Exodus Route Restored chapter Excerpt: Mt Ebal, Joshua’s Altar, Lead Curse Tablet recently discovered.

This document is a small portion of one chapter. The author, Steven Rudd, was a codiscoverer of the recently
announced “Mt. Ebal Lead Curse Tablet”. The Author was present at the press conference in Houston March 2022 to
announce the discovery. This is a 100 year find of massive importance to validating the inspiration of scripture.

I am available for interviews and zoom bible studies for larger groups if needed.

The book (Exodus Route Restored) is complete and final portions are coming in from the many editors. Print copies
will likely be available by Summer 2022. It is 600 pages, full colour 8.5x11 print size.

I have reformatted the excerpt below to enlarge the photos to full page size. Enjoy

Any questions let me know.

Steven Rudd
905-541-1423
Canada
Israel@bible.ca
Contents
Authors Introduction.............................................................................................................................1
Overview of the Exodus and Conquest: ................................................................................................1
Curriculum Vitae of Steven Rudd ..........................................................................................................2
MAPS AND CHRONOLOGY ....................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 1: Historical, Chronological and Archaeological Survey of the Exodus .................................11
CHAPTER 2: The Exodus as Messianic Prophecy and Typology.............................................................77
CHAPTER 3: The Exodus was a miracle .................................................................................................93
CHAPTER 4: Bible Chronology and the Date of the Exodus: 1446 BC ...................................................95
CHAPTER 5: Archaeological Ages Table: Christian Archeological Dating (CAD) ....................................101
CHAPTER 6: Egyptian Chronology is dependent upon the Bible ...........................................................107
CHAPTER 7: Egyptian Chronological Tables: 2800 BC – 31 BC (High vs. Low Chronology) ...................145
CHAPTER 8: Radiocarbon-14 has declared war on Archaeological Dating and the Bible .....................164
CHAPTER 9: Debunking David Rohl’s Egyptian Chronology and Flood-Famine Fiction (FFF) ................180
CHAPTER 10: The Pharaoh of the Exodus: Thutmoses III......................................................................211
CHAPTER 11: Date and Pharaoh of the Exodus in Ancient Literary Sources: ........................................247
CHAPTER 12: Long vs. Short Egyptian sojourn: 430 years in Egypt not 215 .........................................308
CHAPTER 13: The population of the Exodus Jews was about 2-3 million .............................................314
CHAPTER 14: The River of Egypt is the border between Egypt and Israel at wadi el-Arish ..................335
CHAPTER 15: Tracing the southern border of Judah to locate Kadesh Barnea.....................................344
CHAPTER 16: Paul’s Arabia in the New Testament: AD 36 ...................................................................350
CHAPTER 17: The Edomites — From Esau to Edom to Idumea to Extinction 2006 BC – AD 70............390
CHAPTER 18: Israel was “out of Egypt” when they crossed the Red Sea at the Straits of Tiran ...........409
CHAPTER 19: Calendar of travel times, distances, rates of travel, days of the week ...........................413
CHAPTER 20: The exodus route restored: A detailed geographical itinerary of the 50 stops ..............426
CHAPTER 21: The unicorn archaeology of Mt. Lawz as Mt. Sinai in Saudi Arabia.................................465
CHAPTER 22: 42 Keys that decode the Exodus Route ...........................................................................489
CHAPTER 23: Debunked Exodus Routes: Red Sea, Mt. Sinai, and Kadesh Barnea ................................499
CHAPTER 24: Debunking the Nuweiba Beach Red Sea Crossing of Ron Wyatt and Glen Fritz .............507
CHAPTER 25: Kadesh Barnea at Petra ...................................................................................................535
Bibliography ..........................................................................................................................................580
Joshua’s Altar and the discovery of the Lead Curse Tablet: 1406 BC
Site location: 50 km N of Jerusalem: GPS: 32.239679N 35.287205E
PART 1: ARCHEOLOGY OF JOSHUA’S ALTAR
A. In AD 2005, Steven Rudd first identified the Round Altar (Locus 94) as Joshua’s Altar:
1. In November AD 2004, Steven Rudd conducted restoration work under the direct supervision of Adam Zertal
on Joshua’s Altar at Mt. Ebal. Zertal identified two strata in his 1985 excavation reports. Zertal considered the
rectangular alter (Stratum I) to be Joshua’s altar which he dated to about 1250 BC at the time of Rameses II.
