After a decade-long investigation, researchers have made a significant discovery in the City of David, an archaeological site believed to be the original Jerusalem, that corroborates with biblical accounts.

Initially thought to have been built by King Hezekiah as a defense against invaders, new findings suggest the ancient wall was actually constructed by Uzziah, Hezekiah's great-grandfather.

Joe Uziel of the Israel Antiquities Authority told news publication Joe: “For decades, it was assumed that this wall was built by Hezekiah...However, it is now evident that it dates back to the days of King Uzziah, as hinted at in the Bible."

This insight challenges previous beliefs about the wall's construction timeline, suggesting it was erected after a significant earthquake in Jerusalem and as part of the city’s broader development.

This construction is detailed in the Second Book of Chronicles from the Old Testament, which reads: “Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.” Additionally, references to an earthquake during Uzziah's reign provided a chronological marker for researchers using radiocarbon dating on over 100 samples from different excavation areas within the City of David.

The study was conducted with Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Professor Yuval Gadot from Tel Aviv University said in a statement: “For the first time, we are harnessing together hard sciences, archaeology and biblical historiography...”

The research suggests that Jerusalem’s expansion towards Mount Zion occurred much earlier than previously thought, during King Jehoash’s reign in the ninth century BC. Gadot explained: “However, the new findings strengthen the view that Jerusalem grew in size and spread towards Mount Zion already in the ninth century BC.”