Moses, the direct eyewitness of exodus, wrote their journeys, and many of his given descriptions are corroborated by archaeological findings, some of these are the
1) Joshua's altar in Mt. Ebal built by the people of God Yhw who existed during the time of Rameses II, archaeologically 1250 -1220 BCE and who buried the altar around 1140 BCE;
2) Copper snake (stratum II, Locus 111) made by Kenite Midianites in around 1190 BCE, during the time of Pharaoh Tausert before king Rameses III (1186 BCE) discovered the copper mining sites of Atika (Timna Valley, Edom). Rameses III claims that the site was unknown to his father, Setnakhte (1189 BCE).
3) Merneptah Stele line 27 that tells the encounter of the pharaoh's troop versus fighting vagabond men & women of tribe Israel near Kharu (Horite state in Seir) and possibly in Yenoam (near Rukkath, Teberias) in 1208 BCE after the "mountain of copper" was removed.
4) Papyrus Anastasi III dated March 5, 1211 BCE, Amenomopet reports the "Wells of Mer-neptah ... in the hills..."
Joshua has mentioned, too, the water supply of "Nephtoah" (Merneptah) in the city of forest. This is a direct evidence that Joshua was a contemporary of the Well of Nephtoah (Merneptah), which was built in 1211 BCE; and so on.
REASONS WHY IT WAS IN THE 13TH CENTURY BCE
The names, identified by Moses in Numbers 33:2-8,
Rameses,
Succoth,
Baalzephon,
Pihahiroth, and
yam [suph]
are all evidenced to be 13th century BCE Egyptian toponyms. Etham aka Shur (Wall) and "Migdol " of king Seti I (1290-1279) to the east of the palace are listed, too.
The prologue (1:1-14) of the book of Exodus gives the reason why there was this massive exit from Rameses.
After the death of Joseph (1376 BCE), a new king who did not know Joseph, was enthroned.
"And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.
And the descendants of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph." -Exodus 1:6-8
Why Moses reported that there was this new kingdom that did not know Joseph?
We can discern the answer from archaeological artefacts: Horemheb (r.1320-1292 BCE), after struggling to take the control of the throne, destroyed all approachable official records of the monotheistic Amarna. He recycled Akhenaten's monuments' talatat blocks in Karnak, and smashed the sarcophagus of Ay into pieces in WV23 tomb, possibly desecrating the mummy, and erased Ay's name, and likely he destroyed the statue of Nakhtmin (The Egyptian Museum Cairo: Official Catalogue, items 195–196). He proclaimed that all reference to the religion of Aten, the state God of Akhenaten, be obliterated.
And even Egyptians in the 19th and 20th Dynasty believed or at least followed his chronology that Horemheb had succeeded king Amenhotep III.
He left unrecorded these Amarna pharaohs:
Akhenaten (1350 - 1334),
Neferneferuaten (1337-1333),
Smenkhkare (1333-1332),
Tutankhamen (1333-1323), and
Ay (1323-1320 BCE).
His grudge for these kings became more legally valid by condemning the Atenism, monotheistic state religion of Akhenaten, as heretic.
START OF CONFLICT
In 1342 BCE Akhenaten had proscribed the old gods of Egypt, ordered their temples to be closed, and confiscated the properties, acts which were felt a religious persecution, particularly, among officials.
Despite this eventuality, Horemheb served the king and even proud of being the "Sole Companion, he who is by the feet of his lord on the battlefield on that day of killing Asiatics" when they attacked Hittites. He was there when Tutankhamen died (1323 BCE), and Ay, having been tricked him, had managed to succeed on the throne by doing the ritual of the opening of the mouth of the deceased pharaoh.
This may be the reason why Artapanus (c.250 BCE) was suggesting that there were multiple kings in Egypt in those days.
"Palmanothes succeeded to the sovereignty. The king behaved badly to the Jews.(...there were at that time many kings in Egypt...) ...a daughter Merris,... being barren took a supposititious child from the Jews, and called him Mouses, but by the Greeks he was called, when grown to manhood,
Musaeus.
...he taught mankind many useful things. For he was the inventor of ...engines for
drawing water.
... he made his escape into Arabia, and lived with Raguel the ruler of the district, having married his daughter.... About the same time Chenephres [Sety-merneptah] died,..." - Artapanus, "Concerning the Jews" (preserved in Preparatio Evangelica 9.27.1-5)
"Palman" here may be meant "Arma" referring to Horemheb, whose Akkadian cuneiform name is Arma'a, translated by Manetho as "Armais." Or Palmanothes could be a distant Hellenized form of Paatenemheb. Merris may mean "Beloved," referring to the pharaoh's daughter. Sety-merneptah is king Seti I.
Manetho likely has reported that Moses, who became the Hebrew leader in exodus, came into existence 16 years after Achencheres (Tutankhamen) in the 18th Dynasty.
"Achencheres . . . for 16 years. In his time Moses became leader of the Hebrews in their exodus from Egypt.
Acherres, for 8 years.
Cherres, for 15 years.
Armaïs, ... for 5 years: at the end of this time he was banished from the land of Egypt. Fleeing from his brother Aegyptus . . .
Ramesses, ... Aegyptus, for 68 years." - Manetho's Epitome
This may mean that Moses was born about 16 years after the death of Tutankhamun during the time of Horemheb.
Horemheb dated his own start of reign to the death (1350 BCE) of Amenhotep III, thereby erasing all Amarna pharaohs and its aftermath.
Having no son, Horemheb named his vizier Paramasse as the successor.
NEW DYNASTY
Parameses, who took the throne name Rameses I (1292 BCE), founded the new dynasty; and his heir, Seti I, started to built palace on a virgin ground 2 kilometers north of Avaris.
Seti's son renamed the area and called it "Pi-Rameses" or Domain of Rameses, which Moses identified to be the
'store-city Raamses.'
There was no city of Raamses earlier than the palace of king Seti I (1290 BCE) because of the fact that it was founded on a virgin ground. Likewise, Avaris still in use that time but it became a cemetery and burial ground of the dead of Pi-Rameses.
Seti died in 1279 BCE, when Moses was at his 20's or second "gadal."
"And it came to pass in those days, when Moses
wa-yigdal
[was grown],
that he went out unto his brothers, and looked on their burdens... And it came to pass in process of time, that
the king of Egypt died:
and the descendants of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage..." -Exodus 2:11,23
Rameses II took the throne after the death of his father.
At 40 Moses' committed murder was revealed to the pharaoh (1269 BCE), and this coerced him to escape for his life. Since then Moses was more often covering his head to hide his face, so that no one could easily recognize him.
MOSES' ESCAPE
He went to Midian. Midianites during Joseph's time were Ishmaelites of Negev (Gen. 37:27-28), hence Midian was in the southern part of Judah, known to the 3rd century BCE & 1st century AD geographers as Arabia. The specific "land of Midian" is pin pointed by prophet Habakkuk (3:3,7) to "Kushan," west of Petra (Arabia Petraea) or just north of Teman (Ajrud), and known "Kushu" to the ancient Egyptians, or the "Kush" (part of Makhtesh Ramon) being located east of Gerar southern Judah in 2Chronicles 14:9-14.
Hori, an Egyptian army scribe (fl. 1207-1160 BCE), describes in Papyrus Anastasi I, 20-21 ('Satirical Letter') that the Kenite there could not be easily distinguished from Shasu. In fact, king Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) identified the area as "Shasu of the Land of Yahweh" located westward near Shammah or Shema and Seir. King Rameses III (1186-1155) shortened its name into "Yah" (or Yiha/Yahu) and locates it to the south of Atharim.
The site of "Land of Yahweh," where the mountain of God was located, is easy to determine in Egyptian documents, because its nearby places are also named:
# 93: ta Shasu s-r-r (in the Land of Seir),
#94: ta Shasu rbnt (Laban),
#95: ta Shasu sm't (Shema/Shammah),
#96: ta Shasu w-r-b-r (Arba),
#97: ta Shasu y-h-w3 (in Land of
Yahweh).
P3-wnw (Punon) was added by king Rameses the Great to this topographical list of king Amenhotep II (1380 BCE).
Surrounding it are Punon, Shemmah, Seir, Arba and Laban, directing us to Makhtesh Ramon as the exact location of the "Land of Yahweh." King Rameses III locates this land of "Yah" to the south of Atharim.
Exodus 7:16 & 19:2, Lev. 7:38 indicate that there were "Hebrews" (Habiru) worshipping Yahweh in the Land.
Rameses II has an official record describing that he subdued the people of the Land of Yahweh.
The priest of the Midianites that time was Jethro, whose Edomite name in 1269 BCE was Reuel. Around 1230 BCE he was known "Jethro" (probably from an Assyrian word "atâru" ["remain over"]) - as if Moses made him "yeter" (abundant) - and, during Joshua's leadership, by the tribe's name "the Kenite."
"And the sons of the
Qênî
[Kenite],
father-in-law of Moses, went up out of the city of
ha-Tamarim [palm trees]
with the descendants of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which
lies in the south of Arad;
and they went and dwelt among the people." -Judges 1:16
Moses became a member of his family after drawing water from the well to help his daughters.
