Archaeology is the study of the past based on what survives from material culture. As is, the discipline as variously practiced will always be based on fragmentary knowledge from finds and not necessarily in agreement with ancient texts, especially those considered by some as scripture. How closely do traditions, text and material history match or not? Often considered mythological, here we examine the possible contexts for Moses and literary events like the Exodus as well as David, Solomon, Ahab, Hezekiah and sites of ancient Israel like Jerusalem, Beer Sheba and Megiddo that archaeology continues to reveal along with contemporary cultures like ancient Egypt, Assyria and Babylon, acknowledging different points of view ranging from minimalism to maximalism.