In the 3rd century BCE official published Αἰγυπτιακά (Aegyptiaca, History of Egypt), the Egyptian historian Manetho reported that "Moses" is another name which was popularized during the Israelite exodus in the time of Rhampses (Rameses II), Amenephthis (Merneptah), Sethos (Seti II), and Rameses (Ramesses III).
King Rameses the Great on a stele erected in Pi-Rameses called him "Mose," which could be transliterated into Hebrew
Mō·šeh
("Drawer-out"),
from the Semitic root
משׁה, "m-š-h,"
meaning "to draw out,"
hence defined as
מִן... מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ
mə·šî·ṯi·hū ... min-
(I drew him ... out).
It is from Egyptian word "mose" or "mesu" ("draw out from, born of..."), from the root
"su "
("draw out, born").
It was the Bat-par'oh (Daughter of Pharaoh) who gave his name and that princess was an Egyptian; needless to say, she used Egyptian terminology for the name of Moses, and the complete meaning she gives in Exodus 2:10 is:
"drew out from water,"
which in Egyptian could be
"iar-mesu"
(lit. "drew out of canal/river"),
which is likely, derogatorily shortened by king Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE) into
"Yar-su "
or "Ir-su "
to mean "he made himself " (that is, no God authorizes him but he an usurper himself).
It was a practice during Rameses III's days to change the enemy's name into an infamous name (as in Bim-em-Wase ["evil in Thebes"], Pa-neck ["the serpent"], and Mesedsure ["Ra hates him"]. The name of "Merira" ["Beloved of Re"], who was the great criminal in attempting to kill king Rameses III, is for example derogatorily changed into "Msd-sw-R" ["Re hates him"]. Yar-Mesu is obviously changed into Yar-su).
The Egyptian word "iar -" ("river ") in his name is expected since he was drown out by the princess from
יְאֹר
yeor,
an Egyptian-borrowed term for "river" of Nile.
"And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the
יְאֹר
yeor
[river];
and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the baby wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children." - Exodus 2:5-6
The princess might have found the baby Moses during the Osiris' birthday on 12th July, 1309 BCE (as according to Manetho his name was from Osiris, which during the 4th century BCE had a syncretistic "Yah" and was a god of Heliopolis). She has him given a name most likely when Moses was at 3 years of age.
"And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name
Moses:
and she said,
Because
I drew him out of the water."
-Exodus 2:10
The Hebrew name "Moseh" is "ms-s" ("mose," "mesu," "msu, "msy") in Egyptian hieroglyphic spelling; it became most popular during the time of king Rameses the Great. As what we can learn, it was the practice of scribes that time to shorten long names, as army scribe Hori (fl. 1230- c.1160 BCE) has abbreviated the name "Rameses" into "Sessy" and probably the name of the great Maher into "Mose" ("Msy").
Hori distinguished "Rameses the Great" from "Moses" ("Mose") by the name "Sessy" ("The Vanquisher") and he apparently described Mose as the supreme of maher who could judge righteously how to traverse Phoenicia (Asher) from Egypt with best logistics and appropriation of foods. The name of Mose is used as a substitute for the pharaoh as if Mose is almost equal to the pharaoh. King Rameses the Great himself in the 'Stele of Mose' (currently housed at Hildesheim Roemer-und Pelizaeus Museum) depicted Moses as holding the pharaoh's rod, which is the symbol of authority and dominion. And in this stele Moses is depicted being awarded because he has told some favorable things to king Rameses II, and as a reward the pharaoh gives him silver and treasure of the palace. Rameses made this recognition on front of his military servants near his own statue at Pi-Rameses (city of Raamses). Moses became famous or great on front of the people of Rameses. This pharaoh's claim is confirmed in Exodus 11:2-3.
The second contemporary document mentioning Moses is written by Hori, describing what are the preparations to quell the rebellion of Naharin rebels in Phoenicia (Asher).
/// Thou art sent on an expedition to Phoenicia at the head of the victorious army, in order to smite those rebels who are called Nearin warriors.
The troops of soldiers who are before thee amount to 1900; (of) Sherden 520, of Kehek 1600, of Meshwesh 100, Negroes making 880; total 5000 in all, not counting their officers. A complimentary gift has been brought for thee (and set) before thee, bread and cattle and wine. The number of men is too great for thee, the provision (made) is too small for them: loaves of flour, 300; cakes, 1800; goats of various sorts, 120; wine, 30 (measures). The soldiers are too numerous, the provisions are underrated as compared with that which thou takest of them. Thou receivest (them, and) they are placed in the camp. The soldiers are prepared and ready. Register them quickly, the share of every man to his hand.
The Shasu are spying.
O sapient scribe midday has come, the camp is hot. They say: "It is time to start'" I do not make the commander angry.
"Long is the march before us!" But I say: "What it means, that there is no bread at all? Our night-quarters are far off! What means, good sir, this scourging of us? Nay, but thou art a clever scribe! Approach to give the food!
An hour becomes a day without the scribe from the Ruler. (What means)
thy being brought to punish us? This is not good; let
Mose
hear (of it), and
he will send to destroy thee!/// - Anastasi I, 17 -18.2 (pBM 10247)
Rebellion in Phoenicia had happened too during the latter years of Rameses II's reign, and it is corroborated by the arrest of Naharin warriors, Caphtorim and Alashiya rebels which he depicted in a procession of captives and named in his Topographic List 25.2, 5, 6. After pharaoh's possible failure in the succeeding decades, Byblos and Caphtor (Cyprus) became inaccessible for the Egyptians, which scribe Ipuwer (fl.1290-1189 BCE) made mentioned too in the document Admonitions of Ipuwer written not earlier than 1250 BCE, and corroborated by the inability of king Rameses III's informant to penetrate Syria, giving a wrong information that Carchemish was destroyed when in fact it was Emar being put on fire: and king Rameses III's conclusion has had that Alashiya (Cyprus) was cut off from Egypt by the Issacharite, Asherite and Danite enemies. The ancient meaning of "cut off " is found in Judges 21:6, and that is "separated," fought, destroyed, and killed.
Kush-Meshusha (Yah-Moses) was likely the "king" of Alashiya that time and he might have been the leader of what Suppilliuma II called "enemies of the country of Alashiya" (KBo 12.38, column III, line 12), who were using the "ships of Alashiya" which had fatally fought the Hittites in the open sea of Mediterranean and on land of Kue (Cilicia). Although a scribe proudly identified Kush-Meshusha as "king," Suppilliuma II, on contrary, stopped recognizing the leader as "king" after his fatal encounter with them - rather he called them "enemies of the country of Alashiya." That is, at Suppilliuma's first expedition he called their leader as "king," but this has changed during his second expedition when the said people resisted to his taxation and they fought him.
This may mean that Alashiya was divided into two factions: the natives who were Hittite or Egyptian supporters and those inhabitants who were against the Hittite and Egyptian kings.
This eventuality gives us a hint why the builder of Pithom and Raamses, king Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE), or his predecessor Seti I (1290-1279), in the previous decades suspected the tendency of the Hebrews (branch of Habiru/Hapiru) to support their enemies and join with them to fight against Egypt.
King Seti I, on his Beit She'an stela, claims that he protected Habiru (Hebrews) from Aamu or Asiatics. Sooner, doubt regarding the Hebrews' loyalty made a pharaoh to decide to build defense city in Pithom and Raamses.
"And he said unto his people, Look, the people of the sons of
Israel
רַ֥ב
rabh
[much]
and stronger than we:
Come on, let us deal wisely with him; lest he
יִרְבֶּ֗ה
yir·beh
[multiply/increase in population],
and it come to pass, that, when there falls out any war,
הוּא֙
hū
[he]
join also unto our
śō·nə·’ê·nū
[enemies],
and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
Therefore they did set over them forced-labormasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built Pithom and Raamses, which were store-cities, for Pharaoh." - Exodus 1:9-11
As far as body fitness for a war is concerned, descendants of Israel were much stronger than Egyptians; but, as far as population is concerned, they were but few. Egyptian population in the city of Rameses was approximately 300 000, and Moses said that Israel was fewest than this (Deut.7:7).
The king of city Raamses has detected an impending war and that some of his subjects, particularly foreigners, were having a high tendency to join with his enemies.
Why the pharaoh has this idea? Because Shasu of Arbar (which Joshua called 'Sheshai of Arba') were now joining with the enemy as spies, which also being reported by Hori.
Farther south were another Shasu countries. Shasu tribes of Edom became enemies of Shasu of Seir were relatives of the Shasu of Yahweh in Makhtesh Ramon (Sinai mountains) in the south of Arad in the Negev.
In 1278 BCE Rameses the Great started the building of his Pithom and treasure-city Raamses (Per-Ramessu) by continuing what his father, Seti I, had initiated.
Rigorous building projects were what made the Hebrews miserable.
Latter Egyptian priests revealed this misery to Herodotus that it was when Sesostris (Rameses II) was making many canals, which were dug around Avaris and in Raamses city.
"Sesostris found work for the
multitude
which he brought with him from the countries which he had subdued.
It was these who
dragged the great and long blocks of stone
which were brought in this king's reign to the temple of Hephaestus; and it was they who were compelled to dig all the canals which are now in Egypt, and involuntarily made what had been a land of horses and carts empty of these.
For from this time Egypt, although a level land, could use no horses or carts, because there were so many canals going every which way..." - Histories 2.108.1-3
This "multitude" (Exo. 12:37-38, Num.11:4) comprises of what Moses called Hebrew "people." In Egyptian documents they were called "Apiru," which is also understood "Hapiru" or "Habiru." Herodotus says that this multitude came from the countries under the subjection of Sesostris, who brought them in the land of Rameses to build many canals so that no land could be easily accessible for outsider horses.
SLAVE WORKERS OF RAMESES II
Simultaneous building projects of Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) would require a lot of workers from north to south. And for this reason, 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).
The stones, according to Herodotus, were dragged to the temple of Hephaestus, which he described to be located north of Memphis, or most likely in Pi-Rameses.
Apiru is the Egyptianized term for "Hapiru," known to Hittites as "Erin.Mesh Hapiri" (could probably be changed in meaning as Eden's Habiru/Hebrews), referring to the Syrian Hittites, who became subject to Terru (Terah) during his reign in Urkash-dim (people of Urkesh). Erin with determinative "GISH" means "Cedar," which became the regional name of Cedar forest from Phoenicia to Assyrian western part. This name could probably retain as "Iryn" (Erin), a town being mentioned by king Thutmose III in 1447 BCE between Carchemish, Emar, and Mitanni. And the direct mentioning of Eden is Bit Adini (Beth Eden), located west of the garden of Eden. Workers in the region became known "ERIN.MESH" (that is, Erinites or Edenites). The Hebrews there were known "ERIN.MESH ha-pi-ri-is," whereas the Hurrian king in 1500 BCE is "LUGAL ERÍN.MESH Hurri," which was last used to Tushratta, king of Mitanni (fl.1335 BCE).
Abram became known as "Hebrew" because he was living in the territory of the Amorite Apiru (Habiru) in circa 1664 BCE and after he confederated with them, and it was during the war of king Arriuki (Arioch) and Amarpel (Amatpiel) against Sodomites. That designation was retained even in Jacob's time.
And in the Bible, Moses (1309-1189 BCE), his midwife, parents, and his countrymen were known "Hebrews" in Egypt (Exo. 2:6-13). And to be specific, they were Hebrews connected to the Apiru (Habiru) in the wilderness of Kush (Makhtesh Ramon) who worshipped Yahweh (Exo. 3:18). It was king Akhenaten who said to transfer the agriculturist Apiru in Kush (EA 198), hence the presence of Apiru is expected there. In fact, Yahweh was a known God to Jethro of Kushite Midian (northwestern part of Makhtesh Ramon). The market of gold there in Kush in Negev was known to Job as "Ophir," probably, etymologically from "Apiru" (cf. Job 28:16,19).
Apiru or Habiru were the laborers forced to work for heavy tasks in the building projects of king Rameses II in Delta.
Apiru was the 4th populous distinct group of people in Canaan, and in fact 3600 of them were captured together with the 36300 Kharu (Horites of Seir), 15070 Neges, 15000 Shasu; and Amenhotep II (1426-1400 BCE) boasted of transporting 89,000 of them to Egypt, whereas Amenhotep III (1390-1351 BCE) recorded that his temple was filled with male and female slaves, children of the chiefs of foreign lands of the captivity.
APIRU (HABIRU) : THE SLAVES OF RAMESES II
Their major job was to drag stones from quarry to the palace or temple project sites. They were also drawers of water. That they were slaves who drew water in Egypt is evident in the way they treated their strangers.
"Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." -Exodus 23:9
And to the stranger Gibeonites, Israelite princes said:
"... Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and
drawers of water
unto all the congregation..." - Joshua 9:21
This is not a surprising thing why the name Moses may also have a new meaning - "Drawer of Water" - when he served under Reuel Jethro in Midian (northeastern part of Makhtesh Ramon) in Edom's border.
When Jethro's daughters had returned home earlier than their usual time, the high priest was curious.
"They said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also
drew water
enough for us, and watered the flock." -Exodus 2:19
Midianite Kushites identified him as an "Egyptian," most likely because he introduced himself by that citizenship and he wore Egyptian garments.
Manetho reported that Moses was an Egyptian, or to be specific, from Heliopolis (On), obviously because he could be born there near the Nile river or was known there during his education - and his ancestor, particularly Joseph the son of Jacob (Israel), lived in Heliopolis (Gen. 41:45,50). By birthplace, adoption and education, Moses was an Egyptian. The four pharaohs, named by Manetho, during of which period Moses lived are Rhampses (Rameses the Great), Amenophis (Merneptah or Amenmeses), Sethos (Seti II), and Ramesses (Rameses III). Rhampses, according to Manetho, has reigned 66 years in Egypt (Against Apion 1.26).
Moses claimed that a pharaoh built store-cities Pithom and Raamses. This claim is confirmed by scientists and historians. Encyclopedia Britannica says that Ramses II was the founder of Pithom, which partly corroborates the report in Exodus 1:11.
It was apparently at Moses' twenties when Rameses II began the foundation of Pithom, a store-city made of bricks.
BRICKS AND QUOTA
Moses reported the condition of his fellow Hebrews when Pithom and Raamses were under construction. They were tasked to make daily quota of bricks. Pharaoh's taskmasters (nogesim) had set over them Hebrew foremen (saresim), who would have received made bricks from the Hebrew workers.
"Therefore they did set over them
sare-missim [directors of forced labour]
to afflict them with their burdens. And they built store-cities, Pithom and Raamses, for Pharaoh.
... made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field ... with rigour." - Exodus 1:11,14
"And the taskmasters [nogesim] hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. And the
soterim [foremen]
of the descendants of Israel, which Pharaoh's
nogesim [taskmasters]
had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as heretofore?
"Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tally of bricks. And the
šōṭərê [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 5:13,14,18-19
That there was a daily quota of brick-making is evident in the Papyrus Anastasi 3, written during the time of Rameses' son, Merneptah, in 1211 BCE:
"Total, 12 building jobs. Likewise, the men are making bricks in their spells of duty, bringing them for work in the house. They are making quota of bricks daily." -Papyrus Anastasi III, Verso 3:1-3
Therefore, Moses was accurate in his claim that in his time there was a daily quota of bricks, and this was in the 13th century BCE.
The wanting of straw to make bricks by Semitic workers to build store-city Pithom is proved true by the scientists who conducted scientific studies in the Pithom of Rameses in Tel el-Retabeh. This only means that Moses is accurate in his report.
Adding to his accuracy is the rigorous making of bricks during the Year 5 of king Rameses II in 1275 BCE that we can discern from the
‘Louvre Leather Roll,’ "
which records 40 stablemasters (probably the nogesim), who were superior than saterim (foremen). Each foreman might have 10 or so workers under this foreman.
"The Great Stable of Rameses (II) Meryamun ...
Yupa son of Urhi-Ya, (target) 2000 bricks: 660 arrived, 410 arrived, 560 arrived. Total, 1630; deficit, 370. ...
Year 5, 1st month of Shemu [Summer], Day 2; copy of receipt of bricks from.. (someone)..." -Louvre Leather Roll, columns II, IV:2. 11:1,6; IX:1
From Days 2 to 6, the totalled made bricks is 12,390, and from Days 9 to 14 is 15,200.
Each worker has a target of 2000 bricks, and these should be given to the 40 taskmasters in charge of brick-production, which may imply a total of 80,000 bricks.
In the Leather Roll 1274, Paherypedjet son of Paser, one of Rameses the Great's 40 overseers, failed to deliver his quota of 2000 bricks as the recorded tallies could show and the reason was because the slaves could not gather the required amount of straw. The record of king Rameses II (1275 BCE) also gives us insight that brickmakers are identified by the name of their fathers, similar indication given by Moses in naming those who were involved in petitioning to pharaoh for their 3 days off. For example, Yupa could be a believer of "Yah" for his father's name is "Urhi-Ya" or "Ur-Yah."
This practice of identifying the slave's father's name was continued even after 1230 BCE, when Moses intervened for the Hebrew workers to ask rest days.
As what we can learn in columns 8-9 of Louvre Leather Roll inscription, there were no brick-deliveries were made on
Days 1, 7 and 8 of the 1st month of Shemu,
as for example the Day 1 of that month was the date of the feast of the goddess Renenutet. This harvest festival and other feast days made workers "idle" as they have "to offer to their gods," and that's possibly why, according to Kenneth A. Kitchen, the pharaoh was cautious of allowing additional holidays. The wise answer of the pharaoh is that he did not know YHWH, that is, no holiday for God YHWH.
Moses knew the law of that time and without hesitation he requested 3-day off for a feast of the Hebrew God, YHWH (Exo. 5:1). This may imply that while it's allowed to have rest on the Days 1, 7, and 8, then there's no hard thing why not give YHWH's people a 3-day rest, too.
The feast of Yah would be on the full moon, as "Yah" is homophone of Egyptian word "yah" ("moon"), although these words are hieroglyphically, differently constructed.
The 8th or 9th heb sed (jubilee festival) of king Rameses II was about to be celebrated, and workers were busy to build shrines, houses, and so on for that occasion, so the topic about or asking for a feast celebration is not untimely; besides of the fact that the pharaoh has a leaning to allow Syria-Palestine gods, particularly those he knew by name.
