Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

Three Days into the Wilderness and --

THE TEMPLE OF SERABIT EL-KHADEM!

After returning from the Mountain of YEHOVAH God in Midian, Moses and
Aaron approached the pharaoh of Egypt and demanded that the Israelites be
freed to march THREE DAYS into the wilderness. Where was this "three
days into the wilderness," and what did the Israelites do when they got there?
Discover the "WALL OF THE RULERS" that stretched along the eastern
frontier of Egypt, through which the Israelites passed to reach the wilderness
of Sinai. Read about the TEMPLE OF SERABIT and the huge MOUND OF
ASHES 19th-century explorers discovered under the floor, along with the
TWELVE STELES and the Egyptian inscriptions portraying the miners of
Serabit. Learn about the BEGINNINGS OF THE ALPHABET and travel to
the famous King Solomon's Mines and the Midianite altar discovered there!

John D. Keyser

When Moses was confronted by the burning bush at the mountain of YEHOVAH God (in the land of Midian), the voice of YEHOVAH commanded him:

After meeting with his brother Aaron at the mountain of YEHOVAH God, Moses and his brother returned to Egypt and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. They related the events of the burning bush and the message of YEHOVAH God to the elders, and then went to the royal residence to confront the Pharaoh:

After Pharaoh's initial reaction they repeated YEHOVAH's command: "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, LET US GO THREE DAY'S JOURNEY INTO THE DESERT AND SACRIFICE TO THE LORD OUR GOD, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword." (Exodus 5:3, NKJV).

When the Pharaoh rejected this message from YEHOVAH God with arrogance and disdain, Moses and Aaron were commanded to return and meet with the Pharaoh on the banks of the Nile:

Seven days later, after meeting with the Pharaoh and turning the river into blood, the two brothers were instructed to once again approach him and say: "Thus says the Lord: 'Let My people go, THAT THEY MAY SERVE ME.' "

Subsequently, after being refused again, Moses and Aaron carried out YEHOVAH's orders, and the land of Egypt was overrun by frogs.

But the Pharaoh hardened his heart again and refused to let the Israelites go. YEHOVAH God responded by sending lice throughout the land -- causing great discomfit to the Egyptians. Still the Pharaoh refused to concede to YEHOVAH's wishes!

Following the fourth plague, that of the flies, the Pharaoh tried to compromise:

The compromise wasn't good enough. YEHOVAH God struck the Egyptians with three more plagues before the Pharaoh had Moses and Aaron brought before him. When they arrived at the palace, the Pharaoh said:

Pharaoh still was not willing to comply fully with Moses' wishes -- he disregarded the question of the flocks and herds and would only allow the Israelite men to leave (Exodus 10:11). So YEHOVAH God had no option but to deliver the ninth plague, that of darkness, upon the nation of Egypt. After three days of almost impenetrable gloom, the Pharaoh called for Moses and said: "Go, serve the Lord, only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you."

The Pharaoh was now willing to let the Israelites leave with their children, but he STILL would not let them take their flocks and herds. He wanted to keep an ace up his sleeve! But Moses answered him:

You can guess what happened next -- the Pharaoh once again refused to comply fully with YEHOVAH's request through Moses, and one final, DEVASTATING plague had to consume the Egyptians.

"And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them OUT OF THE LAND IN HASTE....Then the children of Israel JOURNEYED FROM RAMESSES TO SUCCOTH, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children....And it came to pass at the end of 430 years on that very same day [Septuagint: 'BY NIGHT'] it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord WENT OUT FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT." (Exodus 12:33, 37 & 41).

Finally the Pharaoh realized that he had met his match!

Egypt was now lying in ruins after cataclysmic events had decimated the population (according to the haggadic tradition, not only the firstborn but the majority of the population in Egypt was killed during the tenth plague) and reduced the once proud nation to a state of catalepsy! As "mountains skipped like rams" and seismic disturbances rent the land -- reducing cities to rubble -- YEHOVAH God led the children of Israel OUT OF EGYPT AND INTO THE WILDERNESS TO SACRIFICE TO THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR.

Important Points to Remember!

A number of important points become obvious after reading these verses in Exodus:

1/. They were to go THREE DAYS into the wilderness.
2/. When they reached their destination, they were to SACRIFICE TO THE LORD THEIR GOD.
3/. They were TO HOLD A FEAST TO YEHOVAH GOD in the wilderness.
4/. They were to OFFER SACRIFICES AND BURNT OFFERINGS to YEHOVAH God.
5/. They were to USE SOME OF THEIR LIVESTOCK for these sacrifices and offerings.
6/. Exodus 10:26 indicates they were going to a DEFINITE LOCATION in the wilderness.
7/. Exodus 12:37 implies that their destination was known, or was to become known by the name "SUCCOTH."
8/. If their first stop was at Succoth, IT HAD TO BE OUTSIDE OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, because they left IN HASTE (in the middle of the night according to the Septuagint) and were DRIVEN OUT of the country by the Egyptians (Exodus 12:39) who were afraid that if the Israelites stayed in the land one more second it would be reduced to total ruin!
9/. Exodus 8:25-27 clearly indicates that the Israelites could not offer their sacrifices WITHIN THE BORDERS OF EGYPT as they would risk being stoned by the Egyptians.