"And they said, An Egyptian ... drew water enough for us, and watered the flock." -Exodus 2:19
Moses might be also known by the description the 'One Who Draws Water,' expectedly that the other meaning of his name in Hebrew is "drew out [from water]," the definition given in Exodus 2:10, and his relative 'Apiru (Hapiru/Habiru) were known in Egypt as the slaves who drew water during the period of building projects of king Rameses II in Delta. There were many groups of people with the designation Habiru (Hapiri), but Moses' race was those Hebrews called "Erin Mes Hapiris" (Hittite for "Hebrews"), particularly a priesthood lineage from Nahor.
He married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro. Moses' wife was a "Kushite" (Exo. 18:2, Numbers 12:1).
MYSTERIOUS MOUNTAIN
Living in a priest's house may mean learning priesthood practices, and four decades are more than a course in an Egyptian school. The smooth way for Moses became rough when he saw a vision of a fire (messenger of God) covering a bush that started to talk to him. He was on the mountain of God, Horeb, which he located between or near the Mt. Seir and Kadesh-Barnea (Exo. 3:1). Moses describes Seir between Hormah and Kadesh.
"There are 11 days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mt. Seir unto Kadeshbarnea." -Deuteronomy 1:2
Horeb (Khoreba), if derived from the root word "chareb," may mean "Devastator." It could also be understood "glowing/heat," referring to the glowing hot stony part of Sinai. Deborah reported that it melted, and according to Moses, fire came from it after opening its mouth (Num.26:10).
There were many mountains there, hence it was called "Sinai," plural of "Sin" - word that means "moon," and their translation of "Kushu," Egyptian-borrowed Hurrian term for "moon." During Abram's time it was called "el-paran" or "Paran of God " (Gen. 14:6, cf. 1Kings 11:17-18, Deut. 1:1) but Canaanites might have known it as "yareah" (moon), which was later might have changed to "yireh" - borrowed from Abraham's "yhwhyr'h" or "Yahwehyireh" (defined in Gen.22:14 as "In the Mountain of Yahweh it shall be seen"), and hence around 1390 BCE the Shasu identified the land as belonging to "Yhw" as apparition of God was believed to be seen there.
For ancient men, particularly Egyptians, this "ta ... Yhw " ("Land of Yahweh") was mysterious.
Why?
Because among the habitations of Shasu tribes, only this "Land of Yahweh" had no permanent inhabitants, that is, no military installation or city was founded there, and both king Amenhotep III (1380 BCE) and Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) described it without the hieroglyphic symbol for "(state/permanently inhabited) foreign land," whereas the rest of the land of Seir, Laban, Arbar, Shammah, and so on have the latter designation. The absence of such symbol may be also understood that it was an Egyptian territory. There were men living there but they were not permanently inhabiting it. The reason? Because, fire from its underground was pouring upward and the soil there was opening (cf. Judges 5:4-5, Deut. 32:22). There was a very strong Spirit active there.
The Kenites of Kush of Makhtesh Ramon were coppersmiths of Tel Masos who were having commercial connection with the copper diggers of Punon and Athika (Timna Valley), Edom; hence king Merneptah (1208 BCE) called that mountain range or area as the "Mountain of Copper." According to Merneptah, this region was removed: similar claim that was made by Moses, Job (9:5-6), Deborah (Judges 5:4-5), and king Rameses III (KVI 39.14-50).
How strong the effect of that Sinai melting or removal of that land? It was the cause of the Late Bronze Age Collapse resulting famine in many parts of Mediterranean, Egypt, Turkey, and Syria-Palestine, from the days of Rameses II till of Rameses III, and worst during the time of Merneptah.
Physically, historically, and spiritually speaking, there was a strong power coming from that Sinai, and it was Moses who first encountered it in a form of a talking fire, called "messenger of the LORD."
"And when 40 years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush." -Acts 7:30
It's YHWH ...
"Who makes
ruhoth [winds/spirits]
His angels; His ministers a flaming fire" -Psalms 104:4
And by that encounter, Moses learned that his forefathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) knew God by the name "El Shaddai," the name adopted by Abraham's Temanite descendants to the God of El-Paran (southern Negev).
But to Moses, "YHW" is the given perpetual God's name. The quail-symbol in Egyptian hieroglyph is "w," which may mean "great" or understood as "plural marker," and therefore the name "Yhw" may mean "Great is Yah" or "immemorial is Yah" and it was pronounced as "Yahu" by Judahites and "Yau" by Samarians.
"And I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by the name of
El Shaddai,
but by my name YHWH was I not known to them." -Exodus 6:3
If king Seti I (1290-1279) has "I am who I am" in his tomb,
"YHWH,"
on contrary, declared to Moses to be the "I am that I am" ("I will be what I will be"). It's now Seti's versus Moses' "I am who I am."
It was Moses who popularized the name Yhw (Yahu/Yahweh) as the name of the God. He was zealous to this God that he invoked the name Yhw in making curse for those who disobeyed. Moses ordered to write curses in a book (cf. Num.5:21,23). He had on his hand such a curse, which he commanded to be put upon Mt. Ebal (Deut.11:26,28).
"And it shall come to pass, when YHWH thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put ... the curse upon mount Ebal." -Deuteronomy 11:29
If this is the case, then there is a high probability that Moses (1309-1189 BCE) was the owner of the "curse of Yhw" tablet found in Mt. Ebal from the altar of Joshua (1248-1138 BCE). The lead tablet, written in Paleo-Hebrew letters, is dated by scientists to the Late Bronze Age (1400-1150 BCE), coinciding with the biblical Moses' timeline.
Nevertheless, the said lead tablet proves that there was a people of Yhw who believed that disobedient members would be cursed by Yhw. This people built the altar in Mt. Ebal and they probably avoided pigs to be part of their victuals (as evidence can show by the animals' bone findings from the Joshua's altar) and these people of Yhw lived during the time of king Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) -as they buried scarabs released by the said pharaoh in circa 1228 BCE - till they abandoned and buried the altar when Joshua died in around 1138 BCE.
MOSES' NAME
Ancient Greeks called Moses by the name "Musaeos," Hellenized of the Hittite name "Mu-ku-sa" popular in the 14th or 13th century BCE. Guean (Kode) descendants around Cilicia in the 8th century BCE transliterated that name into "Muksos" (Moxos), which the Phoenicians rendered "Mopsos." Virgil's The Aeneid 6.667 suggests that "Musaeus" died before the end of the Trojan War (1187 BCE).
The Cypriotic [Hittite] transliteration of his name "Mose" is "Meshusha," who could be the senior leader "Kush-Meshusha" in Alashiya Cyprus in circa 1224 BCE whose name means "Yah-Mesu" in Egyptian, meaning "Born of Yah" or "Moon born him." This may give us an idea why Moses was having festivals mostly during full moon and counted the Sabbath in relation to the appearances of the moon, and why he changed the counting of day from Egyptian 6 AM - 6 AM to 6PM - 6PM, as opposing "Re" ("Sun").
Around 7th century BCE Egyptians adopted Yah (Moon) as an aspect rebirth of Osiris, and according to Manetho, Moses' name Osarsiph (Osarsu) was derived from Osiris, giving us hint that the Pharaoh's Daughter might have found him on the birthday of Osiris (12 July, 1309 BCE). Manetho probably had the idea that the name was borrowed from Osiris because of the syncretistic "Osiris-Yah" (moon god) in the 4th century BCE.
Nonetheless, the deity's name "Yah" was omitted by Moses, or most likely the hypocorism of his name was "Mesu" ("Mose") from the root "Su" ('draw out ', 'born...'). It was a popular practice that time to omit the deity's name from a theophorous name. For example, Rameses II's hypocorism in 1230's BCE is "Sessy" or "Sessu" (Hellenized into "Sesustris").
If the Hebrew name "Moseh" was the hypocorism of Yah-Mesu ("Kush-Meshusha"), then "Mose" means "Drawer out" - from the root "msh" ("to draw out ") borrowed from Egyptian "Mesu" ("born of...", "drew out from...") derived from the root "su" ('born, draw out '). Yah-Mesu and Kush-Meshusha in the altered understanding may mean "Drew out from Kush [Land of Yah/Makhtesh Ramon, western border of Seir]," and we know this because Moses was described by king Rameses III as "wer" ("Great") of Kharu Horite state in Seir, as he was treated as a king in Seir by the Kodesh or people of Kadeshbarnea (Deut. 33:2-5).
"Yah-Mesu" was likely derogatorily changed by king Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE) into "Yar-su," to mean "Usurper/Plunderer of Authority" (literally, "Self made [man]"). It was further shortened into "Su" the "wer " ("Great") of Kharu (Horite state of Seir). King Rameses III might have gotten the description "wer " ("Great") from what king Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) popularized in circa 1228 BCE when the pharaoh gave silver & valuable things to senior Mose on front of the army.
Yah-Mesu means "Moses of Yah," literally "Son of Yah " or "Born of Moon."
When the descendants of Jacob (1578-1432) used "Yah" as another term for God, Egyptians started to decline in using its homophone "iah" (yah) for a moon god; and when Moses (1309-1189 BCE) made it more popular, Egyptians during the Late Bronze Age Collapse had drastically disused the term "Yah" in reference to any Egyptian god until it was revived during the 7th century BCE.
