:03:57.627 --> 00:04:00.663
- Cave in all of these.
- 00:04:00.663 --> 00:04:01.597
- Incredible.
- 00:04:01.597 --> 00:04:02.532
- It looks like a kind of a mysterious place,
- 00:04:02.532 --> 00:04:04.167
- But the entrance is right on the street.
- 00:04:04.167 --> 00:04:05.768
- Yeah, like you said.
- 00:04:05.768 --> 00:04:06.969
- Well, hey, let's go deep underground, danny.
- 00:04:06.969 --> 00:04:09.639
- Who knows what we'll find? lead the way, my friend.
- 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:11.874
- Let me show you. let's do it.
- 00:04:11.874 --> 00:04:29.559
- So this is, one of the inner
- 00:04:30.226 --> 00:04:32.762
- Halls of this giant complex.
- 00:04:32.762 --> 00:04:35.365
- Look at this place. wow.
- 00:04:35.365 --> 00:04:36.466
- Danny.
- 00:04:36.466 --> 00:04:37.533
- And, what's most visible are the quarrying marks.
- 00:04:37.533 --> 00:04:40.903
- You can see them all over you.
- 00:04:40.903 --> 00:04:42.338
- Now, for the person at home, what is quarrying for someone
- 00:04:42.338 --> 00:04:45.441
- Saying, what is a quarrying area?
- 00:04:45.441 --> 00:04:47.076
- It's chiseling.
- 00:04:47.076 --> 00:04:48.811
- Stone. literally.
- 00:04:48.811 --> 00:04:50.079
- You can see here this big shape of, stone that was pulled out
- 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:54.851
- And then taken to some constructions.
- 00:04:54.851 --> 00:04:56.619
- You can see it, danny.
- 00:04:56.619 --> 00:04:57.520
- It's almost like compartments
- 00:04:57.520 --> 00:04:58.988
- Where they chiseled around and took the stone out.
- 00:04:58.988 --> 00:05:01.357
- Yes, and big stones, by the way.
- 00:05:01.357 --> 00:05:03.459
- Look at this. gigantic, huge. okay.
- 00:05:03.459 --> 00:05:06.095
- When this was found in the 19th
- 00:05:06.095 --> 00:05:07.930
- Century, look at this size, for instance.
- 00:05:07.930 --> 00:05:09.665
- That's that's, wow, that's really massive.
- 00:05:09.665 --> 00:05:12.368
- And you and i were talking off camera.
- 00:05:12.368 --> 00:05:14.337
- The labor involved, the poor guys who were down here
- 00:05:14.337 --> 00:05:18.074
- Cut it, carving these stones out.
- 00:05:18.074 --> 00:05:19.642
- Well, sweating the whole day for pita bread.
- 00:05:19.642 --> 00:05:23.246
- Basically for a piece of bread back then to feed their family.
- 00:05:23.246 --> 00:05:25.915
- This is what they had to do.
- 00:05:25.915 --> 00:05:26.949
- Talk about hard labor.
- 00:05:26.949 --> 00:05:28.418
- Yes, but from which period is it?
- 00:05:28.418 --> 00:05:30.953
- So the generation that found it opened
- 00:05:30.953 --> 00:05:33.489
- The bible is all the scholarship in those days did.
- 00:05:33.489 --> 00:05:36.559
- And it's very tempting to link it to solomon.
- 00:05:36.559 --> 00:05:39.195
- King solomon. yes.
- 00:05:39.195 --> 00:05:40.329
- Let me read to you the quote from
- 00:05:40.329 --> 00:05:43.533
- First book of kings, chapter five.
- 00:05:43.533 --> 00:05:45.735
- Solomon had 70,000 carriers and 80,000
- 00:05:45.735 --> 00:05:49.238
- Stonecutters in the hills, as well as 3300 foremen
- 00:05:49.238 --> 00:05:53.676
- Who supervised the project and directed the workmen
- 00:05:53.676 --> 00:05:56.879
- At the king's command.
- 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:58.214
- They remove from the quarry large blocks of quality stones
- 00:05:58.214 --> 00:06:03.553
- To provide a foundation of stone for the temple.
- 00:06:03.553 --> 00:06:07.657
- For the first temple, solomon's legendary temple.
- 00:06:07.657 --> 00:06:10.660
- Danny.
- 00:06:10.660 --> 00:06:11.294
- So people were suggesting
- 00:06:11.294 --> 00:06:13.095
- That this may have been the very quarry that first kings
- 00:06:13.095 --> 00:06:17.133
- Mentioned, where some of the stones that
- 00:06:17.133 --> 00:06:19.936
- Were provided for the first temple were carved out totally.