The sum of all these points is, then, that the children of Israel were to go three days into the wilderness to a place called "Succoth" (outside the land of Egypt); and there they were to HOLD A FEAST during which time they were to offer up some of their livestock as sacrifices and burnt offerings to YEHOVAH God.

Where was this "Succoth," and what was the "feast" they were to observe there?

The "Feast" in the Wilderness

The Israelites left Rameses after midnight on the 15th of Abib or Nisan. This was the first "holy" or "high day" of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After traveling "three days into the wilderness" they were to camp and sacrifice to the Lord. What day could this possibly be? Exodus 13:6 reveals the answer:

Exodus 12 further explains:

Here we plainly see that the first holy day of the seven day period was spent LEAVING EGYPT; so the next holy or "FEAST" day would be the LAST DAY of the seven day period [21st of Nisan]. THIS WAS THE "FEAST" DAY ON WHICH THEY WERE TO OFFER SACRIFICES AND BURNT OFFERINGS TO YEHOVAH GOD!

After spending some three or four days on the march, this would give them several days to set up camp and prepare to carry out YEHOVAH's commands; but this WOULD NOT give them time to build an altar and all the paraphernalia associated with sacrifices and burnt offerings.

SOMEWHERE, WITHIN "THREE DAYS MARCH" FROM THE BORDER OF EGYPT, WAS A PLACE ALREADY PREPARED FOR THEM! Where could this be?

The Border Gate at Sile

The question has often been asked why a large group of people such as the Israelites, located near Egypt's northeastern border and suffering the sort of hardships that the Bible ascribes to them, should not simply have slipped across the frontier and disappeared into the desert. On a present-day map with the Suez Canal mentally removed, there seems to be more than sufficient open terrain for them to give the slip to, or even overpower, any roving bands of border guards. Think about it!

The answer to this enigma was revealed, not too long ago, by aerial photography:

While the original purpose of such a frontier had been to keep the Asiatics out, IT IS ALSO CLEAR THAT IT COULD SERVE TO KEEP THE ISRAELITES IN -- just as the Berlin Wall served to keep the East Germans within the Communist Block!

At Karnak in Egypt, a relief of Seti I, the father of Ramesses II, shows the pharaoh returning from an expedition to Canaan, and being separated from the welcoming Egyptians by a CROCODILE-INFESTED CANAL WHICH CAN BE SEEN TO FLOW INTO THE SEA.

According to Ian Wilson, "THE SOLE ROUTE TRAVERSING THE CANAL IS A BRIDGE COMMANDED BY THE KEY FORTRESS OF SILE, otherwise known, like the route it controlled, as WAT-HOR."

He continues:

The reason for spending so much time and effort on this HUGE construction project is explained by Egyptologist W. A. Ward:

Evidence that this frontier barrier was in existence PRIOR to the Exodus is mentioned by George Rawlinson in his book, History of Ancient Egypt:

Further evidence of this huge barrier is found in the account of an individual by the name of SINUHE, who had trouble escaping from Egypt due to an obstacle he calls the "Wall of the Ruler." This account comes from the reign of Sesonchosis, the SUCCESSOR of Amenemhet I. It reads as follows: "I came up to the WALL OF THE RULER, made to oppose the Asiatics and crush the Sand-Crossers [Israelites?]. I took a crouching position in a bush for fear lest WATCHMEN UPON THE WALL where their day's [duty] was might see me." (The Exodus Enigma, p.83).

The IDEA of a frontier barrier was born in an even earlier reign when a pharaoh of unknown name produced a still extant set of instructions to his son Merikare, urging him to dig a canal from WAT-HOR to Lake Timsah: "Dig a canal until it is un(hindered); flood it half as far as Lake Timsah (Kmwr)."

According to Ian Wilson, "the pressure of historical circumstances seems to have prevented Merikare from carrying out his father's instructions, THE TASK SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO FRUITION IN THE REIGN OF THE TWELFTH-DYNASTY AMENEMHET I..." (Ibid., p.83).

The main caravan and military road from Egypt -- WAT-HOR, or the "way of the land of the Philistines" -- led from Memphis and followed the banks of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile to PI-RAMESSES or AVARIS. From here it passed through the frontier fortress of SILE and continued on to Pelusium, and thence to el'-Arish and Gaza, running parallel to the Mediterranean coast. THIS WAS THE QUICKEST WAY OUT OF EGYPT FROM PI-RAMESSES/AVARIS, AND THE QUICKEST WAY TO CANAAN!

