More on those 53 confirmed biblical people

EPIGRAPHY: Purdue researcher verifies the existence of 53 people in Hebrew Bible (Purdue Exponent). PaleoJudaica has been following the research of Lawrence Mykytiuk on ancient Hebrew inscriptions for some time. A few years ago he produced a list of 50 biblical persons who were also mentioned in contemporary ancient inscriptions. Then this spring he added three more to make a list of 53. But, as I noted at the latter link, the BHD essay did not specify who the three new people were. Now this Purdue press release gives the answer:

The three new people are Tattenai (also translated as Tatnai), a Persian governor during the time of Ezra (after the Babylonian exile); and two high officials of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II: Nergal-sharezer, called the “samgar” official, and Nebuzaradan, “the chief of the guards.”

Read the press release for further details about them and about the whole project.