"And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus says YHWH God of Israel,
'Let My people go,'
that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.
And Pharaoh said, 'Who is YHWH, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know YHWH, neither will I let Israel go.'
And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray thee, 3 days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto YHWH our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
And Pharaoh said, Look, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
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 5:1-7
"And the
nō·ḡə·śê [taskmasters]
of the people went out, and their
šō·ṭə·rāw [foremen],
and they spoke to the people, saying, This is what the Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. Go and get your own straw wherever ye can find it...
...for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the full quota of bricks.'
And the
šōṭərê [officers]
of the descendants of Israel realized that they were in trouble when they were told, You are not to reduce the number of bricks of your daily task." -Exodus 5:10-11,18-19)
This passage explains why there was a shortage of bricks. Hebrews needed to find their own straw (stubble) to make bricks and this consumed their time a lot while they need to produce the same daily output of bricks.
Just after the reign of Rameses' son, Merneptah, during the term of Seti II (1203-1197 BCE), such problem was experienced again when there were no men to work for the job, as revealed by an officer who said there were no men to mould bricks and no straw in the district.
"l am residing at Qenquen-en-ta, without provisions, and neither men to make bricks
nor straw
are in the region." -Papyrus Anastasi IV, 12:5–13:8
Exodus 5:14 The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?" (NIV)
The Leather Roll 1274 corroborates Moses' report about the recorded counting or the tallies of made bricks' daily quota and shortage of made bricks in 1276 BCE when king Rameses II asked the slaves to make bricks.
This historical fact and Moses' information are not just claims. Scientists digging in Tell el-Retabeh discovered the granary of Pithom built by king Rameses II. And they found out that some of the bricks are indeed lacking straw. This is the hard evidence that Moses is accurate in his report about the shortage of straw during Hebrews' work in building Pithom, and that this activity happened in the 13th century BCE.
Moses was indeed an eyewitness of what he was talking about.
Some of the eyewitness's claims are corroborated by historical and archaeological findings:
1) there was a pharaoh who built Pithom.
2) This same pharaoh built Raamses.
3) This Pithom was a store-city.
4) Raamses was a store-city.
5) Workers of one of these cities had a burden of daily quota in making bricks.
6) They have shortage of straw to make bricks.
7) Tallies of daily quota of made bricks are recorded.
8) Workers of Pithom were not Egyptians but Syria-Palestine Semitic people.
9) The king of the land of Rameses ordered slaves to make many bricks.
10) The slaves who worked for Rameses II's building projects were Apiru (Habiru/Hebrews).
Moses was very specific in this claim: treasure city Raamses. No other store-city Raamses except of what king Rameses II had been built. And no other pharaoh who built both store-cities Pithom and Raamses except king Rameses the Great.
Deniers claim that Moses does not report about "Rameses."
Good to know that the Bible tells the opposite of that denial.
"And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of YHWH: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
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." -Numbers 33:2-3
All these events happened in the 13th century BCE, and are proved correct by Egyptian records and archaeological findings.
PITHOM AND BRICKS OF STRAW
This settlement in Tell el-Retabeh is the direct corroboration of Moses' claim that there was a pharaoh who built Pithom as store-city and that the workers who made the bricks of straw there were not Egyptians. King Rameses the Great was the founder of Pithom.
The Polish-Slovak Archaeological Mission headed by Sławomir Rzepka and Jozef Hudec in cooperation with the Institute of Archaeology, Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, and Aigyptos Foundation discovered here the first fortress in Tell el-Retabeh, which was built by Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE). Instead of the usual stones, its walls, 6 meters thick, are made of mud-bricks with straw.
The workers? Evidence shows few child burials in it, which indicate that the workers were relatives of Hyksos or ancestors of Phoenicians. Archaeologists have found here Rameses II's "Pithom" or temple of Atum, defense walls, garrison barracks, workshops, and granaries, exactly what Exodus' prologue is conveying to the readers -
"...they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses." - Exodus 1:11
This city was located in the middle of Wadi Tumilat, the stretch of a valley called Tjeku by Egyptians.
The Egyptians borrowed the term "Tjeku " from the Hebrew "Succoth" and describes it as a place of foreign people, hence designated as a foreign land inside Egypt.
Officer of king Merneptah says that the 'Pithom' and the pools of Merneptah were both located in Tjeku (Succoth).
Scientists discovered that Egyptians were dwelling here but had abandoned it around in the middle of the 15th century BCE (or in 1449 BCE, coincided with the arrival of the family of Jacob in Egypt).
Before that, between 17th & 16th century BCE, Hyksos lived in the city, built their houses and cemetery in it.
During the time of Rameses II the relatives or descendants of these Hyksos lived again in it until they abandoned it (1228 BCE).
On the distant east, in Maskutah, where materials of this city were transferred, was found by Prof. Edouard Naville in 1883 the inscription of Rameses II saying:
"I built Pithom at the mouth of the East."
This confirms Exodus 1:11 for this pharaoh was also the builder of Raamses city.
King Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) has categorically stated that he built Pithom, and scientists found his cartouches in the Per-Atom (Pithom) he built in Tell el-Retabeh. In fact, this Pithom was the first defense-walled store-city in Tell el-Retabah. What it means? It means that Rameses had turned busy the Semitic workers in building defense city in preparation for the possible war outbreak in the future and to divert their attention toward or for the pharaoh instead to think to incline to the Egyptian nemesis. The descendants of Hyksos who built Pithom of king Rameses the Great were identified by Manetho as those who later founded Judah or Jerusalem.
It was during Rameses II's reign when these Semitic Hyksos' descendants left Pithom.
Biblical internal evidence suggests that Israelite exodus was indeed during Rameses II's reign - on around April 14, 1228 BCE as its feast was celebrated on Abib yah, and Moses counted 15th day as Sabbath (Full moon), which was Abib 3rd in the Egyptian calendar of 1228 BCE. Moses, who was educated in Egyptian school, was temporarily using Egyptian month calendar when they departed Rameses, and he most likely borrowed the Egyptian word "Abib" and changed its meaning, in likewise manner he changed the meaning of "Amen" (an expression could not be omitted from the mouth of Hebrews).
In Exodus 13:4, 23:15, 34:18, and Deuteronomy 16:1 Moses explicitly identified "Abib" as the "month" of their exodus. And why he called it "Abib"? Because indeed it was "Abib" in the then Egyptian calendar. Abib is how the West Semitic speakers uttered the Egyptian month "Epip" or "Apip."
To easily remember the date, he most likely used the word "yah" as numerical "15," corresponding to the Egyptian homophone "yah" ("moon"), so that 15th day means "full moon" which signifies the feast of Yah. Jewish Babylonian priests identified Abib 15 as Nisan 14.
Numbers 33:2-7
"And Moses wrote their journeys by the commandment of YHWH: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
They departed from
Rameses
on the 15th day of the first 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.
And the descendants of Israel removed from Rameses, and camped in Succoth.
And they left Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, on front of Baalzephon: and they camped before Migdol." -Numbers 33:2-7
Egyptian gods, one of which king Rameses the Great, were punished by YHWH by the death of the pharaoh's firstborn son (who that time was sitting on the throne of Rameses), and on the 15th day of Abib, Israelites departed from Rameses, the incident we known today the "exodus."
Rameses,
Succoth,
Etham,
Pihahiroth,
Baalzephon, and
Migdol [of Seti] are toponyms during the 14th-13th century BCE.
And "Abib" of the first month of Spring season occurred in 1228 BCE in the then Egyptian calendar.
REASONS WHY MOSES NEEDED TO BE ABSENT IN KADESH BARNEA
Controversy arose from the camp of Miriam and Aaron versus Moses after the latter asked favor from Hobab, the son of Reuel Jethro.
"And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, 'We are journeying unto the place of which YHWH said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for YHWH has spoken good concerning Israel.'
And ... [Hobab] said unto him, 'I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.'
And he said, 'Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness YHWH shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.'
And they departed from the
mount of YHWH
3 days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of YHWH went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of YHWH was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp." - Numbers 10:29-34
If this passage was taken from Moses' record, as it is the most probable, then it is expected that Moses in his journal would have to clarify that he was the one who asked favor from Hobab so that the responsibility was his. He also reported that Hobab rejected his request, but he insisted and even promised that the blessing for Israel would be also granted to Hobab's family. This incident took place on circa 20th May, 1227 BCE in
"the mount of YHWH,"
the very area called "Land of Yahweh" by king Rameses II and "Yah" (Yiha/Yahu) by king Rameses III.
More ancient Egyptians named it "Kushu" or "Kush," which prophet Habakkuk transliterated into "Kushan." Northeastern part of that "Land of Yahweh" was identified "Land of Midian," hence the family of Reuel Jethro was living there, giving the fact that "Reuel" or "Raguel" was an Edomite name. Kushan or Land of Midian was located west of Teman in Edom near Seir and Kadesh-barneah. Genesis 25:6 locates "Midianites" in the eretz (land) of Qedem.
"And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
... Abraham... sent them away ...
קֵ֖דְמָה [qê·ḏə·māh]
going-to-qedem,
unto the
אֶ֥רֶץ [eretz]
land of
קֶֽדֶם [Qedhem]
Kedem." -Genesis 25:4,6
It seems that "Kedem" was in the northeastern part of Makhtesh Ramon. In it was the land of Midian, which became a strong country during the time of Gideon Jerubbaal (c.1209 BCE) before Moses by Phinehas destroyed them totally in 1190 BCE.
"God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. Before Him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at His feet.
He stood, and measured the earth: He beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains [Sinai] were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: His ways are everlasting.
I saw the tents of Kushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble." - Habakkuk 3:3,5-7
Fire from the foundations of the Sinai (Makhtesh Ramon) erupted and burned the murmuring Hebrews, and nations were driven assunder as the quakes disturbed the ground and caused the scattering of pestilence and snakes, the hills or Sinai mountains bow as the soil erosion brought the hills in the mouth of the earth. That volcanic area of Makhtesh Ramon was called Taberah (Num.11:1-3).
The controversy about Kushites, the tribe of Jethro in Kush (northern part of Makhtesh Ramon), became intense when Miriam and Aaron questioned Moses' right in marrying a Kushite woman, Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel Jethro (Exo. 18:2). This probably their alibis why Moses was giving favor to Hobab, the brother of Zipporah. This could be the reason why Moses might have given his eldest sibling the name "Miriam," short form of "Miriamun," from the name of Rameses II, the rebellious pharaoh (cf. Num. 33:3-5). Such Hebrized name may mean "rebellious Amun." Miriam had gotten leprous or skin disease and probably by her, Manetho claimed that Moses was with leprous people. From around 24th to 30th of June, 1228 BCE Miriam was quarantined (Num.12:1-16). And to settle the issue about Hobab as their guide, Moses asked every tribe of Israel to give a prince or representative to scout Canaan for 40 days. Forty days were Egyptian 4 weeks.
Unfortunately, 10 out of the 12 scouts were afraid to fight the Canaanites for they had seen there the descendants of Nefilim, one of which were the giant Sheshai of Arba (Hebron), who were the giant people of Anak. Only Caleb and Joshua were telling them to pursue, but the majority had discouraged them. With this discouragement, Moses asked them to stay 40 years in the wilderness.
Needless to say, it compelled Moses to send himself, although in a secret manner, to prepare the safe landing of Israel in the Promise Land.
He likely divided Israel into 4 divisions:
1) the division under Miriam in Kadesh Barneah,
2) the "hornet" division under Moses,
3) the division in Hormah (Tell Masos) probably under Aaron with the help of Joshua,
and
4) the 4th division under Zimri Ben Salu advancing to Shittim.
How Moses made clandestine his sending of himself? By not directly saying that YHWH has sent him to prepare the way of Israel. But he gave clues, and revealed that the Malakh (Messenger) was having the name of Yahweh. And yes "Yah-Moses" contains the name of God. At the same time that name may be also understood as Moses of Yah (Kush), in Seir east of Kadesh-barneah where Yar-su (Yah-Moses) was later known as the
"wer "
("Great")
or emperor of Kharu (Horite state in Seir), a description probably influenced by Luwian speaking fighters who might have called him "ura-Mukusa" ("Great Moses") as an alternative for his Egyptian name "iar-Mesu."
Thus, Luwian speaking members might have called him
"ura-Mukusa,"
as an alias for or a variation of his name
"iar-Mesu,"
which was shortened by king Rameses III into
"Yar-su,"
with a description
"wer" or "ur"
Egyptian translation of Luwian word
"ura-,"
which means
"Great."
In another possible rendering, the name was likely altered into
"uru-Mukusa"
or
"ir-Mopso"
("city of Moses/Mopsos"),
hence the "free city of Mopsos" was invented later. "Mopsouestia" ("free city of Mopsos") was known to Armenians as "Mises."
It is reflected from the Danite merchants in Sidon and from Sherden to have freedom and self-governance, which both were tried to reject by the pharaoh and by Hittite kings that later resulted to the destruction of Hittite kingdom and weakening of Egypt, as the troops of Yar-su (Yah-Moses) imposed the establishment of free cities.
"from the earliest times ... [Danaans] have loved freedom and self-government" -Pausanias, 2nd century BCE
It's expected that Moxos or Mu-ku-sa would be described as "ura-" ("great") because that's how ancient Cilicians addressed their first king, Isputahsu (fl. c.1428 BCE) to Hittite-speaking people. King Rameses III has categorically identified Yar-su (Yah-Moses) as
"ur "
("Great [emperor of Mediterranean]").
"Behold, I send a
מַלְאָךְ֙
mal’ākh
[Messenger]
on front of you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.
Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for
My name is in him.
For Mine Messenger shall go before you, and bring you in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and
I will cut them off.
You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but you shall utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
And I will send
hornets
before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you.
I will not drive them out from before you in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the animal of the field multiply against you.
By little and little I will drive them out from before you, until you be increased, and inherit the land.
And I will set thy boundaries from the
yam suph [reeds' sea]
even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and you shall drive them out before you." -Exodus 23:20-21,23-24,28-31
The very historic part of this passage is Exodus 23:23 where it says that YHWH would cut off Amorites [e.g. Amurru/Lebanon], Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites [e.g. Kueans, Cilicia], and the Jebusites, which is partly corroborated by king Rameses III's report in Medinet Habu Great Inscription.
KADESH THAT IS ATTACKED BY RAMESES III
King Rameses III claimed that he alone defeated Kadesh, and this place could be where he encountered the clans of Shasu known "Seirites," also known Horites (Kharu), whose previous leader was Moses (Deut. 33:4-5). It is likely that the region (Negev) where the shrine of Hathor in Athika could be located was known in c. 1225 BCE Papyrus Sallier as under the district of "Kadesh."
Rameses III was 27 years old when Moses died in 1189 BCE; and when Joshua advanced to Shittim, the pharaoh attacked Seir.
"I destroyed the Seirites, the clans of the Shasu: I pillaged tents with their people, their property, and their livestock likewise without limit, pinioned and carried away in captivity as the tribute of Egypt. I gave them to the Ennead of the gods as slaves for their houses" - Rameses III, Papyrus Harris I, 76:9-11
What the pharaoh had encountered here were most likely Hebrews as he clearly identified their tents as "ohel," terminology used by the Semitic people. He even documented in other inscriptions that among his slaves he sent 2607 foreigners in Thebes, 2093 in Heliopolis (On), and 205 in Memphis (Ai-gyp-tos), and these foreign serfs were maryanu (soldiers), Apiru (Hebrews), and people already settled in the temple state. And some of the Apiru (Habiru) were not just Hebrews because archaeological finding can corroborate that indeed his successor had Israelite workmen who built four-room house (hut) in Medinet Habu near Rameses III's mortuary temple.
It is expected that Seirites fought the pharaoh since the time of king Rameses II because their mountain were defeated and their tribe Shasu was plundered in the mountain ridges. And since Seirites were enemies of Edomites (as early as the time of king Seti I, 1290 BCE), it became astute for king Merneptah to use Shasu tribes of Edom as messengers as well as an ally, and hence Edomites were expected to be hostile to Israel, which was an ally of Seir.
Kadesh near Makhtesh Ramon was apparently a border of king Rameses III and it was there where Israel stayed for almost 39 years. King Merneptah officially reported that Kharu (Horite state in Seir) were next to the vagabond men and women of Israel in 1208 BCE (Victory Stele, lines 26-28).
All these records corroborate the pharaoh's report that the confederation of Asherites (Weshesh), Issacharites (Shakarus) and Danites (Denyen) had cut off Kadesh from Egypt. During the absence of Moses, Miriam was in Kadesh until her death on 31st March, 1190 BCE.
It was in this wilderness when Moses made a mistake. He doubted the command of YHWH to speak on a rock to let water gush out from beneath it. Rather, to be sure, Moses smote the rock twice.
"Then came the descendants of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the 1st month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
'And why have ye brought up the congregation of YHWH into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?'
And YHWH spoke unto Moses, saying,
'Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and
speak ye unto the rock
before their eyes; and it shall give forth its water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock: so you shall give the congregation and their beasts drink.'
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with
his rod he smote the rock twice:
and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
And YHWH spake unto Moses and Aaron, 'Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the descendants of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.'
This is the water of
Meribah;
because the descendants of Israel strove with YHWH, and he was sanctified in them.
And Moses sent messengers from
Kadesh unto the
king of Edom,
'Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has befallen us' " -Numbers 20:1-2,4,7-8,11-14
This is the first time that Edom is identified with its "king," and Genesis 36:31-32 gives "Bela Ben Beor" as the first named king of Edom, corresponding to the 13th or 12th century BCE timeline. Scientific investigation in Edom corroborates the biblical claim of 12th century BCE monarchy.
There was a severe drought that period started from Lydia to Hittite territories and Syria until it reached Meribah. Edomites were walking hundred miles to the Pools of Pithom Merneptah in Succoth (Wadi Tumilat) to refresh themselves and their animals, according to the then frontier official Inena (Papyrus Anastasi 6.51-61): a possible drought was forcing Edomites to search water supply in 1206 BCE. By around 1200 or 1190s BCE a severe famine hit Ugarit, as explicitly reported by its king.