Notice, now, how Immanuel Velikovsky describes the departure of the Israelites from Egypt:

In contrast to Herman L. Hoeh (of Ambassador College) having the Israelites travel SOUTH to the locale of Memphis and then crossing the desert to the Gulf of Suez (see Compendium of World History, Vol. II. p.232), the children of Israel passed out of Egypt at THE NEAREST POINT -- at the frontier fortress of Sile. But instead of continuing on along the WAT-HOR to Canaan, notice what happened next:

Three Days Into the Desert

"And when Pharao sent forth the people, God led them NOT BY THE WAY OF THE LAND OF THE PHYLISTINES, because IT WAS NEAR; for God said, Lest at any time the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt. AND GOD LED THE PEOPLE ROUND BY THE WAY TO THE WILDERNESS to the Red Sea..." (Exodus 13:17-18, Septuagint).

This change in direction is noted by Ian Wilson in The Exodus Enigma:

Instead of taking the more DIRECT ROUTE along the Wat-Hor, they TURNED AND HEADED SOUTH. South to where? What was their destination?

"The repeated request to be allowed to go THREE DAYS' JOURNEY into the wilderness in order to sacrifice is apparently unmeaning to one who does not know Sinai (Exodus iii 18, viii 27). But the waterless journey of THREE DAYS to Wady Gharandel impresses itself on anyone who has to arrange for travelling It is so essential a feature of the road that this may well have been known as THE 'THREE DAYS INTO THE WILDERNESS'; in contrast to the road to 'Aqabah, which is SIX OR SEVEN DAYS IN THE WILDERNESS. To desire to go the 'THREE DAYS' JOURNEY IN THE WILDERNESS' WAS PROBABLY AN EXPRESSION FOR GOING DOWN TO SINAI." (Researches in Sinai, by W. M. Flinders Petrie. E P. Dutton & Co N.Y 1906. P.203).

This road down into Sinai is described by Werner Keller:

That Moses led the Israelites through the most DIFFICULT terrain in the Sinai Peninsula is demonstrated by the Jewish historian Josephus in his Antiquities of the Jews: "And indeed THAT LAND WAS DIFFICULT TO BE TRAVELLED OVER, NOT ONLY BY ARMIES, BUT BY SINGLE PERSONS. Now Moses led the Hebrews this way, that in case the Egyptians should repent and be desirous to pursue after them, they might UNDERGO THE PUNISHMENT OF THEIR WICKEDNESS, and of the breach of those promises they had made to them....MOSES LED THEM NOT ALONG THE ROAD THAT TENDED TO THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES, BUT HE WAS DESIROUS THAT THEY SHOULD GO THROUGH THE DESERT...." (Bk. II, chap. XV, section 3).

This description matches perfectly the rugged terrain punctuated with steep ridges and deep wadis -- that marks the way to and from Serabit el-Khadim. All the other routes across the peninsula were used because of their relative EASE OF TRAVEL.

A Change in Climate?

It has been argued by some that Moses would have been insane to lead the Israelites into the wilderness of Sinai -- where water and pasture land for their flocks and herds was scarce in the arid interior. However, we must understand that the present-day climatic conditions of the Sinai peninsula are VASTLY DIFFERENT to what they were 3,500 years ago! Lieut.-Colonel C. C. Robertson explains:

When British soldier and archaeologist Colonel Sir Charles Warren led an expedition into the Sinai in 1882, a member of the team wrote about their observations: "Our road to Mount Sinai lay for many miles along NARROW wadis [like those around Serabit el-Khadim], pent up on either hand by masses of sandstone or granite mountains, and covered at the bottom with white sand or alluvial deposit. THERE WERE ACACIA TREES IN THESE WADIS; but all had been pollard in a very rough manner, so as to be nearly destroyed....The Bedouin complained that the RAIN had entirely failed of late years, and the Sheik pointed out to us places in the Wadis which he remembered THICKLY COVERED WITH TREES, now bare of all verdure. Colonel Warren explained to him the relation of cause and effect, and urged him to stop the wholesale destruction of the trees going on, which if persisted in would make the country uninhabitable and force his people to evacuate it."

It is not at all difficult to realize that the valleys of central and southern Sinai would have provided RICH PASTURE FOR FLOCKS AND HERDS, and a viable passage for the escaping Israelites. Notes C. C. Robertson: "Sinai presented every variety of climate from the highlands and lowlands to the sea level. If only the ORIGINAL CONDITIONS [like those of 3,500 years ago] were restored Sinai would AGAIN BE ONE OF THE CHOICEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD" (On the Track of the Exodus, p. 16).

There can be little doubt that in earlier times water and pasture land existed over A WIDE RANGE OF THE PRESENT DESERT. In reading Colonels Warren's and Ward's accounts of their travels in the Sinai Peninsula, it is quite evident that the coastal and mountain regions of Southern Sinai (along with the great central plateau), the Gulf of Suez, and the Gulf of Akaba were, at the Exodus period, INTERSECTED BY WATER COURSES which are now marked by DRY RIVER BEDS; and that these regions provided AMPLE PASTURAGE for sheep and cattle.