PHARAOH'S BUILDING PROJECTS
Moses in Exodus 1:11 claims that "Pithom and Raamses" were "ary-miskenoth" ("store-cities") built by a pharaoh who oppressed Hebrews. In the 20th century AD their existence was doubted, and it was rejected that the city of Rameses was a store-city or treasure-city. It was only in the 21st century that Moses was proved right on his report that the pharaoh who built Raamses was the same king who built Pithom, and that both of these were store-cities.
Pabasa the scribe, after visitation, described Pi-Ramesses as follows:
" I arrived at the House of Ramesses, beloved of Amun and I found it extremely prosperous... life in the Residence is pleasant. Its fields abound with all good produce. Its canals are filled with fish and its marshlands with birds. Its plains are abundant with green pastures.. from the cultivated fields come fruit with the taste of honey, its
granaries
are filled with barley and wheat."
King Rameses II built here storehouses, docks and military facilities, which is why Exodus 1:11 calls the site a "treasure city," making it the best city in Egypt. This Raamses city was 2 kilometers distant and separated by river from the south Avaris. Avaris was not Raamses city, because the builder of Raamses was the same pharaoh who built Pithom in Succoth (Wadi Tumilat) and it was built on a virgin ground not older than the palace of king Seti I (1290-1279 BCE). Besides, the toponym Avaris was still in use in the 13th century BCE, although the Hyksos' Avaris city that time was under the ground and its upper soil was used as a cemetery and burial ground for the people of Pi-Rameses, hence the 13th century BCE writer of Exodus and Genesis knew the distinction between Raamses and Avaris.
All corroborating ancient Egyptian documents refer to king Rameses II the Great (1279-1213 BCE) as the source of the geographic name "Rameses," and very explicitly of the treasure-city Raamses.
Moses first mentioned is the city ("Raamses") during the pharaoh's building projects period, and then a wider area he called "Rameses," from where the 600 elef departed. In Genesis, the geographic "Rameses' is not just a city but a "land" or region, terminology that was known during the time of or after king Merneptah (1213-1203 BCE).
The very explicit contemporary evidence that geographic "Rameses" is derived from the name of king Rameses II the Great is written (c.1211 BCE) during the time of his son:
"the waters of Baal...
P3-twfy (the Tufy)
comes to papyrus reeds and p3-h-r (the Horus) to rushes. Twigs of the orchards & wreaths of the vineyards [visited by] birds from the Cataract region. It leans upon [the shore of]
p3 yam [the Sea]
with begi-fish & buri-fish, and even their hinterlands provide it. The Great-of-Victories youths are in festive attire every day; sweet moringa-oil is upon their heads having hair freshly braided. They stand beside their doors. Their hands bowed down with foliage & greenery of
Pi-Hahirot
and flax of the Waters-of-Horus. The day that one enters
Rameses
wsr-m3'-r' stp-n-r'
l.p.h. ..." - Papyrus Anastasi III, 2:8 -3:3
In this didactic poem, the geographic name "Rameses" is clearly identified of " wsr-m3'-r' stp-n-r' " (Usermaatre Setepenre), regnal name of king Rameses II. We proved here that the toponym "Rameses" existed during the time of king Merneptah and was derived from the name of king Rameses II.
It is described that the toponyms "water of Baal-[Zephon]," pe-yam, Tufy ("Reeds"), and Pi-Hahirot are all located in or near Rameses.
This document corroborates also Moses' report about children, as every day in Rameses was in a feastive atmosphere after youths were standing besides their door and then taking leaves from Pihahiroth. This also gives us an idea what is the connection of "door" and feastive atmosphere to the youths. Moses is accurate to the minute details he wrote as contemporary papyrus corroborated him. The very important of this fact is that Moses describes places, practices, and events during the time of king Rameses II.
Rameses II's successor, Merneptah, officially reported that the "many men & women of [tribe] Israel " were in existence and mightily enough to fight the pharaoh. This is the only tribe mentioned in that document (Merneptah Stele, line 27) to have such capability, the same potential that Israel might have had when Egypt was facing another threat.
When a Hittite king asked a fight, king Rameses II speedily built factories in Qantir to manufacture weapons.
"And he said unto his people, 'Behold, the people of the descendants of Israel are more and stronger than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falls out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.'
Therefore they did set over them forced-labor masters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built
store-cities Pithom
and
Raamses
for Pharaoh." - Exodus 1:9-11
King Rameses discovered that other people in Canaan and nearby cities were taking their side to the Hittites, and now he was doubting that his foriegners might also conspire to the enemies. To busy their mind away from such treachery, he asked that 'Apiru (Hapiru/Habiru/Hebrews) should be commanded to draw water and drag stones in his building projects in Delta.
And Amenmonē was reminded to
"Give food rations to the soldiers and the Apiru-laborers who are drawing water from the well of Pre of Rameses II, l.p.h., south of Ai-gy-ptos" (Leiden Papyrus 349),
and
"Give food rations to the people of the army and to the 'Apiru who are dragging stones for the great pylon [temple gate of Rameses the Great]" (Leiden Papyrus 348).
PITHOM OF RAMESES
Moses is very explicit in telling about the pharaoh who built Pithom and Raamses, store-cities of the new dynasty.
Was Rameses II who built treasure-city "Raamses" the same pharaoh who built store-city Pithom?
"I built Pithom at the mouth of the East," categorically stated of king Rameses II.
This is what the pharaoh has said in the inscription found by Prof. Edouard Naville in 1883.
The inscription is one of the materials from Rameses II's 13th century BCE Pithom (in Tel el-Retabeh) transfered to 7th century BCE Maskhuta, and because of this, Naville misidentified Tell el-Maskhuta as Pithom of Rameses, whereas David M. Rohl misidentified Rameses II as Shishaq.
Rameses the Great did not only claim that he built Pithom, he had ordered to built it in actuality, and the scientists of the Polish-Slovac Archaeological Mission discovered Rameses II's granite statues and two inscriptions bearing the name "Pithom" (Pr-itm) in Tell el-Retabeh.
TELL EL-RETABA : THE STORE-CITY "PITHOM" OF RAMESES II
King Rameses II built the first fortress in Tel el-Retabeh, and this city confirmed many descriptions given by Moses of the Bible, as if Moses was once there before. Scientists confirmed that the pharaoh who built Raamses was the same king who built Pithom city. King Rameses might have gotten inspiration to the temple Pithom at Heliopolis (On), from which he had derived the name of the city he would build to the eastern side of Heliopolis. Nevertheless , temple Pithom is different from Pithom city. Moses is correct in describing that it was near Succoth, because the Pithom of Rameses was in the middle of Wadi Tumilat. They also discovered there storehouses or granaries, verifying Moses in the claim that it was a store-city. They confirmed that this city was built by bricks made of straw, and again Moses is correct.
"And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves." - Exodus 5:6-7
And to our surprise, Moses was not just guessing what it was made of. In his report he described the shortage of straw (that is, there were bricks that are lacking straw). The only way to prove this is by a scientific examination. Indeed, scientists found out that some of the bricks are wanting of straw.
Even an Egyptian overseer in the days of Seti II complained what the Hebrews had complained, and wrote:
"l am residing at Qenquen-en-ta, without provisions, and neither men to make bricks nor straw are in the region." - Papyrus Anastasi IV
The pharaoh ordered his officers to stop supplying straw for the Hebrews.
Why it matters?
"And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, 'Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it...
...for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.'
And the officers of the descendants of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task." - Exodus 5:10-11,18-19
Because Hebrews were under a daily quota. Officer of Merneptah (c.1210 BCE) confirmed the tasked of a daily quota, saying
"Likewise, people are making bricks ... they are making their quota of bricks daily." -Papyrus Anastasi III
No doubt, Moses existed during this period of time. Adding to his accuracy was the finding of the scientists that the workers who built Pithom were not Egyptians but Semitic people and descendants of Hyksos, the Shepherds from Canaan.
To make Moses wrong, and as an effect, the Bible with him, antagonists reject Moses claim of his existence during the time of the building of Pithom & Raamses.
Scientists discovered that Egyptians abandoned Tell el-Retabeh in the middle of 15th century BCE, and the reason given and we could hint from the Bible was because the family of Jacob arrived in Egypt in 1449 BCE - in the Year 2 of a famine. This was also the time that brick making became a conspicuous practice in Egypt, particularly when Semitic people worked with Nubians in Thebes.
The Semitic people living in Pithom left Tell el-Retabeh in around 1228 BCE causing great lost of workers in Pi-Rameses. In Egyptian history, only a handful of wine was produced during the Year 52 (in 1228 BCE) of king Rameses II, and obviously because the Semitic workers were then left Rameses and Pithom. Because of this massive departure, the temple and the city itself of Pithom were neglected and closed, had not been opened again until king Ramesses III renovated Pithom (Tell el-Retabeh).
