Topical Bible: Tells

Jump to: Concordance • Thesaurus • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical archaeology, a "tell" (or "tel") is a type of archaeological mound created by human occupation and abandonment over centuries or millennia. These mounds are typically found in the Near East, including the regions of ancient Israel, Palestine, and surrounding areas. Tells are significant for biblical studies as they often contain the remains of ancient cities and settlements mentioned in the Bible.

Formation and Structure

A tell is formed through the accumulation of debris from successive layers of human habitation. As settlements are built, destroyed, and rebuilt over time, layers of architectural remains, pottery, tools, and other artifacts accumulate, creating a mound. The stratification within a tell provides a chronological record of human activity, which archaeologists can excavate and study to understand the historical context of biblical events.

Biblical Significance

Tells are crucial for understanding the historical and cultural backdrop of the Bible. Many biblical cities and events are associated with specific tells, providing tangible evidence of the narratives described in Scripture. Excavations at these sites have unearthed artifacts and structures that corroborate biblical accounts, offering insights into the daily lives, religious practices, and geopolitical dynamics of ancient peoples.

Notable Tells in the Bible

1. Tell Jericho: One of the most famous tells, Jericho is often cited as the oldest city in the world. The biblical account of the Israelites' conquest of Jericho, where "the walls fell down flat" (Joshua 6:20), has been a focal point for archaeological investigation. Excavations have revealed evidence of ancient fortifications and destruction layers that some scholars associate with the biblical narrative.

2. Tell Hazor: Mentioned in the Bible as a major Canaanite city, Hazor was conquered by Joshua (Joshua 11:10-11). Archaeological work at Tell Hazor has uncovered a large city with impressive fortifications, palaces, and temples, aligning with its description as "the head of all those kingdoms" (Joshua 11:10).

3. Tell Megiddo: Known as Armageddon in the New Testament (Revelation 16:16), Megiddo was a strategically important city in ancient times. Excavations have revealed multiple layers of occupation, including evidence of Solomon's building projects (1 Kings 9:15) and the stables attributed to King Ahab.

4. Tell Lachish: Lachish was a significant city in the Kingdom of Judah, mentioned in the context of Sennacherib's invasion (2 Kings 18:13-14). The tell has yielded a wealth of information, including the famous Lachish Reliefs, which depict the Assyrian siege of the city.

5. Tell Gezer: Gezer is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament and was one of the cities fortified by Solomon (1 Kings 9:15-17). Excavations have uncovered city gates, walls, and other structures that provide insight into its role as a fortified city.

Archaeological Methodology

The excavation of tells involves careful stratigraphic analysis to distinguish between different layers of occupation. Archaeologists use a variety of techniques, including pottery typology, radiocarbon dating, and architectural analysis, to date the layers and interpret the findings. This meticulous work helps to construct a timeline of events and understand the cultural and historical context of the biblical world.

Theological Implications

For conservative Christians, the study of tells and their archaeological findings is seen as a means to affirm the historical reliability of the Bible. Discoveries at these sites often provide corroborative evidence for biblical narratives, reinforcing the belief in the Bible as an accurate historical document. The tangible connection between the archaeological record and the biblical text serves to strengthen faith and provide a deeper understanding of God's interaction with humanity throughout history.

Strong's Hebrew

5046. nagad -- to be conspicuous
... 2), remind (1), report (2), reported (10), reported* (1), show (2), shown (2), surely
report (1), surely tell (1), tell (101), telling (2), tells (3), told (131 ...
/hebrew/5046.htm - 6k

3045. yada -- to know
... seems (1), show (3), shown (1), skillful (3), sure (1), take knowledge (1), take
note (1), take notice (1), taught (2), teach (6), tell (3), tells (1), took ...
/hebrew/3045.htm - 8k

6315. puach -- to breathe, blow
... to breathe, blow NASB Word Usage blow (1), breathe (1), cool (2), hastens (1), longs
(1), set a aflame (1), snorts (1), speaks (1), tells (2), utters (3). ...
/hebrew/6315.htm - 6k

559. amar -- to utter, say
... speaking (2), speaks (2), specifically say (1), specified (1), spoke (77), spoken
(15), still say (1), suppose (1), tell (23), telling (2), tells (1), think (1 ...
/hebrew/559.htm - 7k

1696. dabar -- to speak
... 1), spoke (333), spoken (188), state (2), statements (2), subdues (2), talk (7),
talked (7), talking (9), tell (18), telling (4), tells (2), threatened (1 ...
/hebrew/1696.htm - 6k