Zertal dated the circular altar (Locus 94, Stratum II) under the rectangular to around 1300-1275 BC. Till his
death, Zertal always identified Joshua’s altar as the rectangular structure and never believed the round
circular altar (Locus 94/stratum II) was built by Joshua. Zertal believed Joshua built the rectangular alter over
top of an older circular alter that predated the rectangular altar by 25-50 years. The elephant in the excavation
room apparent to Steven Rudd was that the exodus occurred in 1446 BC under Thutmoses III, not 1250 BC
under Ramses II as Zertal believed. This meant that it was impossible for the rectangular altar to be built by
Joshua.
2. In AD 2005, Steven Rudd studied Zertal’s excavation reports, and was the first one to redate the circular alter
to 1406 BC and identify it as Joshua’s altar, not the rectangular structure above. This was based upon Biblical
chronology and the Thutmoses III scarab Zertal excavated. Rudd rejected (in 2005 AD) Zertal’s claim that the
Thutmoses III scarab was a replica created at the time of Ramses II. All these details were published by Rudd in
AD 2005 on the webpage, www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-altar-of-joshua.htm, which has enjoyed
a first hit “Google” search result for “Joshua’s Altar” since AD 2005. During this time, it was the most read
monograph on Joshua’s altar in the world, as is true today. Gradually, many came to agree with Rudd’s
conclusion that the round altar (Locus 94, Stratum II) was Joshua’s altar that dated to 1406 BC.
3. Circular stone altar predated the rectangular altar and dates to 1406 BC:

a. “When we excavated under the fill, we found some curious stone-built installations. One installation [locus
94] consisted of a circle made of medium-sized field stones laid on bedrock arid located at the exact
geometric center of the structure. The outside diameter of the circle of stones was 6.5 feet. The circle of
stones was filled with a thin, yellowish material that we have not yet identified. On top of this yellowish
layer was a thin layer of ash and animal bones. This installation as well as the others inside the structure
were clearly used in some fire-related activity before the structure was built. It is quite obvious, now, that
the installations at the bottom of the structure represent an earlier phase, and the large structure itself
represents a later phase-both from the same Iron I period.” (Adam Zertal, 2005 AD)
 b. “Installation 94 [2-meter-wide circular altar], which is an integral part of Surface 61, was unearthed in the
eastern part of this surface. It is 2 m. in diameter and built of medium-size stones, some of them charred,
protruding 20-25 cm. above the surface. Its southern side is coverd by Wall 13 of Stratum IB (P1. 6:2),
whidh effectively cancelled its use. It was found covered with stones, beneath which was a 10 cm. layer 'of
clean ash containing many animal bones, some burnt. The installation is located in the exact centre of the
overlying building, and in the middle of the opening between its inner Walls 13 arld 16, creating an
obstacle for passage between the two spaces (see below). A similar round structure, 1.45 m. in diameter,
discovered in Courtyard 103 of Stratum XI in the Philistine temple at Tell Qasile, was interpreted by the,
excavator as a sacrificial altar.” (An Early Iron Age Cultic Site On Mount Ebal: Excavation Seasons 1982-
1987 Preliminary Report, Adam Zertal, Tel Aviv, vol 14, p110, 1987 AD)
c. “Although the Stratum II structure in Area B on the lower step is domestic in nature, there are many
features of this stratum in Area A that seem to be cultic. One of these features is Installation 94 [2-meter-
wide circular altar], found full of ash and burnt animal bones; another is Surface 61, which is divided into
cells and paved with pithoi body sherds and covered with ash and bones. Both of these point to ritual
activities, related to burning and animal sacrifice.” (An Early Iron Age Cultic Site On Mount Ebal: Excavation
Seasons 1982-1987 Preliminary Report, Adam Zertal, Tel Aviv, vol 14, p151, 1987 AD)
4. Plaster excavated in Stratum II that dated to 1406 BC:
a. The Ten commandments were written on the plastered stones of Joshua’s Altar.
b. The plaster fragments from Joshua’s altar are currently at the University of Haifa, Israel.

c. Steven Rudd had proposed in 2006 that these fragments needed to be examined by professionals for any
possible ancient Hebrew script in carbon ink. In 2019, Steven Rudd designed, engineered, and build the
Field Multispectral Ostraca Imager (fMOI) for the Shiloh excavation team to detect invisible text on pottery
sherds. This scientific imaging machine allows archaeologists to see if any writing is visible under UV and
Infrared light. The plan is to examine the plaster fragments from Mt. Ebal with the fMOI to detect any
evidence of the carbon text of the Ten commandments.