"In the land of Ugarit there is a severe hunger. May my lord [Seti II: 1203-1197 BCE] save it, and may the king gave grain to save my life...and to save the citizens of the land of Ugarit?" - king Ammurapi (c.1215-1190 BCE)
This timeline is corroborating Moses' report about a severe drought in the border of Edom in 1190 BCE: there was no water to drink.
And because of his doubt (that the water would ooze out by speaking on the rock), he was not allowed to enter the promised land.
This could be also the possible reason why his clay jar (water vessel) had a sentimental value that the people of YHWH buried it as a votive gift beneath the altar of Joshua.
"And YHWH spoke unto Moses, saying,
'Take the rod, and gather the assembly together, you, and Aaron ... and
speak ye unto the rock
before their eyes; and it shall give forth its water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock: so you shall give the congregation and their beasts drink.'
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation... And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod
he smote the rock twice:
and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
And YHWH spoke unto Moses and Aaron,
'Because you don't believe Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.'
This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with YHWH...
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom,...
'... look, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of your border' " -Numbers 20:7-8,10-14,16
Moses was the writer of their journey and who figured out their adventures. He rehearsed to Joshua what he has written (Exo.17:14). During his absence, from Year 3 to 38 of the exodus, there was no report about what transpired in Kadesh Barneah.
MOSES' ABSENCE
The family of Jethro in the south of Arad (in Judah) became known as "Kenites," as the people's job there was smithing copper. The place was known "Thamarim" (Jews during Barchoba called it "Thamar") because of many palm trees there (Judges 1:16). This became the symbolic icon of statehood of Judahites. The exact location of the Israelites who built four-room houses where in Hormah (Tell Masos), that in 1220s BCE was under the dominion of Seir (Deut. 1:44,46), and the "wer" or "ur " ("Great chief") of Seir's Kharu (Horite state) wasYar-su.
From Kenites' area, probably Moses with Heber of the children of Hobab the son of Kenite Reuel Jethro, left south Arad to Aaron in around 1227 BCE and sojourned in Zaanaim in Yenoam or Rukkath in Galilee. Asherites and Issacharites were likely with him.
Xanthus (450 BCE) reported that Moxos (Moses) was a leader of Lydians who had military operations in Phoenicia (Asher). The country of these Lydians is what king Rameses III mentioned "Arzawa." Israel had a military concentration in Yenoam, which probably why king Merneptah wanted it to be annihilated (Victory Stele lines 26-27, written 1208 BCE).
Deborah's report in 1208 and probably as of 1190 BCE suggests that the military personnels of Asher and Dan were busy in maritime affairs in islands.
It was around that time when Shikala (Issacharites) were, according to king Suppilliuma II, living in ships and likely sailing between Cyprus, Ugarit and Dor. King Merneptah reported an encounter with Asherites (Akwesha) and Issacharites (Shakarus) in 1209 BCE. It was also around that year when "ships of Alashiya" were maneuvered by those who fatally fought general Suppilliuma II.
King Merneptah (1209 BCE) officially reported that
" jk'w'sh' " (Akwashe/Asher),
"twrsh3 " (Tursha),
Lukka (Rukkath or Lycians),
Sherden, and
" sh'-kh-r-sh' " (Shakaris /Issachar)
came from all northern lands. And they landed on Libya by ships "from the foreign lands of the sea" (Karnak inscription, lines 1, 52).
MESHUSHA (MOSES) IN ALASHIYA
At first expedition of general Suppilliuma II in Cyprus, Alashiya was paying its tribute and he recognized its leader as "king." Needless to say, a part of Cyprus was under the Hittite dominion.
The "king" of Alashiya that decade (c.1225 -1194? BCE) was "Kush-Meshusha" (Yah-Moses).
It is not hard to think that Egyptian word "mesu" or "moses" was transliterated "meshusha" in Cyprus, as the name "Rameses" ("Re-moses") is transliterated "Ria-meshusha" in Hittite peace treaty copy.
Ria-meshusha means "Born of Re."
On the other hand, "Kush-Meshusha" may mean "Born of Kush [Yah]." It is a royal theophoric name, which is "Yah-Mesu " in Egyptian translation. It appears to be the counter expression for Ra-mosis (Rameses) as "Ra" effective only during the daytime, whereas "Yah" ("Kush") is effective in nightime and on its fullness every full moon. Moses might have used "yah" as number "15," which signifies the fullness of moon, and in fact feasts of Yah were usually during the 15th day of a month. The Egyptian word "yah" ("moon") is homophone to the Hebrew word "Yah" ("Lord, God"). The Hurrian translation is "Kušuḫ" ("Moon").
Coincidentally, "Kush" was the original name of "Sinai " (from the root "Sin" = "moon"), which was located between Kadesh-barneah and Seir, according to Moses (Deut. 1:2 & 33:2). Thus, "Kush-meshusha" may also mean 'drew out from Kush/Makhtesh Ramon.' The wife of Moses is a Kushite (Num.12:1). And king Rameses III identified Yar-su (Yar-Moses) as Great [chief] of Kharu (Horite state in Seir). Seirites in Kadesh Barneah, Makhtesh Ramon, and Seir proper are the mortal enemies of king Rameses III (cf.Papyrus Harris I, 76:9-11).
Besides, Kush was also a name of a place in or near Naharin. During the latter years of king Rameses II (1279- 1213 BCE), Naharin, Alashiya, and Caphtor revolted and caused trouble probably in Phoenicia which impelled the pharaoh to send Egyptian soldiers to quell the rebellion.
Kush-Meshusha (Yah-Moses) was a friendly leader in Alashiya until his troops probably encountered Suppilliuma II for the second time in around 1208 BCE after a severe famine hit the region of Ugarit and nearby countries. This was the incident that Suppilliuma II did not recognize him as "king" as his troops used the "ships of Alashiya" to fight the Hittites.
It was not a practice of Alashiya to write the real name of their kings, but in the case of Kush-Meshusha, an obvious act of making him popular to many nearby kingdoms and peoples was the highest intention or he was practicing Egyptian style of putting the name of the king: and if the latter is the case, then Kush-Meshusha was an Egyptian by practice. What happened to the native "king" of Alashiya is still concealed to us.
Alashiya, according to Rameses III, was cut off from the Egyptians and Hittites. The other report, by scribe Ipuwer, says that Egyptians could not sail to Caphtor (Admonitions of Ipuwer, 3.3-5). Prophet Amos gives the reason: under the command of YHWH, Philistines in Caphtor were freed during the Israelite exodus (Amos 9:7). And after that, Moses gave Caphtorim permission to dwell in Gaza (Deut.2:23), which in effect served as buffer against the Egyptians.
In Isaiah 66:19 the Hebrew word
פְּ֠לֵיטִים
(pə·lê·ṭîm)
is translated
"those who among them who escape,"
from the root "paliyt" (refugee, escaped one, or fugitive), connected to Goiim, Tarshish, Lud, Pul, Tubal, Javan and nearby islands. This may have influenced in the invention to the term "Peleset," of the people who escaped from Caphtor. From Parista to Palastu (Peleset).
Phaistos-headdress-wearing Tjekker together with other Mycenaeans were serving a Syrian leader in Enkomi (as depicted by an ivory gaming-box now on display in British Museum). They could be the inventors or innovators of Linear B script, which was competed by the Crypto-Minoan script. Enkomi was also a place of the copper mining area known as Kaptara, Hellenized into Kuparijo or Cyprus, from which the word "copper" is derived. Hebrews called it Caphtor and locate the island near Tyre and Sidon connected by sailing industry. Around 1201 BCE, Tjekker founded a city in Salamis, Cyprus before they settled in Dor, and centuries after this they recovered Salamis because of a disaster in Enkomi.
All these eventualities proved the report of Suppilliuma II that there was a sector in "the country of Alashiya" (Cyprus) that turned "enemies" of the Hittites, and these enemies multiplied day by day and persisted until Hattusa was destroyed around 1190 or 1185 BCE. Unfortunately, these enemies are with the natives, and they are not new groups. They have access to the ships of Alashiya. One of the sure enemies are the Shikala (Issacharites), who live in ships sailing between Ugarit, Cyprus, Kue, and Dor or Ekron and have directly disobeyed the Hittite king by rescuing Ibnadushu, possibly a citizen of Hazor (RS 34.129). More than 200 Shakarus (Issacharites) were held captive in Egypt, according to the official report of king Merneptah in 1209 BCE.
Moses describes Issachar as follows:
"They shall call the people unto the mountain;... for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas,..." - Deuteronomy 33:19
While in Alashiya (Cyprus), Moses or Kush-meshusha ...
"gave order that they should ... make themselves ready for a war with king Amenophis [Merneptah], while he did himself take into his friendship the other priests, and those that were polluted with them, and sent ambassadors to those shepherds [Hyksos] who had been driven out of the land by Tefilmosis [Thutmose, some 340 years earlier] to the city called Jerusalem..." -Against Apion 1.26
Josephus clarifies that the Thutmose's expulsion of Hyksos is "many generations" distant from the time of Amenophis (Against Apion 1.27), that is, many generations from Moses' time.
Moses, says Manetho, was making friendly relationship with other priests and those leprous individuals that with them and sent messengers to the shepherds, descendants of the foreigners who were driven out from Egypt in around 1550 BCE. And yes, Kush-Meshusha had a good relationship with the Cypriotes (Caphtorim), Ugaritans and other countries until they rejected the taxation of Suppilliuma II who forced them to pay tribute for the second time.
"And now Amenophis the king of Egypt, upon his being informed of their invasion, was in great confusion, ...
He also sent his son Sethos, who was also named Ramesses, from his father Rhampses, being but 5 years old, to a friend of his."
Although not identified, Manetho might have pertained to the confusion 'who were the Israelites among the Libyan invaders'; that Amenephthis (Merneptah) must have needed to solve - by commanding his soldiers to cut the hands of the circumcised Ekwesh (Asherites) and severe the penises of the uncircumcised westerners. What is the significance of this distinction? So that he could ascertain if Israel do still have children (seed). A year or so after that targeting, Merneptah proudly documented and announced that he had exterminated the seed or offspring of Israel.
Manetho clearly identified "Rhampses" as the father of Amenophis, and Sethos as the son of Amenophis. When Rameses III was 5 years old, a war was about to break out in 1210 BCE.
In the list copied by Eusebius, "Amenephthis" (Merneptah) reigned after Rhampses (Rameses II), that is, Amenophis is Josephus' rendition of Manetho's Amenephthis.
Manetho might have been telling to his readers that Amenephthis (Merneptah)
"also sent his son Sethos' son, who was also named Ramesses, ... being but 5 years old, to a friend of his."
This actually the correct understanding, that in around 1210 BCE, when Rameses III was 5 years old, king Merneptah sent him to his friend.
Merneptah (Amenophis) ...
"returned back and came to Memphis, where he took Apis and the other sacred animals which he had sent for to him, and presently marched into Kush, together with his whole army and multitude of Egyptians; for the king of Kush was under an obligation to him, on which account he received him, and took care of all the multitude that was with him, while the country supplied all that was necessary for the food of the men. He also allotted cities and villages for this exile, that was to be from its beginning during those fatally determined 13 years. Moreover, he pitched a camp for his Kushite army, as a guard to king Amenophis [Merneptah], upon the borders of Egypt. And this was the state of things in Kush.
But for the people of Jerusalem, when they came down together with the polluted Egyptians, they treated the men in such a barbarous manner, that those who saw how they subdued the forementioned country, and the horrid wickedness they were guilty of, thought it a most dreadful thing; for they did not only set the cities and villages on fire but were not satisfied till they had been guilty of sacrilege, and destroyed the images of the gods, and used them in roasting those sacred animals that used to be worshipped, and forced the priests and prophets to be the executioners and murderers of those animals, and then ejected them naked out of the country." -Against Apion 1.27
"...It was also reported that the priest, who ordained their polity and their laws, was by birth of Hellopolls, and his name Osarsu, . . .
but that when he was gone over to these people, his name was changed, and he was called Moses.“
“after this, Amenophis returned back from Kush with a great army, as did his [grandson Rameses III] with another army also, and that both of them joined battle with the shepherds and the polluted people, and beat them, and slew a great many of them, and pursued them to the bounds of Syria.” -preserved in Against Apion 1.28
This battle that reached Syria or Hittite territory and that lasted till 1208 BCE is reported too in the document now known "Merneptah Stele" or Victory Stele.
Merneptah said that he made widow the Kharu -Horite state of the Kushites or Seirites, near the tribe Israel. Kush was a border of Egypt in the Negev (south Judah). The term "Kush" was usually translated by Greek writers as "Ethiopia," although not all mentioned "Kush" is always only referring to Ethiopia, besides of the fact that "Kush" is a Hurrian word mean "moon" referring to "Sinai mountains" (Makhtesh Ramon) and to an area near Mari before it was borrowed to name a country in Ethiopia. Manetho describes that Amenephthis (Merneptah) in 1208 BCE, 13 years after Moses started disturbances in 1220 BCE, came out of Kush (Ethiopia) and pursued Moses' troops to Syria.
"on the 13th year afterward, Amenopthis, according to the fatal time of the duration of his misfortunes, came upon them out of Kush with a great army, and joining battle with the shepherds and with the polluted people, overcame them in battle, and slew a great many of them, and pursued them as far as the bounds of Syria." - Against Apion 1.28
The pharaoh claimed that he pacified disturbances triggered by the vagabond Israel from Egypt to Hatti land, although he was hopeless to control Cyprus the way Suppilliuma II was now losing courage to win the battle in Alashiya as his enemies became numberless day by day.
When Cyprus was cut off from Egypt and Hattusa, Peloponnesians and other Mycenaean people migrated to the island in more conspicuous massive groups.
MUKUSA (MUKSUS/MOSES) IN ARZAWA
Parian Chronicles line 24 reported that ancestors of the Greeks took their expedition to Troy in 1217 BCE. This could be the probable case. Because around 1220 BCE Tudhaliya IV made a ban for Ahhiyawans to sail eastward to Lebanon. Hittite or Egyptian territory in Enkomi in Cyprus were destroyed by Mycenaean migrating people in around 1220 BCE, the same year counted by Manetho as the start of the 13 years of the conquering of Moses prior to the 1208 BCE major attack in Egypt in the reign of Amenephthis (Merneptah).
Decades prior to that invasion, the raids of Ahhiyawan brought the depose of Walmu, king of Wilusa (the "Ϝίλιος, Wilios" during Homer's time). Wilios is what we know now Ilios (Troy).
The king of Ahhiyawa (Achaia) has a brother, namely Tawagawala (Eteocles), who supports the crusade of Piyamaradu (Priam), the supposed legal king of Mira, a member of Arzawa confederation. The Arzawa was defeated by Mursili II (1321-1295) by sacking Millawanda (Miletus) and capturing the capital of Mira, and Abasa (Ephesus). Ephesus was an ally of Aegean force as evidenced by the invasion did by Attarsiya (Atreus, possibly the father of Agamemnon) and Ephesus' king, Madduwatta, to recover Alashiya (Cyprus).
Ancient Greeks, through Tawagawala of Miletus, intervened in the affairs of Arzawan supporting prince Priam to dethrone the king of Mira. They attacked Alaksandu (Alexander), king of Wilusa (Troy), which in return asked a rescue from the Hittites. Priam defeated the Seha fighters, the ally of Muwatalli II (1295-1272), and as a consequence, the Hittite armies were sent, bringing Troy to a Hittite vassalage.
Military support of Ahhiyawan continued until they encountered king Hattusili III (1267-1237 BCE) - as we can get the hint in the "Tawagawala letter" (CTH 181). A son or relative dethroned king Walmu from Troy in around 1240 BCE. Tudhaliya IV (1237-1209 BCE) wanting to see personally Walmu and bring back to the Trojan throne by the help of Tarkasnawa of Mira. This eventuality may intensify the conflict that Hittite king was now facing, and Parian Chronicles says Troy was taken on 10th June, 1208 BCE, just around the year when intense attacks took place in Egypt and Cyprus or Cilicia after the death of the Hittite king.
The historical and archaeological Trojan War related to the timeline of pharaoh Tausert took place in 1193 BCE (according to Timaeus) or 1184 BCE according to Eratosthenes. This calculation is late by 3 years, expectedly the news of the war could reach Greek mainland after three years, hence, giving 1187 BCE as the devastation of Troy. Astronomical sighting, solar eclipse in particular, can corroborate 1187 BCE.
"Thuôris, who in Homer is called Polybus, [...] and in whose reign Troy was taken, reigned for 7 years." - Manetho's Epitome, 19.6
In his 2nd volume, 19th Dynasty, Manetho named "Thouris" as the 5th king of Egypt during the time that Trojan War (1198-1188 BCE) took place, and she was misunderstood as a male, known to Greek as "Polybus" and to Herodotus (Histories 2.113) as "Thonis," the warden of Nile who informed Proteus (Seti II) about the mislanding of the ships of Alexandrus together with Helen in Egypt.
Tausert reigned as the co-regent of little boy king Siptah from 1197 to 1191 and as a sole "king of Egypt" between 1191 and 1189 BCE.
In Egyptian hieroglyphics, Tausert (Thouris) was also using masculine pronouns for being a "king." She reigned between 1197 & 1189 BCE, exactly when there was a series of war in Troy.
Other wars were in 1172 (according to Sosibius) and 1135 BCE (says Ephorus). Eretes gives 1291 BCE, which likely corresponds to the fight between Priam and Alexander.
Trojans were apparently divided into those Aegean-sympathetic forces and those under the side of the Hittite king.
AEGEAN-SYMPATHETIC TROJANS
Trojans spoke Luwian as they named their country "Wilusija," which in Luwian means "Land of Wilusa." A seal with a Luwian inscription was found in Troy VIIb. It was in Luwian language that the name "Mu-ku-sa" (Moses) became popular in Kue, Cilicia. And probably, it was also the Luwian speaking people who identified Moses by the word "ura-" ("Great"), which was later translated by king Rameses III (1155 BCE) into "wer" or "ur" ("Great": to mean chief of those who plundered Arzawa [Lydia-Ephesus], Carchemish, Kadesh, Lebanon, and Hittite land), that is, emperor of Mediterranean. In Hittite document, Mu-uk-su-us (Muksus) is mentioned during the time of Arnuwanda III (1209-1207 BCE).
The name of Priam, the so-called "king" rejected by Hittite monarch, is also in Luwian.
