Sotheby’s said the 155-pound (52 kg) marble slab was acquired by an anonymous buyer who planned to donate it to an Israeli organization.
The New York-based auction house’s final price exceeded presale estimates of $1 million to $2 million and followed more than 10 minutes of “intense bidding” during global competition.
The tablet dates from 300 to 800 AD and is written in Paleo-Hebrew script – the only complete example of its kind from antiquity, according to Sotheby’s.
It was discovered in 1913 during railroad excavations on Israel’s southern coast and was not initially recognized as historically significant.
Sotheby’s said the tablet was used as a paving stone in a local house until 1943 when it was sold to a scholar who recognized its significance.
“A tangible link to ancient beliefs that have profoundly shaped global religious and cultural traditions, it serves as a rare testament to history,” the auction house said.
The text inscribed on the slab follows biblical verses familiar to Christian and Jewish traditions but omits the third commandment against taking the Lord’s name in vain. This includes a new instruction for Samaritans to worship at Mount Gerizim, a special holy site, Sotheby’s said.