In the Spring 2026 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Ariel Cohen, Professor of Linguistics at Ben-Gurion University, has a new and highly original interpretation of the Siloam inscription. He calls much into question with a simple flip of the audience: He asks whether the Siloam inscription was written for the living, as has always been assumed, or if it was written for the dead.That does explain some problems. But if it is a memorial inscription, it seems oddly allusive to me. It just describes the accident. No naming of those killed in it or any expression of mourning. But this interpretation is thought provoking. It could be right.
Unusually, the full BAR article is available at the link above. So read it and see what you think.
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