All these may indicate that a particular group of people in Troy, specifically the Luwian-speaking ones, were antagonists to Hittite and/or Egyptian authority.
There were many wars that took place in Troy, but the Trojan War that occurred during the reign of pharaoh Tausert (1191-1189 BCE) was scientifically confirmed in the stratum of
Troia VIIb1 LH IIIC (c.1210-1130 BCE),
the one whose a certain portion of population was Luwian speaking and it's the kingdom being torched by destroyers.
Luwian people in Kue (Hiyawa), Cilicia traced the founder of their dynasty by the name "Mu-ku-sa" ("Mopsos" in Grecized Phoenician) a seer or prophet, whose members were Danunim (who in the 12th century BCE were likely archaeologically connected to Byblos, Tyre, Cyprus, Tel Dan, and Ekron and were known "Denyen" to Egyptian records or "Danites" in the Bible). (Karatepe sections 21, 58, Cinekoy Inscription sections 1, 6, 7)
The term
𐤃𐤍𐤍𐤉𐤌
"d-n-n-y-m" (Danuniyim)
is how Phoenicians translated the Luwian word "Hiyawa," the indigenous name for Hiwwi of ancient Cilicia which was Assyrianized into Quwê (Kwe, Gueans) or Babylonianized into Hume. Kuwe was an ally of Israel which during the time United Monarchy was the source of the horses of king Solomon (1Kings 10: 28, 29; 2Chron. 1:16).
" su+ra/i-wa/i-ia-sa-ha(URBS)
[and Hiyawa (Kue) and Surai]
were made a single 'House.' ” - section 7, Luwian inscription
The corresponding Phoenician inscription reads:
"and the
Dananiyim (DNNYM) and the Asherim (’ŠRYM)
were a single 'House.' ”
Danunim were united with "Asherim" (Asherites), cryptically called "Surai" which was likely referring to the Hornet division, which the latter Greeks have transliterated as "Syrias."
In Parian Chronicles, Trojan war happened in 1208 BCE. Its total defeat was in 1187 BCE, expectedly as the Danites that latter time became very active in military affairs both in Syria-Palestine, Kue (Cilicia), Egypt, and Troy.
Dan and Asher got their ships from Cyprus, most likely by the help of Sherden. Ipuwer might have been referring to them when he said:
"Behold, he who could not build a boat for himself is now the possessor of a fleet; their erstwhile owner looks at them, but they are not his." -Ipuwer, chapter 7
Eshuwara revealed how it happened when he wrote to king Ammurapi:
" As for the matter concerning enemies, (it was) your own people, your own ships that did this! And that people from your own country who committed these mutinies."
It is their own citizens who captured their own ships and used it to fight them. This could be also the possible same scenario in Cyprus, when their own citizens fought the Hittite king.
Their ships called "ships of Alashiya" (of the "enemies of the country of Alashiya" - as described by Suppilliuma II) were likely the back up of Israel to afflict Asshurites to help Kenites from being captives.
"... and Israel shall do valiantly. And
ships
shall come from the coast of Khittim [Cyprus], and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever." -Numbers 24:18,24
Deborah confirmed that in 1208 BCE Asherites were living on seas and coast land, and that in 1190 BCE Danites were living in ships.
"... and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seas, and abode in his breaches." - Judges 5:17
This gives reason why there is a possibility for Moses to be living overseas during his absence in Kadesh Barneah.
In Lydia, he could be the popular Mu-ku-sa (Moxos), who had his operations too in Asher (Phoenicia). If this is so, then the constituents of king Atys were those who persuaded by Tursha to be a member of the confederation to plunder Mycenaean territory.
"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 group that left Lydia was under the tribe name sounding like "Tursha," as evidenced by their title Tursanoi (Tyrrhenians), which likely the people who joined Denyen in plundering Egyptian sympathetic Mycenaeans.
Herodotus (Histories 1.7) relates that Lydos (Λυδός) was the son of Atys who became king and from whom is derived the ethnic name Lydoi (people of Lydos), which substituted the older name "Meiones" (Μαίονες), which, according to Homer (Iliad ii. 865; v. 43, xi. 431), refers to the inhabitants of Lydia. In Genesis 10:13 Moses considered the Ludim (people of Lud) as descended from Mizraim (most likely Mizraim the outlet of Duden River in what Shalmeneser III named land of Mu-us-ra in the Battle of Qarqar). The kingdom of Lydia was founded in around 1200 BCE during the time of Moses (1308-1189 BCE) and there in Arzawa the troops of Yar-su (Yah-Moses) has cut off the Hittite dominion, which necessitated Ammurapi to send help, particularly fleet, in Lukka as probably Suppilliuma II requested a naval force. Mu-ku-sa (Moses) was well known leader of Lydians and who had had base in Asher (Phoenicia) or Lebanon.
In Greek territories, Moses was known "Musaeos," child of Teresias (Tursha).
Artapanus of Egypt, combining many information in 200 BCE about Moses, wrote:
"Palmanothes [Horemheb] 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 [Negev], and lived with Raguel the ruler of the district, having married his daughter.... About the same time Chenephres [Seti I] died,..." - Artapanus (c.250 BCE), Concerning the Jews (preserved in Preparatio Evangelica 9.27.1-5)
According to Artapanus of Alexandria, Moses was born during the time when there were kings in Egypt, & this could be when the remaining family of Tutankhamen were struggling with Horemheb. Greeks called Moses
"Musaeus"
during the latter's advance age.
After the Trojan War (1186 BCE), Musaeus is described as a dead person.
"At last Aeneas and Deiphobë reach Elysium,... inhabited by blessed spirits,...the soul of the poet Musaeus,..." - Virgil, The Aeneid 6.667
Around 6th century BCE a statue of a Syrian, in Athens in south-west of Acropolis on
"Mouseion Hill,"
was dedicated posthumously for Musaeos' death (Pausanias 25:8). Plato called him a priest prophet who inspired poets, and most likely
Orpheus learned a lot from Musaios' teachings that the former named his son after Musaios' name (Diodorus Siculus, 4.25.1–2; Plato's Protagoras & Ion).
The Greeks taught that Musaeos died near the end of the Trojan War, which they dated variously (e.g. 1186 BCE). Biblical Moses died in 1189 BCE, three years before the news could reach the Greek ancestors.
He was likely remembered for his fight in Athens (c. 1211 BCE). And they considered him as a descendant of Teresias (Tursha), expectedly because Akwesha (Asherites) & Shakares (Issacharites) were apparently bloodly related to Tursha's fighters.
According to Critias (460-403 BCE), 9000 years before Critias a war took place between those outside & those who dwelt in the Pillars of Hercules. The men of Atlas had conquered the parts of Libya to the Pillars of Hercules, as far as Egypt, and the European continent as far as Tyrrhenia.
Egyptian priest who was the original source of this story used cryptic long-year (divisible by 12), to mean that in 1211 BCE, there was a war between Athenians and confederation of Atlas. (This also gives us hint that Atlantis was near Athens, or was separated by sea from it.)
Likely, Musaeos (Muksus) was in Lydia when violent earthquakes & floods occurred in the ocean of Tursa (Atlas/Tursha), as plates under the soil of Mediterranean moved & elevated the water of the ocean, submerging the surrounding of Santorini, particularly those near Italy. The name "Italy" was most likely borrowed from the term Italoi, a people of Sicily who were apparently members of Talsa ("Atlas"): as the name "Tarshish" was borrowed from "Tursha." The sea surrounding between Tarshish (Sardinia) and Italy is later called sea of Tursanoi or Tursenoi (Tyrrhenians), the source of the name Etrusci.
The oracles of Musaeos was collected and arranged by Onimacritus when Peisistratos (c.600–527 BC) was a politician in ancient Athens. There were authentic oracles; and insertion of fake ones were easily detected by Lasus of Hermione (cf. Herodotus 7.6.3 & 8.96 & 9:43).
Euripides (450 BCE) describes Moses of Athens thus:
"Musaeus, too, thy holy citizen, of all men most advanced in lore." (Rhesus)
Obviously, Moses as an Egyptian had an advance knowledge in lore. Plato (in Protagoras) says that Musaeus was a prophet.
Moses (1309-1189 BCE) by his order, during the time of king Amenophis [Merneptah] or Amenmesse (1198 BCE), caused disturbances to Egypt - very notably in 1209 BCE - as a fulfilment of a prediction of the Egyptian prophet Amenope son of Papis [Hapu], according to Greek Egyptian priest historian Manetho.
King Merneptah, on the other hand, has said "circumcised Akwesha" (Asherites) were with Tursha in fighting against Egypt since 1209 BCE. Deborah reported in 1208 BCE that Asherites were busy in their seas & coastlands and were not able to send military auxillary to Deborah.
Before the Trojan War ended, Moses died in 1189 BCE. His allied pharaoh, Tausert, died too few days after. Moses was sometimes identified as female because of Queen Tausert. King Rameses III (1155 BCE) claimed that the king Tausert had conspired with Yar-su (Yah-Moses).
In Lydia or Arzawa, Mu-ku-sa was very well known leader. Ancient Lydian historian Xanthus (FGH765F 17) recognized him as campaigning in Phoenecia (Asher). It was in Asher-Tyre region that probably Moses became known as a "melekh" ("king") and most likely as a god equal to the gods of the Egyptians, which king Rameses III contested. Balaam (1190 BCE) alluded the recognition for Moses as a king when he said:
"I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a
Sceptre
shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the sons of Sheth." -Numbers 24:17
It was indeed Moses who destroyed Moabites and Shutu (Sheth) and after of which was recognized as "king" in around 1189 BCE. He was "king" at least for Jeshurun or Asherites in Phoenician territories and possibly the term "king" was later deified as Moses was considered god to the pharaoh (Exo.7:1). Rameses III corroborated it when the pharaoh officially reported that Yar-su (Yah-Moses) became the only "wer " (Great chief) to be served by all men in the Mediterranean areas and who taught that Egyptian gods are equal to humans.
Queen Tausert, either personally or by a representative, went to Asher particularly in Akko in around 1190 BCE, and then to Sidon, expressing her friendship with them. This was also the time that the kingdoms in Hattusa, Ugarit, Alalakh, and Amurru (Lebanon) were being destroyed by the confederation of Asherim Peleset. Akko and Sidon were excluded from those destructions.
Egyptian army and wealth were probably expended by this pharaoh in support to the confederation of Yar-su (Yah-Moses), particularly to the Denyen or Danites who were connected to Ashkelon, that's why king Rameses III later claimed that during Tausert's time, Egypt ...
" ... was in empty years,
when
'Su' (Mesu)
a Kharu (Horite of Seir, Edom),
with them acted as [outsider]
wer (Great chief),
making the
entire land
serving him alone,
and he joined his dependents in plundering their properties, and he treated
gods as just like humans,
that no man was presenting offerings inside the temple." - (Harris Papyrus I, column 75, lines 3-6)
The time of Danites during the reign of "king" Queen Tausert is emplied in the report of Deborah:
" בִּפְרֹ֤עַ
bi-phroa'
[when pharaohed/reigning was]
פְּרָעוֹת֙
pərā‘ōwth
[female pharaoh]
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
be-yisrael
[to Israel]
בְּהִתְנַדֵּ֖ב
bə-hitnadêb
[to the willingly volunteered]
עָ֑ם
'am
[people]
bless YHWH.
... why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seas, and abode in his breaches." -Judges 5:2,17
This female pharaoh during Deborah's time was Twosret (Tausert), who in her some inscriptions used male pronouns and the title of the "king." She was the female "king of Egypt" from 1191 to 1189 BCE.
Including to the possible support coming from pharaoh Tausert was inevitably the metal supplies, particularly the copper, from Athika (Timna Valley), Edom that was kept secret from ordinary Egyptian officers but allowed to be explored by the Makhtesh Ramon's Kenite Midianites in around 1190 BCE.
In fact, no less than Rameses III admitted that king Setnakhte did not know this copper mining area in Athak, Edom, and officially reported:
" ... the land of
Atika
to the great copper mines which are there. ... It had
not been heard
since the kings [earlier than me]. Their mines were found and yielded copper which was loaded by tens of thousands into their ships, ..." (Papyrus Harris I, column 78, lines 1-4)
This troop that went in to mining sites of Athika in Edom was known to Manetho as "leprous people."
"Tsaraath" ("leprosy") is the rootword of both
sir'ah ("hornets, wasps")
and
"Zorah."
This part of people coded as "leprous" is also mentioned in the Aegyptiaca (History of Egypt) written by the Egyptian Greek priest Manetho (fl. c.285 - c.239 BCE):
"... for the
leprous people,
and the multitude that was with them, although they might formerly have been angry at the king, and at those that had treated them so coarsely, and this according to the prediction of the prophet; yet certainly, when they were come out of the mines,..." - Against Apion, book 1, section 29
Manetho was saying that the "leprous" people came out from mines, and he has also mentioned a prophecy, which the leaders of the pharaoh in 1189 BCE claimed to be fulfilled when Setnakhte succeeded on the throne (Elephantine stela, line 15).
The code name "sir-ah" (which could be changed into "Surai" in Luwian inscription) is derived from the root word "tsaraath" (leprosy) and is described by Moses as those who would drive out Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites.
The first layer of the term
" sir'ah "
means
"hornets" or bees,
which that time may refer to the nomen of the pharaoh, understandable as the pharaoh (Queen Twosert) had permitted sending fighters (as distant as into the Hittite land), evidently as she had a friendly relationship with the Asherites in Akko and in Sidon, two cities that were remained standing even during the destruction of Hittite sympathetic cities in Ugarit, Aleppo, Emar, and so on.
Who were these men authorized to go ahead of Israel to drive out Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites?
Moses, Joshua and king Rameses III have similar reports about them.
They were the troops who would go to the distant cities far from Syria-Palestine, as hinted from Moses in the following passage:
"When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: ... thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself;... Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are
very far off
from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
... thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites;... " -Moses, Deut. 20:10,12-15,17 (KJV)
"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 [of Mediterranean] toward the going down of the sun, 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.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." -Joshua 1:4-5,7-8
King Rameses III discovered this plot, which was taught by Moses to the Danites, Asherites, Issacharites, and all other members of the confederation and documented it this way:
"No land could stand before their arms,"
officially reported by king Rameses III:
"from
Hittite land,
Kadesh,
Carchemish,
Arzawa (Lydia - Ephesus),
and
Alashiya (Cyprus)
on, being cut off at one time. A camp was set up in Amurru (Lebanon region). They desolated its people, and its land was like that which has never come into being. They were coming forward toward Egypt... Their confederation was the Philistia, Dor, Issachar, Dan and Asher, lands united." (Egyptian inscription: from Medinet Habu 2nd pylon, cf. KRIT 5:34-35)
Archaeological findings in Crete show that Lebanon became commercially, tightly connected with Crete's buyers after Amurru was defeated by the troops of Yar-su (Yah-Moses).
The most popular people in Crete were the Peleset warriors (known to latter Greeks as "Pelasgi") that their image was used as a symbol in some writings. These Peleset, who turned to be the ancestors of the Philistines, migrated too to Levant region probably to claim an ancestral land in Palestine which later confirmed by Rameses III by saying "ta Peleset" ("land of Philistines").
According to king Rameses III, the frontiers of these Peleset, Tjekkers, Shakarus, Denye, and Akwesha were just near the frontiers of Egypt. That is, they were living in Philistia to Asher (Phoenicia), in the exact region where Rameses III was trying to exert his dominion.
This is also archaeologically corroborated as in Beth Shemesh stratum III (12th-11th century BCE) Canaanite carpenters, Peleset potters (foreparents of Philistines) and Israelite inhabitants had lived together, and there was a completely avoidance of eating pork based on the analysis of over 6,000 animals bones being scientifically examined, says Dr. Meirav Meiri (sponsored by the European Research Council ).
Egyptian priest Sonkhis, as paraphrased by Solon (580 BCE) and related by Plato, regarding the said confederation, says:
"... a mighty host, which, starting from a distant point in the ocean [Mediterranean east] of Atlas, was insolently advancing
to attack the
whole of Europe, and Assuwa [Asia]
to plunder.
For the
ocean there was at that time navigable;
for in front of the mouth which you Greeks call, as you say, 'the pillars of Heracles,' there lay an island which was larger than Libu [Libya] and Assuwa [west of Italy] together; and it was possible for the
travelers of that time to cross from it
to the other islands, and from the islands to the whole of the continent [Spain, Italy, and Greece] over against them which encompasses that veritable ocean....
Now in this
island of Atlantis
there existed a
confederation of kings,
of great and marvelous power,
which held sway over all the island, and over many other islands also and parts of the continent." (cf. Plato's Timaeus 24e - 25a)
King Rameses II (on his 1278 BCE Aswan Stela) called the pioneering of these confederation of kings as
"warriors of the Great Green."
The confederation of powerful kings probably had a western central office in the island of Atlas, the island which is surrounded by the ocean of Atlantis (Mediterranean) and which is surrounded by Libu (Libya), Europe, and Assuwa. Assuwa (which was translated "Asia") here may refer to the eastern members from Sicily, southern Italy, islands around Santorini, to western part of Anatolia in later part of the 13th-12th century BCE. The ocean of Atlantis is surrounded by Europe, Libya (Africa), and Asia, and therefore refers to the Mediterranean Ocean. And the island of Atlas (Talsa) is obviously north of Libya and, therefore, pointing Sardinia (Tarshish/Tursha) as part of that island.
Sonkhis (7th century BCE) describes Libu (translated, Libya) as smaller than the island of Talsa (Atlas), the size of which can give the clue of its timeline. Additionally, Sonkhis is giving hint about the timeline of that Atlas' confederation when he mentions "Libya," which during the time of Talsa (Atlas), was smaller than the island of Talsa (Tursha/Tarshish) and which was first mentioned by king Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) with hieroglyphic spelling "rbw" ("men of Ribu/Libu"). The involvement of Libyans in the attacks and plundering was reported by king Merneptah in 1209 and 1208 BCE. Fighters of Tursha or Talsa served as bowmen of the Libyan king Meryey son of Dedy when they tried to take land in the east of Delta, Egypt. Their western alliance was composed of the Meshwesh, Rukkath, and other Sea Peoples (i.e. Akwesha, Tursha, Shekelesh, and Sherden, or Asherites, Talsa, Issacharites, and Shardana, respectively).
