DEIR 'ALLA - Station of the Messengers

DEIR 'ALLA - Station of the Messengers

A settlement located in ancient Succoth east of Jordan Valley at 32°11'20" N 35°36'11" E, one mile north of Jabbok. It was anciently called "Tilmun" ('Dilmun') for a copper forging there, and one of the possible three "Tilmuns" in Bronze Age (cf. 1Kings 7:46).

 This was a possible station if a traveler would come from Harran, and here Jacob built booths for his cattle, and since then the Hebrews called it Succoth ("Booths"). One of its areas was called "Peniel" by Jacob from his expression "I saw the  face to God" (cf. Gen. 33:10) after forcing a man in a wrestling. The man could be a messenger of chariot hero "Israel" of Ugarit, Syria who that time was crossing the path of Jacob. Desperate for his duty because Jacob tarried him, and as a spy must not be exposed to daytime, the messenger blessed Jacob and had given the alias "Israel," most likely derived from the name of his boss Israel of Ugarit (cf. Genesis 33:17 & 32:17,24-30).

This incident suggests to us that as early as the time of Jacob (1578-1432 BCE) Deir 'Alla was a place where messenger had been trodden by. 

During the Late Bronze Age collapse, there were three copper mining sites valuable for the mass production of copper swords and armaments - namely, Capthor (Enkomi, Cyprus), Athika (Timna Valley, Edom) and Succoth Jordan (Deir 'Alla), and all of these were occupied by the troops of Moses and apparently became the suppliers of the arms of the Sea Peoples.

There were three places visited by Queen Tausert and likely permitted to be destroyed and used by the troops of "Yarsu" (Moses): namely,

 Athika (Timna Valley),

 Deir 'Alla, and

 Akko.

 The pharaoh (Tausert) conspired with Yarsu (Osarsuph) as her ' Chieftain in the forein land.'

There was a public receiving house in Deir 'Alla where seers, like Bala'am ben Beor, were stationed before further travelling south. And in fact (archaeologically), Bala'am bar Beor (d. 1190 BCE) was popular diviner (seer) in that receiving sanctuary-house before it was destroyed and before he was killed by the troop of Joshua, general of Moses. 

Around March, 1190 BCE Moses divided the troops. The troops led by his sister Miriam reached Zin Kadesh, and the other troop (the captain people) was led to Athika (Timna Valley, Edom), and the 3rd troop, mostly elders led by Aaron to Moserath and the Livites were separated to minister for the ark of the covenant (Deut. 10:6-8), and the fourth part was the spy troop, led by Zimri ben Salu, a captain of Simeonite clan,  who managed to enter Sittim, near the tel Sodom (cf. Numbers 23:10). 

Seeing this troop was increasing in number, tent by tent by twelve, Balak ben Zippor king of Moabites convened a council with the Midianite elders for the matter. His solution, called for Bala'am bar Beor of Patorah (Pethor, Pitru) in Aram, Mari. And let him curse Israel (probably mimicking what Bentisina had done to Babylon several decades ago). Their messengers brought money for Bala'am to curse Israel, and as an astute diviner Bala'am said that even "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Yah (Ea) my God, to do less or more." 

Knowing the circumstances of the Sea Peoples that were now sporadically destroying many countries, and the evil that Asshur (Isru/Isser) had done against Kenites (which this time were in Judah and east of Phoenicia), and the troops of Kharu leader (Moses) from Kition (Cyprus), Bala'am became cautious of his acts and wordings, particularly two messengers of different gods went him and advised him "not to go"  and on the other one "to go." This may mean that Bala'am was aware that there was a spy (messenger) from Yahweh following him (cf. Num. 24:21-24). 

In a dark place of forest that messenger was waiting for his passage to kill him, but Bala'am managed to make a drama that he got mad at his donkey and he talked to his donkey. Historically, Bala'am was known in his habit of talking to animals even though men around him could not hear the talks of his animals. His security guards and the Moabite ambassadors might have given him a time to talk to his donkey privately, and in doing so they might have walked away for a while, a chance for Bala'am to directly talk to the malakh (messenger) of YHWH. The messenger warned him not to curse Israel. 

How Bala'am might have learned that a spy or messenger was following him? He might have discovered it at the sanctuary of Deir 'Alla. 

Because in that receiving house a troop of Salma left a message that they would set fire on Sharon, likely to Akko. With that situation, he said to Balak :" Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh has put in my mouth?" (Num. 23:12)

During his 4th oracle he alluded the then rising star "Sirius"  on 17 July 1190 BCE (Numbers 24:17), which was sign of one week feast of gods for the Egyptians. And yes, the astute Bala'am may have asked Midianites to have a feast for elohim (gods) and used Moabite women to entice the troop of Zimri ben Salu for the evil plan (Num. 31:16). No less than Cozbi, the princess of king Zur (president of the Midianite confederation), who led the enticement, and since the spy of Israelite Zimri  heard good things from the mouth of Bala'am, the troops of Zimri joined the feast of gods at Baal-Peor, not knowing that a pandemic disease would be transmitted by those women (Num. 25:1-18). 

They attended the feast on July 27, the same day that Moses and many elders were officiating the election of Eleazar as successor of Aaron at Mt. Hor in Moseroth, where, likely because of shortening of oxygen in the height, Aaron died. It was around September 6, 1190 BCE when the mourning had finished. 

It was too late, more than 20,000 were already infected by the disease and dying when Moses arrived and discovered the incident of Baal-Peor. He asked the help of "judges" headed by Phinehes ben Eleazar ben Aaron to impose capital punishment for those leaders who were involved in the spread of the pandemic disease. Some of the "judges" this time were likely Jair, Tola ben Pua, and Bedan (cf. Num.26:23, Judges 10:1; Num.32:41, Judg.10:4; 1Chronicles 7:16-17).

They readied for a revenge because of the 24 thousand people died of the pandemic disease. 

They killed the five Midianite kings (Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba), which were the dukes of Amorite king Sihon, and they also killed Bala'am ben Beor, likely in Deir 'Alla (Joshua 13:21-27, Num. 31:1-8). 

"And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire." - Numbers 31:10 (KJV)

The Egyptian faience jar of Queen Tausert turned black as the sanctuary in Deir 'Alla was obliterated in a fierce fire. Fortunately, archaeologists found that Egyptian faience vase, and they discovered who was the owner of it when they read from a cartouche the name of Queen Tausert. 