- 00:06:19.936 --> 00:06:23.473
- And it's a very attractive theory,
- 00:06:23.473 --> 00:06:25.775
- Except that the archeological science advance later on,
- 00:06:25.775 --> 00:06:30.913
- And now there's almost a consensus
- 00:06:30.913 --> 00:06:33.182
- That this dates to a later period.
- 00:06:33.182 --> 00:06:34.917
- Okay. it just it just wasn't used.
- 00:06:34.917 --> 00:06:37.620
- They didn't quarry
- 00:06:37.620 --> 00:06:38.688
- That kind of stone in the days of the first temple,
- 00:06:38.688 --> 00:06:42.592
- But it was used maybe for a temple,
- 00:06:42.592 --> 00:06:44.961
- The jewish temple, the second one.
- 00:06:44.961 --> 00:06:46.963
- Herod's temple.
- 00:06:46.963 --> 00:06:47.630
- The herodian temple. exactly.
- 00:06:47.630 --> 00:06:50.266
- And it looks it looks kind of similar to the stones
- 00:06:50.266 --> 00:06:53.336
- At the western wall in that area.
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- It's even the same stone type.
- 00:06:54.937 --> 00:06:56.672
- It's called the milky type of stones, the royal stone.
- 00:06:56.672 --> 00:07:00.409
- There. very whitish, high quality.
- 00:07:00.409 --> 00:07:02.445
- Hard. yes. stone.
- 00:07:02.445 --> 00:07:04.614
- And that makes a.
- 00:07:05.047 --> 00:07:06.048
- Lot of sense. and it's still a leading theory.
- 00:07:06.048 --> 00:07:08.618
- It's still a leading theory that maybe these blocks of stones
- 00:07:08.618 --> 00:07:12.555
- Can be seen to this day at the western world,
- 00:07:12.555 --> 00:07:14.423
- Were quarried here and delivered somehow to the construction.
- 00:07:14.423 --> 00:07:17.827
- And that's a question.
- 00:07:17.827 --> 00:07:18.895
- And those numbers in first kings seventy thousand,
- 00:07:18.895 --> 00:07:22.431
- Eighty thousand stone cutters.
- 00:07:22.431 --> 00:07:23.799
- You can imagine the massive labor force down here, danny,
- 00:07:23.799 --> 00:07:26.235
- Whether it was the first temple or the second temple.
- 00:07:26.235 --> 00:07:28.471
- Wow. hard labor, tough labor.
- 00:07:28.471 --> 00:07:31.440
- Okay, so we have the possible solomon link,
- 00:07:31.440 --> 00:07:35.645
- The more likely herodian linked to the second temple.
- 00:07:35.645 --> 00:07:38.848
- But there's another biblical figure.
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- After all this is called zedekiah is cave. yes.
- 00:07:40.850 --> 00:07:44.620
- Zedekiah king zedekiah, the last king of judah.
- 00:07:44.620 --> 00:07:47.523
- Major potential storyline there as well
- 00:07:47.523 --> 00:07:49.959
- That unfolded in these very caves.
- 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:51.794
- Yeah, the jews of jerusalem.
- 00:07:51.794 --> 00:07:53.296
- When this was found,
- 00:07:53.296 --> 00:07:54.764
- They developed a belief that this relates
- 00:07:54.764 --> 00:07:56.933
- Not to king solomon, but to king zedekiah,
- 00:07:56.933 --> 00:07:59.335
- The last king of judah. and not a good king.
- 00:07:59.335 --> 00:08:02.138
- Not a good king, the king that caused the the end
- 00:08:02.138 --> 00:08:04.974
- Of jerusalem, day of the first temple.
- 00:08:04.974 --> 00:08:08.110
- And to this day there is a spring on the other end here
- 00:08:08.110 --> 00:08:11.480
- That is claiming to relate to the city.
- 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:14.817
- It's called spring.
- 00:08:14.817 --> 00:08:16.118
- Or is tears.
- 00:08:16.118 --> 00:08:18.387
- Let me show you. let's go.
- 00:08:18.387 --> 00:08:32.002
- Let me show you. let's go.
- 00:08:32.002 --> 00:08:49.084
- Well, danny, we talked about this site.
- 00:08:49.918 --> 00:08:51.620
- The connection to zedekiah.
- 00:08:51.620 --> 00:08:53.254
- It's known as zedekiah█s cave after all.