The island of Atlas (Talsa) is located to the east of the "Pillars of Hercules" and north of Libya and west of Assuwa (Asia). This island is what later called Tarshish (Sardinia), which was connected to Italy. The name "Italy" was derived from the Sicel tribe "Italoi," the people of "Italos." This latter name was likely derived by the Sikels of Sicily from Talsa (Tursha), which could be the eponymous of the name "Atlas." A former part of this Tursha was called "Tarshish" ("man of Tursha") by the Hebrews. In Psalms 72:10-11 Tarshish seems to be a giver of tribute to Israel and this may help us to understand why Sonkhis has said that the mighty host had started from a distant point of the ocean of Atlas, referring to the point Phoenician territories (Asher-Tyre-Byblos) east of Europe. Lydian historian Xanthus wrote that Muksus (Moses) was in a military function in Phoenicia (Asher). Official report about the group who was involved in plundering is encountered by king Setnakhte and its leader is named "Yar-su" (Yah-Moses) by king Rameses III. The Bible claimed that the plundering was done by Moses with the Hebrews (Exo. 3:22). King Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) officially confirmed that he gave Moses silver and treasure of the palace (in the document "Stele of Mose" he erected in Pi-Rameses), and Deborah reported that the כֶּ֖סֶף (kesef ) or silver was the target of the attack in 1208 BCE (Judg. 5:19).
The distant point from Greece or Mycenaean Mediterranean Ocean is Syria-Palestine, where Moses started the formation of confederation, which would later join with the Tursha (Atlas) confederation.
The confederation when they were in Tursha region was divided into two directions: eastward and westward.
Those in westward direction were some thousands of Akwesha (Asherites), hundreds of Shakarus (Issacharites), Rukkath, and Tursha. The eastward group were the Denyen (Danites), Weshesh (Asherites), Shakarus (Issacharites), Peleset (Philistines), and Tursha.
Deborah reported, too, that Danites in 1208 BCE were busy in ships. This tribe of Dan was personified as "Danaos" who fled from Egypt and reached Argos around 1186 BCE (Against Apion, 1.16). Some Pelasgians or the people of Argos, after committing themselves to follow the formulated rules of Danaos, called themselves as Danaans. This same renaming took place in Kue (Cilicia), when Hiwwi (ancient Gueans) identified themselves as "Danuniyim."
The Danites (Denyen) could be related to Sherden by the fact that they have one thing in common: they both connected to Joppa.
Jaffa was an administrative area of Ramesses II (d.1213 BCE).
However, Sardinian ancestors might have reached Joffa as early as 2000 BCE, which was even before Egyptians claimed it to be under the pharaoh's jurisdiction.
The production of large sword of Sardinians is probably learned (17th century BCE) by their ancestors from the inhabitants of Joffa or vice versa. This seaport, Jaffa, was likely commercially connected to Mycenae, Greece by Amenhotep III (1390-1351 BCE) and his wife Queen Tiye.
There could be a reason for the Sherden to claim a territory in Joffa, and this conquering had materialized when the Danites subdued the city and used it as the major port of their ships in around 12th century BCE. But it did not happen with ease for king Rameses III, after discovering the plot, readied Egyptians to confront Denyen in Ekron, which is now known the Battle of Djahi.
Rameses III built administrative buildings in Zahi (Djahi), which necessitated to destroy the Philistines, Danites and Tjekkers in Philistia, Ekron, Lachis, and Dor. The pharaoh himself said that his frontiers were in the lands of the Denye (Danites), Dor, Philistia and Weshesh (Asher). He proudly announced that he
"have taken away their land"
and made it as his "own" frontier.
" I extended all the frontiers of Egypt and overthrew those who attacked them
from their lands.
I slew the
Denyen (Danites) in their islands/coastal areas,
while the Tjekker and the Philistines were made ashes. The Sherden and the
Weshesh [Asherites] of the Sea
were made non-existent, taken captive all together and brought in captivity to Egypt like the sands of the shore. I settled them in strongholds bound in my name. Their military classes were as numerous as
100,000.
I assigned portions for them all with clothing and provisions from the treasures and granaries every year." -Rameses III, Papyrus Harris I, column 76, lines 6-9
" I made the lands turn back... they are burned up. ... I have not allowed the foreign countries to (even) look at
Egypt's frontiers;...
I have taken away their land,
their frontier being added to my own.
Their chiefs and their clans are mine in praise... I have overthrown the Asiatics (Aamu) in their lands; ... I have shielded Egypt... The foreign lands.... devastated at one time, their trees and their peoples having become ashes. They take counsel with themselves,... " - Ramesses III 1179 BCE, Medinet Habu inscription
The Philistines, Denye, Tjekkers, Weshesh (Asherites) and Sherden were scattered in Syria-Palestine as described by king Rameses III. Their frontiers and the pharaoh's frontiers were both located in Syria-Palestine, specifically between Philistia and Asher, and there was a face to face struggle to exert power over the same area in the lands of Peleset, Dan, Asher, Issachar, and Sherden which were claimed as the pharaoh's frontiers, that's why Rameses III boldly announced:
"I have taken away their land, their frontier being added to my own."
In 1179 BCE the pharaoh extended the frontiers, establishing his administrative detachment (archeologically Stratum VI) at Lachis, reaching the coastal areas of Dan. The pharaoh scattered Tjekker and Philistines, and captured "the Sherden and Weshesh (Asher) of the sea." He massacred the Danites. The areas under Peleset, Danites, Asherites and Tjekkers were for a little while subdued by king Rameses III. But this did not tarry since foreigners or migrants wanted to live in Syria-Palestine as a famine was spreading throughout Turkey down to Egypt's border.
These migrations were started during the time of king Rameses the Great and caught the pharaoh's attention that he readied his naval and land armies to catch them, only to find out that they were Sherden from Great Green ("ocean of Atlas"), specifically from west of the "sea of Tursanoi." Rameses II in 1278 BCE made them to appear as pirates, but archaeological findings suggest that they were business or mercenary sailors bringing products to different islands and shores in and around Mediterranean (giving us hint that they were but heroes to defend their rights over the pirate Rameses and pirate Hittite kings).
It was a practice by Caphtorites and Atlanteans since time immemorial that they had no imperial central tyrannic king. Rekhmare (c.1425 BCE), an Egyptian vizier, made mentioned the
chiefs of Keftiu (Caphtor)
and of the islands of Mediterranean Ocean without giving any hint that they were under the jurisdiction of any particular emperor.
King Amenhotep III implies that "k-f-t-w" is one of the secret lands of the North, mentioning the coastal lands -after starting his sailing from Caphtor - which they had traversed are
" i-'m-n-y-s3 " (Amnisos),
" b3-y-s3-?-y " (Phaistos),
" k3-t-w-n3-y " (Kydonia),
"Mycenae,"
"Dikte,"
"Metana" (Argolid) or Messana (Pylos),
"Nauplion,"
"Kythera,"
"Ilios" or Eleia,
" k3-in-yw-s " (Knossos), back to
"Amnisos,"
and
"Lyktos."
There was no emperial Minoan Kingdom in the report of the pharaoh (1390-1351 BCE), rather it seems that Keftiu (Caphtor) is equal with the political status of Minoan kingdoms (Knossos, Phaistos, Amnisos, and Kydonia) and Mycenaean kingdoms.
Cypriotes were in constant contact with Aegeans since time immemorial and enjoying freedom. This freedom made Sherden prosperous in trading their products to the Caphtor island and Great Green (wedj wer) islands.
But out of the blue, Hittites, and likewise Egyptians, wanted to impose on these islands an imperial power, a newly invented practice for islanders. Egyptians were, in effect, erecting "fence" (called "authority") over the Levant seashore which was not recognized by Sherden and sailing merchants of Great Green islands.
Rameses II himself admitted that Sherden have best ships which could not be easily defeated - which means they have been in sailing industry for centuries before that pharaoh.
Pharaoh as pirate was as early as the time of king Amenhotep III (1333 BCE) who was capturing Caphtorim. Caphtorites were known - and their products were not alien - to many kingdoms: they were sending
large jar, fabric, and
"kakku Kap-ta-ru-u" (Caphtorite weapon)
in Mari in exchange of tin, a metal, which is mentioned in another text, being received by an
a-na Kap-ta-ra-i-im (man from Caphtor)
in c.1655 BCE; and
ka-ta-pu-um Kap-ta-ru-ú (Caphtorite object)
was sent to king Shariya of Razama by king Zimri-lim (1671- 1665 BCE).
Caphtorites were especially mentioned by Egyptian vizier Rekhmire (c. 1425 BCE):
" Keftiu [Caphtorite] chiefs and chiefs of the islands of
w3d wr
('wad-wer : Great Green),"
distinguishing them from the islands of Mediterranean Ocean (Great Green). These Caphtor and islands of Mediterranean were forming a strong confederation in the days that YHWH was freeing the Peleset from Caphtor during the exodus (1229-1189 BCE) of Israel (Amos 9:7).
It was Rameses who wanted to subdue them in the Great Green (Mediterranean Ocean) particularly in Tursha. This Tursha, was likely misunderstood as the country of Thracians by later writers obviously because Pelasgian Peleset were also living in Thrace . There was a claim that Sesostris defeated those Thracians.
The name Sesostris is the Greek rendering of "Sesos," derived from "Sese" or "Sessy," which means "the vanquisher," the way Hori's troop called king Rameses the Great. Herodotus identified the monuments of king Rameses II at the Nahr al-Kalb, just north of modern Beirut as the pillars erected by Sesostris in Lebanon (Histories 2.106). He made mention too that Sesostris is the father of Pheros, who ruled for "10 years," historically referring to pharaoh Merneptah (Histories 2.111.2). In his report - derived from Egyptian priests - it is said that Sesostris led an army northward overland to "Assuwa" (later transliterated "Asia", and afterwards "Asia Minor"). Rameses II confirmed it in 1278 BCE Aswan Stela saying
"I destroyed the warriors of the Great Green [Ocean to the north of Nile Delta]"
and this in return could make Delta Egypt peacefully "spend the night sleeping" (cf.KRI II 345:3:3; RITAT II, 182). The pharaoh, in Tanis II rhetorical Stela, further announced that in 1278 BCE
"the Sherden ... came bold-hearted sailing in their warships from the
midst of the Sea."
These Shardana were with their great Naue II swords, which were made in the Northern Italy (1200 BCE) or Sardinia and such swords reached in Ugarit likely by the Sherden in Byblos.
Sardinia is the island known "Tarshish" to the Hebrews and Phoenicians and "Tursha" to Merneptah or probably "Talsa" to Sonkhis the Saite (c.594 BCE) which was rendered "Atlas" by Solon (c.638-558 BCE). Its men were known Sherden (Shardana) and Tursha, who landed on Libyan area, and as mercenaries of a Libyan king, attacked almost every day king Merneptah's border in the west of Delta.
Tarshish (Sardinia) is indeed in the midst of Talsa sea, known to Archaic Period Greeks as "ocean of Atlas" (which is sea of Tursanoi). Tursanoi were people probably in 1230 BCE came from Lemnian-speaking sailors, probably the ancestors of Thracian Sintian (robbers) tribe that during the time of Great Famine might have boarded in Asherite (Phoenician) ships and joined with some Lydians to plunder Etruscan and Rhaetian territories. Sonkhis might have called their confederation as Talsa, which the latter Greeks rendered as 'Atlanteans' or men of Atlas who, together with the mercenaries from Sardinia, Sicily, and areas of Italian peninsula, fought Athens in around 1211 BCE. Sonkhis said that this confederation attacked Europe and nearby cities to plunder. Tursanoi (Tyrrhenians) later became known as pirates of the sea of Tursanoi, the root-word of which is "Tursa" ("Talsa, Atlas"). The Phoenician-influenced Mycenaeans probably brought Lemnians to Italy and there after centuries founded Etruscan society.
As the Greeks borrowed and innovated Phoenician alphabet, the Etruscans (descendants of Tursanoi) had innovated the Greek alphabet. They were connected to Mycenaeans by Phoenicians who sailed them to Italy from Limnos. In Mycenaean Greek Linear B (1400-1200 BCE) syllabic script, a "Lemnian woman" is called "ra-mi-ni-ja." This is the evidence that there were Lemnians in Mycenaean land around 1200 BCE. And during Early Iron Age (1200 BCE), Mycenaean art could be discerned in some decorations pots and gold objects found in the city of Hephaistia, Lemnos. This city was the haven of Pelasgians. Pelasgians were good in spearmanship and renamed themselves as "Danaans" after obeying the formulated rules of Danaos, probably personification of the tribe of Dan (Strabo. Geography, 5.2.4). In Metamorphoses, 12.1, Ovid describes the Greeks, who fought to take Troy in around 1208-1187 BCE, as "good/godly Pelasgians" with a thousand ships.
These men of Lemnos might have abandoned the Mycenaean practices after the Late Bronze Age Collapsed, which may imply that they were arduously following the laws imposed by Danaos (Danite tribe) during Trojan War decade. There were other peoples who identified themselves as Pelasgians, and some of them could be the Peloponnesians, according to Acusilaus (Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2.1).
"the Pelasgians who still exist in settlements above Tyrrhenia in the city of Kreston, formerly neighbors to the Dorians who at that time lived in the land now called Thessaliotis; also the Pelasgians who once lived with the Athenians and then settled Plakia and Skylake in the Hellespont; and along with those who lived with all the other communities and were once Pelasgian but changed their names." -Herodotus (Histories, 1.57. [Herodotus & Strassler 2009, p. 32])
Before coming to Attica in Athens, Pelasgians were seems to be inhabitants of Samothrace, an island located just north of Troy (Histories 2.51). They were also inhabitants of Lemnos (Histories 5.26) and some of them came from Athens (Histories, 6.137–6.140).
Who were these Pelasgians?
Aegean islanders, according to Herodotus (Histories, 7.95) "were a Pelasgian race, who in later times took the name Ionians."
Aegean islanders were known to 1530 BCE Egyptian writers as "h3w nbw.t" (hawanebut), meaning "naked islander people," which were known to Moses (1309-1189 BCE) as "Jawan" ("Javan").
And Javan became business partner of Dan by sailing to Tyre.
"Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market.
The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas." -Ezekiel 27:19,25
Isaiah 66:19 describes Javan as "the islands afar off."
Prior to becoming popular with the name Ionians, they were called Aegialean Pelasgi (Pelasgi of the Sea Shore), a title similar to "Weshesh (Asher) of the sea."
Historian Ephorus gives a clearer clue about who are these Pelasgians when he suggests that they were a people living a "military way of life" (stratiōtikon bion) who were trying to convert all Hellas (Greeks) into it. They colonized Crete; and Peloponnese was called "Pelasgia." These Peloponnesians were the refugees who settled in Cyprus during the Late Bronze Age Collapsed (1230-1150 BCE). Needless to say, Pelasgi were the Peleset or Pelastu in the Late Bronze Age Collapsed Egyptian history. In the confederation of Assuwa, these Pelasgi could be the Parista.
Peleset symbol or image is in fact very popular in Crete in writing some inscriptions. Additional evidence is the fact that some Tjekkers (Teucer) in Enkomi (Kaptara) were resembling their costume identical to the Peleset (Philistine ancestors), as what we can see on a gaming box they inscribed with their images.
With all of these descriptions, Pelasgian became a latter Greek title for those who became members of the confederation of Peleset.
It is highly probable that the Tjekkers (Tjekru/Teucer) who enlisted as Peleset did join in the military forces of Sherden after they were freed by YHWH from Caphtor during Israelite exodus (1228-1189 BCE). In fact, in Medinet Habu relief, king Rameses III describes Peleset as wearing the corslet of Sherden.
Before that convertion, king Rameses II carried off Sherden to Egypt as prisoners. And that is the truth why these Sherden fought the king of Egypt because the pharaoh since the days of Thutmose III, and Amenhotep III, and now of Rameses II, were subduing areas formerly belonged to natives or anciently have lenient access to all business traders. Needless to say, pharaohs were expanding their frontiers, fencing even the shores or land which must be free to all, particularly the long Levant seashore from the mouth of Nile to Philistia, Joffa, Dor, Asher, Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos. The pharaohs were in a habit of making Sherden in a bad light, but the fact is still visible that despite being marine superiors, Sherden, during their existence, did not found kingdom in the foreign lands - and what they did was to bring their trading materials (humans or nonliving things). When king Rameses III found out the importance of ancestral land, he gave permission to the Sherden to settle peacefully in Canaan (which is also reflected in the Onomasticon of Amenope).
Where in Canaan?
Sherden probably founded the city of "Sarid " and later intermarried with Zebulonites, giving name to a town "Sered" after them and to the family of Sardites (Joshua 19:10,12, Numbers 26:26). In an ancient oracle, Zebulon is said would dwell on seas and ships as their haven, and its border would be upon Sidon.
"zebulun (Zebulon)
lehop (on haven)
yamim (seas)
yiskon (shall dwell),
wehu (and he)
lelop (shall haven)
'oniyoth (ships),
weyarkatow (and his border)
'al- (upon)
sidon (Sidon)." - Genesis 49:13
The last mentioned country is referring to the region where Sherden were dwelling at since the day the Egyptian commissioner Phakura (1330's BCE) had massacred some of them in Byblos (Egyptian inscription EA 122).
An 1160–1150 BCE archaeological site of these Sherden is found by Prof. Adam Zertal at el-Ahwat (whose architecture resembles nuraghe sites in Sardinia). A high-ranking official stayed in el-Ahwat, and his war chariot has left a bronze wheel linchpin there which was found by archaelogists in “Governor’s House.”
TYRANT OF GREAT GREEN (MEDITERRANEAN OCEAN)
As early as the time of Thutmose III, "imy-r r-h3t nbt nt wed-wer " ("overseer of every river mouth belonging to the Great Green Sea") was monitoring the going in and out of sailors to the river mouths. Paremheb, the vizier under Horemheb (1320-1292 BCE), has the functions of being an 'overseer of the river mouths" (imy-r r-h3wt) and overseer of etham (htm-fortress) as it is reported on a stela from Heliopolis. He was the head of the marine police force who was patrolling to monitor Nile Delta to close its fence from foreigners. There was a great etham (wall) of the Great Green Ocean ("htm wr n w3d wr"). Amenhotep son of Hapu (1425-1356 BCE) placed companies of serfs, captives, and troops "at the head of the road in order to turn back foreigners from their place" and he "did likewise upon the bank of the river mouths, which were enclosed" by his battalions as well as "the royal fleet" (grande statue biographique, Cairo Museum CG 583+835; from Karnak temple of Amon).