Who was with the troop of Phinehas and Joshua (fl. 1228- c. 1150 BCE) when they destroyed the houses in the land? Archeological findings can show to us that there are Mycenaean and Cypriot pots (of Late Bronze: LH IIIB - Iron Age IA) in the vicinity together with the faince bottle of Queen Tausert. This simply means, there were Mycenaean and Cypriot fighters helping the troops of Joshua. 

Although Deir 'Alla was devastatingly burned to ash, archaeological finding shows that there was habitation after the conflagration. 

And the reason? 

Joshua 13:24-27 says Moses gave it as an inheritance to the families of Gad, and hence it was inhabited even up to the time of king Solomon and the Babylonian Captivity (1Chronicles 4:16-19).

Note: literature :

B.A. Levine, "The Deir 'Alla Plaster Inscriptions", in: W.W. Hallo (ed.), Context of Scripture, vol.2 (2003), 140-145.

ISRAEL, CIRCUMCISED FIGHTERS WERE TARGETED BY THE PHARAOH

ISRAEL, CIRCUMCISED FIGHTERS, TARGETED BY PHARAOH

A pharaoh in 1207 BCE reported an incident of 1208 BCE when he encountered the tribe he identified "wandering many rebellious men and women Israel." He was almost in a merge of comparing Israel to "Libyans" except that he distinguished the latter as a state of many Libyan  men & women. 

This means Tehenu Libyans has there city-state, whereas Israel is wandering tribe from the border of Egypt proper. In 1209 BCE the pharaoh fought Libyans, Issacharites (Shakares), Asherites (Akwesha), and Tursha (Atlantis fighters) and enabled to defeat them. This incident was taken advantage by Deborah, who tried to gather enough number to fight against Sisera, the general of king Jabin of Hazor. She might have received a warning from Issacharites (Shakarus) that impending attack might be followed after Canaanites were defeated in Gezer in 1209 BCE. The difficult to fight was King Jabin, and even king Rameses the Great (1279-1213 BCE) recognized how valuable the Kishon of Jabin. Since Kishon river was serving as a "wall" between south and north, Deborah asked Barak ben Abinoam to gather 10,000 Naphtalites and Zebulunites to Kedesh, just east of Pe-Kanah (Phoenicia). Danites (Denyen) and Asherites were busy with their overseas' matter (most likely with Moses), and did not send their fighters to Deborah. Besides Hazor was infested with many Kushite Kenites, as the son of Hobab brother-in-law of Moses lived in Kedesh as early as 1227 BCE. Even Egyptian scribe Hori (fl. 1207-1160 BCE) was describing how noticeable were the Kenites (fighters of Ken).

 During the days of Jael a Kenite woman (fl. 1227 - 1209 BCE), there was a volcanic eruption, melting Sinai "mountains" and making the highways unoccupied and ceasing villages of Israelites. The remaining population of Israel that time, as reported by Deborah, was 40,000. Within this period, the sons of Jair (fl. 1191-1169 BCE) were training to be governors of YHWH. And when Canaanite rulers tried to loot them, they fought, and they defeated them (Judges 5:4-11). 

And likely under Ehud in 1209 BCE they even burned Gezer, a land of Kharu which was assigned to be the lot of Moses' family. 

When king Merneptah discovered the restlessness of roaming Israel in those lands, he made a surprise attack by starting the fight in Ugarit, Syria, which was under the Hittite dominion, pharaoh's ally. And the he boastfully, officially reported:

" Tribe Israel of many wandering rebellious men and women is desolated, his

 seed no longer exists;

Kharu (Syrian) is become a widow because of Egypt. 

All lands united are in peace themselves. 

Anyone who was restless, he subdued by the King of Upper and Lower Egypt,..." - Merneptah Stele, lines 27-29 (Cairo no. 34025)

The pharaoh here is reporting that the tribe Israel has no "seed." 

King Rameses III identified what this "seed" refers to when he said: 

"Those who reached my boundary, their 

seed 

is no more,..." 

(cf. J.H. Breasted. 1906, iv, sections 65-66, Extracts from Medinet Habu inscription)

The "seed" refers to those who disturbed the boundary of the pharaoh.

Why king Merneptah was thinking of being sure that there was no "seed" of Israel? 

The reason was because he was targeting circumcised fighters since 1209 BCE, and in fact the pharaoh reported in his bulletin that he had killed

" 2201 circumcised Asherites (Akwesha), " 

besides of 222 Issacharites (Shakares). 

King Merneptah made a special distinguishing to easily determine the number of circumcised and uncircumcised enemies. He ordered his soldiers to have ocular inspection one by one on the genitals of their enemies. If the enemies are uncircumcised, they have to cut their penises; and if circumcised, they have to cut their hands. 

Even king Rameses III retaimed that cutting  off of the hands of enemies, and made an inventory.

To be specific, the servants of king Merneptah made a tally:

"From the heaps, [Egyptians] brought to the pharaoh the penises of the 6,111 men. And from circumcised slain, they carried the hands of 2,370 men"

and even reported that they 

" have cut off the penises of 6 Libyan princes."

(Egyptian inscription: KR 4.7-9, or line 46)

 

In this situation, Israel had to stop circumcising Hebrew babies, which is also mentioned by general Joshua.

" Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them 

they had not circumcised. 

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were 

men of war, 

which came out of Egypt, were consumed, ... " - Joshua 5:5-6 (KJV)

Since there had no circumcised Hebrew baby, the pharaoh has boastfully reported on his document (Merneptah Stele, line 27) that 

the tribe Israel 

has "no seed."

And Moses became contented in saying that their God YHWH 

"will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your 

seed, 

to love YHWH your God with all your heart,..." (Deuteronomy 30:6)

Two opposite parties (pharaoh and Joshua & Moses) are describing the same thing about circumcision. And this is the hard evidence that the report about certain events of Moses and Joshua are historically true. 

And it was king Merneptah who became interested to determine the number of killed circumcised enemies, that he even allowed updating report of the inventory, giving the reason why the two bulletins (Athribis stela and Karnak inscription) of the same invent have different figures of slain circumcised enemies.

It was only on March 28th, 1189 BCE when Joshua resumed the circumcision rite.

Joshua 5:4,7,9

" And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 

And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way. 