d. “In the middle of the northern part of the fill [of rectangular altar] some 20 pieces of white plaster about 3
cm. thick were neatly arranged in layers. These plaster chunks must have originated in Stratum II, and
 similar traces of, plaster were found in Area B in both strata. To the best of my knowledge, no plaster of
any sort has been recovered from any other Iron Age I site.” (An Early Iron Age Cultic Site On Mount Ebal:
Excavation Seasons 1982-1987 Preliminary Report, Adam Zertal, Tel Aviv, vol 14, p151, 1987 AD)
5. Faunal report of Mt. Ebal bones: Burnt Kosher bones in ash excavated inside the circular stone altar:
a. In the rectangular altar a collection of 942 bones from 50-100 individual animals was excavated. These
were scientifically analyzed by Hebrew University of Jerusalem and all were determined to be kosher one
year old male animals. The species included: Goats, Sheep, Cattle and one gazelle.
b. “To the archaeologists' great surprise, hundreds of animal bones, most of them burnt, were found in the
layers of ash. Burnt bones are evidence of burnt offerings. The bones were attributed to four types of
animal -cattle, sheep, goats, and fallow deer and all were from young males, just as the Toraic laws on
sacrifice prescribe. … Examination of the sex and age of the animals revealed that all those that could be
diagnosed were young males, approximately one year old.” (Adam Zertal, 2005 AD)
c. "When compared to other Iron Age habitation sites, some interesting differences are apparent between
Ebal and the others. … Ebal differs from other Iron Age sites in the absence of certain species such as
equids, pigs, gazelle and carnivores and in the presence of a high frequency of fallow deer. In addition, the
comparative data on burnt bones suggests a frequency at Ebal, slightly higher than that expected from a
bone sample of this size. … The absence of animals prohibited for consumption but frequent at other Iron
Age sites, suggests conformity with Biblical tenets." (Faunal Remains from the Early Israelite Site of Mt.
Ebal, Liora Kolska-Horwitz, Tel Aviv, vol 14, 1987 AD)
6. Unusual non-eastern orientation of the rectangular altar:
a. The rectangular altar did not point east but was oddly oriented to the four corners of the compass. That it
was a Hebrew altar was confirmed by uncut stones (Deut 27:5) and the use of ramps instead of stairs as
commanded by the Law of Moses (Exodus 20:26).
b. Perhaps the non-eastern orientation was the result of a mix of pagan and Hebrew design elements at the
time of Deborah the Judge to worship to both YHWH and pagan gods (Judges 2:11-13).
PART 2: MT. EBAL “DEFIXIO” CURSE TABLET DISCOVERED IN AD 2019:
 M.E.D.S. team: 22 Codiscoverers of the Mt. Ebal Lead Curse Tablet, December 2019
(In alphabetical order)
1. Melody Bogle (Artist)
2. Miki Clouser (Volunteer)
3. Sherrie Dwyer (Volunteer)
4. Jacob Figueroa (Volunteer)
5. Brent French (Volunteer)
6. Emmeline Gerhart (Volunteer)
7. Perry Gerhart (Special Projects Engineer)
8. Greg Gulbrandsen (Wet Sifting Supervisor)
9. Ellen Jackson (Metal Detectorist)
10. Zvi Koenigsberg (Laison)
11. Scott Lanser (ABR Director)
12. Kevin Larsen (Staff)
13. Suzanne Lattimer (Staff)
14. Abigail Leavitt (Asst. Director)
15. Aaron Lipkin (Logistics Coordinator)
16. Mike Luddeni (off site photographer)
17. Jordan McClinton (Volunteer)
18. Steve Rudd (Wet Sifting Engineer)
19. Henry Smith (Administrative Director)
20. Frankie Snyder (Small Finds Specialist)
21. Scott Stripling (Director)
22. Gary Urie (Volunteer)

Introduction: Earliest Hebrew inscription on Earth. | Earliest Hebrew use of YHWH on Earth
1. “That with an iron stylus and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!" (Job 19:24)
2. The AD 2019 discovery of the Late Bronze Age lead curse tablet on Mt. Ebal, which the Bible identifies as the
mountain of curses, is a Bible skeptic’s worst nightmare because it is an alphabetic Proto-Paleo-Hebrew script that
utilizes a complex and sophisticated chiastic poetic parallel with 10 curses, to express a legal verdict echoing Gen
2;17, “you shall surely die”. It includes God’s name “YHWH” twice and is in the same format as a contemporary
Late Bronze Age Hittite submission covenant. The script is embedded like a sealed letter inside a folded outer
envelope, in the same time (Late Bronze Age), place (Mt. Ebal), and message (Curse) as would be predicted by
scripture. “That with an iron stylus and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!" (Job 19:24)
3. In 2021, the tomographic scans of the 2019 Mt Ebal Curst Tablet were conducted by two epigraphers Pieter Gert
Van der Veen at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and Gershon Galil of the University of Haifa. These
scientists employed advanced tomographic scans to recover the hidden text. All the letters on the inside belong to
the same physical level, indicating they were part of a script written on a flat strip of lead. Daniel Vavrik and his
colleagues from the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech
ensured the accuracy of the raw data which the team interpreted.