Throughout the Exodus narrative the student of the Bible is confronted with the terms "the Wilderness" and "the Desert." At face value the Israelites with their women and children, camp followers, flocks and herds, and IMMENSE QUANTITIES of stores, supplies and tents, are apparently forced to traverse great stretches of barren, desolate country devoid of grass and water. Nothing could be further from the truth! This unfortunate impression arises from the continual use of the English word "WILDERNESS," which is NEVER associated (in the mind if the reader) with pasture lands. But the Hebrew word "MIDBAR," translated almost invariably as "WILDERNESS" or "DESERT," ALSO means "PASTURES" or PRAIRIE LAND -- a place where cattle and sheep are led to pasture.

The Hebrew and English Lexicon by W. Gesenius (edited by Brown, Driver and Briggs) gives the following variations of "MIDBAR":

1/. Tracts of land used for PASTURAGE OF FLOCKS AND HERDS.
2/. Uninhabited land.
3/. Large tracts of such land bearing various names, in certain districts of which there might be towns and villages.

If you go to Young's Concordance you will find Hebrew words expressing "desert" and "wilderness" as follows:

1/. "Yeshimon" -- a desolate place.
2/. "Arabah" -- a plain, unknown or obscure place.
3/. "MIDBAR" -- a wilderness, desert, PASTURE LAND.

In a number of places the Hebrew word "DOBHER" is used for "pasture." The root in both "dobher" and "midbar" is "DABAR"which in Aramaic bears the meaning of "leading," ESPECIALLY WITH REFERENCE TO THE PASTURING OF FLOCKS.

It is quite possible that the original translators of the Bible OVERLOOKED the value of "pasture lands" for "midbar," and used the words "wilderness" or "desert" exclusively in the revised version. The effect has been unfortunate. Students of the Bible would be quite justified in reading "PASTURES" or "OPEN COUNTRY" for "wilderness," except where a desert condition is emphasized as in Deuteronomy 1:19.

Writes C. C. Robertson:

"Midbar" would apply to Salisbury Plain, the South African veldt or the prairies of America. The Exodus narrative gains much in life and interest and becomes quite intelligible. In fact, unless THE INTERPRETATION OF PASTURES be introduced, the whole fabric of the story must collapse. Take the following verses, Ex. 5:1; 5:3; 8:27; 10:24; 10:26; 12:32; 12:38; and decide whether desert or PASTURE COUNTRY is implied in the context. The same test can be applied whenever wilderness or desert is introduced. "Desert" and "wilderness" are perfectly good renderings for "midbar" where barren country is definitely indicated. But TO RESTRICT the translation of "midbar" to these two meanings, and to reject "pasture land" where it is obviously implied, robs the Exodus of most of its probability for the simple reason that grass and water were ruling factors throughout. No migration on a large scale over desert could survive. The people and animals would be dead in a week. -- On the Track of the Exodus, pp. 55-56.

The Temple in the Wilderness

According to Sir Charles Marston: "Sir Flinders Petrie has suggested that 'THE THREE DAYS' JOURNEY INTO THE WILDERNESS' was an expression used to denote the route TO THE TEMPLE OF SERABIT in the centre of the Sinai Peninsula where the then existing ceremonies and ritual OF THE HEBREWS were observed " (The Bible Comes Alive. Eyre & Spottiswoode, London 1937. P.164 ).

Yes, THIS is where the Israelites, under Moses and guided by YEHOVAH God, were heading. This was the ONLY place within "three days' journey" where facilities were in place for the Israelites to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings to YEHOVAH God on the last holy day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Not only that, but the location of the mining camps in Sinai were well known to the Israelites -- many of them toiled there under the pharaohs of the Twelfth Dynasty!

Sir Charles continues: "This sanctuary is at the top of a hill, bare of vegetation; ITS IMMENSE HEAPS OF WOOD ASHES testify to the number of its burnt offerings. They are the more remarkable because the wood must have been carried up a thousand feet." (Ibid., p.65).

In the winter of 1904-5 Sir Flinders Petrie led an expedition of some thirty people into the center of the Sinai peninsula. This region was little known at the time because of its inaccessibility and the ruggedness of the terrain. Werner Keller describes the journey from its starting point on the Suez Canal:

The temple is located in a beautiful setting northwest of the traditional (but erroneous) site of Mount Sinai. To the north of the temple is a large, pastel-colored plain, and strange black hills to the west and east.

Over the centuries the Egyptians sent numerous expeditions to Serabit; and cartouches ("royal rings" containing the names of kings and queens) from the Old Kingdom onwards can be found. These expeditions reclaimed the highly prized turquoise from fissures in the purplish-gray sandstone, as well as copper from nearby mines. Because the work was very unpleasant, miners from the land of Midian were employed; and slaves from Egypt were brought over under Egyptian guard. The Egyptians acted as guards and overseers; while the Midianites provided the technical know-how. AND THE SLAVES, AS WE SHALL SEE, WERE ISRAELITES WHO EXTRACTED THE TURQUOISE AND COPPER FROM THE MINES.