RESTLESSNESS OF SPIRIT
The 19th Dynasty (1290-1189 BCE) scribe Ipuwer wrote his observations and grievances about the misery that were happening in Egypt when Egyptians could not travel to Byblos and Caphtor during the latter years of Rameses II (1230 BCE) till the reign of Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE). The document is now known Admonitions of Ipuwer. This Ipuwer Papyrus has no other copy and was written after 1250 BCE. It gives details what had happened during the Late Bronze Age Collapse, particularly how the strong pharaoh covered up the misery that was contemporaneously occurring in the land - by saying:
"Indeed, gates, columns and walls are burnt up, while the hall of the palace stands firm and endures." -Ipuwer 2:10
PRECURSOR OF LATE BRONZE AGE COLLAPSE THAT MADE EXODUS A POSSIBILITY
As early as around 1250's BCE the famine effect of an environmental condition - drying of Great Green (Mediterranean Ocean) and volcanic activities in Makhtesh Ramon- was heavily felt, that Queen Pudukhepa, wife of king Hattusili III, wrote to Rameses II:
"There is no food/grain in my land " (KTU 21,38);
and the pharaoh let Hittite prince Hishmi-Sharruma to supervise the purchase of grain from Egypt to sail it to Hatti (KUB 3,34, rev.15).
In Lydia, this was also felt.
"In the reign of Atys son of Manes there was great scarcity of food in all Lydia. For a while the Lydians bore this with what patience they could; presently, when the famine did not abate, they looked for remedies,...This was their way of life for 18 years. But the famine did not cease to trouble them, and instead afflicted them even more. At last their king divided the people into two groups, and made them draw lots, so that the one group should remain and the other leave the country;..." - Herodotus, The Histories 1.94.3-5
The famine weakened the Hatti land, and Merneptah (1213 BCE) boasted of sending food to Tudhaliya IV,
"whom I caused to take grain in ships to keep alive that land of Kheta" (KRI IV 5,3).
Tudhaliya IV (1237-1209 BCE) built 10 dams for water supply.
Merneptah, in anticipation of a drought, built many wells for his military messengers, and one of these water supplies is mentioned by Joshua to be located in the forest near Kiriathjearim (Joshua 15:9).
Ugarit king Ammurapi (c.1214-c.1190 BCE) told Pugne that there was
"a severe famine,"
and the latter asked him to provide "seagoing ships ...and pick up the grain supply" (RS 18.147, KTU 2.46, PRU 5,61).
Of the severe famine, it was during the time of Merneptah that Israel became more affected, that Israelites reckoned 1210 BCE as the year zero of historical Israelite jubilee. A year or two after that, king Merneptah officially reported that the tribe of "wandering many men & women of Israel " has no seeds (grains, children).
EGYPTIAN GODS, ONE OF WHICH IS RAMESES II
King Rameses II made conspicuous his desire to be known as one of the Egyptian gods. He inaugurated his giant statues and temples at Abu Simbel in 1255 BCE in preparation for his first heb sed (jubilee). He named Ramesses B junior as crown prince in around 1254 BCE.
FIRSTBORN SON OF RAMESES
Ramesses B junior was the crown prince when king Rameses II the Great became an Egyptian god in 1250 BCE in the celebration of heb sed. According to the tradition, a pharaoh would be ritually transformed into a god in his celebration of heb sed in his 30th year of reign. King Rameses II was not just wanting to celebrate it but seriously perform it, too. In functioning as an Egyptian god, king Rameses must have to let his firstborn son sit on his throne to function as a pharaoh in his behalf.
Moses knew these details that are hidden to us.
The real pharaoh (Rameses II the Great) knew "Yahweh," but the acting pharaoh (Prince Ramesses B junior, sitting on the throne) did not know Yahweh (Exo.5:2). The ignorant acting pharaoh was encountered by Moses with the remark that Moses would not see his face again.
"And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself,
see my face no more;
for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more." -Exodus 10:28-29
Why Moses could not see him again?
"And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the Pharaoh's firstborn sitting upon his throne,..." - Exodus 11:5
It was prophesied.
Moses met again the real pharaoh when that crown prince died.
Although Moses' prophecy was referring to the firstborn son sitting on the throne, Rameses II anticipated the death of his all firstborn sons and other children. He built the largest tomb in the Valley of the Kings (KV5) and buried there his sons and daughters. All firstborn sons died before the pharaoh died.
The prophecy came true. No firstborn son of Rameses became king. It was the 13th son, Merneptah, who had successfully succeeded king Rameses the Great.
MEETINGS OF MOSES WITH THE PHARAOH
In around 1229 BCE a talking fire - messenger of YHWH - commanded Moses to go back to Egypt.
"And Moses was 80 years old, and Aaron 83 years old, when they spoke unto Pharaoh." -Exodus 7:7
"And YHWH gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people." - Exodus 11:3
This passage is not just a claim. King Rameses II ordered to erect a 2-foot high stele for Moses. According to the pharaoh he erected this because he was pleased with the well-done utterance of Moses to favor his request. The senior military leader Moses did the wish or request of king Rameses II. We will know later what was that wish or achievement.
"Look, the soldier Moses has done what [ as I ] his Majesty wishes... How excellent is what he has done for [me], very great." - king Rameses II, The Stele of Mose
The pharaoh gave this stele of appreciation to Moses on front of the army in Pi-Rameses (Qantir) after Moses, by excellent speech, did the request of king Rameses II (Prof. Dr. Regine Schulz, Executive Director of the Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum Hildesheim and the City Museum in the Knochenhauer-Amtshaus).
Needless to say, Moses gave favor for the request of king Rameses and it's excellently done by good wordings of Moses.
According to this stele, king Rameses II gave silver and all good things of the pharaoh's house.
Why the king needed to give these things?
The Bible has the answer.
Because it was the demand of Moses.
"Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of
silver,
and jewels of gold. And YHWH gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the
man Moses was very great
in the land of Egypt, in the sight of
Pharaoh's servants,
and in the sight of the people." - Exodus 11:2-3
The confirmation of this Moses' claim is the Stele erected for him by king Rameses II where the very term "man Moses" appears also by the depiction of Egyptian hieroglyphs.
The request of the pharaoh of Rameses.
"Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat YHWH, that He may take away the frogs from me, and from my people;...
And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to YHWH your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.
And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat YHWH that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow..." -Exodus 8:8,28-29
As a god in human form Rameses was not accustomed to taking orders from lesser gods, and this may explain why even in the Stele of Mose, king Rameses was avoiding to tell the name of the God to whom Moses has been uttering the supplication of the pharaoh.
The unnecessary increase of frogs in the capital city was in a way a form of condemnation, if Rameses II thought that the killings of babies implemented by a baby-less pharaoh (Horemheb) was not favored by Heket, the Egyptian frog goddess. The carcasses of these frogs attracted flies; and with a lack of frogs in rivers would have let insect population multiply. Gnats and/or mosquitoes disturbed the city of Raamses.
THE FIRST PLAGUE
"At the time Moses was bargaining with Ramses, excessively heavy summer rains in Ethiopia washed powdery, carmine-red soil from the slopes of the hills. Around the Lake Tana region the blood-red torrent picked up bright red algae (known as flagellates) and their bacteria. Since there were no dams at that time, the Nile flowed blood-red all the way to the Mediterranean. It probably reached the delta region in August. Thus, this rare natural event, it is held, set in motion a series of conditions that continued until the following March." -https://www.britannica.com/biography/Moses-Hebrew-prophet/Moses-and-Pharaoh
The incident was directly related to the river, particularly when there was a flood, but soil was not affected by the toxic blood river (Psalms 78:44).
In Genesis 49:11 wine is called the "blood of grapes." This gives us an idea that Moses does not say the river turned into human blood or animal blood but just "blood," and in Exodus 7:20-21 it turned blood in the sight of men when the fish died and the river stank. This latter explanation of the Bible is corroborated by 2Kings 3:22-23, wherein a river that is red as blood is called 'blood," that is, where there were dead organisms (in the case of 2Kings 3:22-23, are humans; and in the case of Exo. 7:20-21, are marine animals) in river, the cadavers' blood considered the blood colour of the river. What is clear in Exodus 7 is the description that the river is deadly, and could not be drunk, and turned into blood. Obviously, it's not the human or fish blood that made it deadly, rather fish died because of its high toxicity. There was pestilence in the river that turned it into blood.
"And YHWH spoke unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt...'
And Moses and Aaron did so, as YHWH commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the
sight
of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
And 7 days were fulfilled, after that YHWH had smitten the river." -Exodus 7:19-21,24-25
Scribe Ipuwer reported it also this way:
"...pestilence is throughout the land, blood is everywhere, death is not lacking,... Indeed, many dead are buried in the river; the stream is a sepulcher and the place of embalmment has become a stream.
Indeed, the river is blood. Men shrink from human beings after drinking it, and thirst after water."- Ipuwer 2:4-6, 10
They discovered that the blood river is not drinkable after some of them shrank after drinking it. There was an overflow of Nile but no one was ploughing for it as children died, making women childless and they did not know what would happen in the land. Poor men from the tribes of the desert took advantage of the situation, they became possessors of wealth (Ipuwer 2:1-10).
The death of the firstborn son was related to the pestilence.
"... He spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham" -Psalms 78:50-51
In 1228 BCE Prince Ramesses B junior died while sitting on the throne of the pharaoh.
Around 600 elef (head-of-thousand) was the first batch who left Rameses and a mixed multitude or captains joined with them, before they stationed at Succoth (Wadi Tumilat). Hyksos descendants or Semitic people left Pithom, but they had to go back to Pihahiroth in Avaris. According to 3rd century BCE Egyptian priest, Manetho, Moses recruited 80,000 from Avaris, and these were insulted as "lepers" - expectedly as no less than Moses' eldest sibling had been covered with leprous skin disease, most likely, small pox (Num.12:10, Exo 4:6).
