在1979年，以色列考古學家加百列．巴克（Gabriel Barkay）挖掘出兩個很小的銀質經文卷軸。他花了數年小心地展開這兩個金屬卷軸，發現裡面刻著希伯來文的民數記6章24-26節，祭司對以色列民的祝福：「願耶和華賜福給你，保護你。願耶和華使祂的臉光照你，賜恩給你。願耶和華向你仰臉，賜你平安。」學者們認為這兩個卷軸是公元前七世紀的文物，是世界上已知最古老的聖經經卷。

同樣值得注意的是這些卷軸被發現的地點。巴克在欣嫩子谷的洞穴挖出這些卷軸，而先知耶利米也是在欣嫩子谷告訴猶大的百姓說，上帝會使災禍臨到他們，因他們把自己的孩子作為燔祭獻給巴力（耶利米書19章4-6節）。這山谷是如此邪惡，以致耶穌在提到地獄的刑罰時（馬太福音23章33節），用來形容地獄的希臘文，便是希伯來文的「欣嫩子谷」。

在這欣嫩子谷，大約在耶利米宣告上帝對百姓的管教和審判之時，有人把上帝對百姓未來的賜福刻在銀質卷軸上。雖然他們終其一生都無法經歷這祝福，但有朝一日，即他們從巴比倫被擄歸回後，上帝會用臉光照祂的子民，並賜給他們平安。

我們要學習的功課很清楚。即使我們是自食其果，但仍可緊抓住上帝的應許，因祂總是渴望與祂的子民和好。

In 1979, archaeologist Gabriel Barkay unearthed two small silver scrolls. It took years to delicately unroll the metal scrolls, and each was found to contain a Hebrew etching of the blessing from Numbers 6:24–26, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Scholars date the scrolls to the seventh century bc. They’re the oldest known bits of Scripture in the world.

Equally interesting is where they were found. Barkay was digging in a cave in the Valley of Hinnom, the very place where the prophet Jeremiah told the people of Judah that God would slaughter them for sacrificing their children (Jeremiah 19:4–6). This valley was the site of such wickedness that Jesus used the word “Gehenna” (a Greek form of the Hebrew name for the “Valley of Hinnom”) as a picture of hell (Matthew 23:33).

On this spot, about the time Jeremiah was announcing God’s judgment on his nation, someone was etching His future blessing onto silver scrolls. It wouldn’t happen in their lifetime, but one day—on the other side of the Babylonian invasion—God would turn His face toward His people and give them peace.

The lesson for us is clear. Even if we deserve what we have coming, we can cling to God’s promise. His heart always yearns for His people.