- 00:08:53.254 --> 00:08:55.991
- But you mentioned a water source here.
- 00:08:55.991 --> 00:08:58.493
- Yes, it relates to zedekiah.
- 00:08:58.493 --> 00:09:00.228
- Where are we right now?
- 00:09:00.228 --> 00:09:01.696
- We are in the possibly the lowest part of the cave,
- 00:09:01.696 --> 00:09:05.033
- Almost the lowest part of it.
- 00:09:05.033 --> 00:09:06.868
- And, there is a little water leak,
- 00:09:06.868 --> 00:09:09.804
- Like a little trickle of water coming here to this day,
- 00:09:09.804 --> 00:09:13.408
- From some natural source.
- 00:09:13.975 --> 00:09:16.044
- And the jews have developed a tradition, not only,
- 00:09:16.044 --> 00:09:20.148
- Relating this to solomon, which we spoke about before,
- 00:09:20.148 --> 00:09:22.917
- But to the last king of the kingdom of david
- 00:09:22.917 --> 00:09:26.721
- Of the judean dynasty, king zedekiah.
- 00:09:26.721 --> 00:09:30.258
- A very tragic ending. indeed.
- 00:09:30.258 --> 00:09:32.761
- Okay.
- 00:09:32.761 --> 00:09:33.695
- And to read the text from the bible itself.
- 00:09:33.695 --> 00:09:36.531
- After his rebellious act, the babylonians decide
- 00:09:36.531 --> 00:09:39.234
- To conquer jerusalem.
- 00:09:39.234 --> 00:09:40.502
- Yeah, he revolted against nebuchadnezzar.
- 00:09:40.502 --> 00:09:42.470
- Bad move. yes. bad decision.
- 00:09:42.470 --> 00:09:45.407
- Then a breach was made in the city,
- 00:09:45.407 --> 00:09:47.509
- And all the men of war fled by night
- 00:09:47.509 --> 00:09:50.011
- By the way of the gate
- 00:09:50.011 --> 00:09:51.212
- Between the two walls, which was by the king's garden.
- 00:09:51.212 --> 00:09:55.517
- Now the chaldeans were against the city round about,
- 00:09:55.517 --> 00:09:58.119
- And the king went
- 00:09:58.119 --> 00:09:59.220
- By the way of are of the jews developed a belief,
- 00:09:59.220 --> 00:10:02.891
- The jews of jerusalem, that this was the tunnel
- 00:10:02.891 --> 00:10:05.527
- That he sneaked out towards the arabah.
- 00:10:05.527 --> 00:10:07.996
- So zedekiah he escaped the chaldeans or the babylonians.
- 00:10:07.996 --> 00:10:10.965
- He escapes.
- 00:10:10.965 --> 00:10:11.700
- He tries, tries to get away.
- 00:10:11.700 --> 00:10:14.269
- He comes through this cave.
- 00:10:14.269 --> 00:10:16.504
- Then what happens to zedekiah?
- 00:10:16.504 --> 00:10:18.006
- It doesn't end well.
- 00:10:18.006 --> 00:10:19.374
- But the army of the chaldeans pursued
- 00:10:19.374 --> 00:10:21.309
- After the king and overtook him in the plains of jericho,
- 00:10:21.309 --> 00:10:24.713
- And all his army was carried from him.
- 00:10:24.713 --> 00:10:27.916
- And zedekiah a kind of a grisly last mention
- 00:10:27.916 --> 00:10:31.786
- Of him in second kings. danny.
- 00:10:31.786 --> 00:10:33.722
- He has his eyes gouged out by nebuchadnezzar's hordes.
- 00:10:33.722 --> 00:10:37.759
- Yes, and he's led away in fetters to babylon.
- 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:42.597
- To babylon. that's the last we hear of zedekiah.
- 00:10:42.597 --> 00:10:44.699
- And by the way,
- 00:10:44.699 --> 00:10:46.401
- The last thing he saw before his eyes were removed
- 00:10:46.401 --> 00:10:49.671
- Was his family, his sons being slaughtered by the babylonians.
- 00:10:49.671 --> 00:10:53.775
- Which also ends the davidic lineage.
- 00:10:53.775 --> 00:10:56.511
- That's the end of the dynasty of king david.
- 00:10:56.511 --> 00:10:59.047
- And this is against the backdrop
- 00:10:59.047 --> 00:11:00.315
- Of solomon's temple, the first temple
- 00:11:00.315 --> 00:11:02.283
- Being absolutely destroyed, leveled by the babylonians.