A. The importance of the AD 2019 Mt. Ebal Lead Curse Tablet:
1. The script of the Mt. Ebal Lead Curse Tablet dates to the Late Bronze Age: 1406-1100 BC. Three key epigraphic
features unquestionably date the Lead Curse Tablet of Mt Ebal to the Late Bronze Age as a proto-Paleo-Hebrew
script.
a. First, the Hebrew letter “H” (halal/praise) is represented twice in the name of God (YWH) with the
graphical symbol of a man with his hands raised over his head in worship which was directly borrowed
from Egyptian Hieroglyphics.
b. Second, the Hebrew letter “A” (aleph) is represented 11 times using the graphical symbol of an ox head
which was directly borrowed from Egyptian Hieroglyphics.
 c. Third, the Hebrew text reads left to right, placing it in the period before 1100 BC, after which, the script
became standardized reading right to left by Samuel through his work at his prophet’s school at Naioth
around 1050 BC (1 Sam 19:18-24). The earliest Hebrew, Egyptian, and Phoenician scripts were read left to
right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, or as the ox plows.
2. Oldest Hebrew text: There were four historic Hebrew scripts, and the lead curse tablet is from the earliest
family known as Hieroglyphic-Hebrew, also called, Proto-Paleo-Hebrew. Joseph invented the first alphabet by
adapting the symbols from Egyptian Hieroglyphs as the basis of the 22 characters of the Hebrew alphabet. It
can be proven that all alphabets today, including English, were directly derived from this original Hebrew
alphabet. The transition from Hieroglyphic-Hebrew to Paleo-Hebrew occurred under the oversight and
direction of Samuel at his prophet’s school Naioth around 1050 BC. It was Samuel who standardized the
Hebrew script used by David and Solomon down to the Babylonian captivity when Paleo-Hebrew script went
extinct. Under the oversight and direction of Ezra in 458 BC, Aramaic Hebrew, also known as “Square Hebrew”
replaced the Paleo-Hebrew script. Aramaic Hebrew was the script of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the script used
today in modern Israel. The curse tablet predates the oldest known Hebrew text by 200-475 years. Currently,
the oldest Hebrew script is from the Khirbet Qeiyafa ostracon which is dated to between 1010-923 BC.
3. Oldest use of YHWH: Twice the curse
table uses the three-letter “YHW” for
the name of God. The curse tablet
predates the oldest known Hebrew
use of YHWH by 300-575 years.
Currently, the oldest Hebrew text that
contained YHWH, is the Kuntillet Ajrud
ostracon which dates to 839 BC.
Kuntillet Ajrud is currently the oldest
Hebrew Bible text (Numbers 6:24-26)
which predates the Ketef Hinnom
silver scroll by 100-200 years.
a. Four-letter spelling of YHWH:
i. The common four-letter spelling “YHWH” used over 6500 times in scripture is also used in the
Moabite/Mesha Stele (841 BC). “I am Mesha the king of Moab… Omri was the king of Israel, and he
oppressed Moab for many days, And his son Ahab) succeeded him, and he said “I will oppress Moab!”
In my days (941 BC) I looked down on him and on his house, and Israel has gone to ruin. … And
Chemosh said to me: “Go, take Nebo from Israel!” … I took it, and I killed [its] whole population, seven
thousand male citizens … And from there, I took the vessels of YHWH” (Mesha Stele, 841 BC)
b. Two-letter: YH, YW
i. The two-letter spelling “YH” (Yah) is used in Exodus 15:2; 17:16; Ps 68:4,18
ii. The two-letter spelling “Yô or Yehô” is used in personal names like “Jochebed” meaning “Jehovah is
glory” (Ex 6:20) and “Joshua” meaning ““Jehovah is salvation” (Ex 17:9)
iii. The double two-letter spelling “YH YH” is used in Isa 26:4
iv. The two and four-letter spelling used in combination “YH YHWH” in Isaiah 12:2; 26:4
v. The two-letter spelling “YW” is used 9 or 10 times in the assemblage of ostraca at Kuntillet ‘Ajrud (839
BC).