Jethro -- the Priest of Midian

Sir Charles Marston writes: "The miners they employed were Semites -- MIDIANlTES AND EDOMlTES, from the other side of the neighbouring Gulf of Akaba, which was a great copper mining district. It has already been pointed out that IN MIDIAN, Moses spent many years of exile. But in Sinai, the mining of copper was quite subordinate to the mining of turquoise." (Ibid., pp. 166-167).

Many scholars, Sir Charles included, believe the temple at Serabit was the seat of worship for the Midianite miners. That the worship of YEHOVAH God was known amongst the Midianites is evidenced by the fact that JETHRO -- the father-in-law of Moses-- was a servant of YEHOVAH! Notice!

It is more than evident that Jethro was a man of YEHOVAH God -- a PRIEST OF YEHOVAH in the land of Midian; and it is certainly possible the Midianite miners had an understanding of YEHOVAH's system of worship.

In his book, Charles Marston mentions some intriguing facts about the temple of Serabit and the worship that was conducted there:

Marston continues:

The Immense Heap of Ashes

When Petrie and his expedition examined the remains of the temple at Serabit, they made a startling discovery!

Yes, what indeed! Many different ideas have been tabled, ALL of them unsatisfactory. Petrie mentions some of them:

After rejecting these hypotheses, Petrie answers his own question:

The immense heap of ashes found by Petrie is none other than the remains of BURNT OFFERINGS Moses and the Israelites offered up to YEHOVAH God on the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

It has been suggested that these ashes are the accumulated remains of centuries of sacrifices offered up by the Midianite miners of Serabit. However, if this was the case, a heap of this size could never have formed because the elements would have continually eroded the ashes. Wind and rain would have dissipated the ashes as they were deposited. Moreover, there were never enough miners stationed at Serabit to even REMOTELY lay down a heap of this size! ALL EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THE ASHES WERE DEPOSITED HERE AT ONCE -- WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME!

Dating the Ashes

The fact that the later additions to the temple covered the ashes, as well as the fact that these additions are clearly datable, show that the ashes were put down PRIOR to the reign of Tahutmes III of Dynasty XVIII.

Sir Flinders Petrie made some further discoveries at the site that really narrow down the date the ash-heap was deposited:

Sir Flinders continues by stating:

This fits perfectly with the dating of the Exodus! The shards found by Petrie in the ash-heap were from the reign of Amenemhat IV -- the last pharaoh of the 12th dynasty of the so-called Middle Kingdom. The Middle Kingdom was composed of the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th dynasties. Under the 11th dynasty, feudal Egypt was united; and under the 12th dynasty a brilliance was reached never again to be attained. Then, with the last pharaoh of this dynasty, everything came crashing down. A series of calamities rocked the nation, and the weakened country was invaded by the Hyksos, whose cruel reign lasted almost 500 years. The ineffectual 13th dynasty of the Middle Kingdom was centered in Thebes in Upper Egypt, and was contemporary with the Hyksos rulers in the north.

As the Israelites left Egypt, they fought with the Hyksos (or Amalekites) -- who were moving out of Arabia because of a series of catastrophes that had afflicted them as well. The two armies met at Rephidim in northwestern Arabia. Other Hyksos units moved into Syria and then, hearing of the devastation Egypt had suffered, plunged westward and subdued the weakened nation. THIS OCCURRED AT THE END OF THE MIDDLE KINGDOM.

After almost 500 years of brutal subjugation, the Hyksos were expelled from the land in the time of AHMOSE (Amasis I, Aahmes I) who founded the 18th dynasty. The "long period of neglect, during which no expeditions were sent to Sinai" -- mentioned by Petrie -- corresponds to the Hyksos domination of Egypt. The Hyksos either did not know about Serabit el-Khadem or were simply not interested in exploiting the mines.

The discovery of offerings, from the administration of Aahmes 1, in the temple at Serabit show that the long period of neglect (500 years) was brought to an end, and following pharaohs of the 18th dynasty repaired the damage and ERECTED NEW ADDITIONS TO THE TEMPLE OVER THE ASHES THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN DEPOSITED.

Clearly, the ashes were deposited at the time of the Exodus!

It should be noted that Sir Flinders Petrie's DATING for the ash heap is not accurate. For the correct reconstruction of Egyptian chronology consult Ages in Chaos, by Immanuel Velikovsky.

Other Evidence of Hebrew Worship

Apart from the immense heap of ashes left over from the sacrifices and burnt offerings the Israelites offered up to YEHOVAH God at the temple of Serabit el-Khadem, is there any other evidence that this temple was used for the worship of the TRUE GOD rather than the pagan worship of the Egyptians or that of the Arabians? Indeed there is! Let Flinders Petrie outline his conclusions:

Concerning the many small altars found inside the shrine at Serabit, Petrie recorded:

In respect to the system of ablutions or ceremonial washings found at Serabit, Petrie has these observations:

The inevitable understanding that Sir Charles Marston came to, after examining all the excavation results, is simply this: "...the Ritual practised at the temple of Serabit, in the centre of Sinai, to which reference has just been made, and which GOES BACK TO 1500 B C., BEARS DEFINITE RESEMBLANCE TO THE RlTUAL WHICH WAS INSTITUTED THROUGH MOSES." (The Bible Comes Alive, p 61)

The 12 Steles of Israel!

