Three small male figurines associated with horse statues excavated from the site near Jerusalem in the Kingdom of Judah – the time of King David – are in fact representations of the biblical Israelite God, Yahweh.
Hebrew University Prof. Yosef Garfinkel published on Friday his sensational interpretation and minority opinion, “The Face of Yahweh?” in Biblical Archaeology Review, Fall 2020 issue.
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The images are solid and well made. They have detailed facial features. Their similarity between the heads suggests that they describe the same character.
They are pretty square in shape with flat tops, noticeable noses, holes for earrings, kind of bulging eyes
, and a row of small punctures run from side to side on the cheek and chin, portraying a beard. Long ribbons of clay attached to the back portray hair.
Professor Garfinkel argues that these are the face of Yahweh (יהוה in Hebrew), the God of Israel. If the amazing assertion is accurate that would mean that we now have an early portrait of God. Moreover, it means that ancient Israelites made images, despite the strict biblical commands not to.
