New research may have uncovered the earliest known written references to Moses outside the Bible, embedded in a series of ancient inscriptions discovered in the Egyptian desert.

According to Fox News, epigraphist Michael S. Bar-Ron has proposed that two Proto-Sinaitic inscriptions found in the Sinai Desert contain the name Moses, potentially predating any biblical texts by several centuries.

The inscriptions were discovered at Serabit el-Khadim, an ancient turquoise mining site in the Sinai Peninsula dating back to between 1800 and 1600 B.C. During the Middle Bronze Age, this area was used by Semitic laborers under Egyptian direction and included a temple dedicated to the goddess Ba`alat.

Decoding Ancient Desert Text Inscriptions

Bar-Ron, a graduate student at Ariel University and a dual citizen of the United States and Israel, has spent eight years reconstructing and translating 23 inscriptions from this site. He described the experience as both “painstaking” and “oft-frustrating.”

Among the many inscriptions he analyzed, two lines stood out: one reading “Zot M’Moshe,” translated as “This is from Moses,” and another reading “Ne’um Moshe,” or “Declaration of Moses.” These were not central to his graduate thesis, which focuses on exploring leadership figures resembling Moses during the same period.

However, their significance became clear as he compared the stylistic elements of the inscriptions, which led him to believe that they may have been authored by the same individual. This discovery, if validated, would place the name Moses in writing well before the earliest known sections of the Hebrew Bible.

Historical and Religious Implications

The earliest parts of the Bible were written between the 10th and 7th centuries B.C., meaning these inscriptions could be over 800 years older. If confirmed, they would be the first known written mention of Moses outside religious texts.

What makes the discovery particularly striking is the content surrounding the references to Moses. Several inscriptions openly denounce the worship of Ba`alat, the Canaanite goddess revered at the site’s temple. Phrases like “BŠ”—interpreted as “for shame”—and “nimosh,” translated to “let us leave” or “remove ourselves,” seem to rebuke local religious practices.

Bar-Ron argues that the spiritual condemnation embedded in these texts suggests a monotheistic impulse, aligning with themes familiar from later Mosaic traditions. He also points out references to the deity El, a name later associated with the Abrahamic God.

Reassessing Long-Known Inscriptions

Although these inscriptions were originally discovered in the early 1900s, modern translations and interpretations like Bar-Ron’s are shedding new light on their historical meaning. Until now, these texts had not been understood as potentially referencing Moses.

According to Bar-Ron, these revelations were late additions to his research process. “The findings on Moses were last-minute discoveries and nonessential to that subpoint,” he said, referring to his thesis on possible Mosaic authorship.

While Bar-Ron's work is not yet peer-reviewed, it was closely supervised by academic mentors and edited extensively, undergoing more than 100 revisions during preparation. He stresses that these conclusions are drawn not from isolated phrases but from the full context of multiple inscriptions.

Calls for Caution and Further Study

“If we were drawing such conclusions based on one or two inscriptions, it would be weak,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of analyzing the whole set of findings at Serabit el-Khadim. He encourages readers to engage directly with his thesis for a more comprehensive understanding.

Though speculative, these findings arrive amid renewed interest in archaeological traces of Moses. Last summer, an ancient sword believed to date to the era of the Book of Exodus was uncovered in Egypt, and a French researcher recently identified Egyptian texts praising a ruler thought to have opposed Moses, Ramesses II.

These studies underscore the ongoing efforts of scholars and archaeologists to locate physical evidence tying biblical narratives to historical events and locations. Despite decades of exploration, tangible proof of Moses' existence remains elusive.

The Broader Context of Semitic Influence

The physical and religious setting of Serabit el-Khadim offers a compelling context for these new interpretations. The presence of Semitic laborers, combined with early writing forms and references to spiritual revolt, paints a complex picture of cultural and religious interaction during the Middle Bronze Age.

Bar-Ron’s thesis, while chiefly about potential Mosaic leadership at the site, now carries greater weight due to these potentially groundbreaking interpretations. He urges that readers not cherry-pick quotes but evaluate the full body of inscriptions.

This research could potentially reshape the conversation about the origins of the Moses tradition and the development of early monotheistic thought, offering scholars a new vantage point from which to examine the ancient world.