Another IMPORTANT OBSERVATION Petrie made was that regarding steles. Steles, or memorial stones, are found around the temple at Serabit, and provide an important clue to the identity of the people who passed through the area at the close of the 12th dynasty:

Now notice something VERY important:

What is so important about these steles -- especially the NUMBER of them lining the approach to the temple? Just this:

This occurred at Mount Sinai, after the Israelites left Succoth (Serabit El-Khadem); but could not Moses have done the very same thing outside the temple of Serabit? The tribes of Israel are WELL KNOWN for leaving memorial stones marking the routes of their emigrations across Europe to Britain -- the place appointed for them by YEHOVAH God!

The Evidence of Timna

People have asked, "Why would Moses and the Israelites offer up sacrifices to God in a temple that was built by the Egyptians, and has obvious pagan connotations?" A good question, but was it even NECESSARY for the temple at Serabit to be non-pagan in order for the Israelites to make their offerings to YEHOVAH God? The evidence of TIMNA shows otherwise.

The legendary "King Solomon's Mines" have been associated with some ancient mine-workings in the TIMNA VALLEY -- some 19 miles north of Ezion Geber and the Gulf of Aqaba.

These ancient workings show the area to be the largest mining operation that has yet been found anywhere in the ancient world (covering an area of 37 square miles), with twelve mining camps and at least 5,000 tunnels and shafts. This area was known as DIZAHAB -- or THE GOLD WORKS -- in the Bible (see Deuter 1:1-2. NKJV and Septuagint).

Since 1959, Dr. Beno Rothenberg has been excavating in the area; and Magnus Magnusson, in his book BC: The Archaeology of the Bible Lands, details some of his discoveries:

I find it rather interesting that Magnus Magnusson makes no mention of Dr. Rothenberg discovering heaps of ashes like those at Serabit! If the ashes at Serabit were the accumulated remains of centuries of sacrifices offered up by Midianite miners, then it would seem logical that similar remains would be found at Timna; but Magnusson makes no mention of ashes whatsoever. Curious!!

Continuing, Magnusson describes more discoveries:

Magnusson discusses what Rothenberg deduced:

While I do not subscribe to all of Dr. Rothenberg's theories, and disagree with his chronology, his discovery of the temple and tabernacle remains are very significant. Could not Moses and the Israelites have passed through Timna on their way to Canaan? After all THIS SITE is mentioned, along with other Exodus campsites, in Deuter. 1 :12. It certainly warrants further investigation!

An Egyptian Threat in Sinai?

Objections have been advanced against Moses leading the Israelites into the Sinai Peninsula -- on the grounds that it was then garrisoned by Egyptians who oversaw the copper and turquoise mining in the area of Serabit.

This argument is fallacious for several reasons. Notice what Sir Flinders Petrie has to say about it:

Sir Charles Marston agrees with this assessment:

Even if a permanent garrison was stationed at Serabit, it could easily have been avoided by the Israelites. Burton Bernstein -- adventurer and explorer -- noticed this fact when he visited the rugged area of Serabit:

Let me emphasis right here that although ALL THE EVIDENCE shows Moses led the Israelites to Serabit (Succoth of the Bible), he DID NOT lead them around the Sinai Peninsula for almost forty years as is traditionally believed!

When the Israelites left Serabit after sacrificing to YEHOVAH God, they RAPIDLY crossed the Sinai Peninsula traveling by day and by night: "So they took their journey FROM SUCCOTH [SERABIT] and camped in Etham AT THE [EASTERN] EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS. And the LORD went before them BY DAY in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and BY NIGHT in a pillar of fire to give them light, SO AS TO GO BY DAY AND NIGHT. He DID NOT TAKE AWAY the pillar of cloud BY DAY or the pillar of fire BY NIGHT from before the people." (Ex. 13:20-22).

YEHOVAH God knew that the Pharaoh would come after the children of Israel when word reached him that the Israelites had left the confines of Serabit, and were heading AWAY FROM the area instead of returning to Egypt as the Pharaoh expected (see Ex. 8:28).

The Beginnings of Our Alphabet!

While Sir Flinders Petrie was excavating the ruins of the temple at Serabit, he came across some very strange inscriptions! Only a few paces from the temple sanctuary FRAGMENTS OF STONE TABLETS were dug out of the sand -- together with a statue of a crouching figure. On both the tablets and the sculpture were some VERY UNUSUAL MARKINGS:

These strange inscriptions were not only found in the vicinity of the temple but also in the dark galleries of the nearby turquoise mines, and on a rock face close to the copper mining area of BIR NASIB -- a few miles due west of Serabit

Notice!