And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the 

reproach of Egypt

 from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. " - Joshua 5:4,7,9 (KJV)

COPPER SNAKE FROM EDOM

COPPER SNAKES

Moses (Torah) reported " nahasim," which can be understood 'two serpents' (as the " -im" if we will consider as a short form of "-ayim", a dual suffix). 

They encountered at least two snakes, one is poisonous and the other one is likely not deadly. 

Traditionally, snakes when depicted or sculptured must be in a pair. That is attested even by the 1600 BCE Minoan Snake Goddess in Crete. Even in Hazor a bronze sketced with a goddess' head and two snakes is telling us that it was a standard in antiquity to have two copper snakes. 

Moses made a change on this tradition, and according to king Rameses III, he treated gods as merely humans.  

The people of captain (generals) was led by Moses to Athika in Edom. And this was likely under the permission of the pharaoh (Queen Tausert). 

While the other population was in Horma, the " am rabh " (captain people) was headed toward a lake (Edom suph) for water. 

" And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the 

yam suph [reeds' sea],

 to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 

And the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, 

neither is there any water; 

and our soul loathes this light bread. 

And YHWH sent burning serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. " -Numbers 21:4-6 

Since "edom" means "red," later Jewish Greek writers had translated 'Edom suph' as "Erythra thalassa" ("Red Sea"). And Herodotus (c.440 BCE) called the sea south of this lake as "Erythra" ("Red") as what he had learned from the Judaeans.

There was a locality there called by the Hebrews as "Athakh" (1Samuel 30:30), the same area called by king Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE) as "Atika," and Moses became known as "Musaeos of Attica" probably because of this place. 

The group of people Moses hid here were " generals" and coded as "Leprous," most likely so that no foreign enemies would dare to touch them. He mentioned their sending in this way:

" wasalahti (and I will send)

'et-ha (the)

sir'ah (hornets)

lepaneka (ahead of you)

wagerasah (and which shall drive out)

'et-ha-hiwwi (the Hivites),

ha-kana'ani (the Canaanites),

we'et (and)

ha-hitti (the Hittites)

milapaneka (before you)." - Exodus 23:28

Moses plays a pun of word here, including the jargon that only them could quickly comprehend.

"Tsaraath" ("leprosy") is the rootword of both 

sir'ah ("hornets, wasps")

and

"Zorah." 

This part of people coded as "leprous" is historically also mentioned in the Aegyptiaca (History of Egypt) written by the Egyptian Greek priest Manetho (fl. c. 285 - c. 239 BCE), saying:

"... 'the people of Jerusalem came accordingly upon the Egyptians, ... and for that priest who settled their polity and their law,' he says,' he was by birth of Heliopolis, and his name was 

Osarsuph,

[derived]  from [the name] Osiris god of Heliopolis, but that he changed his name, and called himself 

Moses.'

 [Manetho] then says that 'on the 13th year afterward Amenophis [Amenmesse] of his misfortune, 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 bounds in Syria. ...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 come out

 of the mines,

 and had received of the king [Tausert] a city, and a country, they would have grown milder toward him...." - Manetho, Aegyptiaca (preserved in Apion 1.28-29, Josephus)

According to the Egyptian history that Manetho had learned, this incident of Moses (Osarsiph/Yarsu) with a troop of Kush in mining sites (Athika) happened in the Year 13 of pharaoh Amenmeses.

Amenmesse ruled between 1201-1198 BCE, and his Year 13 was in 1190-1189 BCE. 

This is an independent extra biblical source written in a national History of Egypt in the 3rd century BCE.

Athika, now known "Timna Valley, Edom," was a mining site. Queen Tausert visited this place in 1190 BCE after the death of her predecessor Siptah. She became the "king of Egypt" (and traditionally, in hieroglyphic writings, masculine pronouns could be used for her when speaking to her as the "king"), and  according to Rameses III this "king" conspired with "Yarsu" (Moses). 

According to Rameses III, Athika was not heard by his father as it was a secret place that his family did not know earlier. It is expected since the people of generals were hid by Yarsu (Moses) in that place. Queen Tausert made secret about Athika.

"... to the land of 

Atika

 to the great copper mines which are there. ... It had

 not been heard of

 since the kings [earlier than me]. Their mines were found and yielded copper  ..." - Rameses III (Papyrus Harris I, column 78, lines 1-4)

Yarsu (Osarsu) became the "Chieftain" of pharaoh (Queen Tausert), admitted by Rameses III in his official report in Papyrus Harris I, column 75, lines 3-6.

There in Athika, Edom, Kushite Midianites were very acquainted both by inhabitants and place. And tradition was that to appease the goddess of snakes, they probably need to make replica of snakes.

Why they needed to appease the goddess of snakes?

"... wayamat (and died)

'am (people)

rabh (captain)

miyisra'el (of Israel)." - Numbers 21:6

Many captain people died because of snake bites. But Moses changed the tradition. Instead to make two bronze snakes, he sculptured one and this 

"nahas" (snake)

was an advice to him by his God.

Midianites, whether with or without the knowledge of Moses, made another copper snake (and fortunately, archaeologists discovered that very copper snake). 

" And YHWH said unto Moses, Make a burning [snake], and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live. 

And Moses made a copper snake, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to it, he lived. " - Numbers 21:8-9

"PILLARS OF HERCULES"

 "Pillars of Hercules" refers to the landmark of the start of the rebellion. 

Herakles (Hercules) was a legendary ruler of Tyre or west coast of Syria between around 1264 and 1226 BCE, next to or contemporary of Aribas, after Phoenix. 

Phoenix is a transliteration of "Pekanan," a toponym east of Phoenicia. Joshua called this place "Kanah," where Phoenicians were probably kept safe by Muksus (Moses) when they landed in it. 

King Seti I (1290 BCE) depicted "Pekanan" as on a hill surrounded by trees. This was the farthest place he fought during his first year of reign. 

"Year 1. King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Menmare (Seti I). The destruction which the mighty sword of the Pharaoh L.P.H. made among the vanquished of the Shasu, from the Fortress of Tharu to

 Pekanan,

 when his majesty marched against them like a fierce-eyed lion, making them carcasses in their valleys, overturned in their blood like those that exist not." - Seti I (1290 BCE)

From Pekanan king Seti probably divided his troops, one moved to Beth-Rehob in the north of Palestine (cf. Numbers 13:21) and the other troop to Hamath and Yenoam. 