OLDEST BIBLE TEXT ON EARTH: Numbers 6:24-26. In AD 2017, Steven Rudd identified from excavation
reports, that the oldest bible verses ever discovered was the from the assemblage of ostraca from
Kuntillet Ajrud. Currently the oldest Hebrew Bible text (Numbers 6:24-26) from Kuntillet Ajrud,
predates the Ketef Hinnom silver scroll by 100-200 years, which also quotes Num 6:24-25.
c. Three-letter spelling: YHW, YHH
i. The three-letter spelling YHW is used in Soleb temple (see elsewhere): “Shasu of Yhw”: 1396-1358 BC
ii. The three-letter spelling “YHW” is used in the Aramaic Elephantine papyri: c. 400 BC
1) “YHW the God dwelling in Yeb.” (404 BC, Anani)
2) “Greetings to the temple of YHW at Elephantine” (Padua 1)
3) “Let us get rid of the temple of the God YHW in Fort Elephantine!” (“Text A” (AP 30)
4) “If our lord [will give permission] for the temple of our God YHW to be rebuilt 9in Fort Elephantine
as it was previously, we agree that no sheep, ox, or goat is to be offered as a burnt offering there,
but only incense and meal offering”. (AP 33, 407 BC)
iii. The three-letter spelling “YHH” is used in the Aramaic Elephantine papyri:
1) “Look after the tunic I left in the temple of YHH. Tell Uriyah it is to be dedicated.” (O. Cairo 49624,
475 BC)
2) “May YHH [of hosts] bless you at all times.” (O. Clermont-Ganneau 186, 475 BC)
iv. Alexander Jannaeus used the three letter Paleo-Hebrew spelling “YHW” on his coins, 500 years after
the Paleo-Hebrew script went extinct as a memorial of Israel’s beginning. His choice of the 3-letter
spelling of the name of God in Paleo-Hebrew script confirms that it was considered a standard form.
1) “Yehonatan the King” (78 BC). “Many of Jannaeus’ coins were overstruck to replace “Yehonatan
the King” with “Yonatan the High Priest and the Community of the Jews,” eliminating both the
royal title and the combination of letters YHW, which could be read as the name of God. The
restriking was probably done after Jannaeus’ death, during the reign of Queen Salome Alexandra
(76–67 B.C.).” (Hasmonean Coins, Dictionary of New Testament Background, Craig Evans, p223,
2000 AD)
4. The oldest lead curse tablet:
a. The metallurgy of the Mt Ebal Lead Curse Tablet dates to the Late Bronze Age matching 1406 BC. The
metallurgy of the lead was analyzed at Hebrew university and was confirmed to originate from the famous
Late Bronze Age Lavrion silver and lead mines in Greece from which many other lead objects are known to
originate. The script on the Mt. Ebal curse tablet was inscribed with an Iron stylus on lead just as
confirmed by the book of Job, where the story dates to the Early Bronze Age at the time of Abraham (Job
19:24; cf. also Jer 17:1).
a. Recently, Israeli archaeologists confirmed inscribed lead ingots were imported into Canaan from the
Aegean region around 1400 BC, when they were discovered in a ship’s cargo in a port south of Haifa. This
lead has been analyzed and comes from the same Late Bronze Age Lavrion silver and lead mines in Greece
as the Mt. Ebal curse tablet which dates to the same period.
b. Previously, the oldest known inscribed lead curse tablet was found in city of Selinus in Sicily which dated to
the 5th century BC, which was 700-900 years younger than the Mt. Ebal lead curse tablet.
c. Previously, the oldest known inscribed lead strip was discovered in 1937 at the capital of the Hittite empire
in central Anatolia in modern Turkey and dated to the 14th — 13th centuries BC.
5. Archeologically the Mt Ebal Lead Curse Tablet dates to the Late Bronze Age: 1406-1150 BC
a. The curse tablet was found in Zertal’s excavation dump of Joshua’s altar which he determined was
abandoned around 1150 BC, dating the curse tablet earlier than 1150 BC.
Zertal discovered a scarab of Thutmoses III at Mt. Ebal in the earliest stratum II, but concluded the scarab
was a ceremonial replica created during the reign of Ramses II who Zertal misidentified as the pharaoh of
the exodus. Steven Rudd rejected the scarab was a replica in AD 2006, and redated Zertal’s stratum II from
1275 BC to 1446 BC, which is perfect synchronism for Thutmoses III as the Pharaoh of the exodus. It is
expected that the Hebrews left Egypt in possession with his scarabs which they acquired during the 18
years he was their pharaoh before the exodus.