The 15th-Century B.C. dating of these inscriptions places them right in the time-frame of the end of the Middle Kingdom and the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt! And the dating, by different unconnected sources, is consistent. Dr. Albright, after his in depth study of the inscriptions, dates them to BETWEEN 1525 AND 1475 B.C.!

The inscriptions found at Bir Nasib also confirm this dating to be towards the end of the Middle Kingdom:

WHO left these curious inscriptions carved in tunnel walls and rock faces of Serabit and surrounding areas? Ian Wilson lets HIS conclusion be known:

The Amu and Retenu of Serabit

Ian Wilson brings up the fascinating prospect that there were Semites at Serabit el-Khadim "SPEAKING A LANGUAGE CLOSE TO THAT OF THE BIBLICAL ISRAELITES. " Could this be true? Sir Charles Marston mentioned earlier that the labor employed at the mines was from the land of Midian east of the Gulf of Aqaba. Is this also true? And were they the ONLY workers at Serabit?

Sir Flinders Petrie notes that some "of the workmen employed by the Egyptians [at Serabit], PROBABLY THE AAMU OR RETENU -- Syrians who are OFTEN NAMED [in the Egyptian inscriptions found at the Sinai mining camps], HAD THIS SYSTEM OF LINEAR SIGNS WHICH WE HAVE FOUND; they naturally mixed many hieroglyphics with it, BORROWED FROM THEIR MASTERS. And here we have the result, at a date some five centuries before the oldest Phoenician writing that is known." (Researches in Sinai, p. 131 ).

The ancient road to the temple of Serabit -- high up on a rounded mountain top -- climbs up a steep cliff; and here at one point on the road called Rud el- Air (Valley of Donkeys), are found numerous Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions and drawings. These inscriptions cut into the rock faces, have been dated to the Middle and New Kingdoms and, along with steles scattered throughout the area, have an intriguing tale to tell:

Petrie goes on to reaffirm that "foreigners were also employed, sometimes RETENNU, sometimes AAMU, and THE BROTHER OF THE CHIEF OF THE RETENNU came as a manager of the natives, and perhaps AS A HOSTAGE." (Ibid., p. 120).

Sir Alan Gardiner, in his book Egypt of the Pharaohs, also mentions this "PRlNCE OF THE RETENNU":

Could this "brother of the prince [or chief] of Retennu" just possibly be the brother of Moses? And just who were these "AAMU" and "RETENNU" (RETJNU) who worked the mines of Serabit?

"Aamu" is the Egyptian word for "AMALEKITE," and to the Egyptian understanding, included the MIDIANITES who are closely related to the Amalekites. This relationship goes back to the days when the ONE PEOPLE occupied Mecca and the other lived in Medina. Immanuel Velikovsky plainly demonstrates that "the AMU of the Egyptian sources and the AMALEKITES of the Hebrew and Arab sources were NOT two different peoples, but one and the same nation. Even the name is the same: AMU, also OMAYA, a frequent name among the Amalekites, was a SYNONYM for Amalekite. Dshauhari (Djauhari), an Arabian lexicographer of the tenth century of the present era, wrote: 'It is handed down that this name [AMU, or OMAYA] WAS A DESIGNATION FOR AN AMALEKITE MAN.'

The Amu, or the Hyksos, WERE THE AMALEKITES." (Ages in Chaos, p.94).

Now what about the OTHER PEOPLE the Egyptian inscriptions state worked the mines of Sinai -- alongside the Midianites or Amalekites?

Once again, Velikovsky comes to the rescue and clearly shows the ORIGIN of this mysterious people:

During the New Kingdom the word "RETENU" designated the nation of Israel, and Israel alone; so is it not possible that during the Middle Kingdom this word also referred to the Israelites -- those in captivity in Egypt? The Egyptian inscriptions show these "RETENU" as accompanying the Egyptian expeditions to Sinai, and COMING FROM EGYPT as prisoners or slaves.

Who Originated the Inscriptions?

Who but the Israelites were the most likely to have developed the so-called Proto-Sinaitic script? Think about it! "Here is the best system of recording human speech in writing, FIRST FOUND in common use among turquoise miners in the centre of the inaccessible peninsula of Sinai." (The Bible Comes Alive, p.175).

Ask yourself: Why among miners of all people? And why in the center of an inaccessible land like the peninsula of Sinai?

