Wright (1965:153) reported that all of the walls in Stratum IX B of Field VII, a domestic complex built on a terrace between a retaining wall and an embankment, were consistently tilted. East–west walls leaned to the north, while north–south walls leaned to the west. Excavators also observed “ashy destruction layers,” though these were “not found consistently throughout the stratum.” The tilting and burning were attributed either to an earthquake or to military activity. Wright (1965:153) suggested that the latter could be connected to “ the war between Ben-hadad of Damascus and Ahab of Israel (1 Kings 20),” which he dated to between 860 and 855 BCE, while he suggested that the earthquake could have struck between 880 and 830 BCE. He also emphasized that the evidence for Stratum IX B derived solely from Field VII, and that its dating was tentative and approximate.

Following this violent event, major rebuilding activity marked the transition into Stratum IX A. Wright (1965:153) reported that “a heavy accumulation of debris was leveled over the earlier floors,” after which new floors were installed about 51 cm. (20 inches) higher. Architectural rearrangements included blocked doors, subdivision of courts into smaller rooms, and the construction of new supporting walls across an alley to the terrace wall. These measures indicate extensive structural reorganization following the disaster, including debris leveling and removal, blocked openings, and the addition of supporting walls—forms of rebuilding sometimes associated with the repair of displaced or collapsed masonry.