During the famine era, Rameses started to tighten the coastal areas of the Great Green (Mediterranean) Ocean.
"[Rameses II] plundered them by the victories of his valiant arm, they being carried off to Egypt."
And they became "rebellious, whom none could ever fight against, ... those whom none could withstand." -Tanis II rhetorical Stela, 13-16 (Petrie, Tanis II 78,1)
This happened when Rameses fought the Sherden as far as the Great Green, particularly in the territories of Sherden in Assuwa-member islands around Sardinia and Santorini. This old "Asia (Minor)" during the time of king Rameses II may be referring to the eastern direction of Sardinia northward to Troas. Rameses pirated Sherden's mastery on ocean by hiring the captives as his body guards and advisers in war.
START OF PHOENICIANS
Egyptian priests, according to Herodotus (c.484-c.425 BCE), knew that there were Phoenicians living around a monument of king Proteus (Seti II ) in Memphis and Greeks called the whole place as the "Camp of the Tyrians." These were the Asherites who later settled in Tyre (Judg. 1:31-32).
"This Proteus has a very attractive ... temple precinct at Memphis...
Around the precinct live
Phoenicians
of Tyre... There is in the precinct of Proteus a temple called the temple of the Stranger Aphrodite; I guess this is a temple of Helen, daughter of Tyndarus..." -Herodorus, Histories 2.112.1-2
Obviously, the sources of Herodotus identified Asherites as Phoenicians who lived at Memphis during Seti II's reign (1203-1197 BCE) and who founded or populated the island of Tyre.
Who was the leader of these Phoenicians? According to the ancient Lydian historian Xanthus, Muksus (Moses) was leading an operation in Phoenicia (Asher).
Phoenicians, particularly Asherites, did not consider themselves as a nation for obvious reason that they were a tribe of Israel that intermarried with other native tribes of Akko, Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, Byblos, and so on. Phoenicians borrowed the Hebrew alphabet and passed it to the Greeks, Spain, and other western countries. Their emergence as an organized civilization coincided with the exodus of Israel (1228 BCE).
"The Phoenicians ... emerging as a distinct and organized civilization in 1230 BC." - Wikipedia
"For it is plain to see that the Colchians are Egyptians; ...and the Colchians remembered the Egyptians...
the Egyptians said that they considered the Colchians part of Sesostris' army. I myself guessed it, partly because they are dark-skinned and woolly-haired;... but my better proof was that the Colchians and Egyptians and Ethiopians are the only nations that have from the first practiced circumcision. The Phoenicians and the
Syrians of Palestine
acknowledge that they learned the custom from the Egyptians, and the Syrians of the valleys of the Thermodon and the Parthenius, as well as their neighbors the Macrones, say that they learned it lately from the Colchians. These are the only nations that circumcise, and it is seen that they do just as the Egyptians"
- Herodotus (c.484-c.425 BCE), The Histories 2.104.2-3
The people of the land was probably called by king Thutmose III as fenekhu (fnḫw), seems to be plural of Egyptian word "fnḫ" ("carpenter, woodcutter"). In the Tale of Sanehat it appears as "fnxw." In ancient time, the region was known for its lumber or woods. Mycenaean sailors probably changed it using the Linear B term "po-ni-ki-jo" ("palm tree" probably referring to the state founded in Thamarim, where the military force of Israel started their identity and was expressed internationally by Asherites). Ponikijo also means "crimson," which became the basis for Greek to invent the word Φοινίκη (Phoiníkē), Phoenicians, who were trading their Tyrian purple dye.
One of its areas, called Tyre, was part of what the ancient writers described "Erin," defined by prophet Ezekiel as "Cedar" and "Eden" the area of which was going up to Assyria (Ezekiel 31:3,8,9). Ancient Egyptians called the region as "land of god."
The Hittite word for "Habiru" (Hebrews) is "ERIN.MESH ha-pi-ri-is," or workers-Hebrews (Hapiru-troops).
Tyre was in Eden (Erin: Cedar region), according to prophet Ezekiel. Tyre was one of the Phoenician cities.
Asherites (Akwesha) amalgamated with or intermarried the natives of Phoenicia. And these Phoenicians were circumcised men because according to king Merneptah (1209 BCE) Akwesha (Ekwesh, Asherites) were circumcised.
And Herodotus (c. 484 - c. 425 BCE) could support this view when he writes "that Phoenecians who traffic with Hellas [Greek people] cease ... to have circumcised their children " (The Histories, book 2, chapter 104, section 4).
Therefore, it was the Greeks who were not circumcised, and therefore Ekwesh (Akwesha) were not Greeks.
The Iron Age Phoenicians established ports, warehouses, markets, and settlement all across the Mediterranean and up to the southern Black Sea. Trading centers or habitations were established on Cyprus, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands, Sicily, and Malta, as well as the coasts of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Archaeological finding, specifically the early Iron Age Phoenician hacksilver, bears lead isotope ratios matching ores in Sardinia and Spain, which would mean Tarshish and Tarsessos were the major Phoenician sources of lead. This is not only in their imported lead ores but most importantly, the DNA of Ashkelonites shows inheritance from the Sardinian, Spain and Greece.
These Asherites or Phoenicians could be what the later Egyptian priests thought as Thracians and Sycians being defeated by king Sesostris (Rameses II), as Phoenicians reached Aegean sea and southern Black Sea and as Hori reported that the said pharaoh sent large arm forces to Phoenicia.
The distant trading colony that the Phoenician merchants founded was of Gades (Cádiz) in around 1100 BCE.
The involvement of Asherites (ancestors of Phoenicians) in building bases in Sicily and Sardinia probably inspired Moses to rename their gem stone according to the name of a military country whose base was in Sardinia.
The ocean-colored beryl aquamarine stone was used by Moses as a symbol gem for Asher and he called that gem "tarshish," the well known island of heroes of Atlas (Talsa), from eponymous Tursha. The term "Tursha" was popular in the 1209, 1208, and 1179 BCE because of their heroes who fought Merneptah and Rameses III.
The gemstone for the tribe of Dan is saphir (Sapphire), from the root "caphar," which is blue and probably symbolic short form of Cupirijo/Cyprus.
For Asher and Dan, Moses seems to use cryptic toponyms, particularly those islands of which their sailors became involved with.
The first sailors were Asherites (the descendants of whom were later known Phoenicians) and Issacharites, and they reached Tarshish (Sardinia) and then Libya, most likely via Mediterranean Ocean. The next generation sailors were of the tribe of Dan, who had centers on Cyprus (Enkomi), Cilicia (Kue), Laish (Tel Dan), and Philistia (Ekron). The cryptic symbol "caphar" (Cyprus), the gem stone of Dan, is corroborated by the fact that one of the business centers of Danite-Peleset was in Enkomi (Kaptara), Cyprus. The secret area of Caphtor was in the rocky plateau in west of Tulza from where the copper ore was dug and then brought to Enkomi.
Around 1220 BCE immigrants took a massive battle in Enkomi and destroyed it (Level II A & B). After that, when Peleset (Philistine ancestors) were freed by YHWH from Caphtor, Mycenaeans settled in Enkomi by a destructive attack in the stratum Level III A, and since then they lived there with their culture until Level IIIB, disrupted by an earthquake in 1200 BCE, and the city ended in around 1125 BCE, a decade after the death of Joshua (1248-1138 BCE).
The Danites became involved with Caphtor (Enkomi) when they lived in Laish (Tell Dan) after they allowed Philistines (Peleset) to live in Ekron. (cf. Joshua 19:40, 43 & 13:2-3).
Javan (Aegean) was trading not only wares but also individual persons in the market of Tyre, where Dan became companion of Javan. This is partly corroborated by archaeological findings that connect Ekron of Danites to Aegean potters.
In Tel Miqne-Ekron five pottery kilns - made in 12th century BCE - were found, and those kilns were used in the firing of monochrome-decorated and other Aegean-style pottery
"Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your merchants: they traded the persons of men and bronze vessels in your market.
Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in your fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market." - Ezekiel 27:13,19
Danites became connected to Javan probably by Asherites.
King Rameses III identified the tandem of Sherden and Weshesh (Asherites) in seafaring, categorically saying:
"The Sherden and the Weshesh [Asherites] of the Sea"
in Papyrus Harris I, column 76, lines 6-9.
In Enkomi (Caphtor-Cyprus), Tjekru (Tjekkers) mingled or intermarried the Peleset, and these Peleset likely adopted the naval force's service of Sherden, by whose ships probably they had enabled to escape from Caphtor. Peleset worn corslet identical to what Sherden were wearing during war, as depicted in the Medinet Habu wall relief.
These Tjekkers were serving a Syrian leader, most likely Kush-Meshusha (Yah-Moses).
Asherites might have traded with Tiryns in Greece and from there they got additional ships that the Peleset could be used to fight Rameses III. After the death of Joshua (1138 BCE) their descendants (the Phoenicians) might have transported pigs from Asine and Tiryns to Megiddo and Azekah as the swine DNA taken from the pig bones of those places suggests similarities.
Danite traders brought Peleset to Lebanon, Tyre, Byblos, Asher, Laish, and Ekron.
With the arrival of tens of thousand Philistines, Ekron and nearby areas became too small for the Danites, and as a result in 1180s BCE a Danite military unit settled in their another prospect land, Laisha. This city and Sidon were already inhabitated by non-combatant Danites and that's why easily penetrated by prospecting combatant Danites.
Danites in Laish were practicing the polytheistic rites, and in that site a rectangular building with small chamber of holy of holies was dug by archaelogists, and surprisingly similar religious structures have been found in Cypriote Enkomi (Caphtor) and Kition (Chittim), and in Phylakopi of Milos in Greece (Mycenaean Phylakopi III:iii). Minoan business sailors, painters and workers in Phylakopi were probably the ancestors of the Hyksos and Philistines before Mycenaeans conquered it after the Thera (Santorini) eruption (c.1530 BCE). Danites might have intermarried them.
The scientific evidence of Ekronites (Danites) connection with the Caphtorim and Chittim is found in Ekron's Strata VI-V, where a cultic room with an incised scapula is identical to what are found in the 12th and 11th century BCE shrines at Enkomi (Kaptara) and Kition (Chittim) in Cyprus.
Israel's connection with Kition is revealed by Balaam ben Beor when ships from Cyprus island were about to back up Israel to afflict Asshurites, who brought captive the Kenite, the family of the father-in-law of Moses (1309-1189 BCE). These Kenites were from Seir or Arad who transfered to Yenoam or Rukkath in Galilee during the time of Jael, the contemporary of Deborah (cf. Judges 1:16 & 4:11,17). In Egyptian Great Asiatic Topographic Lists, the Band of Deborah is contemporary of Qishon of Jabin and Chushan-rishathaim, both during the time of Joshua (1248-1138 BCE).
"And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and
Israel shall do valiantly.
Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive. And
ships
shall come from the coast of Khittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber..." - Numbers 24:18,22,24
Deborah reported that in 1208 BCE Asher (Akwesha) continued on seas and shores. King Rameses III called them "Weshesh of the sea."
The name Weshesh is a short form of "Akwesha" (Ekwesh).
They were involved in travelling from sea to sea, whereas Dan was busy in ships. It was Asher that landed to the island of Sicily, Tarshish and shore of Libya, and fought king Merneptah for Libyan king Meryey. That the Asherites, together with Issacharites, were the first Israel's men to land in Libyan territory and fought the pharaoh is evident in the report of king Merneptah, saying that he killed
2201 circumcised jkh3w3sh3 (Akwesha/Asherites)
in 1209 BCE battle. This gives us hint why Asher could not send an auxillary army to Deborah because most of their fighters were in other countries and, in this case, were mercenaries of a Libyan king. These Asherites were with the 742 Tursha and 222 Shakarus men, and the pharaoh was very proud to pronounce in the kingdom that those Ekwesh (Akwesha/Asherites) were circumcised men and he killed them (KR 4.7-9, cf. Athribis Stela 1.1,3). The population being captured by Merneptah is 90% Akwesha (Asherites) and 10% Shakares (Issacharites).
The Danites that time remained in ships (Judg. 5:17). It was the tribe of Dan who first mingled with Canaanites in Ashkelon as what we can hint in the case of Samson (Judg.14:19-20). Before the conflict which Samson had started, Danites and Ashkelon were peacefully living together and could intermarry without much difficulty. Danites were of the tribe of Israel. The influence of Israel in Ashkelon became obvious as majority of the people there - and even Peleset (ancestors of Philistines) - were not eating pork or swine products (and it was around 1000 BCE when immigrants or sailors from Tiryns and Asine, Greece got the courage to bring pigs to Megiddo and Azekah, Israel, as what swine bone genetic analysis could reveal). Immigrants, who identified their group as Peleset, knew Mycenaean inscriptions as what we can see from the pottery they left in the area; and their pottery products there indicate that they're not in army but in business sectors.
DNA testing of the bones of the Late Bronze Age Collapse immigrants lived in Ashkelon proves that the foreign inhabitants there were from the people of
Sardinia (Italy),
Spain, and
Greece,
intermarried with Syrians of Palestine, and much of these European Peleset or Sherden arrived in Ashkelon around 1160 BCE. Historical records corroborate it because around 1210 BCE the inhabitants of Ashkelon did not wear garments with tassels (whereas Philistines of 1170s BCE were wearing lower garment with tassels). Merneptah gives the possible reason: because most of them were people of Israel (who that time were not yet engaged in war). When vagabond men and women of Israel caused disturbances, according to king Merneptah, the pharaoh fought Ashkelon (Victory Stele, lines 26-27). This disturbance was started when a leader of Ashkelon, probably a Danite or an Asherite under the influence of Sherden, fought and defeated Tyre. Sidonians, the ally of Danites that time, founded the island of Tyre in 1209 BCE, a date which is corroborated by Parian Chronicles - which has taken the date likely from a court record of Tyre, which according to Josephus are "testimonials out of those Phoenician records" (cf. Against Apion 1.18 & 2.2, Antiquities 8.3.1). Prophet Isaiah says that Tyre is a daughter of Tarshish (Isa. 23:8-10).
THOSE WHO DISREGARD EGYPTIAN LAWS
As early as year one of king Seti I (1290 BCE) there were Shasu of Seir who
"do not obey the laws of the [Egyptian] Palace."
It is like saying they can dwell there even without obeying the laws, which triggered a problem to the Shasu of Edom. Moses confirmed the fight between Kharu (Horim of Seir) and Esau's Edomites (Deut. 2:12,22).
Sea Peoples, particularly Peleset, Sherden and Dan, did the same practice of not recognizing Egypt's law during the reign of Seti II (1203-1197 BCE) when they trod inward in at Tell el-Farah (south) and ousted Egyptians there without any reaction from the succeeding pharaoh (Siptah & Queen Tausert). They massively burnt and buried the Egyptian detachment and they squatted on the exact place for a while, leaving later garbage that is now valuable " evidence" for the archaeological studies.
Both scribe Ipuwer (fl.1250- c.1189 BCE) and historian priest Manetho reported about this intrusion of these shepherds (probably some from Caphtor and Byblos and some from the wilderness of Makhtesh Ramon/Kadeshbarnea-Seir and the rest was from Canaan).
Kadeshbarneah-Seir, Byblos and Caphtor were interconnected by amalgamated Danites, Asherites, Issacharites, Sherden and Peleset. The latter, being freed by YHWH from Caphtor (Enkomi, Cyprus) were identified Caphtorim by Moses.
Sherden were the pioneers of building mighty ships, and during the time of king Seti I (1290-1279 BCE) they had their post in Beth Shan, while Asherites were the man power in islands and shores of Mediterranean and Danites were the inhabitants of ships, whereas Issacharites in the ships were readers of stars (celestial map) and seasons. In Merneptah Stele, the pharaoh might have alluded Shakares (Issacharite) practice of observing stars and Moses' ability to determine the direction and timing of ruakh (Spirit/wind):
"...they who gaze toward their stars, and know all their spells by looking to the winds" (Merneptah Stele)
and the descendants of Issachar
"... were men who has had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment." -1Chronicles 12:32
Danites became connected to Cilicia most likely by Gibeonite Hivites (Hiwwi), whose relatives in the southern part of Hittite territory were called Hiyawa (Kue), the ally of Israel even down to the generation of king Solomon and Ahab. Merneptah (1208 BCE) stopped the disturbance that the vagabond men and women of Israel did in Cilicia, southern part of Khate (Hittite) when he claims:
" ht3 (Hatti/Khati)
htp (is satisfied)... "
This satisfaction did not last because for the second or third time, Suppilliuma II has encountered the "enemies of the country of Alashiya" who were using the "ships of Alashiya" and fought them not only to the sea of Cyprus but also in the land either of Cyprus or of Cilicia. In Cilicia, the founder of the dynasty of freeing a city there was known "Mu-ku-sa" (Moxos/Moses), a seer or prophet during the invasion of the Sea Peoples (particularly Danites and Asherites), later known "Danuniyim" and "Asherim" in Phoenician-translated Luwian term "Surai" (which was Hellenized into "Suria-" or "Surias," Syrians). The Asherites (Phoenician ancestors) were known to Herodotus as "Syrians of Palestine."
The God of this Mu-ku-sa (Moses) could be "Yah," which was transliterated back to original form "Ea," the popular term for "God" during the time of Abraham. Before its definition or identity was hacked by the priests of Enki (Lord Earth), the name "E.A." meant "house of Water " referring to the God of Tudi-Ya Adamu (Adam the Beloved of Ya) in Erin (Eden) and hence it was understood as "Divine Water/Life," and cuneiform-writers were using the letter "A" as suffix or accusative case ending of DINGIR.MU (god) to mean "divine," as in "il-a" (god-divine), an-a ([heavenly] god-divine), and "DINGIR-a" ([righteous] god-divine). And this "Ea" ("Ya") is likely what king Azatiwadas meant when he wrote:
"... I made horse upon horse,...
And I built strong fortresses on the frontiers, wherein bad men were: robbers, who had not fought(?) under the dynasty of Muksas (Moxos/Moses).