“About 70 to 80 [circular] installations were uncovered to the north, south and east of the central
complex. These consisted of crudely arranged stone-bordered circles, squares, or rectangles (and many
irregular shapes) with an average diameter or width of 30 cm. to 70 cm. They are intermixed and built one
upon the other in some cases. … Wall 17, which extends from the northern courtyard, and Wall 44, which
joins curving Wall 22. This wall encompasses other installations, in one of which scarab No. 2 [Thutmoses
III] was unearthed. The stratigraphical position of the scarab could not be fixed, because of the mixture of
the Strata II and I installations, but its deep location hints at Stratum II.” (An Early Iron Age Cultic Site On
Mount Ebal: Excavation Seasons 1982-1987 Preliminary Report, Adam Zertal, Tel Aviv, vol 14, p118, 1987
AD)
b. In AD 1985, Adam Zertal excavated an incense altar at Joshua’s altar in stratum II.

i. In the AD 1906, Flinders Petrie excavated a similar sandstone incense and libation altars from the
Hathor temple at Serabit el-Khadim which Petrie dated to the Late Bronze Age and identified as of
Semitic (i.e. Hebrew) origin. Hebrews worshiped Hathor/Ashtaroth the cow goddess at Serabit el-
Khadim and as the golden calf at Mt. Sinai in 1446 BC. In 586 BC the Jews offered libations to Hathor as
the “queen of heaven” (Jer 44:19.) In AD 2016, Douglas Petrovich identified a series of Hebrew “Sinai
Inscriptions” at Serabit el-Khadim that he dated to the time of the exodus. Although Zertal never tested
the origin of the pumice, it may have been from the Thera eruption, which Manfred Bietak (excavator of
Goshen at Tel el-Dab’a) dated to the time of Thutmoses III using low Egyptian chronology. To complete
the circle of evidence, Zertal used Petrie’s sandstone chalice as a parallel for the Mt. Ebal chalice in his
exaction report. “Pumice chalice. This vessel was placed in Pit 250 before the Stratum LB fill was poured
and therefore dates to Stratum II. It is 10 cm. high and the diameter of the base - and upper bowl is 8.5
cm. The bowl is 3 cm. deep.” (Adam Zertal excavation report of Joshua’s altar, 1985 AD) During the
exodus, Moses camped at Succoth on the Gulf of Suez, at a location which is directly adjacent the
turquoise mines of Serabit el-Khadim to pick up the Hebrew slaves who worked there. In AD 2006,
Steven Rudd redated Zertal’s stratum II from 1275 BC to 1406 BC because the scarab of Thutmoses III
and the pumice incense altar were excavated from stratum II.
ii. “The plainest and roughest of the altars were nos. 14 and 15, which were found in the Portico; no. 15
has been merely rough-chipped, no. 14 has been dressed over. The altar no. 13 is well finished, and on
the top the surface was burnt for about a quarter of an inch inwards, black outside and discoloured
below. This proves that such altars were used for burning; and from the small size, about 5 to 7 inches
across, the only substance burnt on them must have been inflammable, such as incense. This altar is a
foot high; it was found in the shrine of Sopdu and is now in the British Museum. A larger and more
elaborate Altar (no. 4) was found in the Sacred Cave. It has been much broken about the top, but it had
originally a basin hollow about 9 inches wide and 4 inches deep which might perhaps have been for
libations [liquid offerings]. Around the narrowest part is a thick roll 4½ inches high. The whole altar is 25
inches high. … Most of these altars seem to be intended for incense, and in one case there is the mark
 of burning on the top; they thus agree with what we know of the Jewish system, where a small altar was
reserved specially for incense. We have here, then, another instance of Semitic worship, differing from
that of Egypt, where incense was always offered on a shovel-shaped [stone] censer held in the hand.”
(Researches in Sinai, Flinders Petrie, p133, 1906 AD)
6. Confirms scripture that Mt. Ebal was Mountain of curses: The curse tablet confirms that Mt. Ebal was the
mountain of curses, which agrees with the Masoretic Text, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and the Septuagint.
7. Confirms the early Exodus date of 1446 BC: The tablet provides strong evidence that the early date of the
exodus in 1446 BC is correct, and the late date of 1253 BC is wrong.
8. The “Documentary Hypothesis” of Bible skeptics refuted:
a. The lead tablet confirms that sophisticated writing skills using an alphabetic script existed at the time of
Moses. The lead tablet dismantles and collapses the “Documentary Hypothesis” of Bible scoffers, who say
that scribes wrote different portions of Pentateuch centuries apart and that the Pentateuch as we have it
today, did not exist before 600 BC. The epigraphic skill of the lead curse tablet scribe was more than
sufficient to write the entire Pentateuch, proving such writing skills existed at the time of Moses in the
Late Bronze Age. “Documentary Hypothesis” advocates cannot now argue with a straight face that the
ability to write scripture did not exist until the Persian or Hellenistic period. The author of the text was not
only a scribe, but he was a theological leader. The curse table used both El and YWH together in the Late
Bronze Age, contra the Documentary Hypothesis. It’s time for these skeptics to join the toddlers Sunday
School class and learn the Bible in a true light of faith.