Pekanan could be the place where he got the tree or pillars symbolizing Osiris' rescue. 

Phoenicia was a transliteration of "Pekanan" which was popularized likely during the time of king Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE). 

 According to Xanthus (FGH765F 17), an ancient Lydian historian, Mu-ka-sa ("Moxos" in Luwian hieroglyphics) had his military operation in Phoenicia. 

How Moses got in the region?

 It was when Moses left Kadeshbarnea after Miriam and Aaron questioned his marriage to Zipporah, a Kushite woman. Likely it was after Moses gave importance to the Kushite families, the incident of which was when on May 19, 1228 BCE he asked Hobab (the brother of his wife) to help him to scout the northern area. 

Asiatics (e.g. of Syria-Palestine) were well known as " ibrw " (Hebrew) during the time of king Rameses II scouting many places for military gathering information. So, it could be a jealousy of Miriam about who could be best scouts, the Hebrews (homophone of "ibrw ") or the Kushites? This debate may give also reason why his sister was called "Miriam," an ideogram name derived from king Rameses II's name " Miriamun" to mean "rebellious." 

Numbers 10:11-12,29-33,35

" And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 

And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 

And Moses said unto

 Hobab, 

the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel. And he 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 the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. 

And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. 

And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. " - 

Numbers 10:11-12,29-33,35 (KJV)

Moses had an idea to scatter the enemies, and this might made him to decide to left his family (and put them under the leadership of his elder siblings, Miriam and Aaron) in Kadeshbarnea, and to destroy Hittites and other potential enemies before the 40th year would come (he ordered the Hebrews to stay at wilderness within 4 decades). He was absent in Kadeshbarnea between 1227 and around 1194 BCE. 

Where Moses did go? 

" Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab of the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. 

Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. " - Judges 4:11,17

They went in the territory of king Jabin of Hazor. Heber the Kenite lived in Zaanaim near Rukkath (Lukka) and had a good relationship with Jabin because since 1227 BCE until 20th year they were paying taxes or tribute to the king (Judges 4:2-3). 

Zaanaim, where they stayed, is in the west of Pe-kanah (Phoenicia). 

King Seti depicted "Pekanan" as on a hill surrounded with trees, and from them or probably from Byblos he got the trunks that could be used to make into "djed" ("pillars") and offer them to Isis. 

It was a practice of a pharaoh to send representative in Byblos to ask for a wood that could be used to by Egyptians for their idol, like in the report of Wenamun (fl. 1129-1070 BCE).

And Herakles is said had reigned in Phoenicia and was deified at his death in 1226 BCE. He was before Moses had started the rebellion. 

There were two strategic places of Moses' movement: first was in Phoenicia, and next was in Caphtor. 

The term Caphtor itself has two meanings: the place anciently known "Kaphtara" (read by Minoans as "ku-pa-ro", the toponym "Cyprus," with silent "t"), 

and 

in Hebrew "kaphtor" could be understood as "pillar" (e.g. Amos 9:1, Zephaniah 2:14). 

The name "Kaphtor" was in itself may mean "Pillar." 

And the source of Egyptian "pillar" was Byblos or Phoenicia. 

Plato described these "Pillars" as located at the distant point of ocean of Atlantis on front of Atlantis' island and surrounded by a continent encompassing an ocean.

Paraphrasing an Egyptian priest via Solon (c. 630 - c. 560 BCE) and Timaeus (700 BCE), Plato reported:

" For it is related in our records how once upon a time your State stayed the course of a mighty host, which, starting from a 

distant point in the ocean

 of Atlantis' ocean, was insolently advancing 

to attack the

 whole of Europe, and Asia 

to boot.

 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 [surrounded by] larger  than  Libya [Libu tribe]  and Asia [Assuwa] 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 over against them which encompasses that veritable ocean. For all that we have here, lying within the 

mouth

 of which we speak, is evidently a haven having a narrow entrance; but that yonder is a real ocean, and the land surrounding it may most rightly be called, in the fullest and truest sense, a continent. 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." (Plato's Timaeus 24e - 25a)

Later Greek writer identified these "pillars" as pillars of "Melcarthus," as the term was derived from " Melqart," which simply means " king (of Byblos or Tyre)" and later referred to a god, most likely Hercules (a deified Tyre's king of 1226 BCE). 

Plutarch in his book 'On Isis and Osiris' indicated that Melcarthus was the king of Byblos, most likely the way "Caesar"  is the king of Rome and "pharaoh" is the king of Egypt.

It was after the death of Herakles (1226 BCE) when Cyprus' towns (Enkomi, Kition, Palaekastro, and Sinda) were destroyed (archaeologically in LC IIC), but the destroyers lived in them and remained untouched by other Sea Peoples decade after decade.

King Rameses III reported that "Kush" was causing disturbances to the people of Syria. This may mean that the Kushite tribe became known at this instance. This may give a likely hint to us that "Kushmeshusha" could be a pretender native ruler of Alashiya, Cyprus being referred to of the tribe causing disturbances in Syria.

" I made the infantry and chariotry to dwell [at home] in my time; the Sherdana and Kehek were in their towns, lying the length of their backs; they had no fear, for there was no enemy from 

Kush, from Syria. 

Their bows and their weapons were laid up in their magazines, while they were satisfied with drunk and joy. Their wives were with them, their children at their side [for] was with them as the defense and protection of their limbs "(cf. Papyrus Harris I; Standard, The Sea Peoples, p.133) 

 The name "Kush-Meshusha" means "Moses of Kush" or a translation of 

"Yah-Moses" 

since "Kushuh" was a moon of god of Harran, the way "yah" was a former moon god of Egyptians. If this is correct, then this may mean that Moses was using "Kush" as an ideogram for "Yah" and a phonogram for "Kush," the tribe of Moses' wife, and as a logogram for the Syrian land (e.g. Harran, as his patriarch Jacob and Abram were from Harran).

It seems that "Kushmeshusha" got the heart of the people in Cyprus and Ugarit, Syria, by enticing them for a good relationship, as what the Kushite Kenites did to Sisera of king Jabin in Hazor. 

Not knowing the traditional royal correspondences, Kushmeshusha identified himself as "sharru" ("king"), which was very unusual that time because Cyprus was not claiming to be independent kingdom. Although this may imply also that Cypriots liked this independency from Hittite or Egyptian rulership. 