- 00:11:02.283 --> 00:11:05.887
- Totally.
- 00:11:06.154 --> 00:11:07.422
- And these water by by the local jews are the tears of the kaya,
- 00:11:07.422 --> 00:11:11.392
- But not for the loss of his sons, for the fall of jerusalem.
- 00:11:11.392 --> 00:11:15.463
- So this site, danny, has become famously known here
- 00:11:15.463 --> 00:11:18.533
- In jerusalem as zedekiah█s
- 00:11:18.533 --> 00:11:21.002
- Tears.
- 00:11:21.002 --> 00:11:22.070
- You see this water flowing and flowing. yeah.
- 00:11:22.070 --> 00:11:25.974
- Zedekiah█s tears.
- 00:11:26.407 --> 00:11:27.075
- He's crying through this day.
- 00:11:27.075 --> 00:11:28.943
- So, danny, what an end for king zedekiah
- 00:11:28.943 --> 00:11:32.480
- Not walking with the lord. one of the bad kings.
- 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:35.083
- He ends up with his eyes gouged out before
- 00:11:35.083 --> 00:11:37.418
- They're gouged out.
- 00:11:37.418 --> 00:11:38.119
- His last sight is his family
- 00:11:38.119 --> 00:11:39.788
- Being slaughtered before his very eyes.
- 00:11:39.788 --> 00:11:41.990
- He's led away in fetters to babylon.
- 00:11:41.990 --> 00:11:44.626
- He's never heard from again.
- 00:11:44.626 --> 00:11:46.694
- But that's not the end of the story in zedekiah cave.
- 00:11:46.694 --> 00:11:50.398
- There's more to see here, right?
- 00:11:50.398 --> 00:11:52.100
- There was actually new research
- 00:11:52.100 --> 00:11:53.501
- Done in recent years trying to generate more data
- 00:11:53.501 --> 00:11:56.504
- About the history in the function of this cave.
- 00:11:56.504 --> 00:11:59.073
- Really fantastic stuff. let me. show you.
- 00:11:59.073 --> 00:12:00.809
- This is going to be good.
- 00:12:00.809 --> 00:12:01.543
- Let's go.
- 00:12:01.543 --> 00:12:02.076
- Danny, lead the way.
- 00:12:02.076 --> 00:12:19.961
- Erick.
- 00:12:20.161 --> 00:12:21.196
- So as archeology advances, the scientific field,
- 00:12:21.196 --> 00:12:24.532
- More research has been done.
- 00:12:25.133 --> 00:12:27.001
- And many sites, including here in the last decade, new research
- 00:12:27.001 --> 00:12:30.972
- Has been done in this part of the cave,
- 00:12:30.972 --> 00:12:33.241
- Which is actually here underground.
- 00:12:33.241 --> 00:12:35.510
- It's not yet open to the public. okay.
- 00:12:35.510 --> 00:12:37.645
- There are signs here.
- 00:12:37.645 --> 00:12:38.680
- Warning. beware. yes. do not enter.
- 00:12:38.680 --> 00:12:41.516
- We were able to get special access today.
- 00:12:41.516 --> 00:12:43.251
- By the way, we're very fortunate.
- 00:12:43.251 --> 00:12:44.719
- Not many people come back here.
- 00:12:44.719 --> 00:12:46.221
- Yes, this was a special, generous,
- 00:12:46.221 --> 00:12:49.257
- Offer of the municipality to let us in.
- 00:12:49.257 --> 00:12:51.793
- We have to put these helmets on.
- 00:12:51.793 --> 00:12:53.628
- Okay. and,
- 00:12:53.628 --> 00:12:55.864
- To everyone's surprise, we thought
- 00:12:55.864 --> 00:12:58.366
- That we might discover here finds
- 00:12:58.366 --> 00:13:00.902
- That relate this site to solomon to to the choir to hear it.
- 00:13:00.902 --> 00:13:04.639
- No, that's what we've been talking about.
- 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:06.407
- No, the the finds here
- 00:13:06.407 --> 00:13:08.476
- Seem to relate to the middle
- 00:13:08.476 --> 00:13:09.944
- Ages, to a fantastic
- 00:13:09.944 --> 00:13:11.246
- Bloody chapter in the history of jerusalem.
- 00:13:11.246 --> 00:13:13.548
- The crusaders. wow.
- 00:13:13.548 --> 00:13:15.350
- The knights templar.
- 00:13:15.350 --> 00:13:16.451
- The knights templar who were controlling the temple
- 00:13:16.451 --> 00:13:18.853
- A month, which is just around the corner on.
