Kingdom of Judah
The temple dates back to the Kingdom of Judah of the 9th century BCE, and appears to have operated alongside the First Temple in nearby Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the centre of the Kingdom of Judah and, according to the Hebrew Bible, the seat of kings David and Solomon. Many historical finds have been discovered in the area of Tel Motza, dating from different periods, and archaeologists have sought to identify it as the Biblical settlement of "Mozah" mentioned in the Book of Joshua ().