Library

And Again Moses Tells How the Son of God Drew Near to Hold ...
... THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING Chapter 44 And again Moses
tells how the Son of God drew near to hold converse with? ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 44 and again moses.htm

Next He Tells us of the "Fourth Beast, Dreadful and Terrible...
... Piece XVI. Next he tells us of the "fourth beast, dreadful and terrible?
Next he tells us of the "fourth beast, dreadful and terrible ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/piece xvi next he tells.htm

July the Fifth the Discipleship that Tells
... JULY The Fifth THE DISCIPLESHIP THAT TELLS. "He that followeth Me." "John 8:12-20.
Yes, but I must make sure that I follow Him in Spirit and in truth. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/july the fifth the discipleship.htm

Christ Tells the Disciples the Cause of their Failure. --The Power ...
... Section 188. Christ tells the Disciples the Cause of their Failure."The Power
of Faith."Prayer and Fasting. (Matt., xvii., 20, 21.). ...
/.../section 188 christ tells the.htm

Advent Tells us Christ is Near
... III. SACRAMENTS AND RITES Catechism 348. Advent tells us Christ is near. Four 7's ...
Advent tells us Christ is near; Christmas tells us Christ is here! ...
/.../catechism 348 advent tells us.htm

Nicholas Tells the Master Wholesome Truths
... CHAPTER III NICHOLAS TELLS THE MASTER WHOLESOME TRUTHS. THE Master made
no reply for a while, but he was a meek and gentle man, and ...
/.../bevan/three friends of god/chapter iii nicholas tells the.htm

Nicholas Tells his Story to Dr. Tauler
... CHAPTER VIII NICHOLAS TELLS HIS STORY TO DR. TAULER. DR. TAULER was now
convinced that Nicholas, though only a layman, knew some ...
/.../bevan/three friends of god/chapter viii nicholas tells his.htm

Nicetas Tells what Befell Him.
... Homily XIII. Chapter VII."Nicetas Tells What Befell Him. And Nicetas,
who in future is to be called Faustinus, began to speak. ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter vii nicetas tells what befell.htm

The Old Man Tells his Story.
... Homily XIV. Chapter VII."The Old Man Tells His Story. "And I:answered:
How then do you know that she who fled and took up her ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter vii the old man tells.htm

Jesus Tells what it Means to be Clean
... THE NEW TESTAMENT JESUS TELLS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CLEAN. The Pharisees and
some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem went together ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/jesus tells what it means.htm

Thesaurus

Tells (38 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Tells (38 Occurrences). ... Matthew 24:23 "Then if any man
tells you,'Behold, here is the Christ,' or,'There,' don't believe it. (WEB). ...
/t/tells.htm - 16k

Fortified (79 Occurrences)
... for-ti-fi-ka'-shun (including): I. IN RECENT EXCAVATIONS 1. Excavation of Tells
2. Sites 3. Primitive Character 4. Walls 5. Towers 6. Acropolis or Castle 7 ...
/f/fortified.htm - 63k

Fort (8 Occurrences)
... for-ti-fi-ka'-shun (including): I. IN RECENT EXCAVATIONS 1. Excavation of Tells
2. Sites 3. Primitive Character 4. Walls 5. Towers 6. Acropolis or Castle 7 ...
/f/fort.htm - 41k

Fortress (75 Occurrences)
... for-ti-fi-ka'-shun (including): I. IN RECENT EXCAVATIONS 1. Excavation of Tells
2. Sites 3. Primitive Character 4. Walls 5. Towers 6. Acropolis or Castle 7 ...
/f/fortress.htm - 60k

Fortification (5 Occurrences)
... for-ti-fi-ka'-shun (including): I. IN RECENT EXCAVATIONS 1. Excavation of Tells
2. Sites 3. Primitive Character 4. Walls 5. Towers 6. Acropolis or Castle 7 ...
/f/fortification.htm - 40k

Pontius (4 Occurrences)
... Tacitus, when speaking of the cruel punishments inflicted by Nero upon the Christians,
tells us that Christ, from whom the name "Christian" was derived, was ...
/p/pontius.htm - 36k

Pilate (60 Occurrences)
... Tacitus, when speaking of the cruel punishments inflicted by Nero upon the Christians,
tells us that Christ, from whom the name "Christian" was derived, was ...
/p/pilate.htm - 53k

Tell (3056 Occurrences)
... 8. (vi) To give an account; to make report. 9. (vi) To take effect; to produce a
marked effect; as, every shot tells; every expression tells. 10. ...
/t/tell.htm - 33k