The shortcut road to Canaan was the Highway of Horus but Philistines that time were in Gerar ready to fight and go to Egypt (Exo.13:17). The passage going to the Highway of Shur in the wilderness of Etham was more complicated. There were guards who kept recording the dates and moving in & out of shepherds, particularly of the Shasu tribes of Edom.
Moses was accurate in his description that there were forced-labor slaves escaping in the 13th century BCE from what later he had known "Raamses" going to Shur wilderness via walled-place, north of Migdol, as such non-related but similar incident is recorded in Papyrus Anastasi V, written during the time of king Seti I (1290-1279 BCE) using hieratic script.
"... I was sent forth from the broad-hills of the palace - l.p.h.! - in the 3rd month of the 3rd season, day 9, at the time of evening,
following after these two slaves.
Now when I reached the enclosure-wall of Succoth on the 3rd month of the 3rd season, day 10, they told me they were saying to the south that they had passed by on day 10 in the 3rd month of 3rd season. Now when I reached the
Etham [fortress]
they told me that the scout had come from the desert saying that they had passed the walled place north of the
Migdol
of Seti Mer-ne-Ptah, L.p.h.! Beloved like Seth.
When my letter reaches you, write to me about all that has transpired to them.
Who found their tracks? Which watch found their tracks? What people went after them? Write to me about all that has happened to them and how many people you sent out after them.
(May your health) be good! " -Kakemwar, writing to Ani & Bakenptah, Papyrus Anastasi 5, 19.2-20.6 "Pursuit of Runaway Slaves"
(cf. James N. Pritchard, ANET, Princeton, 1969, p. 259)
This intricate route from the royal residence (Raamses) to Succoth, then Shur desert, and then walled-place north of Migdol of Seti I, is also described by Moses, as if Moses had also traversed that back-and-forth direction to pass the wilderness of Shur via Etham during the same century.
We cannot fully know for now why there was such an intricate passage because only those who lived that era could know. The writer of the original exodus of Israel must have lived in that 13th century BCE to know those intricate passages.
Moses is correct in his report that the date of their departure or escape from Rameses was recorded. Yes it was an escape, as Exodus 14:5 says they "בָרַ֖ח" (ḇā·raḥ, had fled). Only around 600 elef (head-of-thousand) was allowed to let go, but a mixed multitude escaped with them, and the guard reported that this people had escaped. For this 600 elef, the pharaoh of Rameses sent 600 chariots of captains as a rematch (Exo. 14:7).
Numbers 33:2-8
"And Moses wrote their journeys...
And they departed from Rameses on the
15th day of the 1st month;
on the day after the Passover the descendants of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which YHWH had smitten among them: upon their gods also YHWH executed judgments.
... Israel removed from
Rameses,
and camped in Succoth. They left
Succoth,
and camped at Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. And they left Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon: and they pitched before
Migdol.
And they departed from before Pihahiroth, and passed through the midst of the
sea
into the wilderness, and went 3 days' journey in the wilderness of Etham..." -Numbers 33:2-8
All toponyms "Rameses," "Baal-[Zephon]," "Pihahirot," and yam suph are mentioned in the document "Papyrus Anastasi III, 2:8-3:4" written in around 1211 BCE during king Merneptah's time. Expectedly, the Egyptians of Pi-Rameses buried their dead in Avaris.
"And the descendants of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about 600 elef [head-of-thousand] strong footpersons, beside little ones. And a
mixed multitude
went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle." -Exodus 12:37-38
"But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the
yam suph
[Reeds' Sea]:
and the descendants of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness." -Exodus 13:18,20
"Speak unto the descendants of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and
ha-yam
[the sea],
over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. And the descendants of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters [and] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left." -Exodus 14:2,22
The "wilderness of yam suph (Reeds' Sea) mentioned in Exodus 13:18 is identified "wilderness of Shur," and the exact location of this is the west of the north of Etham, a wall from Wadi Tumilat's east to the east of Daphne.
"So Moses brought Israel from the
yam suph
[Reeds' Sea],
and they went out into the
wilderness of Shur;
and they went 3 days in the wilderness, and found no water." - Exodus 15:22
Wilderness of Shur is south of the Highway of Horus. Hebrews took the way of Shur to Elim and then Marah before reaching the wilderness of Sin and then of Sinai (Makhtesh Ramon) between Kadeshbarnea, Seir and Paran (Karkom). They were described poor people of the desert, an enemy of Egypt.
Ipuwer reported what happened to them in circa 1227 BCE, when the temple of Hathor in Athika was destroyed because of a strong earthquake.
"Behold, the fire has mounted up on high, its burning goes forth against the enemies of the land." - Ipuwer 7:1
Moses confirmed this report when around 200 Levites were eaten alive by earth when the largest soil erosion on earth took place in Makhtesh Ramon, between Kadeshbarnea near Seir in the wilderness of Kadesh.
"And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the
fire
devoured 250 men: and they became a sign." -Numbers 26:10
The edges of African continent and Syrian land centering in Sinai (Makhtesh Ramon) were zipping and fire from below was welding them after shaking, melting Sinai mountains and eating the land several times, removing the mountain range, affecting the temperature of Africa, Europe and the Levant, that triggered the famine, and ending to the Late Bronze Age Collapse.
During the time of Shamgar Ben -Anath, Deborah, Moses (1308-1189), Merneptah (1213-1203), and until of Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE), series of these removing of land occurred and were reported. According to Job, God was removing the mountains without the notice of the people, and it is because since time immemorial, the makhtesh was putting downward the soil.
When the darkness that covered over Raamses during Rameses II's latter years was gone, king Merneptah officially reported:
"Shu [Air] who dispelled the cloud that was over Egypt, letting Egypt see the rays of the sun ball.
Who removed the
mountain of copper
from the people's neck,
that he might give breath to the imprisoned folk.
... Towns are settled once again, He who tends his crop will eat it. Re has turned around to Egypt ..." - Merneptah Stele (1208 BCE)
Merneptah admitted the problem of Nile Delta during his father's days, when towns were not settled, and others ate their crops, and darkness was covering over Raamses: Moses made mentioned the presence of pillars of clouds and of fire from Year 1 of exodus. Merneptah has also reported the incident of Mountain of Copper being removed.
Job describes the same phenomenon in the Negev and ascribed it to El Shaddai ...
"Who removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger; Who shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble." - Job 9:5-6
King Rameses III (1179 BCE) reiterated the incident when he officially documented:
"All at once the lands were removed and scattered in the fray." -KRI V 39.14-20
And the pharaoh ascribed this incident as caused by the united land of confederation of Peleset, Tjekru, Shakares (Issacharites), Denyen (Danites), and Weshesh (Asherites) in Syria-Palestine. One of the victims was the son of Peleth, who was probably the patriarch of Pelethites (Num.16:1, 2Sam.8:18).
Judges 5:4-7
"YHWH, when You went out of Seir, when you march out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. The
mountains melted
on front of YHWH, even that
Sinai
from before YHWH God of Israel.
In the days of Shamgar Ben-Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose..." - Judges 5:4-7
Deborah (1208 BCE) is telling here that Israel was sojourning in Sinai mountains near Seir in the field of Edom in the Negev, and that Sinai melted, ceasing the villages or inhabitants of Israel there.
The scientific evidence of this melting are still visible there in Ha-Minsara of Makhtesh Ramon. And that travellers must walk through byways could be discerned around the edges of the eaten earth. The tops of the mountains were eaten by the earth and fallen more than 500 meters deep from the ground.
Needless to say, Moses is accurate about the opening of the earth in Sinai (Makhtesh Ramon).
REBELLIOUS SISTER
From Sinai wilderness they followed the cloud to the wilderness of Paran. On May 8, 1227 BCE Moses asked Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite of Kush to be their guide (Num.10:12, 29-31), but this in return became a controversy, and a fire of YHWH or land of Yahweh burned the rear of the camp (Num. 11:1) in the area known to king Rameses as Turbere, but they renamed it Taberah. Hebrews complained until on circa June 10 when the eldest sibling (sister of Aaron) spoke against Moses about his Kushite wife at Hazeroth, near the region of Zipporah's family. Hence her name was called "Miryam," likely derived from the rebellious pharaoh Rameses Miryamun, to mean "rebellious [Amun]."
Miriam means "rebellious."
Sivan 30th (June 17) or August, 1227 BCE Moses sent Joshua, Caleb and 10 other princes to scout the Canaanite cities for 40 days.
"So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman,
Sheshai,
and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built 7 years before Zoan in Egypt.)
And they came to Moses,... unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh...
... saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eats up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a
great stature.
And there we saw the Nefilim..." -Numbers 13:21-22,26,32-33
Joshua and company are reporting that the Sheshai of Arba (Hebron) were giants, of the Nefilim lineage.
King Rameses the Great listed the tribe of "Shasu of Arbar," near Laban west of Punon. Not only that Rameses named them but also he depicted "Shasu" as giants in his own war relief, thereby confirming the report of Joshua or Moses. The Egyptian enemy "Shasu" of Arbar is identified 'Sheshai of Arba' in the Bible giving a corroboration that Moses & Joshua lived during the days of Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE).
