The religious buildings, dated between 1020 and 980 B.C., predate the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem by several decades.

The lack of worship images, in stark contrast to those of the surrounding Canaanite and Philistine religions, suggests this may have been a location for worship established by the Israelites when they followed God's commands forbidding the worship of graven or carved images. The elaborate architecture of the buildings points to a time of established statehood and royal construction—indicative of King David's reign.

Khirbet Qeiyafa, being excavated under the direction of Professor Yosef Garfinkel of Hebrew University, is the first fortified Israelite city found that apparently dates to the time of David. Also discovered were animal bones of sheep, goats and cattle, but no pigs or human remains—which is in accordance with biblical commands for clean sacrificial animals and against human sacrifice (Rob Waugh, "Ancient Relics Are the First Definite Sign of the Bible's King David," DailyMail.co.uk, May 9, 2012).