Kaphtor, the "Pillar" island, could be Enkomi, where a Kharu leader led a reform by his Peleset fighters. And king Rameses III identified this Kharu leader who usurped the authority of Egypt to foreign land (e.g. Cyprus) as 

"Yarsu" ("Yah-Moses").

"Yah-Moses" could be translated into "Kushmeshusha." This person Kushmeshusha (Yah-Moses) was the first to claim to be the king of Alashiya in the Late Bronze Age. And Cyprus was the best starting point for reform since it was connected to various points of the ancient world, particularly to the Minoans, Atlantis (Tursha), and Mycenaean islands. This distant island was marked as "Pillar of Hercules," where Hercules was a symbol of Melqart or king of Phoenicia that era. 

EGYPTIAN GOD WHO WAS SYMBOLICALLY JUDGED BY YHWH

EGYPTIAN "GOD" WHOSE FIRSTBORN SON'S DEATH WAS A SYMBOLIC OF YHWH'S JUDGEMENT

As early as 1278 BCE a pharaoh was praying to goddess Ma'at and other deities that they may have with his side until at least of his 30 years of reign. 

Obviously his fervent wish was to secure his name to be written in Egyptian history as one of the Egyptian gods.

  Heb sed will be received by a pharaoh in a jubilee festival when he reached his regnal Year 30, the same celebration when he would be ritually transformed into a god. Rameses II was determined for this end when he inaugurated the building of two temples of gods at Abu Simbel in 1255 BCE. At the entrance of the temple are four giant statutes of the king himself, proudly implying that this is the domain where Rameses is a god. The place was known from ancient as 

"Rameses Miry-Amun," 

named after the pharaoh. 

Moses aliased his eldest sibling in 1228 BCE as

 " Miriam,"

 likely derived from the name of Rameses, to mean "rebellious" as Moses inculcated to the Hebrews that the pharaoh was stubborn or rebellious against YHWH.

 

Rameses made many canals and ponds or lakes in the capital city, and one of their functions, besides being "walls" against enemies and being "highways" for citizens, was to host a lot of frogs, which symbolize producing many children, water, and regeneration and rebirth. The image of frog called hefnu is actually the number "100,000" in hieroglyphic writing system.

 

Many years are needed for the preparation of the sed festival as stone-cutters would have to search stones to build accomodations and shelters for the royal family, the visitors, government officials, and idols.

The pharaoh would have to make invitations to be sent to Foreign Dignitaries and envoys. Officials and representatives all over Egypt were invited, too.

On the week-long feast, the pharaoh would perform some rituals, including sleeping in his burial coffin, only to be awakened by deities ('voices of gods') on the morrow.

While kneeling with his arms out, Rameses opened his palms to receive the "heb sed" (bowl with frogs) from a representative of an Egyptian god. And then he stood up, and god Thoth through the voice of a priest would say:

“Receive the Sed Festival from Ra and the years from your father Amun, so that you can rile as King for Eternity.” 

To perpetuate this event, the pharaoh wrote it on the 3rd Pylon on the North Wall in Karnak Temple. 

In this festival he would ritually transform into a god. Rameses was too serious of this new job, he let his eldest son to sit on his throne and act on his behalf. So, while the pharaoh was absent and performing his duty as an Egyptian god, his eldest son was functioning as the de facto pharaoh. 

It seems that Rameses II was cursed to have no firstborn son would succeed him, his eldest son died and the second eldest son, Ramesses B was declared as the heir (Crown Prince) in 1254 BCE, just after king Rameses the Great inaugurated the temple of Abu Simbel. 

Prince Ramesses B was the eldest brother of prince Merneptah.

Moses had a knowledge about the curse on the firstborn sons of the Egyptians that was taking its effect likely in some Abibs or spring seasons, besides of the fact that Caphtorites were now migrating to some lands near the border of Egypt, and used this as an advantage to warn the king.

The pharaoh believed that a god could talk through the voice of a prophet. And he was aware of the fact that a tribe of wandering  Shasu was living in the "Land of Yahweh." In fact, Rameses himself identified their geographic location near Seir south of Arad. 

Hoping that the king would grant his request to celebrate feast in the desert (to anticipate Pharaoh's sed festival), Moses said to man the sitting on the throne:

" ... Thus saiys YHWH God of Israel, 

'Let my people go, that they may hold a 

feast

 unto Me in the wilderness.' 

And Pharaoh said, Who is Yahweh, that I should obey His

 voice

 to let Israel go? I know not Yahweh, 

neither will I let Israel go. 

And they said, 

'The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray you, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto YHWH our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. " - Exodus 5:1-3

This request was irritating on the ears of Egyptians because it might suggest trickery, as according to the legend Set of desert and violence tricked Osiris to climb into a coffin and then threw away the coffin to Nile river whence it reached Byblos, where a tree grew up, sandwiching it inside the tree's trunk. That tree was cut down and used as a pillar in Egypt. And this was likely where the idea of "pillar" of Byblos ('Herakles') came from to mark where the rebellion started by Mu-ku-su-us (Moses) during Late Bronze Age collapse. 

Hearing about making a feast for a God in the desert...

" ... the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do you, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. " - Exodus 5:4

In this instance, Moses is giving a warning about the drawing near of pestilence and battles and connected it to the God of the Hebrews (Habiru/Hapiru). 

During the Amarna period, monotheistic God of king Akhenaten could be likely blamed for the pandemic that spread out in Hittite and Egyptian lands, and might be the reason why Tutankhaten did not hesitate to abandon the city of the monotheistic pharaohs in Amarna after the clergy of Amun and Re influenced the teenager pharaoh. 

Now, Moses was predicting that the Hebrews' God would bring pestilence to Pihahirot (Avaris), Egypt if the pharaoh would reject the request to let them celebrate a feast in the desert. 

The way Moses had talked to the guy on the throne, it seemed for the king that the voice was not coming from any other god but from Moses only.

 

To reduce the importance of the power of the pharaoh, Moses preached himself as a "God" to pharaoh and Aaron his mouthpiece or prophet (Exodus 7:1). According to king Rameses III, he "treated gods as just like humans" (Papyrus Harris I, 75.3-6).

The de facto pharaoh said to Moses:

"... Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. 

And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more. " - Exodus 10:28-29 (KJV)

Moses predicted that he would not see again the face of the de facto pharaoh. 