- 00:13:18.853 --> 00:13:20.688
- The right above us.
- 00:13:20.688 --> 00:13:21.656
- Yeah, they were possibly the ones to make.
- 00:13:21.656 --> 00:13:23.925
- This is a escape route.
- 00:13:23.925 --> 00:13:26.361
- Is a secret tunnel.
- 00:13:26.361 --> 00:13:27.595
- So they could sneak out and run
- 00:13:27.595 --> 00:13:29.664
- For their lives in the worst case
- 00:13:29.664 --> 00:13:30.999
- Scenario of the muslim retake of the city.
- 00:13:30.999 --> 00:13:33.534
- And that crusader force that ruled jerusalem.
- 00:13:33.534 --> 00:13:35.637
- Danny, that was a small force of knights.
- 00:13:35.637 --> 00:13:37.772
- Yes, they were very tactical.
- 00:13:37.772 --> 00:13:39.941
- They managed to master a large piece of land.
- 00:13:39.941 --> 00:13:43.144
- Yeah.
- 00:13:43.144 --> 00:13:43.811
- But at the core of the fighting
- 00:13:43.811 --> 00:13:45.780
- Force, we're talking about 500 to 600 templar knights.
- 00:13:45.780 --> 00:13:48.850
- Surrounded by a large muslim population, like you said.
- 00:13:48.850 --> 00:13:51.920
- So we really we know in our core they had a secret tunnel.
- 00:13:51.920 --> 00:13:55.823
- And other sites also bear those type of underground pathways.
- 00:13:55.823 --> 00:14:00.028
- And perhaps this is all part of the medieval crusader
- 00:14:00.028 --> 00:14:03.798
- Plan that. danny.
- 00:14:03.798 --> 00:14:04.699
- So we have this special permit
- 00:14:04.699 --> 00:14:07.001
- Now we're going to get a rare opportunity.
- 00:14:07.001 --> 00:14:09.003
- How cool is this, by the way, to go into this possible crusader
- 00:14:09.003 --> 00:14:14.108
- Hidden secret underground crusader escape route?
- 00:14:14.108 --> 00:14:19.414
- We're going to go in now, folks. i'm in good hands.
- 00:14:19.414 --> 00:14:22.317
- I am with a professional archeologist.
- 00:14:22.317 --> 00:14:25.053
- They call him danny the digger for a reason.
- 00:14:25.053 --> 00:14:27.655
- So i will let you lead the way, my friend.
- 00:14:27.655 --> 00:14:29.991
- Let's go into the secret crusader escape room.
- 00:14:29.991 --> 00:14:33.294
- Let's go.
- 00:14:33.294 --> 00:14:36.664
- Now we'll
- 00:14:36.965 --> 00:14:38.099
- Head back to zedekiah cave a bit later in the show.
- 00:14:38.099 --> 00:14:40.601
- But up first, danny the digger
- 00:14:40.601 --> 00:14:42.437
- Herman gives us an up close look at some of the world's
- 00:14:42.437 --> 00:14:45.707
- Most legendary archeological finds
- 00:14:45.707 --> 00:14:48.710
- Providing rock solid evidence for the truth of the bible
- 00:14:48.710 --> 00:14:52.747
- From the land of israel.
- 00:14:52.747 --> 00:14:54.182
- That's coming up after the break.
- 00:14:54.182 --> 00:14:55.850
- Don't move.
- 00:14:55.850 --> 00:15:04.005
- Don't move.
- 00:15:04.005 --> 00:15:21.675
- A fundamental question for evaluating the bible,
- 00:15:22.642 --> 00:15:25.178
- For modern reader
- 00:15:25.178 --> 00:15:26.947
- With science and technology at hand,
- 00:15:26.947 --> 00:15:29.449
- Is whether these biblical accounts are valid.
- 00:15:29.449 --> 00:15:32.152
- Can we find evidence?
- 00:15:32.152 --> 00:15:33.887
- Can we find architecture
- 00:15:33.887 --> 00:15:35.589
- From the iron age, from the time of the united monarchy?
- 00:15:35.589 --> 00:15:39.159
- Can we find evidence of david and solomon
- 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:42.062
- And ahab and hezekiah?
- 00:15:42.062 --> 00:15:45.265
- Well,
- 00:15:45.265 --> 00:15:46.400
- Since the 19th century, various expeditions have been
- 00:15:46.400 --> 00:15:49.970
- Excavating in different sites across the land.
