Mysterious Message 'From Moses' Discovered in Ancient Mine

A mysterious message "from Moses" found in Egypt may confirm the Bible is true. A controversial new interpretation of writings etched into the walls of an ancient Egyptian mine may confirm the truth of the Old Testament Book of Exodus.

Researcher Michael Bar-Ron claims that a 3,800-year-old Proto-Sinaitic inscription found at Serabit el-Khadim in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula may read "zot m'Moshe," Hebrew for "This is from Moses."

According to the Daily Mail, the inscription, carved into a rock near what is known as Sinai 357 in Shaft L, is part of a collection of more than two dozen proto-Sinaitic texts first discovered in the early 1900s. The script, some of the earliest known alphabetic inscriptions, was likely created by Semitic-speaking workers in the late 12th Dynasty, around 1800 BCE.

Bar-Ron, who spent eight years analyzing high-resolution images and 3D scans, suggested the phrase could indicate authorship or dedication associated with a figure named Moses.

According to the Bible, Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and is famous for receiving the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. However, no evidence of his existence has been found, the Daily Mail writes.

Other nearby inscriptions mention "El," a deity associated with early Israelite worship, and show signs of corruption of the name of the Egyptian goddess Hathor, indicating cultural and religious tensions.

Leading experts remain cautious, noting that while Proto-Sinaitic is the earliest known alphabet, its symbols are notoriously difficult to decipher.

Egyptologist and University of British Columbia professor Dr Thomas Schneider said the claims were completely unsubstantiated and misleading, "warning that 'arbitrary' identification of letters could distort ancient history."

However, Bar-Ron's supervisor, Dr. Peter van der Veen, supported the information, saying: "You are absolutely right, I read it too, it is not fiction!"

Bar-Ron's study, which has not been published in any peer-reviewed journal, reanalyzed 22 complex inscriptions from ancient turquoise mines dating to the reign of Pharaoh Amenemhat III.

Some scholars have suggested that the pharaoh mentioned in the Book of Exodus could have been Amenemhat III, known for his large-scale building projects.

The language used in the carvings is an early form of Northwest Semitic, closely related to Biblical Hebrew, with traces of Aramaic.

Using high-resolution images and 3D casts studied at Harvard’s Semitic Museum, Bar-Ron grouped the inscriptions into five overlapping categories, or “hoards,” including dedications to the goddess Bahalat, invocations to the Hebrew god El, and hybrid inscriptions that show signs of later corruption and modification. Some carvings dedicated to Bahalat appear to have been erased by El worshipers, perhaps reflecting a religious power struggle among the Semitic-speaking workers.

The inscriptions also contained references to slavery, overseers, and a strong opposition to the Bahalat cult, which scholars speculate may have led to the forced purge and eventual departure of workers from the site.

The burnt temple of Baalat, built by Amenemhat III, and references to the "Gate of the Damned", probably the gate of the pharaoh, hint at resistance to Egyptian authority.

The nearby Reniseneb stele and the seal of a high-ranking Egyptian official of Asian origin indicate a significant Semitic presence, possibly associated with figures such as the biblical Joseph, a high-ranking official at the court of the pharaoh as described in the Book of Genesis.

Joseph, who was sold into slavery and later rose to power through his dream interpretations, helped his family move to Egypt.

"We find inscriptions praising the idol of Baalat, but apparently later El or a scribe serving God came and crossed out some of the letters, trying to turn the message into a message dedicated to serving God," Bar-Ron told Patterns of Evidence. "That is the starting point for this conflict.

A second possible reference to "Moshe," or Moses, in nearby drawings adds intrigue, although its exact context remains unclear.

"I was very critical of looking for the name 'Moses' or anything else that might cause a sensation," Bar-Ron told Patterns of Evidence magazine. "Really, the only way to do serious work is to try not to look for elements that seem 'biblical,' but to try to find alternative solutions that are at least as plausible."