Lies (208 Occurrences)
... Revelation 21:27 And no unclean thing shall ever enter it, nor any one who is guilty
of base conduct or tells lies, but only they whose names stand recorded in ...
/l/lies.htm - 35k

Star (16 Occurrences)
... 2. Herod's Enquiry: The gospel tells us that the arrival of the Magi at Jerusalem
threw Herod the king and all the city into great excitement, and Herod at ...
/s/star.htm - 29k

Resources

What does the Bible mean when it tells us to fear not / do not fear? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Bible about? Can you give me an overview of the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does Peter mean when he tells us to make our calling and election sure in 2 Peter 1:10? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Tells (38 Occurrences)

Matthew 15:5
But you say,'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,"
(See RSV)

Matthew 24:23
"Then if any man tells you,'Behold, here is the Christ,' or,'There,' don't believe it.
(WEB)

Matthew 24:26
If therefore they tell you,'Behold, he is in the wilderness,' don't go out;'Behold, he is in the inner chambers,' don't believe it.
(See NIV)

Mark 7:11
But you say,'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban, that is to say, given to God;"'
(WEB RSV)

Mark 13:21
Then if anyone tells you,'Look, here is the Christ!' or,'Look, there!' don't believe it.
(WEB)

Mark 13:34
"It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.
(See NIV)

John 2:5
His mother said to the attendants, "Whatever he tells you to do, do it."
(WEY RSV NIV)

John 12:22
Philip comes and tells Andrew, and again Andrew comes and Philip, and they tell Jesus.
(DBY)

John 19:35
He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe.
(WEB RSV NIV)

Acts 3:22
For Moses indeed said to the fathers,'The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.
(See RSV NIV)

Acts 10:38
It tells how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, so that He went about everywhere doing acts of kindness, and curing all who were being continually oppressed by the Devil--for God was with Jesus.
(WEY)

Romans 4:6
In this way David also tells of the blessedness of the man to whose credit God places righteousness, apart from his actions.
(WEY)

1 Corinthians 10:28
But if any one tells you, "This food has been offered in sacrifice;" abstain from eating it--out of respect for him who warned you, and, as before, for conscience' sake.
(WEY)

2 Corinthians 3:9
For if the service which pronounces doom had glory, far more glorious still is the service which tells of righteousness.
(WEY)

James 2:16
and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
(WEB)

Revelation 21:27
And no unclean thing shall ever enter it, nor any one who is guilty of base conduct or tells lies, but only they whose names stand recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life.
(WEY)

Revelation 22:15
The unclean are shut out, and so are all who practise magic, all fornicators, all murderers, and those who worship idols, and every one who loves falsehood and tells lies.
(WEY)

Genesis 21:12
God said to Abraham, "Don't let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For from Isaac will your seed be called.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 41:55
When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do."
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 5:27
Go near, and hear all that Yahweh our God shall say: and tell us all that Yahweh our God shall tell you; and we will hear it, and do it."
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 13:2
and the sign or the wonder come to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, "Let us go after other gods" (which you have not known) "and let us serve them;"
(See RSV)

Deuteronomy 15:16
It shall be, if he tells you, "I will not go out from you;" because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you;
(WEB)

1 Samuel 22:8
that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"
(See NIV)

2 Samuel 7:11
and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house.
(WEB)

1 Kings 22:14
Micaiah said, "As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak."
(See NIV)

2 Kings 5:13
His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn't you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you,'Wash, and be clean?'"
(See NIV)

2 Kings 6:12
One of his servants said, "No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom."
(WEB DBY NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 32:11
Doesn't Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
(See RSV)

Job 36:33
Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also concerning the storm that comes up.
(WEB)

Psalms 41:6
If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.
(WEB NAS RSV)

Proverbs 12:17
The breathing out of true words gives knowledge of righteousness; but a false witness gives out deceit.
(See NAS NIV)

Proverbs 19:5
A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will not go free.
(See NAS)

Proverbs 19:9
A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will be cut off.
(See NAS)

Proverbs 29:24
Whoso is sharing with a thief is hating his own soul, Execration he heareth, and telleth not.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 38:19
The living, the living man, he will give you praise, as I do this day: the father will give the story of your mercy to his children.
(See NAS)

Jeremiah 39:12
Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do to him even as he shall tell you.
(See NAS RSV)

Daniel 5:7
The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
(See NIV)

Amos 5:10
They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks blamelessly.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Tells

Related Terms

Tells (38 Occurrences)

Telmelah (2 Occurrences)

Tel-haresha (1 Occurrence)