Why? 

Moses had a knowledge that the said man on the throne would be died sooner after their meeting. And the person that that time sitting on the throne was no other than but the firstborn son of the king. 

Prince Ramesses B, the acting pharaoh, died when the pandemic on human spread in Africa in 1229 BCE, particularly in the Delta. 

" And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the 

firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his

 throne, 

even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. " - Exodus 11:5 (KJV)

The prediction of Moses was expected to materialize since the capital city was a place of many youths who were taking certain gatherings there. A scribe (fl. c. 1210 - 1200 BCE)  just that era wrote:

"The Great-of-Victories youths are in festive attire every day; sweet moringa-oil is upon their heads having hair freshly braided. They stand beside their door. Their hands bowed down with foliage and greenery of

Pi-Hahirot

and flax of the Waters-of-Horus. The day that one enters

Rameses

(wsr-m3'-r' stp-nr') l.p.h." 

- Egyptian inscription: Papyrus Anastasi 3:3 (BM 10246,3)

The human pandemic started just after the start of the African Swine (or Cattle) Fever, when the air was too hot, and when there were simultaneous volcanic activities in many parts of the Mediterranean. 

Moses was apparently targeting the season of the 

ruakh kadim ('east wind")

as a possible culprit for the illnesses on human and of the spoil of foods and a trigger to awaken innumerable locusts. And since firstborn sons were given double portion of food supply, they were on high risk of eating mold and toxic foods twice. 

Many youth and animals died, and even the first son of the country died. 

  

" 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

 in the first month, on the 15th day of the 1st month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians buried all 

their firstborn, 

which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their 

gods 

also the LORD executed judgments. 

And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth. " - Numbers 33:2-5 

According to the journal of Moses, Israel left Rameses on Abib 15 (April 24), as the Egyptians were burying their deceased firstborn children. 

Prince Ramesses B, who was sitting on the throne of the Pharaoh, died in 1229 BCE. 

The death of the Pharaoh's  firstborn son, according to Moses (Torah), was a judgement of YHWH against the Egyptian

 

gods.

 

And king Rameses II the Great was one of the those gods.

Even Jethro Reuel, the Kenite priest of Midianites and the father-in-law of Moses (1309-1189 BCE), was implying that the pharaoh was one of the Egyptian gods when he said,

" ... Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of 

Pharaoh, 

who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 

Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all 

gods:

 for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. " - Exodus 18:10-11

************

Notes:

Hefnu : givemehistory.com/frogs-in-ancient-egypt.

Miriam : ohr.edu/explore_judaism/ask_the_rabbi/ask_the_rabbi/7033.

MOSES' NAME

The name "Moses" is Latin or Greek transliteration of Hebrew "Moseh," derived from the Egyptian theophorous name "Mose" or "Mesu" from hieroglyphic 

"msj" 

or

"msw," 

which means " give birth." 

His name could be spelled too as

"Mesi,"

"Mesusa" ("Meshusha"),

"-messu," 

" -mosis" or "- meses."

In the Hittite-Egyptian peace treaty, the name "Ra-moses" is spelled "Ria-mashesha," making the suffix " -moses" as

 " -mashesha."

The name "Moses" in Egyptian means 

" Born of ..."

suggestive that Moses omitted the first part of his name, which was expectedly a name of an Egyptian god.

 This short form is a hypocoristic name which was a usual practice by foreigners for Egyptian theophorous name. 

King Rameses III (1186-1155 BCE) shortened further his name into 

" -Su " 

(" Born ...") 

and to insult him the pharaoh called him 

"jrsw"

or  "Yarsu" ("He made himself ")

to put on historical record that it's not the Egyptian god who anointed him, rather he himself acted as one of the gods and usurped the authority - that is, he is a plunderer. 

The teacher of Manetho might have identified him 

"Osarsu" ("Oyarsu "),

which is translated into Greek 

" Osarseph."

According to Aegyptiaca ("History of Egypt" ), written by Manetho (fl. c. 285 - c 240 BCE), that name was from Osiris (Wsjr), as expected because Osiris was syncretised with 

" iah " (yah). 

Therefore the long name of Moses could be

" Yar-Mesu,"

where "Yar " (likely read by Egyptians as "Yah") is a shortened moon god's name. 

Egyptians declined to use the name "Yah" for their moon god during this Late Bronze Age, as obviously Moses popularized the word "Yah" for the Hebrew God's name. "Yāreah" is the word 'moon ' for Canaanites, and a short form of it ("yar-" in exchange of "yah") could be the prefix of the theophorous name of "Moses." 

Thus, his name might have evolved as follows:

Yah-Mesu.

Yar-Mesu.

Mesu.

Su.

Yarsu.

Osarsu.

Osarsiph.

And if Moses bore the syncretic name of Osiris (as Osiris is described " iah-djehuty" or Yah-Thoth, i.e. "god of the new moon," god of calculation, knowledge, writing), it may mean that Moses was born on the day of feast of Osiris.

If he was born during the feast of Osiris in 1309 BCE, then the Egyptian calendar that year has "July 12 - Thursday" also known

 1st day of the Egyptian year (called " Osiris [birthday]"). 

Moses possibly used "yah" as to mean "fullmoon" and was inclined to celebrate feast during fullmoon, and as a process of this practice, the Hebrew letters for "yah" was later popularized to be understood as the number "15." In Hebrew number system, 

"y h"

means "15,"

and the Egyptian word "yah" means "moon" when it comes to calendar mid-month feasts.

This suggests that Moses might have used the symbol for  " yah " as a logogram for "15" and as an ideogram for "moon."

We can trace from Moses' practice the number 15 of the fullmoon.

For example, Moses intended the escape of the Hebrews from Rameses on 

Abib yah (Abib 15), 

which was a fullmoon in that night. 

Numbers 33:3

" And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the

 fifteenth day of the first month; 

on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. " - Numbers 33:3 (KJV)

Incidentally, the Egyptian word " yah" is homophone to the Ugaritic theophoric suffix word 

" - ia " ("ya").

Abraham and the Hebrews from Amorite Ebla or Mari might have used the word 

"ya"

 as a generic term for "god " and might have borrowed it from the name "Ea," the God who saved Utnapishtim (Noah) from a river flood in Ararat area.