... I made Tarhunzas […] dwell. And every river land will begin to honor him (with) one ox a year, and a sheep at the time of harvesting and a sheep at the time of winemaking... and much let them be in service to Azatiwadas and the dynasty of Mu-ku-sa with (the help of) Tarhunzas and the gods.
If anyone ... a man,... speaks this: “I shall delete the name of Azatiwadas from these gates here,... may celestial Tarhunzas, the celestial Sun,
Ea
and all the gods delete... that man! "
In Cilicia, Muksus (Moses) was known as a founder of a dynasty whose God likely remained recognized as "Ea" ("Ya").
Like Troy during Queen Tausert's time (fl. 1197-1189 BCE), the descendants of this Muksus' dynasty were still using the Luwian language, which was usually translated into Phoenician language for the Asherite descendants during Ahab's time.
Adding to the connection of Phoenicians (Asherites) is the historical report of Xanthus that Muksus (Moses) leading Lydians had a military campaign in Phoenicia (Asher).
The population of Peleset (Philistine ancestors) in the surrounding of Ekron necessitated the Danites to find another haven and best for their business trading was Laish, where people lived in a manner of Sidonians, that is, living freely. In Judges 8:17 it is hinted that Danites were well knowledgeable about Sidonians, and that's not a surprising thing because Ashkelon (likely under Danites) fought Tyre for the Sidonians to found the island of Tyre. A Danite military unit brought a young Levite, Jonathan son of Gershom or grandson of Moses from Micah's house in Ephraim, to Laish and made him the priest of Micah's idol there until the land was conquered by Joshua's troop.
"And the sons of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the removal of the land.
And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh." - Judges 18:30-31
Using this passage, the captivity or removal of Laish took place when the Tabernacle of God was removed from Shiloh.
Jonathan lived to the family of Judah in Bethlehemjudah. The term "Bethlehemjudah" was used during the days of Ruth and Boaz, the son of Salma (Ruth 1:1).
Salma was one of the spies sent by Joshua to Jericho in 1189 BCE and later became the husband of Rahab the harlot (Josh. 2:1, Mat. 1:4-5). This gives us time frame of 1189-1150 BCE for the hiring of Jonathan the grandson of Moses as the Levite priest in Laish.
Before that hiring, this young Levite became involved in a conflict against the sodomite Benjaminites when his concubine was gang raped to death in exchange of his life, which triggered to the 400 elef Israelites from Dan to Beersheba to gather together against Benjaminites in the Battle of Gibeah. Tell Dan was all ready penetrated by Danite merchants even before the Danites armed forces militarily conquered it. And the idea of military Danites to go in Laish (Tell Dan) was likely because of the presence of their relatives there.
In Beersheba region, the location was between Arad and Hormah (the Kenites being in Arad and Levites in Hormah in Judah). The Levite priest lineage of Aaron likely lived together with the family of Judah in Hormah (Tell Masos). From that Judah family, Jonathan transfered to Bethlehemjudah.
"And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days, saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And YHWH said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand." - Judges 20:28
The ark of the covenant this time was in Mizpeh (Tell en-Nasbeh). Most likely, Phinehas (fl. 1190- c.1140 BCE) had brought the ark of the covenant at Mizpeh for easy access in consultation to priests during the Battle of Gibeah.
"Then all the sons of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto YHWH in Mizpeh. And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400 elef footmen that drew sword.
And the sons of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities 26 elef men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered 700 chosen men.
Among all this people there were 700 chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.
And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered 400 elef men that drew sword: all these were men of war. And the sons of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the sons of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.
And the sons of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day 22 elef men.
And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the sons of Israel again 18 elef men; all these drew the sword.
Then all the sons of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there ... and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YHWH.
And... enquired of YHWH, for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about 30 men of Israel.
And there came against Gibeah 10 elef chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore...
... and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day 25 elef and 100 men: all these drew the sword.
And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about 30 persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
And there fell of Benjamin 18 elef men ... of valour.
And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways 5 elef men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew 2 elef men of them.
So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were 25 elef ... men of valour.
But 600 men turned and fled to the wilderness ... and abode in the rock Rimmon 4 months." - Judges 20:1-2,15-18,21,25-27,31,34-35,39,44-47
In this Battle of Gibeah, when the number of the Israelite fighters is compared to Benjaminite warriors it became clear that the word "elef" was used to mean special combatant, not just a man who drew sword but a man of valor of war and, in the case of Israel, they are called
פִּנּ֣וֹת pinnōṯ
(towertop chiefs)
of all the people (Judg.20:2).
In the Battle of Gibeah,
Israel has:
400 elef (men who drew sword, they were men of war).
22 elef and 18 elef (were killed)
about 30 men killed
about 30 persons killed
10 elef chosen men (went to Gibeah)
The 22 elef + 18 elef men of Israel being killed is called 30 persons in Judges 20:39 and which is called 30 men in Judges 20:31.
Benjaminites have:
26 elef
and
700 chosen men (left-handed).
25 elef and 100 men who all drew swords (were killed),
that is:
18 elef men ... of valour (being killed)
5 elef,
2 elef were killed
Total killed: 25 elef.
Remaining 600 men.
This Battle of Gibeah was headed by Phinehas son of Eleasar, son of Aaron. Moses died in 1189 BCE and therefore it was under the leadership of Joshua (1248-1138 BCE). The war happened when Jonathan the son of Gershom the son of Moses complained about what the sodomite Benjaminites did to his concubine, who died because of a gang rape.
Jonathan was a well known Levite, that even his voice could be discerned by Danites at a distance. His exposure on the case of the Battle of Gibeah could have added to his popularity. He was from Bethlehemjudah before Micah hired him as a priest in Ephraim.
"When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the
voice of the young man the Levite:
and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here? " -Judges 18:3
Jonathan was the son of the Levite, Gershom, the son of Moses.
From there they brought Jonathan to Laish, where Danite merchants lived, and after dominating it they changed its name into "Dan," according to the name of their tribe. In Cilicia, however, the Phoenicians changed the name of Hiwwi (Hiyawa) into Danunim, synonymous to their relatives (Denyen) in Ekron. Caphtorites destroyed Hiwwi (Avims) and it was Moses who allowed them to settle in Gaza.
For a short period of time Yar-su (Yah-Moses) had made almost the entire Mediterranean from Arzawa (Lydia, & nearby) to Alashiya (Cyprus), Amurru (Lebanon), Kadesh, and to Syria to serve him alone, as reported by king Rameses III.
King Rameses III relates that from the time the pharaoh (Rameses II) became silent till through the reign of Merneptah, Seti, Amenmeses, Siptah and Tausert, Yar-su (Yah-Moses) did what are obnoxious to the Egyptians, and plundered the land formerly under the dominion of Egypt. Manetho explicitly identified the following kings of Egypt Rhampses, Amenophis (Amenephthis), and Sethos during Moses' days. And to be specific, when Rameses III was 5 years old, according to Manetho, this Moses started a war after asking shepherds in Canaan to go back to Avaris and claim residential land there.
Why these foreign peoples were easily persuaded?
Because Moses promised to their relatives in Canaan that they would be brought back to Avaris, from where they had their exodus around 340 years prior to their then present time.
Official 3rd century BCE History of Egypt reported that to ready on the impending war of king Amenophis [Amenephthis=Merneptah], Moses...
"sent ambassadors to those shepherds [Hyksos] who had been driven out of the land [some 340 years earlier] to the city called Jerusalem; ...
He also promised that he would, in the first place, bring them back to their ancient city and country Avaris, and provide a plentiful maintenance for their multitude; that he would protect them and fight for them as occasion should require, and would easily reduce the country under their dominion. These shepherds were all very glad of this message, and came away with alacrity all together, being in number 200,000 men; and in a little time they came to Avaris."
King Rameses III corroborates this figure 200,000 when he officially reported:
" I caused that [the Libyans] cease to tread upon the border of Egypt. I carried off the ones whom my knife spared as numerous captives, their women and their children like
100,000s,
their herds in the number of
10,000s,
there I established their leaders in strongholds upon my name. .... they branded and made into slaves..." - Rameses III, Great Papyrus Harris, 77, 3-5
Rameses III (r. 1186-1155 BCE) became more concerned of his border because his detachments in town Beth Shean was put on fire by Sherden or Hebrews around 1155 BCE, in Megiddo was overwhelmed by Kenites, in Lachis was ruined by Joshua (1248-1138 BCE), and in Tell esh-Sharia (Nahal Gerar) was destroyed by the Peleset. Egyptians in those detachments could not have completely pushed away Asherim Peleset (Syrians of Palestine), and instead they were forced to abandon their offices without an intention of returning.
Egyptians since the time of king Merneptah and now of Rameses III were confused because the troops of Yar-su (Yah-Moses) were both present in the Libyan armies and Syria-Palestine armies. These two forces surrounded the troops of Joshua as if they were fence or buffer against Egyptian and Hittite armies side by side. When the troops of Yar-su under Joshua left Kadesh-barneah or Seir, Rameses III got the courage to fight Semitic Hebrew people of Seir.
It was during the time of Rameses III when the Band of Deborah became known in Kishon coincided with Chushan-rishathaim's proliferation from Aram Naharim.
Chushan-rishathaim was a derogatorily name made by the Hebrews for Chushan-ra-im (Qusanurama), as changing name into infamous one was a practice that time of Rameses III.
King Rameses II listed Qusanurama as an area, which during the reign of Rameses III became a town with military capability. From Aram Naharim this Chushan-rishathaim subdued the Israelites (particularly Danites and perhaps Asherites) in Sidon and nearby areas from 1192 BCE until the troop of Othniel led a military march going to Naharim in 1185 BCE. Multitude of them recruited discontented citizens of Emar and they took an uprising and marched to Emar. The scribes in the Emar wrote that
"hordes (masses) of enemies"
attacked the city. A legal document (dated Year 2 of Meli-shipak in 1185 BCE) was left in a private house there, few weeks before that event.
The informant of king Rameses III could not reach closer to the exact country of conflagration reported that it was Carchemish being destroyed by the troops of Yar-su (Yah-Moses).
Othniel, who led the attack in Aram Naharim, became the son-in-law of Caleb (fl.1268-1184 BCE), the contemporary of Joshua.
Why the citizens of Emar joined with the hordes of Othniel?
Because they were dismayed with what the Hittite viceroy did on their economy. The famine that decade was becoming worst more and more, and at the same time the Hittite king was hiring soldiers more and more, and this necessitated the increase of needed money to support this army with foods and war paraphernalia. Kush-meshusha was astute to stop giving tribute or money to Suppilliuma II, instead he likely allowed massive migrating Peloponnesians in to Maa (Palaiokastro), and refugees from Mycenaean Greece and other Aegean people to settle in other parts of Cyprus and Syria-Palestine.
A Syrian leader in Cyprus with his Tjekker Philistine-headress-wearing servants cut off several cities, and Enkomi (Kaptara) and Kition (Chittim) were looted. After destruction, they likely made Enkomi (Caphtor) as their capital and there they used Cypro-Minoan-2 script exclusively. Another important copper mining site was Alassa (north of modern Limassol), from where the name Alashiya originated, and whose kingdom in the past sent letters to king Akhenaten, and afterwards here Kush-meshusha (Yah-Moses) exercised his monarchic power. There was a sector of Hittites that was also dismayed, and then converted to Yar-su (Yah-Moses), and it is reflected by the fact that in the regnal Year 8 of Rameses III (1179 BCE) some Hittite men were operating with the Sea Peoples.
On the case of Emar, however, the Hittite viceroy drastically increased its annual tribute paid from 700 to 2,000 shekel of gold, forcing the citizens to sell their property and abandon the city deity, Ninurta. The famine in Emar was devastingly aggravated because of this.
The 1185 BCE destruction of Emar might be what Balaam (1190 BCE) has been prophesying in this oracle:
" wetzim (but ships [shall come])
miyad (from the direction)
kittim (of Chittim, Cyprus)
we'inu (and [they shall] depress)
'assur (Assur),
we'inu (and afflict)
'eber (Eber, Syrian land),
wegam (and so shall)
hu 'ade (he until)
'obed (destruction). "
- Numbers 24:24
Herodotus' reported Achaemenid 5th satrapy (Aramea, Phoenicia, and Cyprus) identified in Ezra as Abar Nahara or "Beyond the River," which could be the Eber-Nari mentioned by king Esarhaddon. Eber here may mean a part of Syria.
The destruction of Emar could be what Balaam meant about the destruction of Eber by ships coming from the direction of Kittion or Cyprus.
When Queen Tausert became the "king of Egypt," a general or captain deflected from her. This Setnakhte led a military army to counter the troops of Yar-su (Yah-Moses) and pharaoh Tausert. He called these Yar-su's troops as "rebels," suggestive that they must be friend of Egypt or obeying Egyptian laws, but their movements proved otherwise. Setnakhte suggests that Egyptian army and chariots were used by pharaoh Tausert in accordance with Yar-su's command instead of Seth's priests' command. And this misapplication of Egypt's army ceased after the death of Yar-su and Tausert in 1189 BCE, and the officers of Seth cult rejoiced and said to Setnakhte:
"There is no power of an army or chariots except that of your father Seth! "
At first, according to Manetho, Moses' troops were angry to the "king of Egypt," and in fact, around 1196 BCE those troops destroyed the administrative office of Seti II near el-Arish, when Peleset penetrated the border of Egypt.
Sooner, Queen Tausert conspired with Yar-su (Yah-Moses), and Rameses III reported that during her time Egypt
"was in empty years,
when
'Yar-Su,'
a Kharu [Horite of Seir, Edom],
with them acted as [outsider]
'wer' [Great chief],
making the
entire land
serving him alone,
and he joined his dependants in
plundering
their properties, and he treated
gods as just like humans,
that no man was presenting offerings inside the temple." - (Harris Papyrus I, column 75, lines 3-6)
Rameses III was a contemporary of Yar-su (Yah-Moses) and Queen Tausert. In fact, he was 5 years old when Merneptah (Amenephthis) was rattled by an impending war, a series of almost every day wars. He testified that Egypt was empty during Tausert's years. It was empty because people both in Egypt proper and in Mediterranean territories (to name a few, Ekron, Lachis, Joffa, Beth Shean, Beirut, Caphtor, Ugarit, etc.) did not pay their obligations for the temples of Egypt, they neglected Egyptian religion, and rather serving only Yar-su, who plundered people from Syria-Palestine, Hittite land, Cyprus, and Arzawa as far as where the confederation of Atlas could reach. Scribe Ipuwer that time complained that Egyptians could not go to Caphtor and Byblos. Ipuwer vividly describes how Egypt fell during the Late Bronze Age Collapsed.
The strong man of Egypt, well known in history "Rameses the Great," was carried off in misery by a man who poured water on the ground of Egypt, and this subsequently happened when he started to keep his mouth shut up, according to king Rameses III.
"Behold, Egypt is fallen to pouring of water, and
he who poured water
on the ground
has carried off the strong man in misery.
Behold, the Serpent is taken from its hole, and the secrets of the Kings of Upper and Lower Egypt are divulged."
"Behold, the Serpent [. . .] the dead... " -Admonitions of Ipuwer, VII
This man who poured water on the ground and brought the Serpent dead is revealed in the Bible.
"And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the
water of the Nile river, and
pour it upon the dry land:
and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land." -Exodus 4:9
It was Moses. The Bible does not only claim, it is corroborated by Ipuwer:
"...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
It is explicit on this report that men were thirst of water because their water in river and stream is not safe for consumption, men shrink after drinking it, and blood is throughout the land of Rameses, the city of canals & streams.
Ipuwer was a scribe in the 19th Dynasty (1292-1189 BCE), who wrote misery in Egypt mostly during the latter years of Rameses II, 1230-1213 BCE to Tausert down to the time of Rameses III (1186-1155).
The papyrus has no other copy, & written not earlier than 1250 BCE. Its contents corroborate the report of scribe Hori (Satirical Letter), king Merneptah (Victory Stele, Athribis Stela, etc.), Setnakhte (Elephantine stela), Bakenkhonsu (4th year Quartz Stela of Setnakhte), Rameses III (Harris Papyrus I; Medinet Habu Great Inscription), priest Manetho (Aegyptiaca), Moses (Hebrew Bible), and science (archaeological findings), & vividly describe what have happened during the Late Bronze Age Collapsed that triggered the weakening of Egypt. The report of Ipuwer about the inaccessibility of Byblos and Caphtor (Cyprus), which happened during the Late Bronze Age Collapsed, is corroborated by Wenamun, Karnak's priest of Amun (c.1074 BCE), who describes the hostility of the people of Byblos and Cyprus seven decades after the LBA Collapsed. The hostility is for the Egyptians which is also corroborated by king Rameses III when the land abroad became under the dominion of Yar-su (Yah-Moses) and was cut off from Egypt's easy accessibility.
As Ipuwer pointing one man as the reason of misery of the great person (king Rameses II) of Egypt, Rameses III explicitly identified who is the man behind of all the inaccessibility and disturbances in Egypt and Egyptian territories in the Mediterranean: the infamous name he has given is
Yar-su,
derogatorily short form of
"Yar-Mesu"
("Drew out of the River Nile"),
identified "Moses" in the Bible. According to king Rameses III, all (from Queen Tausert to people of Arzawa, Arvad, Hatti, Carchemish, Kadesh, Alashiya, and Lebanon) are serving only Yar-su, who plundered them and taught them not to pay their tributes to the Egyptian temple. King Setnakhte claims that Yar-su (Yah-Moses) plundered Egyptians with silver, gold and other valuables, and Moses confirms it in Exodus 12:35-37.
"And the descendants of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of
silver,
and jewels of
gold,
and raiment:
And YHWH gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they
plundered the Egyptians.
And the descendants of Israel journeyed from
Rameses
to Succoth, about 600 elef foot-persons, beside weak ones. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle." -Exodus 12:35-38
King Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) also explicitly confirmed that he gave the senior Moses silver and other valuable things of the palace, and that pronouncement is inscribed on the "Stele of Mose," which he erected next to his huge statue in Pi-Rameses city.
ON THE WITNESS STAND
Moses, the direct eyewitness
versus
the scribe of the book of "Kings."
