ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROOF OF ISRAEL IN EGYPT
THE TOMB OF REKHMIRE
A brickmaking scene in the tomb of Rekhmire in the Valley of the Nobles in Lower Egypt.
One of the tasks of the Israelite slaves was making bricks (Ex 5:7-8). When Moses insisted that Pharaoh let God's people go, Pharaoh responded by making their labor more difficult (Ex 5:6-18). These verses in Exodus concerning the Hebrew slaves making bricks are affirmed by a painting in the tomb of Rehkmire (ca. 1470-1445 BC), the vizier of Egypt under Thutmose III (Pharoah of the Oppression)and Amenhotep II (Pharoah of the Exodus).
The painting shows Nubian and Asiatic slaves (Egyptians called people from Canaan "Asiatics") making bricks for the workshops of the Karnak Temple. Slaves are seen collecting and mixing mud and water, packing the mud in brick molds, and leaving the bricks to dry in the sun. A quota system is implied, mirroring Exodus 5:6–19's demand for daily brick quotas. Nearby Egyptian officials, each with a rod, oversee the work.
THE PAPYRUS ANASTASI III
Papyrus Anastasi III provides significant information that intersects with the Exodus story. It confirms that the Egyptians set quotas for brickmakers. One section states, “Likewise, people are making bricks... they are making their quota of bricks daily.” Brickmaking was a labor specialization normative for slaves in ancient Egypt.
It also mentions three important locations affirming Exodus 14:2: Pi-Hahiroth, Baal Zephon, and the “Sea.”
The Papyrus Anastasi III was written between 1292 and 1189 BC, during the reign of Pharaohs like Seti II or Merneptah.
THE SOLEB INSCRIPTION
The Soleb Inscription was found at the Temple of Amun-Ra in Soleb, Nubia, dating back to Pharaoh Amenhotep III's reign (c. 1390–1353 BCE).
The inscription includes the phrase “tA SAsw yhwA”, translated as “"Land of the Shasu [Nomads] of Yahweh". This is one of the earliest non-biblical mentions of Yahweh. This also means that Amenhotep Ill knew who YHWH was. The Shasu were a nomadic threat to Canaan, indicating the location of Yahweh's land in the southern Levant (sounds a lot like the Hebrews/Israelites). This indicates that Canaan was inhabited by a people group who worshipped YHWH by the 15h Century B.C. There are similar inscriptions, such as from "Amarah West" and the "Merneptah Stele", that support the existence of worship to Yahweh and the presence of the Shasu in the region.
The Soleb Inscription gives understanding to early Yahweh worship and a serious link of Egyptian and Biblical records.
The inscription includes the phrase “tA SAsw yhwA”, translated as “"Land of the Shasu [Nomads] of Yahweh". This is one of the earliest non-biblical mentions of Yahweh. This also means that Amenhotep Ill knew who YHWH was. The Shasu were a nomadic threat to Canaan, indicating the location of Yahweh's land in the southern Levant (sounds a lot like the Hebrews/Israelites). This indicates that Canaan was inhabited by a people group who worshipped YHWH by the 15h Century B.C. There are similar inscriptions, such as from "Amarah West" and the "Merneptah Stele", that support the existence of worship to Yahweh and the presence of the Shasu in the region.
The Soleb Inscription gives understanding to early Yahweh worship and a serious link of Egyptian and Biblical records.
Sources:[1] The Soleb Inscription: Earliest-Discovered Use of the Name 'Yahweh' https://armstronginstitute.org/768-the-soleb-inscription-earliest-discovered-use-of-the-name-yahweh[2] Evolution vs Biblical Archaeology Part 3: Temple of Soleb: Yahweh ... https://thecreationclub.com/evolution-vs-biblical-archaeology-part-3-temple-of-soleb-yahweh-inscription/[3] Egyptology: The Oldest Yahweh Inscription https://biblearchaeology.org/research/topics-by-subject/egyptology/3541-the-oldest-yahweh-inscription[4] Soleb - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soleb[5] Three Egyptian Inscriptions About Israel - Bible Archaeology Report https://biblearchaeologyreport.com/2019/03/08/three-egyptian-inscriptions-about-israel/[6] Yahweh Soleb Inscription - A Testament to the Exodus Account https://www.eastlandbaptist.com/post/soleb-inscription[7] Soleb Temple Cartouche: "The Shashu of Yahweh's Land ... - Bible.ca https://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-yahweh-inscription-cartouche-land-of-the-shasu-of-yahweh-soleb-temple-amenhotep-III-1396-1358bc-amarah-west-temple-ramesses-II-1304-1237bc.htm[8] How does one pronounce 𓄿𓍯𓉔𓇋𓇋 from the Soleb Inscription? https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientEgyptian/comments/1bq1mj3/how_does_one_pronounce_%F0%93%84%BF%F0%93%8D%AF%F0%93%89%94%F0%93%87%8B%F0%93%87%8B_from_the_soleb/[9] Exodus: The Name Yahweh in Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts https://biblearchaeology.org/research/exodus-from-egypt/3233-the-name-yahweh-in-egyptian-hieroglyphic-texts[10] [PDF] The Land of the SAsw (Nomads) of yhwA at Soleb https://strateias.org/soleb.pdf[11] [PDF] The Land of the SAsw (Nomads) of yhwA at Soleb - eScholarship.org https://escholarship.org/content/qt07x6659z/qt07x6659z_noSplash_b41d2cc59a80dd132c3838e7ec75c0f8.pdf?t=q2zg3k[12] The Soleb hieroglyph (Exodus 5) - larshaukeland https://larshaukeland.com/bits-pieces/archeology/exodus/the-soleb-hieroglyph-exodus-5/[13] The Temple of Soleb - UNESCO World Heritage Centre https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6596/[14] The Land of the š3sw (Nomads) of yhw3 at Soleb - eScholarship.org https://escholarship.org/uc/item/07x6659z
The Hebrew God, YHWH mentioned inEgyptian hieroglyphics