Hori, an Egyptian army scribe, described the "Sh-sw W-r-b-r" (Shasu of Arbar) during the time of Rameses II (1230 BCE) in the following passage:
"Come let me tell thee of other towns, which are above them. Thou hast not gone to the land of Tahath, Khemarim, Timnah, Kadesh, Deper, Adah, Horonem. Thou hast not beheld Kirjath-anab and Beth-Tophel. Thou dost not know Adoraim, nor yet Dizahab... Pray teach me concerning the appearance of
Kenite;
acquaint me with Ruhayba; explain Bethezel... The stream of Jordan, how is it crossed?... Thou makest the name of every Maher, officers of the land of Egypt. Thy name becomes like that of Kazardi, the chief of Asshurites, when the hyena found him in the balsam-tree.
The narrow defile is infested with
Shasu
concealed beneath the bushes; some of them are of 4 cubits or of
around 9 feet,
from their noses to feet, fierce of face, their heart is not mild, and they hearken not to coaxing." - Papyrus Anastasi I, 20-23 (Satirical Letter)
Shasu's height, according to Hori, was from 7 feet to around 9 feet. This is a confirmation of Joshua's report about the giant Sheshai of Arba. It also entails that Moses & Joshua were contemporary of Hori (c.1207- c.1180 BCE).
SHESHAI OF ARBA (Hebron)
"... the name of Hebron before was city of Arba: and they slew
Sheshai,
and Ahiman, and Talmai.
And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah,... in the south of Arad; ...and dwelt among the people." - Judges 1:10,16
It was the tribe of Judah who destroyed these Sheshai or people of Anak because Caleb in 1184 BCE asked Arba to be his inheritance.
"And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: now the name of Hebron before was city of
Arba:
and they slew
Sheshai,
and Ahiman, and Talmai. And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir..." - Judges 1:10-11
The 10 scouts discouraged the Hebrews, and because of this discouragement Moses asked them to stay 40 years in the wilderness (Num. 14:34-35).
Anakim or people of Anak was mentioned in Egyptian Execration Texts (ANET 328 [e1]) whose major leaders during the days of Abraham (1638 BCE) were Erum, Abi-Yamimu (Father Emim), and Akirum.
In Moses' days, the descendants of
Emim
were identified as giants or taller people and were related to Zuzim (giant Shasu). Joshua called the giant Shasu as "Sheshai" of Anakim. (Deut. 2:20-21, Gen. 14:5, Joshua 15:13-15).
We can see here that the idea of Miriam (e.g. not to ask Kenites to scout Canaan but rather send their own Israelite princes) failed its aim.
The only solution or option, Moses needed to send himself.
From Year 3 to Year 37 of Israelite exodus, Moses was absent in Kadeshbarnea. The troops were divided into four divisions:
1) division of Kadesh & nearby places and likely headed by Miriam and/or Aaron, located at Kadesh-Barneah and Hormah (Tel Masos), respectively (Num. 20:1, Deut. 32:15:22).
2) Hornet or Lepers: troops that would go in advance to the places and clear the hindrances (usually Egyptian sympathetic kingdoms of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites or Kweans of Cilicia, and Jebusites). Its leader was YHWH's Malakh or Messenger who was Moses himself. A portion of it, known as Jeshurun (Asherites who adopted the pagan practices overseas) recognized Moses as "king" in a convention of the confederation (people) and princes of Israel in 1190 BCE.
3) Division of Joshua, likely located in Tel Masos; and
4) the 4th Division headed by Zimri ben-Salu prince of the Simeonites and whose troops were later located in Shittim (Numbers 23:10 & 25:1, 14).
From around the latter quarter of 1227 to around 1194 BCE Moses was absent.
Moses' name was last mentioned when the troops of Judah went to Tell Masos (Hormah), and then to Ashkelon, Ekron, and when Asherites lived together with the people of Akko.
"And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of
Tamarim [palm trees]
with the descendants of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the south of Arad; and they went and
dwelt among the people.
And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called
Hormah.
Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as
Moses
said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.
Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Akko, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob: But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out." -Judges 1:16-18,20,31-32
" bi-pharōa (when pharaohed/reigned)
פְּרָעוֹת֙ (pera‘owth / female-pharaoh)
be-yiśrā’êl (to Israel)
be-hitnadeb (to those volunteering) ... " -Judges 5:2
During the time that the king of Egypt was a female pharaoh (1190 BCE), Deborah recalled the Battle of Megiddo of 1208 BCE and reported that the tribe of Dan was busy in their ships and the tribe of Asher was busy in their seas and seashores.
Prophet Amos reiterated some important events that could further clarify about the sailing activities of some tribes. According to him, Kushites were like Israel during the exodus when YHWH freed Peleset (Philistines ancestors) from Caphtor (Enkomi), Cyprus.
" 'Are ye not as children of the Kushiyim [Kushites] unto me, O descendants of Israel?' says YHWH. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and Aram from Kir?" -Amos 9:7
Who was the leader of this liberation?
It was Moses who gave permission to Caphtorim to dwell in Gaza (Deut. 2:22-23), and this may mean that YHWH freed Caphtorim from Caphtor by Moses.
"That YHWH spoke unto me, saying,
And when you come nigh ... distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give you of the land of ...
... the Caphtorims, who came forth out of Caphtor, [and who] destroyed [Avim of Gaza], and dwelt in their stead." - Deuteronomy 2:17,19,23
This is expected since king Rameses II was capturing Cypriote Caphtorim and Alashiya, in the area between Horus highway and el-Arish. And Moses knew that Philistines those days were ready for battles and to go to Egypt (Exo. 13:17).
Philistines, particularly from Caphtor, would become a buffer for Israelites from Egyptians.
Prophet Jeremiah describes that Caphtor is an island very near the west of Tyre and Sidon.
"Because of the day that comes to plunder all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who
שָׂרִ֣יד (sharid):
for YHWH will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the
ay-Kaphtor
[island of Caphtor]." -Jeremiah 47:4
The biblical teaching is clear that during the exodus of Israel (1228-1189 BCE), YHWH, by His agent, freed Philistines from Caphtor in Cyprus island, in the same period when Moses was absent in Kadeshbarnea from around 1227 to around 1194 BCE.
This was also the time when the leader of Alashiya Cyprus was "Kush-Meshusha," whose name can be transliterated in Egyptian as "Yah-Mesu" (meaning "Moses of Yah"). The naval armies of Alashiya were hostile to the king of the Hittites. Kush-Meshusha (c. 1225- c.1210s BCE) was kind to Kir (Ugarit), but probably hostile to Hittite king, whose family was connected to king Rameses II.
Even Ipuwer, the scribe of the 19th Dynasty (1290-1189 BCE), was complaining that Egyptians could now no longer go to Byblos and to its neighbor Caphtor with ease, and this happened during the time of Yar-su's troop plundering of gold and valuable things. King Rameses III claimed that Yar-su (Moses) and his company were plundering those people formerly allied or under Egyptians. Moses reported that Israel or Hebrews were plundering gold, silver and valuable things from Egyptians so that they would not travel with empty hands. Archaeological findings can corroborate these gold things.
"... when ye go, ye shall
not go empty:
But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour ... jewels of silver, of gold, and raiment: ... and ye shall plunder the Egyptians." -Exodus 3:21-22
"Indeed, gold and lapis lazuli, silver and turquoise, carnelian and amethyst, Ibhet-stone ... are strung on the necks of
maidservants. ...
None shall indeed sail northward to
Byblos today;
what shall we do for cedar trees for our mummies, and with the produce of which priests are buried and with the oil of which [chiefs] are embalmed as far as
Kaphtor?
They come no more;
gold is lacking
[. . .] and materials for every kind of craft have come to an end. The [treasury] of the palace is despoiled." - Admonitions of Ipuwer
Setnakhte (1189-1186 BCE), the father of Rameses III, gave the reason for what purpose did the troops of Yar-su (Moses) were using those gold and silver, saying:
"... The troublemakers [were] leaving behind
gold,
silver,
and [ ...precious materials in ]
ta-Mery (Egypt). They had those paid to the Asiatics of the leaders of Egypt to attract them as combatants..." - Elephantine stela, line 9
According to king Setnakhte, those gold and silver would be used to attract Canaanite leaders to be combatants against Egypt. This gives us hint why Egyptians were abhorred in Byblos and Caphtor.
Kush-Meshusha (Yah-Moses) became leader in Alashiya, just west of Caphtor in Cyprus, and fighters of Alashiya sailing in ships were hostile against Hittite king in between c.1209 & c.1205 BCE. In fact, 3 naval battles took place in Mediterranean Ocean between Suppiluliuma II and those ships from Alashiya, Cyprus. According to Balaam Ben-Beor, ships from Kition, Cyprus were the back up of Israel to afflict Asshurites of Geshuri for Kenite in Seir and afflict Eber (Emar).