9. Sophisticated chiastic parallelism collapses the “Documentary Hypothesis”: The message reads the same, top
to bottom and bottom to top. “Ciasm” is a Latin transliteration of the Greek chiasma (χιασμα) referring to the
Greek letter Χ (chi). Chiasm is the repetition of the same elements in inverted order: a-b-b´-a´; or if a middle
element is present: a-b-c-b´-a´. Chiastic arrangement, conceived graphically, resembles the letter Χ. Caism is
used extensively throughout scripture (Eccl 1:12–2:26; 4:1–16; 5:8–6:9).
a. Examples of Caism are common scripture (many also in Psalms)
The King’s Experiment Ecclesiastes 1:12–2:26
A: Work Is an Evil Business, 1:12–15
B: Wisdom Brings Trouble, 1:16–18
C: Examining Pleasure, 2:1–11
B′: Testing Wisdom, 2:12–17
A′: Studying Toil, 2:18–23
Toil for Self and in Community Ecclesiastes 4:1–16
A: The Oppressed Abandoned, 4:1–3
B: Toil in Competition? Be Content! 4:4–6
C: Toil for No Purpose, 4:7–8
B′: Toil Alone? Work Together! 4:9–12
A′: The Oppressed Wise Youth Abandoned, 4:13–16
Enjoyment Instead of Greed Ecclesiastes 5:8–6:9
A: No Satisfaction in Wealth, 5:8–12
B: Wealth Is Easily Lost, 5:13–17
C: Best to Find Good in One’s Work, 5:18–20
B′: God Gives Wealth, But It Is Lost, 6:1–6
A′: Little Satisfaction in Toil, Pleasure, Wisdom, 6:7–9
b. Caism in the 2019 Lead Curse Tablet of Mt. Ebal:
A: Cursed, cursed, cursed.
B: Cursed by the God YHW.
C: You will die cursed.
C’: Cursed you will surely die.
B’: Cursed by YHW.
A’: Cursed, cursed, cursed.
B. Hittite Submission (Suzerainty) Covenants and the Deuteronomy covenant:
The 2019 Lead Curse Tablet of Mt Ebal synchronizes with both account of the Bible covenant renewal ceremony in
Joshua 8, and contemporary Hittite covenant ceremonies. Hittite submission covenants (suzerainty treaties) are
known from the 1600 – 1200 BC and often contained 8 standard sections or parts. However, the order varied greatly
even with the same Hittite ruler. Many treaties omit some of the 8 parts and/or invert the order of the parts and the
document often ended with the curses and blessings as the last part. Notably, the curses are always followed by the
blessings as they are in Deuteronomy 27-28. That Moses wrote Deuteronomy in the exact form of a contemporary 8
part Hittite covenant is not surprising since he was educated for 40 years as crown prince of Egypt in all military,
economic and political matters (Acts 7:22). It is certain, therefore, that Moses had read many of these common
covenants and likely even composed them for newly conquered vassal states of Egypt. Deuteronomy represents a
summing up of all the events from Egypt to the shores of the Jordan River into a formal legal document to bring the
Hebrews into covenant with God. Since the literary structure of Deuteronomy and the curse tablet, exactly follow the
form and content of these the many extant Hittite Suzerainty treaties, this provides strong evidence Deuteronomy
was written before 1200 BC and not 600 BC. It is certain that the Hebrews were familiar with these 8 part Hittite
covenants since Moses forbad the Hebrews from forming these covenants with foreign nations (Ex 23:32; Deut 7:2;
Judges 2:2). Instead of forming submission covenants with the nations, the Hebrew were only permitted to form an 8
point covenant with God alone. It is not surprising that the book of Deuteronomy is organized into the known format
of an 8 part covenant:
1. Preamble: Deut 1:1-5
a. Hittite covenants often began by introducing the law-giving King under whom vassals were required to
submit backed by the authority of the gods.
b. In the Deuteronomy covenant, Moses is introduced as the supreme lawgiver and authority on earth on
behalf of God, who delivers the “Law of Moses” to the people.
c. Preamble of the 10 commandments: Ex 20:1; Deut 5:1
2. Historical survey: Deut 1:6—4:43.
a. Generally following the “preamble”, Hittite covenants recounted the historical interaction between the
king and his conquered vassals.