Knowing that "yah" was a generic term for "god " during the time of Abraham down to Moses, 

"Abib Yah"  

may mean "Abib 15",

"Fullmoon of Abib"

and Abib of God (i.e. feast or holiday for God).

Why Moses omitted the term " Yah-" from his original name? 

In official Egyptian naming system, the name of a god must be a prefix. 

For an instance:

"Amen-hotep" ("god Amun is satisfied").

"Ra-meses" ("It is Re, who has born him").

" Ah-mose" ("moon god Jah born him").

His longer name "Yar-Mesu" may mean "Born of [moon god] Jah." 

Since Moses (Su) was teaching people to abandon Egyptian religious practices, it is expected that he would rather retain the hypocorism of his name than to use the traditional naming system. 

Amenhotep IV made a naming system for monotheists by putting a god's name at the end of the  theonym (like his own name "Akhen-Aten," which means "Effective for god Aten"). And Moses' family followed that system, as evident in the name of "Aaron" ("Aa-Re", "Great is Ra"), 

Miriam ("Miry-Amun," "Beloved of Amen"),

but his mother and father were before that naming system, so that 

Jochebed  has"Djehuti-ebed," "Servant of Thot"), and so on.

Since Egyptian name is associated to a feast of an Egyptian god, Moses' adopting mother had the right to name him based on the calendar birthday of a god. 

"[He] was by birth of Hellopolis, and his name Osarsiph, from Osyris, who was the god of Heliopolis; but that when he was gone over these people, his name was changed, and he was called Moses." 

- Manetho (c. 260 BCE), Aegyptiaca (verbatim preserved in Against Apion 1.26, by Josephus)

The name "Moses" ("Mesu") may vary from country to country that Late Bronze Age. 

In Athens it was "Musaeos," whereas in Arsawan Lydia "Mukusus." In Kue it was Moxos by ancient Cilicians and "Mopso" (Mopsos) by the Phoenicians.

  

In Egypt it was "Yarsu" or "Su," whereas to Manetho it was "Osarsuph." 

In Alashiya, Cyprus, the name

" Kush-Meshusha " 

may mean "Yah-Moses" ("moon god 'Kushuh' born him"). 

'Kushuh' was a Hurrian god and syncretised with the moon god of Harran, the ancestral country of Abram.

 

Kushmeshusha (Yah-Moses) might have usurped the power probably by calling himself "sharru" ("king") or above rabisu and likely pretending to be one, when in fact the ruler there that was communicating with Egyptian and Hittite kings was usually rabisu (senior prefect ) and did not reveal the name of the king . This Kushmeshusha was sending tonne of copper to Niqmaddu (c. 1222 - c. 1215 BCE), and as a possible consequence the Ugarit king was put in many investigations. 

This could be clearly understood if we will dig deeply what prophet Amos is saying on the military activities that led to the liberation of Israel, Peleset, and Aram. 

According Amos 9:7, Yahweh brought up 

Peleset (Philistines) from Caphtor, and 

Aram (probably Emar, Syria ) from Kir (Ugarit) 

as He brought up Israel from the land of Egypt. He even describes Israel as like Kushiyim ( Kush - Hurrians and/or Kushites of Midianites).

" Haloh ([Are] not)

kibne (like the sons)

Kushiyim (of the Kushites/or Hurrians)

'atem (you)

li (to Me)

bene Yishra'el (sons of Israel)?

naum YHWH (says Yahweh);

Haloh eth- (Did not)

Yishra'el (Israel)

he'eleti (I bring up)

me-eretz Misrayim (from the earth of Egypt)?

u-Pelistiyim (and Peleset)

mi-Kaftwr (from Caphtor),

wa'aram (and Aram, Syria)

mi-Qir (from Kir/Ugarit)?" 

- Amos 9:7

This bringing up of people are said to be as when Israel was brought up from the land of Egypt, and the over all general involved in this escape was Moses.

 Needless to say, by Moses YHWH brought up Aram (Syrian) from Kir, Peleset (ancestors of Philistines) from Caphtor, and Israel from Egypt. 

When Moses enabled to go back to the border of Egypt, in Kadeshbarnea, the teenager pharaoh Siptah executed Chancellor Bay by a crime 

"great enemy." 

"Year 5, [Egyptian] Abib 27th

(That is, 9th May, 1193 BCE, Ziv 7).

 On this day, the scribe of the tomb Paser came announcing 

'sema Par-ao a.w.s kheru aa Bay'

(has killed by Pharaoh L.P.H., Bay [the] great enemy)." 

- Ostraca IF SO 1864, published by Pierre (titled "L'execution du chancelier Bay O. IFAO 1864," BIFAO 100 [2000]: pp. 339–345)

Pharaoh Siptah, most likely under the influence of Queen Tausert, ordered the capital punishment for Chancellor Bay, and according to king Rameses III, they conspired with 

"Su " (Mesu/Moses). 

Chancellor Bay was communicating with Ugarit king Ammurapi, who was a supporter of the deceased Merneptah. It could be under the conspiracy of Su (Moses), Queen Tausert and king Siptah why Chancellor Bay was executed. 

After that, Moses (1309 - 1189 BCE) decided to transfer his family and the Hebrews from Kadeshbarnea to Edom in 1192 BCE. 

FIRSTBORN SONS OF RAMESES II DIED EARLIER

FIRSTBORN SONS OF RAMESES II DIED ALL, BUT MERNEPTAH SUCCESSFULLY SUCCEEDED ON THE THRONE

It was the 13th son, Merneptah, who succeeded king Rameses the Great in 1213 BCE. 

The reason?

All firstborn sons of Rameses died even before he did.

 In fact even the elder brothers of Merneptah died earlier, too.

There was a mysterious cause why the target of death were the firsborn sons. And this happened in the years of Late Bronze Age. And during that time, since the death of Prince Ramesses B in 1229 BCE till 1213 BCE Rameses the Great did no harm against Israel either by physical or writing. 

Among hundred children of king Rameses from many wives, it was Merneptah who managed to survive. 

Merneptah's name in Egyptian means "Beloved of Ptah." 

His name can be Akkadianized into

 " -nap-ta-a, " 

as the name "Ptah" in Akkadian is "up-ta-ah." 

Joshua borrowed the name in a hypocoristic form "Nephtoah" to mean

 'he opened [water system]' 

in a phrase 

"mayan mei Nephtoah" 

("spring/well of Water of Neptoah "). 