"...and Israel shall do valiantly. And
ships
shall come from the coast of Khittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber..." -Numbers 24:18,24
Yes, people of Cyprus, Dor, Tyre and Byblos were hostile to Egyptians for many decades since the latter part of the Late Bronze Age Collapse and beginning of the Iron Age (c.1210-1150 BCE). And king Rameses III (1186-1155) can give us hint that those days (1220's-1190's BCE) there were hostile men against Egyptians in Cyprus because Alashiya was cut off from the traditional trading with Egypt, the very period when Kush-Meshusha (Yah-Moses) was the leader there. Ugaritans may have given him the title "king," the same title given to him in Deuteronomy 33:4-5 by the Jeshurun (Asherites who adopted pagan practices overseas), and since Moses treated pagan gods as not superior than humans, as he himself was a God to pharaoh (Exodus 7:1), there was a possibility that Moses was deified with the title "king," or Melkart to Phoenicians.
ASHERIM PELESET, Later known SYRIA-PALESTINE
An official document erected by king Rameses III reported that Weshesh (Asherites), Denyen (Danites), and Shakares (Issacharites) made a confederacy with Peleset (Philistines) and Tjekru (Sikel), and they circumnavigated the earth, particularly the Mediterranean to Cornwall, England to Africa and back to Levant; and probably to China.
Whose plan was this?
"On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,
Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates." -Deuteronomy 1:5,7
"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun [Mediterranean], shall be your coast.
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee
all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." -Joshua 1:3-5
Moses made it a law, and when king Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE) captured some Weshesh (Asherites), Denyen (Danites), and Shakarus (Issacharites), the pharaoh confirmed the plan.
"No land could stand before their arms: from Hittite territory, Kode, Carchemish, Arzawa [or Arvad] and Alashiya [Cyprus] on, being cut off at one time. A camp was set up in Amurru [Lebanon]... Their confederation was the Philistia, Dor, Issachar, Dan and Asher, lands united. They laid their hands upon the land as far as the circuit of the earth..." -king Rameses III (1179 BCE)
KISHON OF JABIN
For the past centuries the term "Ibna" was probably used as a title to mean "king of Hazor," the way "pharaoh" means "king of Egypt." But king Rameses II (1279-1213) acknowledged another name, i.e. "Y-b-w-n," who has "Qishon." Unlike "Ibna" ("Yabni"), Y-b-w-n is a direct accurately transliterated into "Yabin" (Jabin). The first encounter of Israelites, particularly Asherites and Kenites, with this Jabin was when Heber of the lineage of Moses' father-in-law separated from the Kenites in south of Arad in around 1228 and sojourned in Zaanaim near Yenoam or Rukkath of what we called today Sea of Galilee.
"Now Heber, who was of the children of Hobab of the Kenite, the father in law of Moses, had separated himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.
And YHWH sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth Goiim.
...he had 900 chariots of iron; and 20 years he mightily oppressed the descendants of Israel." -Judges 4:11, 2,3
From around 1227 to 1208 BCE, for 20 years, the troops of Kenites (under Heber, the husband of Jael) and Israel (Asherites, Issacharites, Zebulonites, and Naphtalites, likely under Moses/Muksos) were paying their tributes to Sisera, general of king Jabin. Ancient Lydian historian Xanthus reported that Muksos (Moxos) was operating in Phoenicia (Asher) with Lydian ancestors (men from Arzawa).
Deborah described it to happen "in the days of Jael," during of which Shamgar Ben-Anath encountered military unit (600 fighters) of Philistines in Asher. Heber had a good relationship with king Jabin and his wife Jael entertained general Sisera.
When Makhtesh Ramon, part of which was Midian, eroded for the second time (as reported removal of the "mountain of copper" in Merneptah's Stele, line 1-3), Midianites planned to take money or plunder from Israelites in Canaan, particularly in the region where Megiddo and Kishon were included.
King Merneptah could not immediately address this problem because of his series of battles in the Delta as early as 1210 BCE, as famine was spreading both in Turkey and African lands and the transfer of people to feed their animals and themselves became necessary.
Two pharaohs have short reports about their encounters with the biblically named fighters.
King Rameses II (1279-1213), in the Great Asiatic List 23.21 at Karnak Great Temple of Amun, officially reported the presence of "Q'shr Ybwn" ("Qishon of Jabin).
After few decades, king Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE) officially listed 27.85 (in the Great Asiatic List at Medinet Habu Great Temple) the name "Qweshe' Tebora" ("Band of Deborah"), which means the troops of Deborah has replaced the Alliance of Jabin.
Deborah existed prior and during the reign of Rameses III (1186-1155) as the name of the area where the battle took place was known to Deborah "Kedumim" and to Rameses III "Ketumin," which king Rameses II (1279-1213) called "Kerumin." Deborah reported the reign of a female pharaoh (1190 BCE) to whom Israelites volunteered.
The Bible gives clear report what transpired why Kishon (Alliance) of Jabin was replaced by the military troops of Deborah.
In 1208 BCE Jael - the wife of Heber the grandson of the Kenite, the father-in-law of Moses - killed Sisera, the general of king Jabin in Harosheth Goiim, the area known to king Rameses II as "Alliance of Jabin."
In circa 1186 BCE Joshua killed king Jabin himself together with Hazor's allied Canaanite kings after he led men of Judah to dwelt in Gaza (Joshua 10:41, Judges 1:18).
There was no available qualified male leader in 1208 BCE. The tribe of Dan and Asher were busy in sailing overseas, and they likely founded Tyre in 1209 BCE and they were engaged in penetrating Troy, and men of war of Israel were killed by the wilderness (erosion of Makhtesh Ramon) and by king Merneptah, who specifically targeted circumcised Asherites (Akhewesha), Issacharites (Shakares), and so on, and circumcision was stopped among the Hebrews. Moses was absent in Kadeshbarnea this time.
Deborah, whose name is immortalized by king Rameses III at Medinet Habu Great Temple in the Great Asiatic List 27.85, stood as the leader in the Battle of Kishon.
Simultaneous wars were occurring by the confederation in Troy, Cyprus' sea, Cilician shore, Tyre, Nile Delta, and Canaan. No way for Deborah's request to have Asherites and Danites as auxiliary, as Asherites were busy fighting in Nile Delta and Danites were busy in sailing overseas, while Kush-Meshusha (Yah-Moses), probably depicted as a Syrian leader fighting the sympathetic allies of Egypt in Enkomi (Kaptara), Cyprus, was busy defeating enemies to free the slave Philistines in Caphtor.
Deborah sent message to Barak ben-Abinoam in Kedesh-Nephtali (near Yenoam) to go near Mt. Tabor with 10,000 Naphtalites and Zebulonites, so that...
"... will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand." -Judges 4:7
General Sisera gathered together 900 iron chariots from Harosheth Goiim to Kishon. Deborah recalled that they absorbed the strength of the sun, implying that the battle happened when there was an eclipse, and superbolide fragments, whose shooting stars hit the river of Kishon and caused the water to wave and soil to be muddy and destroyed the chariots of Sisera.
Judges 5:19-24,26,31
"The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
They fought from heaven; the
stars
in their courses fought against Sisera. The river of Kishon swept them away, that river
Kedumim,
the river Kishon. O my soul, you have trodden down strength. Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
Curse ye Meroz, said the messenger of YHWH, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof...
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera...
So let all thine enemies perish, O YHWH: but let them that love Him be as the sun when he goes forth in its might. And the land had rest 40 years." -Judges 5:19-24,26,31
Cursing the enemy was popularized by Bentisina, a former ally of king Rameses II.
The report that the men & women of the tribe Israel were roaming and causing disturbances in Yenoam from Seir (Kharu) had reached Merneptah, and the pharaoh devastated Israel, destroyed Yenoam, arrested the resistance in Ashkelon and Gezer, and plundered Canaan with all woe, pacifying Hittite territories in Syria.
The diplomats proudly reported to the pharaoh:
“The Canaan has been plundered into every sort of woe:
Ashkelon has been overcome;
Gezer has been captured;
Yenoam is made non-existent.
Israel is devastated and annihilated are his seeds.” -Merneptah Stele, lines 26-29
Habakkuk in reciting the incident suggests that it took place when the sun stood behind of the moon, which is also reported by Jasher, the history writer of king David. Covering of the sun is also mentioned in Merneptah's Stele (1208 BCE). The solar eclipse could be the one which lasted 2 minutes, 42 seconds on May 16, 1208 BCE over Peloponnesian area observed too by the Hebrews. This bad omen added to the triggers for the Peloponnesians to transfer from Peloponnese to Cyprus, a favorable thing for Kush-Meshusha as the increase of fighters against Egyptian sympathetic allies help the confederation of Asherim-Peleset (Syria-Palestine).
"Shemesh Yareah (Sun Moon)
'amad (stood on front of another) ... " -Habakkuk 3:11
"wa-yidom (and silent)
ha-shemesh (the sun),
wa-yareah (and moon)
amad (stood on it) ..." -Joshua 10:13a
The writer of Joshua 10:13 quoted the standing of moon on front of the sun, as he relates it to the direction (sky map from above Peloponnese) when a "Mesh" (sun-like bright light) silently exploded on the same sky map direction and the debris (great stones) of this "Mesh" or superbolide fell to Azekah, where Joshua had intently pushed the enemies.