Many scientific archaeologists tend to incline with Moses about the exact timeline of Israelite exodus, whereas many biblical scholars (and their influenced theorists) are arduously taking on the side of the scribe of the book of "Kings" to determine the date of exodus, and because of this they are ready to accept the feeling-based opinion that the reports of Moses in Torah are mostly wrongs (they use the term "anachronism," similar terminology use by atheists to discredit the accuracy of the Bible).
The last date mentioned in the last chapter of the last book of "Kings" is October 8, 562 BCE, and the instance that Jehoiachin was given food rations is written on a cuneiform tablet dated 592 BCE. At least, the book of the "Kings" was originally written around 562 BCE either by Ezra, Ezekiel or Jeremiah.
Contrary to this, is the fact that the last date-able instance in the report of Moses is when Edom had a "king" and that king was against Israelites in Seir. That Edom became known entity with its leader was during the time of Merneptah (mentioned in the 1206 BCE Papyrus Anastasi VI, 4.56) and that Israel was near Seir (Kharu : Horite state) was also during Merneptah's days (as related in the 1208 BCE Victory Stele, lines 26-28), and that Seirites became enemy of the pharaoh was during the reign of Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE).
Between Moses and the writer of the book of "Kings," it is Moses who has the reliable weighty testimony about their exodus than those writers who lived more than 600 years after the event (exodus).
According to Moses, the direct eyewitness, Israel left Rameses after the king's firstborn son, sitting on the throne, died, and this death of the firstborn of Rameses was in a way a judgement of YHWH to the Egyptian gods, one of which was the pharaoh himself -the only most afflicted.
Moses explicitly reported that he lived during the time that a pharaoh built the store-cities Pithom and Raamses, which happened after the death of an Egyptian king.
The pharaoh who died near to the construction of Pithom and Raamses was king Seti I (1279 BCE), and therefore it was Rameses II who built the cities of Pithom and Raamses. Britannica Encyclopedia says that king Ramses the Great was the founder of Pithom.
Many biblical scholars rejected these Moses' testimony, Britannica's corroboration, and Rameses the Great's report, and their reason is the feeling-based opinion of many commentators that the writer of the book of "Kings" could not be wrong, rather it is the writer of Exodus who got wrong or who use anachronism.
Actually, the scribe of the book of "Kings" is not wrong because he is not talking about the departure of Israelites from Rameses.
And Moses is not wrong also because Moses is very explicitly talking about the exodus of Israel from Rameses.
"And Moses wrote their journeys by the commandment of YHWH: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
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." -Numbers 33:2-4
"And the descendants of Israel journeyed from
Rameses
to Succoth, about 600 elef foot-persons, beside weak ones." -Exodus 12:37
"And the descendants of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth." -Numbers 33:5
Another corroborating evidence that Moses lived during the time of king Rameses the Great is when he uses the well known toponym of that pharaoh when Moses wrote the original of the book of "Genesis."
"And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the
land of Rameses,
as Pharaoh had commanded." -Genesis 47:11
Instead to use the toponym Avaris, which was popular before king Rameses the Great reigned and during the time of Ezra, Moses, the writer of "Genesis," uses here the toponym "Rameses," which was derived from the name of king Rameses II. This only means that the writer did write "Genesis" during the time when the toponym "Rameses" was popular.
Moses verifies it in this passage:
"Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses." -Exodus 1:11
Many biblical scholars think that the writer of Exodus is wrong in mentioning "Pithom" because there was yet no "Pithom" in Egypt in 1446 BCE and it was king Rameses the Great who founded Pithom. They also claim, based on their feelings, that the writer of Exodus is wrong in mentioning "Raamses" here because there was no city Raamses in 1446 BCE, and it was king Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) who built that city. For them, the writer of Exodus is wrong or in anachronism; contrary to that, they claim that the writer of the book of "Kings" is not wrong if they would connect 1Kings 6:1 to the departure of Israelites from Rameses.
But as far as righteousness or accuracy is concerned, feeling-based opinion has no weight over the direct eyewitness' testimony. Moses is accurate in the details of his report.
Some of the details in Moses' report starting from the book of Genesis is that there was a famine during the days of Jacob (Israel) which triggered the patriarch to send his own sons to Egypt in the Year 2 of the famine to buy some grains. They had with them some fruits from Canaan suggestive that the famine was not as grievous of other previous famines. The famine during Jacob's time (1450-1444 BCE) is detected in a scientific study on pollen index of Late Bronze Age Sea of Galilee and Mediterranean. That famine as what we can learn from the data is not as grievous as the famine during Abram's days. This verifies the report that Israel's sons could have brought some nuts or fruits to a leader of Egypt.
"For these 2 years has the famine been in the land: and yet there are 5 years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto your brethren, This do ye; lade your animals, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;
And the children of Israel did so ... And
they went up out of Egypt,
and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father " -Genesis 45:6,17,21,25
In 1449 BCE, Year 2 of the famine, when the sons of Israel went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob.
In the 480th year after they went out of Egypt, king Solomon by the help of king Hirom, built the temple of YHWH in Jerusalem.
"And it came to pass in the 480th year after the sons of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the 4th year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of YHWH." -1 Kings 6:1
1449 BCE
__
480 years
___________
969 BCE
King Solomon started the building of the temple in 969 or 968 BCE, according to the timeline of the court record of Tyre.
Adding to the accuracy of Moses is the prices of slaves during the days of Jacob (1578-1432 BCE) and of Moses (1309-1189 BCE).
According to Genesis 37:1,28 the slave value in Jacob's time is 20 shekels of silver, which was the same slave value during the reign of king Hammurabi (1696-1654 BCE).
In Moses' days, Exodus 21:32 gives 30 silver shekels as the price for a slave hit by an ox, which coincided with the slave value in Ugarit in the 1300 BCE.
The hardest evidence about the dating of exodus is the Joshua's altar, which was built by the people who believed on the curse of Yahweh after Moses ordered them to build the altar in Mt. Ebal. They buried there in the altar a 1250 BCE clay jar and 1228 BCE scarabs of Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE).
A 1400-1150 BCE curse tablet was found in the soil of the altar, adding to the credence of Moses' report of making curses on Mount Ebal. Many biblical scholars rejected this curse tablet as evidence for Moses' report of Israelites uttering curses on Mt. Ebal, where Joshua built an altar for YHWH. For them, according to their feeling-based opinion, the altar in Mt. Ebal is built not by Joshua but by later unknown not-biblically reported builder. Needless to say, these so-called biblical scholars rejected the report in Deuteronomy 27:4-7,13 and Joshua 8:30 that it was Joshua who built the altar in Mt. Ebal and it was after the order of Moses.
The said altar in Mt. Ebal was buried to the ground in 1138 or around 1140 BCE when Joshua died.
NOTES:
* "Manetho was a man who was by birth an Egyptian; yet had he made himself master of the Greek learning: as is very evident. For he wrote the history of his own country in the Greek tongue; by translating it, as he saith himself, out of their sacred records." - Against Apion 1.14
* Yeor : Moses, being educated in Egypt and the writer of the original edition of the book of "Genesis" and of their journeys during exodus, borrowed the Egyptian term for "river" or "canal." He uses this Hebrized Egyptian-derived word "yeor" in Genesis 41:18, Exodus 1:22, 7:19, 25; & 8:5 instead of the Hebrew word "nahar " (river).
Yeor is from demotic Egyptian word "y-r," synchronically equivalent to "itrw," the ancient Egyptian for "[Great] River Nile." Neo-Assyrian translated it into " ia-ru-u-u" (ia-ru-ʾu-u₂) or Yaru-u. The river of Egypt is called "Yeor" ("Hayor") by the Hebrews, the way they called the river of Mitanni as "peleg."
*Pi-Rameses the treasure city : it was built at Qantir in 1278 BCE and finished in around 1259 BCE. Many years or probably decades after this, the senior soldier Moses was awarded by king Rameses II on front of the pharaoh's statue in Pi-Rameses city.
*Kenneth A. Kitchen, The Bring The Brick - Fields of Egypt.
*Kenneth A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions (Oxford: Blackwell, 1996) Vol. 2, 520-522 & Out of Egypt," BAR Jan/Feb 2007.
*Hoffner, Harry A. (2009). Letters from the Hittite Kingdom. Society of Biblical Literature. ISBN 9781589832121. Retrieved 2011-05-25. p. 316
*Bryce, Trevor (November 1989). "AHHIYAWANS AND MYCENAEANS – AN ANATOLIAN VIEWPOINT". Oxford Journal of Archaeology. 8 (3): 297–310. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0092.1989.tb00207.x. Archived from the original on 2013-01-05. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
*Jonathan (fl. 1187 BCE) the son of Gershom the son of Moses had concubine living near Jerusalem (Judges 19:10). Benjamintes did not drive out Jerusalemites but lived with them (Judg. 1:21).
*The Shepherds here being identified "Hyksos" by Manetho refers to those expelled from Avaris in around 1550 BCE. Moses was not part of that Hyksos' expulsion from Avaris and neither Manetho positively mentioned Moses during in that time.
On contrary, Manetho mentioned the name of Moses during the time of Rameses, Sethos, Amenophis [Merneptah or Amenmeses], and Rhampses, and even reported that it was Moses who encouraged the Hyksos (their descendants) to go back to and live in Avaris.
Manetho was in line with the Egyptian history that foreign leaders, those of the expulsed from Avaris, were trying to go back to Delta, Egypt to have a residential land and it was after the promise of Moses that he would help them if he has the availability or capability to do so.
When shepherds or foreign leaders gathered together with the princes of Israel in Seir, the area where the Horite state (Kharu) was located, Moses was recognized as "melekh" ("king") by the people of Ye-Shurun or "bi-Shurun" (Shurun/Asher-Tyre, which probably referring to Israelites later known Phoenician cities, that deflected from Yahweh by adhering idols).
" וַיְהִ֥י (wayhi)
And he became
בִישֻׁר֖וּן (bi-Shurun)
to Shurun (Asher-Tyre)
מֶ֑לֶךְ (melekh)
king
בְּהִתְאַסֵּף֙ (bə·hiṯ·’as·sêp)
when were gathered
רָ֣אשֵׁי (rā·šê)
heads
עָ֔ם ('am)
of people
יַ֖חַד (yachad)
united
שִׁבְטֵ֥י (sibte)
tribes
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל (yishra'el)
of Israel." - Deuteronomy 33:5
"Now this city, according to the ancient theology, was Typhos city. But when these men were gotten into it, and found the place fit for a revolt, they appointed themselves a ruler out of the priests of Heliopolis, whose name was Osarsiph [Osarsu], and they took their oaths that they would be obedient to him in all things.
He then, in the first place, made this law for them,
That they should neither worship the Egyptian gods, nor should abstain from any one of those sacred animals which they have in the highest esteem, but kill and destroy them all;
that they should join themselves to nobody but to those that were of this confederacy."
"It was also reported that the priest, who ordained their polity and their laws, was by birth of Hellopolls, and his name Osarsiph [Osarsu], from Osiris, who was the god of Hellopollis; but that when he was gone over to these people, his name was changed, and he was called Moses.“ -Manetho, Aegyptiaca (History of Egypt), preserved in Against Apion 1.28
*Seth, the Hyksos' god of dessert, storms, fire, tempest, and foreigners is called Typhon (force of raging nature) by the Greeks, and Typhos' city was its location. This could be Avaris or the actual thundering, erupting-fire land of Sinai (Makhtesh Ramon).
*Albright W. The smaller Beth-Shean stele of Sethos I (1309-1290 B. C.), Bulletin of the American schools of Oriental research, feb 1952, p. 24-32.
*Semitic People Making Bricks
Earlier in ancient Egyptian history, workers were building great structures using stones. But around 1450 BCE Semitic workers built structures using bricks in Egypt. Around the same time, Egyptians living in Wadi Tumilat (known also as Goshem) left the area, and Semitic tent-dwelling people might have replaced them (in the Bible this is the arrival of the Semitic tribe of Jacob in Egypt in 1449 BCE).
As time passed by, Semitic slaves increased and amalgamated with the Hebrews, until the time of Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) when Semitic slaves built bricks for the store-city Pithom (Tell el-Retabeh). Scientists dug this city and found the evidence of the bricks and granary.
"... And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses. " -Exodus 1:11
Moses reported that Israel station spots were at Succoth & Etham, now known Wadi Tumilat, and at Pihahiroth (particular area in Avaris) on front of Baalzephon. These spots are also mentioned by an Egyptian scribe in Papyrus Anastasi III, which is written during the time of Moses & Joshua in 1211 BCE.
"And the descendants of Israel removed from Rameses, and camped at Succoth.
And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness [of Shur]. And they left Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon: and they camped on front of Migdol." -Numbers 33:5-7
*HABIRU
The territory of Eber (fl. 1962-1865 BCE) was located from the other side of the Gihon (Gozan) river west of Peleg (Paliga); hence his name became toponym. Hurrians & Semitic people under the name
"Hapiri"
split during Peleg's time. The Sumerian term SA.GAZ was used as their logogram.
Terah ruled in Urkesh in the west river of Peleg's territory, and among his subjects were
Habiru
(as recorded in Archives Royales de Mari 100:22f). Urkash-dim (people of Urkesh) got mad against Terah for surrendering to Zimri-Lim, and threatened his life, resulting to his departure toward Mari, but he found his haven in Harran. Consequently, Ariukki became king of Urkesh.
After the disappearance of Zimri-Lim (1657 BCE), Abram left Haran and went to Shekhem (Shamkhuna). The attack of king Ariukki (Arioch) - as an ally of Amarpel and Kedor-la-Omar - in Sodom coerced Abram to have confederation with the Amorite Habiru and enabled to rescue Lot. Joseph, his great-grandson, mentioned that Amorite Hebrews had land in the same region (Genesis 40:15).
Abram was an Hebrew of priestly lineage, and later Israelites distinguished themselves as Hebrews to other foreign races.
Egypt and later Ugaritans used the root "apar" (dusty, dirty) to call Hapiri, 'Apiru and Apirim, respectively. Setnakhte used a synonymous term "sty.w" (dirty) for the troops of Yar-Su (Yah-Mesu). Moses called Hebrews as "mixed multitude" (Exodus 12:38).
There in Egypt descendants of Hyksos' related Semitic shepherds intermarried with Egyptians, Apiru, & all other ethnic people.
* Jeshurun: the root word of this name is "Shurun" as evidenced in the following passages:
Deut. 32:15 יְשֻׁרוּן֙ Ye-Shurun,
Deut. 33:5 בִישֻׁר֖וּן Bi-Shurun,
Isaiah 44:2 וִישֻׁר֖וּן Wi-Shurun.
And likely referring to the Asherite Tyre (Surru, in Akkadian), the ancestors of the Phoenicians, to help Israel for being safe from dwelling in Syria-Palestine. Yshurun could be a changed word for "Sur" (Surru), "Tyre." Adding letter "-n" at the end of a toponym was a practice of some Hebrew writers, as what prophet Habakkuk did when he called "Kushu" (Makhtesh Ramon)
"Kushan."
There is a possibility that "Shuru" (Tyre) was changed into "Shurun" which included Sharon and Phoenician cities. Moses clearly identified "Jeshurun" with Asherites.
Deuteronomy 33:24-29
"And of Asher he said, Let
Asher
be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
There is none like unto the God of
Jeshurun,
who rides upon the shamayim [lofty waters] in
thy help,
and in His excellency on the sehakim [clouds].
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by YHWH, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places." -Deuteronomy 33:24-29
Jeshurun is related to those who ride on water or open sea (Mediterranean) and whose God rides upon the clouds. This could be a description for Asherite sailors, particularly the ancestors of the Phoenicians.
* MUSAEOS
In around 6th century BCE a statue of a Syrian " Musaeos," in Athens in south-west of Acropolis on " Mouseion Hill," was dedicated posthumously for Musaeos' death (Pausanias 25.8).
The son of Orpheus (Molpus) was likely named after him & buried in Phalerum. Orpheus was probably inspired by & learned a lot from Musaios' teachings, as Plato (380 BCE) said poets are inspired by the priest prophet Musaeos (Diodorus Siculus, 4.25.1-2; Plato's Protagoras & Ion).
*Italy: according to Greek historian Antiochus of Syracuse (c.424 BCE), "The region, which is now called Italy, formerly held the Oenotrians; some time their king was Italos, and then they changed their name to Italics; succeeding Morgete, they were called Morgetes; later came a Siculus, who divided the peoples, who were then Morgeti and Sicels; and Italics were those who were Oenotrians" (Dionysius of Halicarnassus 1, 12 vg)
As usual practice of later Greek writers, the name "Italos" here was personified as one man from the name of the people or tribe. It is derived from Sicel tribe's name Italoi, which was likely derived from Talsa (Tursha), the very well known name of a people during the time of Merneptah, that later was rendered "Atlas" by Solon. Sicels and Sardinia (Tarshish) were connected to Asherites, whose descendants became Phoenicians. Later, Phoenicians reclaimed the territories of their ancestors in Sicily and Sardinia (Tarshish).
*Bietak, M. "Israelites Found in Egypt: Four-Room House Identified in Medinet Habu." Biblical Archaeology Review, 29.5 (2003), pp. 40-47, 49, 82-8.
*Kue/Gueans/Danuniyim:
Shalmeneser III himself reported that Kue fighters were allied to Ahab Sur-la-a-a (Israelite) in 853 BCE, considering the historical fact that Israel that time had more than 2,000 chariots and 10,000 foot soldiers, whereas Kue had only 500 soldiers.
*Beth Shean: Small palace, called "Building 1500" (Area Q), built for the Egyptian governor was erected there in Beth Shean (32°30′N 35°30′E) during Rameses III's time.
Decades before that, king Seti I erected a stele there where he mentioned of protecting Hebrews (Habiru) from Asiatic (Aamu) tribe.
Anthropoid grotesque-type coffins, probably made by 13th-12th century BCE Sea People of Aegean style were found in Beth Shean, Israel.
https://biblicalhistoryandevidence.blogspot.com/2022/08/part-2-exodus-and-archaeological.html?m=1
https://biblicalhistoryandevidence.blogspot.com/2022/09/part-3-exodus-and-archaeological_1.html?m=1
https://biblicalhistoryandevidence.blogspot.com/2022/09/part-4-exodus-conquest-and.html?m=1