The verb form in Hebrew is " patah" ("to open"), which is exactly the meaning of the Egyptian god's name 

"p t h " ("opener ").

Needless to say, Joshua had undoubtedly borrowed this name 

"Nephtoah "

 from the name

 "[Mer-] neptah."

The name of Merneptah was popularized among tribes of Shasu of Edom and associated it with a Wadi Tumilat's lake that likely turned into "pools."

 

" And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the 

well of water of Nephtoah: " - Joshua 18:15

"Well of Merneptah" was a common term used by the Egyptians and likely by tribes of Shasu and Edomites in 1210-1203 BCE that even Joshua used it for certain pool or source of water in Lifta (31° 47' 43" N  31° 11' 47" E).

An example of its usage in ancient Egyptian literature is a report of his officer in his Year 8 saying:

"For the satisfaction of the great my lord, to wit:

We have finished passing the tribes of Shasu of Edom through the 

Fortress Merneptah

 in Succoth, to the 

pools of Pithom Merneptah

 in Succoth, in order to refresh them and their cattle by the goodness of the Pharaoh's soul... on 18th June 1206 BCE..." 

- Scribe Inana, Papyrus Anastasi 6.51-61

This letter suggests that there were other "wells of Merneptah " other than that of Succoth.

Prince Ramesses B, the firstborn son of Rameses the Great, died in 1229 BCE while sitting on the throne of his father. The firstborn was the 'acting' pharaoh as his father was performing the ritual function of an Egyptian god. He was the eldest brother of Merneptah. 

The Bible reported that the death of all firstborn sons was a judgement of Moses' God to the Egyptian gods. One of these gods was Rameses the Great himself.

"And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the 

firstborn of Pharaoh

 that sitteth upon his throne, 

even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 

And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. " - Exodus 11:5-6 (KJV)

The other Rameses' firstborn sons died earlier, too, and many of them were buried in a single huge 67-chamber mausoleum in Tomb KV 5 (25° 44' 26.2' N 32° 36' 07.1" E). This tomb has at least approximately 130 chambers. 

" 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 Abib 15; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians buried all 

firstborn,

 who YHWH had smitten among them: upon their 

gods 

also YHWH executed judgments. " - Numbers 33:2-4 

That news about the pandemic that killed Egyptians became know to Midianites and Philistines.

Jethro Reuel, the Kushite priest of Midianites, describes the Pharaoh as one of the Egyptian gods who was punished for the death of all firstborn sons (Exodus 18:10-11).

 And probably out of fear that was why king Rameses did not choose his successor until his advance age had compelled him to do so.

It was only in 1224 BCE in the regnal Year 55 & 

80th birthday of Rameses II 

probably after making sure that no curse could kill the heir when 

Merneptah was proclaimed the  

"Crown Prince."

This apparently when Kushmeshusha (Yah-Moses) successfully entered Alashiya, Cyprus.

By August of 1213 BCE Merneptah succeeded his father. 

He became careful to make his face familiar to enemies and rejected the request of king Ammurapi to send his sculptor to Ugarit (Kir), Syria, as the predecessor Niqmaddu (r. c. 1222 - c. 1215 BCE) was in good relationship with Kushmeshusha (Yar-Mesu). Although during the time of Ammurapi (1213 BCE) Moses was gone out from Caphtor/Cyprus probably for Ahhiyawa.

Musaeos (Moses) was in Athens in around 1211 BCE and fighting there probably with Tursha. He was a hierophant and prophet (cf. Plato, Protagoras). A hill in Athens was named after him and a statue was dedicated to him in Mouseion Hill (cf. Paisanias 25.8). After the Trojan War (1197-1187 BCE), many were searching for Musaeus (cf. Virgil, The Aeneid 6.667). 

The pharaoh tightened the security monitoring in the gates of Egypt, particularly in Sile and Wadi Tumilat, letting pass only certain tribes of Shasu of Edom. This treatment yielded favor, for ruler of Edom in the future would reject Israel's request to pass in Edom's road.

Famine became severe in 1211-1210 BCE coercing Israel to cause disturbances in many countries in Canaan to plunder. 

By 1208 BCE Merneptah destroyed food sources of Israel and killed many, by targeting circumcised persons. In effect Hebrews stopped circumcising babies, and the pharaoh officially reported that there is no seed of Israel. 

In 1208 BCE a year after destroying Libyans, king Merneptah reported that...

"Not one is raising his head among the Nine Archers. 

Libyan Tehenu land has come to ruin.

Hittite territory is pacified;

Canaan has been plundered into every sort of work:

Foreign Ashkelon city-state has been overcome;

Gezer city-state has been captured;

Yano'am city-state is annihilated. 

Wandering many men & women tribe 

Israel 

is laid waste, he has no seed now;

Syrian Kharu is become a widow because of Egypt. 

All lands have united themselves in peace. 

Merneptah L.P.A. is subduing those roaming disturbingly. "

 - Egyptian inscription: Merenptah Stele, lines 26-29 (Cairo no. 34025)

After his fight against 

Libyans, 

Asherites (Akwesh), 

Issacharites (Shakarus), 

Tursha (Tw-re-sha), 

Rakkath (Rw-kw/Lukka), 

Sardinians (Sherden), 

and Northerners (Syria-Palestine),

Merneptah made a surprise attack in Ugarit, a Hittite territory. He left his sword there (which archaeologist found out), and the main target of his fury could be the male and female Israelites that roaming and causing disturbances in Canaan, Ashkelon, Gezer, Yano'am (Janoah),

and Kharu. 

This incident coincided with the military activities of prophetess Deborah, who likely had believed that the Hebrews absorbed the power of sun during the solar eclipse of 16May 1208 BCE. 

While king Merneptah (Nephtoah) is saying the that reason why there was no disturbance is because he had subdued those wandering Israelite men and women; Deborah, on the other hand, is saying it's because the enemies were perished. 

"So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the

 sun 

when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years. " - Judges 5:31 (KJV)

According to the claim of the pharaoh, there was now no "seed" of Israel, and this "seed" refers to those circumcised men who trespassed Merneptah's country. 

" Those who reached my boundary, their 

seed 

is no longer existing."

 - Egyptian inscription: from Medinet Habu of Rameses III (read also J.H.Breasted 1906, iv, section 65-66).