But you might ask: "Could not the Amu or Midianites have developed this script?" Yes, they were quite capable of this sort of sophistication -- the land of Midian was highly civilized during Moses day, and the recognized center of leading-edge mining technology. But if the Proto-Sinaitic script was a Midianite development, SURELY such inscriptions would be found in NORTHWESTERN ARABIA! Remember, the Midianites were not slaves in the mining camps of Sinai, but highly skilled employees of the Egyptians. After the season was over, they were free to return to Midian. If they had developed this script in the mining camps, they would have taken it back to their homeland with them. Conversely, if the Midianites had developed the script in Midian, and taken it with them to the Sinai camps, evidence of it should still be found in the land of Midian. Either way, traces of the Proto-Sinaitic text should be found in northwestern Arabia! BUT THEY NEVER HAVE! Notice:

Since the Midianites, then, were not responsible for the script, the Retenu must have been! The scholar William F. Albright realizes the miners responsible for the script CAME FROM EGYPT:

Albright further says that in "discussing the proposed Semitic adaptations of Egyptian appellations of divinity, Donner [another scholar] might have recalled the UNQUESTIONED FACT that all the Proto-Sinaitic carved panels and sculptures bearing inscriptions CLOSELY FOLLOW EGYPTIAN MODELS; there are NO imitations of Asiatic prototypes. THIS ALONE SUGGESTS A LONG PERIOD OF SETTLEMENT IN EGYPT BEFORE THE PERIOD OF THE INSCRIPTIONS IN SINAI." (Ibid., p.45).

How true! WHO were "settled" for a long period of time in Egypt before being taken to the mining camps of Sinai as slaves? WHO are shown on the Egyptian inscriptions as being taken to Sinai FROM EGYPT in an obvious state of submission? The answer has to be: THE ISRAELITES!

It is my conviction, however, that the Israelite slaves at Serabit and the surrounding areas did not develop the texts themselves while in Sinai, but brought the knowledge of the script with them from Egypt. After all, it is hard to believe that slaves, spending most of their awakening hours in backbreaking toil in the mines, would have the time or inclination to develop such an explosive advance in the written language of mankind! But in Egypt it could easily have been developed by the genius of the Israelites before the toil of the pharaohs was thrust upon them, or even by Moses himself who was schooled in the wisdom of the Egyptians!

It is no coincidence that the l2th Dynasty was the greatest in the entire history of Egypt! Literature and the arts reached heights never again to be attained, and the vast building projects in the Fayum district amazed the historian Diodorus who visited the area in the middle of the first century. The brilliance of this dynasty was a direct result of the presence of the Israelites in their midst -- a phenomenon that has occurred many times in history!

I think it is obvious that the knowledge of the Proto-Sinaitic script was brought to the mines of Sinai by the Israelite slaves who left their graffiti in the mine tunnels and on the rock faces. And then, when Moses arrived in Serabit with the freed Israelites, FURTHER inscriptions were left there for those with the eyes to see.

When Burton Bernstein visited Serabit with his Israeli companions, they made a startling discovery which substantiates this conviction:

If the Proto-Sinaitic texts were developed in Egypt by the Hebrews during the time of the GREATEST FLOWERING of literature and art in the entire history of Egypt, and taken to the Sinai mines by Israelite slaves -- to be followed by Moses and the freed Israelites -- then it follows that they would have introduced the script into the Promised Land!

Is there any evidence of an evolved Proto-Sinaitic script appearing in Palestine forty or more years after Moses passed through Serabit? There certainly is! Notice:

The Inescapable Conclusion

With all the evidence we have considered, the following summation can be made:

Moses and the Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan-during a time of catastrophic calamities that devastated a once proud nation that had reached unequaled heights of power and artistic brilliance. With the guidance of YEHOVAH God the Father, the children of Israel passed through the frontier barrier at the fortress of Sile, and traveled three days south into the wilderness of the Sinai peninsula. There, at the turquoise mining camp of Serabit el-Khadem, they set up camp and prepared to sacrifice to their God on the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Taking some of the livestock that accompanied them, the Israelites fulfilled their obligations to YEHOVAH God, leaving an immense heap of ashes that has endured down to this day.

Prior to the arrival of Moses and the freed Israelites, groups of Hebrew slaves had labored there at Serabit and surrounding mines, extracting the turquoise and copper demanded by the economic engine of Egypt. Under their Egyptian taskmasters, the Israelites toiled alongside mining experts from the land of Midian who had brought a worship of the true God to the area.

The Hebrew slaves brought with them, from Egypt, a knowledge of a new linear script that became the foundation of our present-day alphabet, and inscriptions of this leap from hieroglyphics to a symbolic text have been found scattered around Serabit and nearby mining areas.

While Moses and the Israelites sojourned at Serabit, they set up twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel --leaving behind them a record of their passing. They repeated this practice when they arrived at Mount Sinai.

Following the last day of Unleavened Bread, the children of Israel pulled up stakes and, traveling by night and by day, traversed the peninsula of Sinai to assemble on the beach at Pi-Hahiroth on the western shore of the Gulf of Aqaba. Here, in one of the greatest miracles recorded in the Old Testament, the Eternal God YEHOVAH parted the waters of the Red Sea, enabling the children of Israel to pass across to the land of Midian and the Mountain of YEHOVAH God.

A careful study of the Bible and Egyptian history shatters the millennia old tradition and understanding of a Gulf of Suez crossing and a mountain of the law-giving in the peninsula of Sinai. Truth uncovered is much more fascinating than so-called Christian tradition and perversion!

Hope of Israel Ministries -- Taking a Lead in the Search for Truth!