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We have very good news regarding Joshua’s Altar.
The year 2026 is shaping up to be the most significant year for the site since it was first built, sometime during the period of the Israelite settlement in Canaan.
Many of you have been following the work of Aaron Lipkin and our travel company for years in promoting the site of Joshua’s Altar. We consider this site to be one of the most important locations in the Land of Israel, as it provides powerful evidence for the historical reliability of the earliest biblical narratives and serves as compelling proof of the deep connection between the people of Israel, the Bible, and the Land.
Being present at the site has a profound impact on visitors — Jews and Christians alike — connecting them to the roots of their identity and faith, to the Exodus from Egypt, to Moses, and to Joshua.
Below are several major developments expected at the site in the near future:
Over the past year, the Israeli government announced the establishment of dozens of new communities throughout Judea and Samaria — the biblical heartland of Israel. One of these communities is planned for the summit of Mount Ebal.
The establishment of this community will pave the way for the construction of an access road to the mountain, allowing civilian traffic. This will eventually enable free access to Joshua’s Altar without the need for military coordination or escort.
The location of the community will also make it possible to develop tourism infrastructure to accommodate the thousands of visitors expected in the future, including a visitor center and basic facilities for travelers.
Since the excavation of the altar concluded in 1989, we have been awaiting the publication of a final excavation report. Such a report is essential for establishing this major archaeological discovery as a recognized fact within academic research and, ultimately, for introducing its significance into educational systems in Israel and around the world.
Dr. Shay Bar, together with a team of five additional archaeologists, has been working on this report for the past three years. The project became possible thanks to a designated donation from a supporter in the United States.
Unfortunately, for decades, the academic establishment attempted to marginalize this discovery by withholding budgets and research grants that would have enabled the preparation of the report — most likely for political reasons related to the site’s location in Samaria. As a result, the publication of the report was delayed for more than thirty years.
At a conference held in memory of Adam Zertal, Dr. Bar announced that the final report is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. We are eagerly awaiting its publication.
During the conference, Dr. Bar also revealed that the site continues to surprise researchers. Radiocarbon (C-14) tests conducted for the final report indicate that, contrary to Zertal’s original assessment that the site was used only during the Early Iron Age (the period of the Judges, around 1250 BCE), the site appears to have been in use already at the end of the Late Bronze Age (approximately 1350–1300 BCE).
This means the site is earlier than originally estimated, bringing its period of use closer to the traditional biblical chronology.
In recent years, the Palestinian Authority has attempted to damage the site by constructing a residential neighborhood directly on top of it. The goal of this effort has been to erase the site from the map of biblical locations and to prevent Jewish visitors from accessing it.
The Israeli government halted these activities and, over the past year, has begun advancing plans to declare the area an official Israeli heritage site. This status will protect the archaeological remains and ultimately lead to the preservation, accessibility, and development of the site as a recognized heritage and visitor destination.
As many of you may recall, in 2019 Dr. Scott Stripling discovered a lead tablet among the excavation debris left from Adam Zertal’s work.
Subsequent research by Prof. Gershon Galil and Dr. Peter van der Veen revealed an early Israelite inscription on the inner side of the tablet, including a curse and the name of the Hebrew God.
Following the publication of a peer-reviewed article, a major scholarly debate erupted regarding the presence and interpretation of letters on the tablet. However, the research did not end there.
Dr. Peter van der Veen is currently preparing an additional peer-reviewed publication focusing on an inscription located on the outer side of the tablet. We are eagerly awaiting this publication, as unlike the inner inscription — which can only be seen using tomographic scans — the outer inscription is visible to the naked eye and is significantly clearer and easier to decipher.