- 00:15:49.970 --> 00:15:52.539
- But only in the 1990s did we finally find, for the first
- 00:15:52.539 --> 00:15:56.243
- And only time to this day, an inscription to mention david,
- 00:15:56.243 --> 00:16:01.081
- An inscription
- 00:16:01.415 --> 00:16:02.582
- To a mountain to mention david is a founder of a dynasty,
- 00:16:02.582 --> 00:16:06.086
- A dynasty that is the enemy of some aramaic king
- 00:16:06.086 --> 00:16:09.423
- Who have conquered the north and place.
- 00:16:09.423 --> 00:16:11.558
- This inscription.
- 00:16:11.558 --> 00:16:13.293
- Another sensational discovery that one can see here
- 00:16:13.293 --> 00:16:15.762
- At the israel museum, is an artifact
- 00:16:15.762 --> 00:16:18.031
- That was originally found in a cave like this,
- 00:16:18.031 --> 00:16:21.068
- In a hill overlooking mount sinai in jerusalem.
- 00:16:21.068 --> 00:16:24.504
- Uncovered in the 1980s, it proved to be a burial cave
- 00:16:24.504 --> 00:16:28.075
- Of wealthy jews.
- 00:16:28.075 --> 00:16:29.342
- These are the original pots that were found in the burial cave,
- 00:16:29.342 --> 00:16:33.313
- And around the corner
- 00:16:33.313 --> 00:16:34.448
- One can see the jewelry, silver necklaces,
- 00:16:34.448 --> 00:16:39.052
- And glass bits.
- 00:16:39.419 --> 00:16:40.821
- But one of those items proved to be extremely,
- 00:16:40.821 --> 00:16:44.024
- Extremely important when it was unwrapped
- 00:16:44.024 --> 00:16:46.760
- In the laboratories of the israel museum.
- 00:16:46.760 --> 00:16:49.830
- A careful look at this, playing with the angles of the light
- 00:16:49.830 --> 00:16:54.568
- Indicated that there's writing on it,
- 00:16:54.568 --> 00:16:57.337
- And the writing turns out
- 00:16:57.337 --> 00:17:00.140
- To be a quote in the book of numbers.
- 00:17:00.140 --> 00:17:03.343
- The lord bless you and protect you.
- 00:17:03.343 --> 00:17:05.045
- The lord deal kindly and graciously with you.
- 00:17:05.045 --> 00:17:07.647
- The lord bestow his favor upon you and grant you peace.
- 00:17:07.647 --> 00:17:11.818
- This text is said to this day by priest in jewish synagogues.
- 00:17:11.818 --> 00:17:17.524
- The israel museum also presents a wealth of finds
- 00:17:17.524 --> 00:17:20.260
- From the second temple period, the period
- 00:17:20.260 --> 00:17:22.329
- Of the return of the jews from babylonian exile,
- 00:17:22.329 --> 00:17:25.398
- The rebuild of jerusalem and its temple,
- 00:17:25.398 --> 00:17:27.801
- And burials of jews from that time are on display here.
- 00:17:27.801 --> 00:17:31.571
- But for a christian visitor of the israel museum,
- 00:17:31.571 --> 00:17:34.574
- This part presents the three most significant
- 00:17:34.574 --> 00:17:38.044
- Items that relate to jesus himself.
- 00:17:38.044 --> 00:17:41.281
- In the center we have here a plaque
- 00:17:41.281 --> 00:17:43.016
- Originally found in caesarea in the 1960s that documents
- 00:17:43.016 --> 00:17:46.853
- The creation of a shrine for tiberias.
- 00:17:46.853 --> 00:17:50.991
- The constructor of it is whose pilatus.
- 00:17:50.991 --> 00:17:54.961
- The beginning is missing,
- 00:17:54.961 --> 00:17:56.163
- But it's probably pontius pilate, whose point you pilot
- 00:17:56.163 --> 00:18:00.167
- The governor of judea, the governor of judea,
- 00:18:00.167 --> 00:18:04.304
- But also the judge, the person who judged jesus.
- 00:18:04.304 --> 00:18:08.875
- On the left one can see a bone box that was used
- 00:18:08.875 --> 00:18:11.845
- For secondary burial in that time frame of jesus.
- 00:18:11.845 --> 00:18:15.081
- It's very nicely decorated.
- 00:18:15.081 --> 00:18:17.284
- It must be of a person, of a high class.
- 00:18:17.284 --> 00:18:19.119
- And indeed the inscription engraved on the side
- 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:22.989
- Indicates it's the tomb of yosef bala.