We don't yet know what technology did Deborah, Joshua, and Moses were using to determine the time and direction of this superbolide or if they were attracting it to fell on a particular time and spot on the land. But king Merneptah, likely alluding the Issacharite troop (1Chronicles 12:32) of Moses, describes their ability as follows:
"...say they who gaze toward their stars, and know all their spells by looking to the winds" (Merneptah Stele),
as Moses enabled to predict the movement of ruakh kadim (khamsin/east wind) and the directions of falling stones from the heaven. King David called those stones as "arrows" of YHWH (Psalms 18:13-14) used as missiles against Hebrew enemies. Deborah won the battle against 900 chariots of Sisera by the protection of YHWH and because of these falling stars that disturbed the water of river of Kishon. Likewise, Joshua won the battle on Azekah by a "mesh" (sun-like bright light that exploded and fired great stones), and Moses frightened the pharaoh of Rameses and the Egyptians by the falling stones from heaven (Exo.9:23-29).
1208 BCE : THE VERY REMARKABLE YEAR IN MEDITERRANEAN HISTORY
*Merneptah claimed that in this year (1208 BCE) he quited the disturbances made by many men & women of vagabond Israel, destroyed Yenoam, plundered Pe-Canaan, and arrested resistance in Ashkelon and Gezer, a year after he defeated Libyan people.
*This is also the year claimed by Greeks they engaged in a war to Troy.
*Deborah, on the other side of the world, claimed a woman defeated king Jabin of Hazor after killing general Sisera in Yenoam (near Rukkath).
Tyre claimed to be founded in 1209 BCE.
It was in 1209 BCE when king Merneptah on several official documents (Great Karnak Inscription & Athribis Inscription) announced the presence of the "Sea Peoples." He categorically reported "the foreign-peoples of the sea" and "the foreign lands of the sea."
These Sea Peoples, according to king Merneptah, were Tursha (Talsa, Atlas), Lukka (Rukkath), Sherden (Sardinians), Ekwesh (Asherites), and Sh-k-rw-sh (Shakares/Issacharites), who sailed from Levant to Mediterranean Ocean and to Africa. In Africa, the wealthy Meryey son of Dedy, the king of Libu (Libyans) hired them as bowfighters.
Great Green (Mediterranean Ocean) became easily passable, and this was because of the drought during the latter part of Rameses II's reign. And Moses (Meshusha) made the Asherites and Issacharites to join in the confederation of Tursha (Atlas), formerly Asuwan confederation, allowed Peloponnesians to dwell in Cyprus, and likely permitted the Danites to go to Troy and Asherites (Akwesha) & Issacharites to Libyan land.
Libu king, Meryey, had decided to transfer the Libyan throne to Nile Delta, being able to penetrate the fortress of king Rameses II.
Together with him in this epic journey were both men, women and kids alike, and more than 11,600 oxen, donkeys, goats and rams. Shielding them were around 10,000 fighters carrying more than 129,000 quivers and arrows, and around 10,000 swords.
By the second month of Shemu (19th March - 17th April, 1209 BCE) a messenger reported to Merneptah that they were about to invade Egypt by trying to tresspass the boundaries in the western part of the Nile Delta.
TARGETING CIRCUMCISED TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM UNCIRCUMCISED ENEMIES
Merneptah discovered that some of his enemies were of circumcised race and of tribe Israel, so to make it sure the pharaoh cut the penises of those Libyan tribes, and "severed the hands" of those Syria-Palestine enemies (Karnak inscription, line 46).
He killed 6,359 children of the chiefs, and made 9,376 captives, and casualties of 222 Shakares (Issacharites), 742 Tursha, 218 Libyan warriors, 12 horses with chiefs & children, and 1,308 livestock in 1209 BCE.
King Merneptah (Nephtoah) thought to annihilate Israelite fighters, and one of ways to easily know the number was by determining the circumcised enemies, who had an alliance with the Tehenu Libyans and Tursha.
In his bulletin now known Athribis stela 1.1,3 the pharaoh has an inventory of severed uncircumcised penises of the Libyans and cut hands of circumcised enemies:
"2201 circumcised Akwesha (Asherites),
722 of Tursha,
200 Shakares (Issacharites)."
The fact that the pharaoh identified "jk3w3sh3" (Akwesh/Asher) as
"circumcised"
suggests that this people is not of Greek islands - in fact, Herodotus (c. 484 - c. 425 BCE) says " that Phoenicians who traffic with Hellas [Hellenic people] cease ... to have circumcised their children." (The Histories, book 2, 104.4)
Not contented with one record, Merneptah updated it, saying:
"Circumcised Akwesha (Asherites): 2201.
Shakarus (Issachar): 222 men.
Tursha: 742 men.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Uncircumcised: Libyan princes (whose penises were cut off) 6 men;
Libyans (slain -whose penises were cut off): 6,359 men.
Kehek, Libyan prisoners: 218 men.
Captured women of Libyan chief: 12,
Total carried off: 9,376 people.
...
From the heaps, Egyptians brought to the pharaoh the penises of the 6,111 men. And from circumcised slain, they carried the hands of 2,370 men."
- Egyptian inscription: KR 4.7-9, or line 46
Joshua stopped the rite until all men of war died.
When no circumcised children were reported, the pharaoh boastfully said:
"Tribe Israel ... of many wandering men & women, has no seeds."
- Merneptah Stela, line 27 (1208 BCE).
Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE) mentioned whose this "seed" was of:
"Those who reached my boundary, their
seed
is no more,..."
(cf. J.H. Breasted. 1906, iv, sections 65-66,Extracts from Medinet Habu inscription)
With this reproached situation, Moses later comfort them, saying:
"But YHWH thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy
seed,
to love YHWH thy God with all thine heart,... ." -Deuteronomy 30:6
When Moses died, Joshua resumed the rite on March 28, 1189 BCE.
"And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the
men of war,...
...were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.
And their children...them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised...
And YHWH said to Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you..." -Joshua 5:4- 5,7,9
With the new circumcised fighters, king Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE) resumed the targeting of circumcised enemies in Syria-Palestine.
With the situation in 1209 BCE, we can easily understand now why Asher and Dan could not send auxiliary troops to Deborah. Ekwesh (Asherites) were busy in Nile Delta, whereas Denyen (Danites) together with Sikalayu (Issacharites) were busy in Tyre and nearby places.
"... why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seas, and abode in his breaches." -Judges 5:17
Parian Chronicle, line 24, reported that ancestors of Greeks undertook their expedition in Troy in 1218 BCE during the 13th regnal year of Menestheus in Athens. It was in 1208 BCE when a noticeable force of ships from Alashiyan made naval fleet barricade to hinder Hittites to penetrate Mediterranean Ocean, as probably Danites were sailing to Arzawa (Ephesus). Hittite leader (Suppiluliuma II) officially reported about this first encounter on the sea, and he discovered that those naval forces had back up in the land. It is corroborated by king Rameses III who said that the confederation of Denyen (Danites), Weshesh (Asherites), Shakares (Issacharites), and Peleset (Philistine ancestors) cut off Arzawa, Alashiya, Kadesh and Carchemish at one time. The center of these activities was Alashiya, where Kush-Meshusha (Yah-Moses) was reigning. The ships of Alashiya Cyprus fought Suppiluliuma II's naval forces thrice.
Encomi (Kaptara) was the hide out of Danites and Asherites, who were in contact with the Shikalayu (Shakarus/Issacharites). Peleset (Philistines) in Kaptara (Caphtor) were freed by YHWH and permitted by Moses to dwell in Gaza, and many of them dwelt in Ekron together with the Danites. A Peleset tribe known Tjeku (Teucer) founded a city in Cyprus and in Dor.
For biblical timeline of exodus, click this > CHRONOLOGY OF MOSES
NOTES
The other pharaohs are:
Acherres (Neferneferuaten: 1337-1333 BCE),
Cherre (Ay: 1323-1320 BCE),
Armais (Horemheb: 1320-1292),
Rhamesses (Rameses II: 1279-1213).
Moxos: During the reign of Hittite king Arnuwandash lI (1209-1207 BCE),
Muksus (Me-su-sa/Moses)
was mentioned in Bogazkale Hittite tablet in connection with the first Lukkan local king, Madduwattash of Arzawa (coast of southwest Asia Minor), who lost Lukka Lands after fighting against king Attarsiya (Atreus) of Ahhiya (Achaean).
Tudhaliya lI gave Madduwattas an asylum and the mountainous Zippasla (in Lydia?) as his kingdom, on the condition that he would use it as a base to invade Arzawa (Ephesus).
Muksos was considered by Lydians as their leader and by Kweans (Cilicians) as the founder of their dynasty around 13th or 12th century BCE.
Sources:
Stele of Mose:
Kitchen, Kenneth A. Ramesside Inscriptions, Translated and Annotated Translations: Ramesses II, His Contemporaries (Ramesside Inscriptions Translations) (Volume III) Wiley-Blackwell. pp 187-188, 2001 ISBN 978-0631184287;
Christine Raedler: Rank and Favour at the Early Ramesside Court, in: R. Gundlach, J. H. Taylor (editors), Egyptian Royal Residences, 4th Symposium on Egyptian Royal Ideology, KSG 4,1, Wiesbaden, 2009 ISBN 978-3447058889, p.144.
Leiden Papyrus 348 & 349:
James K. Hoffmeier: Israel in Egypt. The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition. Oxford University Press, Oxford/New York 1999, S. 114;
Ricardo Caminos: Late-Egyptian Miscellanies. Oxford University Press, London 1954, S. 491.