- 00:18:22.989 --> 00:18:27.127
- Kfar.
- 00:18:27.127 --> 00:18:28.628
- This is caiaphas, the high priest,
- 00:18:28.628 --> 00:18:31.932
- The high priest that interrogated jesus.
- 00:18:31.932 --> 00:18:35.669
- And on the right side one can see another bone box
- 00:18:35.669 --> 00:18:38.572
- Of obviously someone of a lower class.
- 00:18:38.572 --> 00:18:40.574
- We only know his name.
- 00:18:40.574 --> 00:18:41.975
- Yohanan, son of hagar cole.
- 00:18:41.975 --> 00:18:44.678
- We know nothing about him from any circle document.
- 00:18:44.678 --> 00:18:47.647
- But the reason it's such an important discovery
- 00:18:47.647 --> 00:18:50.050
- Is because among the bones found inside that bone box,
- 00:18:50.050 --> 00:18:53.820
- One bone, a heel bone was found with a nail piercing. it.
- 00:18:53.820 --> 00:18:58.325
- This is evidence
- 00:18:58.725 --> 00:18:59.726
- Of crucifixion, and the only evidence ever found
- 00:18:59.726 --> 00:19:03.196
- In the whole roman empire for crucifixion.
- 00:19:03.196 --> 00:19:07.634
- The shrine of the book houses a selection of the dead
- 00:19:07.634 --> 00:19:10.537
- Sea scrolls.
- 00:19:10.537 --> 00:19:11.938
- Here, for instance, one can see a mysterious,
- 00:19:11.938 --> 00:19:15.075
- Depiction of a futuristic war between sons of light
- 00:19:15.075 --> 00:19:18.645
- And sons of darkness.
- 00:19:18.645 --> 00:19:19.980
- But you also have your copies of the old testament
- 00:19:19.980 --> 00:19:22.549
- Interpretation on the old testament
- 00:19:22.549 --> 00:19:24.818
- Hymns and prayers that this community created and followed.
- 00:19:24.818 --> 00:19:28.221
- And the most significant scroll, the community rules,
- 00:19:28.221 --> 00:19:31.591
- A selection of codes and rules that one must follow
- 00:19:31.591 --> 00:19:35.328
- If it wants to join these people who call themselves the guard.
- 00:19:35.328 --> 00:19:38.832
- And what's interesting is that
- 00:19:38.832 --> 00:19:40.200
- These rules are strikingly similar
- 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:42.769
- To one figure from the new testament, john the baptist.
- 00:19:42.769 --> 00:19:46.006
- They both resented the temple.
- 00:19:46.006 --> 00:19:47.607
- They both went to the desert.
- 00:19:47.607 --> 00:19:49.009
- They both expected the end of days to come.
- 00:19:49.009 --> 00:19:51.478
- Soon, the dead sea scrolls with john the baptist
- 00:19:51.478 --> 00:19:54.648
- Are, in a way, the cradle of christianity.
- 00:19:54.648 --> 00:19:58.285
- From ancient artifacts to zedekiah cave,
- 00:19:58.285 --> 00:20:01.154
- We are seeing biblical history come alive like
- 00:20:01.154 --> 00:20:04.424
- Never before.
- 00:20:04.424 --> 00:20:09.162
- Well, danny, that was fun.
- 00:20:09.729 --> 00:20:10.864
- It's not often you get a chance to go deep underground.
- 00:20:10.864 --> 00:20:13.400
- And what may have been a crusader escape route
- 00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:16.903
- From the middle ages. yes, totally.
- 00:20:16.903 --> 00:20:18.738
- This was, exciting for me, too.
- 00:20:18.738 --> 00:20:20.707
- I've known about this site, but actually going there,
- 00:20:20.707 --> 00:20:23.109
- Getting the permit to film there, that was exciting.
- 00:20:23.109 --> 00:20:25.245
- Yeah, even danny the digger hasn't seen quite everything.
- 00:20:25.245 --> 00:20:28.081
- Even a legend like you discover something new here and there.
- 00:20:28.081 --> 00:20:30.784
- And, danny, where we're standing right now,
- 00:20:30.784 --> 00:20:32.252
- This is the largest area in this cave complex.
- 00:20:32.252 --> 00:20:35.055
- The size of maybe a few basketball court, side by side.
- 00:20:35.055 --> 00:20:37.457
- A pretty big place.
- 00:20:37.457 --> 00:20:38.625
- And there's still some events taking place right here.
- 00:20:38.625 --> 00:20:40.794
- Yeah, yeah, concerts, even weddings.
- 00:20:40.794 --> 00:20:42.796
- Some people like to get married in this space.
- 00:20:42.796 --> 00:20:45.398
- Wow. it's it's literally a hidden gem.
- 00:20:45.398 --> 00:20:47.901
- It's underground,
- 00:20:47.901 --> 00:20:48.935
- But it's a beautiful and very interesting spot.
- 00:20:48.935 --> 00:20:51.971
- And there are other places in this area
- 00:20:51.971 --> 00:20:54.174
- Which are also quite interesting attractions.
- 00:20:54.174 --> 00:20:56.209
- The garden tomb,
- 00:20:56.209 --> 00:20:57.510
- Of course, the alternative place of the crucifixion.
- 00:20:57.510 --> 00:21:00.613
- It's jesus block from here, the place where some believe
- 00:21:00.613 --> 00:21:03.216
- Jesus was crucified, died and was buried rose again.
- 00:21:03.216 --> 00:21:05.719
- The garden tomb, a block from here.
- 00:21:05.719 --> 00:21:07.487
- It's walking distance.
- 00:21:07.487 --> 00:21:08.588
- Damascus gate, which we have shown,
- 00:21:08.588 --> 00:21:10.790
- And the rockefeller museum,
- 00:21:10.790 --> 00:21:12.392
- Where some amazing artifacts found in british
- 00:21:12.392 --> 00:21:15.228
- Times are kept on display to this day.
- 00:21:15.228 --> 00:21:17.764
- Still ahead, we've taken you beneath the city of jerusalem
- 00:21:18.932 --> 00:21:22.302
- To zedekiah cave, the ancient site where history,
- 00:21:22.302 --> 00:21:25.905
- Prophecy and god's redemptive plan for israel all intersect.
- 00:21:25.905 --> 00:21:30.677
- It was a place of desperation, but also a reminder
- 00:21:30.677 --> 00:21:34.848
- That even in the darkest moments, god is still at work.
- 00:21:34.848 --> 00:21:38.585
- Stick around to see how after the break.
- 00:21:38.585 --> 00:21:54.004
- Stick around to see how after the break.
- 00:21:54.004 --> 00:21:58.038
- Welcome back to stakelbeck tonight
- 00:21:58.773 --> 00:22:00.574
- As we wrap up today's journey from deep beneath jerusalem.
- 00:22:00.574 --> 00:22:03.644
- Inside zedekiah cave, i'm reminded that
- 00:22:03.644 --> 00:22:06.714
- This isn't just a site of ancient history.
- 00:22:06.714 --> 00:22:09.884
- It's a place where the past meets prophecy.
- 00:22:09.884 --> 00:22:12.953
- It was in this cave that king zedekiah once fled
- 00:22:12.953 --> 00:22:16.090
- As jerusalem was under siege by the babylonians.
- 00:22:16.090 --> 00:22:19.326
- This cave marks a moment in history when all seemed lost,
- 00:22:19.326 --> 00:22:23.063
- When darkness and despair gripped the city of jerusalem.
- 00:22:23.063 --> 00:22:26.934
- But even in the depths, god's hand was still at work.
- 00:22:26.934 --> 00:22:31.138
- Because in israel's most desperate
- 00:22:31.138 --> 00:22:33.073
- Moments, there has always been a thread of redemption.
- 00:22:33.073 --> 00:22:36.143
- Folks, god was not done with jerusalem then,
- 00:22:36.143 --> 00:22:39.013
- And he's not done with his holy city now,
- 00:22:39.013 --> 00:22:42.016
- And he's always faithful to keep his word.
- 00:22:42.016 --> 00:22:45.052
- The prophet zachariah
- 00:22:45.052 --> 00:22:46.120
- Declared god's word in chapter eight, verse three,
- 00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:49.123
- I will return to zion and dwell in the midst of jerusalem.
- 00:22:49.123 --> 00:22:53.427
- Jerusalem, god said, shall be called the city of truth.
- 00:22:53.427 --> 00:22:57.565
- Folks, that day is coming.
- 00:22:57.565 --> 00:23:00.034
- God's promises are still alive, his plan is still unfolding,
- 00:23:00.034 --> 00:23:04.738
- And jerusalem remains at the very center of it.
- 00:23:04.738 --> 00:23:08.375
- We live in bible times.
- 00:23:08.375 --> 00:23:10.978
- And until next time, god bless you and we'll see you soon.
- 00:23:10.978 --> 00:23:10.978