b. In the Deuteronomy covenant, the exodus and conquest were recounted before they crossed the Jordan.
c. Historical survey of the 10 commandments: Ex 20:2; Deut 5:2-5
3. Law: Deut 5—26.
a. As their central purpose, all Hittite covenants contained a set of laws that vassals were required to obey.
b. In the Deuteronomy covenant the Law of Moses included the Ten Commandments and the ordinances in
the Book of the Law.
c. The law of the 10 commandments: Ex 20:3-17; Deut 5:6-21
4. Divine witness: Deut 4:26; 28:58; 30:19; 31:28; 32:1 + 31:19–21
a. Immediately preceding the oath of curses and blessings, Hittite covenants often contained a long list of
pagan gods who “shall stand and listen to the oath and be witnesses” to the covenant.
i. “The Storm-god, Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Moon-god and the Sun-god, the Moon-god of Harran,
heaven and earth, the Storm-god, Lord of the kurinnu of Kahat, the Deity of Herds of Kurta, the Storm-
god, Lord of Uhushuman, Ea-sharri, Lord of Wisdom, Anu, Antu, Enlil, Ninlil, the Mitra-gods, the
Varuna-gods, Indra, the Nasatya-gods, the underground watercourse(?), Shamanminuhi, the Storm-
god, Lord of Washshukkanni, the Storm-god, Lord of the Temple Platform(?) of Irrite, Partahi of Shuta,
Nabarbi, Shuruhi, Ishtar, Evening Star, Shala, Belet-ekalli, Damkina, Ishhara, the mountains and rivers,
the deities of heaven, and the deities of earth. They shall stand and listen and be witnesses to these
words of the treaty/covenant.” (Treaty covenant between Shattiwaza of Mittanni and Suppiluliuma I
of Hatti: 1344–1322 BC, A rev. 54–58, Hittite Diplomatic Texts, Gary M. Beckman, Harry A. Hoffner,
Vol 7, p52, 1999 AD)
b. In the Deuteronomy covenant, Moses identified the divine witness: “respect this honored and awesome
name: YHWH your God”. In addition to YHWH being the central covenant maker in the Deuteronomy
covenant, Moses also calls upon “Heaven and earth”, (all creation: men and angels) as a witness. Finally,
 God said the Song of Moses would be taught and remembered by Israel forever as a witness between the
Hebrews and God.
c. The Divine witness of the 10 commandments: Ex 20:2a,18,22; Deut 5:6a,22
d. The 2019 Lead Curse Tablet of Mt Ebal as a legal text, twice named “El YHWH” as the God who witnessed
the oath of curses.

5. Curses and blessings ceremony: Deut 11:29; Chapters 27-30

a. Both Hittite covenants and Deuteronomy covenants required individuals to swear a self-imprecatory
submission oath of curses and blessings, meaning, the vassal condemned himself to death if he broke the
covenant. If you kept the law, you were blessed by the gods and if you broke the law the gods must curse
you according to the oath spoken from your own lips. There is a natural acoustic amphitheater between
Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim with a 1 km valley in the middle. 1 million Hebrews from six tribes stood on the
amphitheater slopes of Mt. Ebal for the curses, as did the other six tribes on Mt. Gerzim for the blessings.
In the valley was the tabernacle tent with Moses and the priests. The estimated 10,000 (Num 3:39)
Levitical priests spoke in unison as one voice, each of the twelve curses to the six tribes standing within
the natural amphitheater on Mt. Ebal and they replied “amen” after each. Then the remaining six tribes
standing within the natural amphitheater on Mt. Gerizim said “amen” to the 12 blessings. There are many
other examples of self-imprecatory curses in scripture (Job 31:21–23; 1 Sam 25:22).

i. 1344–1322 BC: Treaty covenant between Suppiluliuma I of Hatti and Huqqana of Hayasa: This treaty
had two sets of blessing and curses, one in the body and the second the end of the document. The
first set were curse + blessings like Deuteronomy 27/28 and the document ended with the second set
(not included herein) in reverse order: blessings + curse. Curses: (A ii 1) “and if you do not tell me
about him, but even [hide] him. (A ii 2–9) or go over to him, abandoning My Majesty—if you act thus,
these oath deities will not leave you alone, nor on your account will they leave alone that man to
whom you go over. They shall destroy him. And the oath gods shall not neglect this matter in regard
to both of you, and they shall not make it permissible for both of you. They shall destroy both of you
together and thereby fulfill the wishes of My Majesty.” Blessings: (A ii 10–13) “But if you, Huqqana,
protect only My Majesty and take a stand only behind My Majesty, then these oath gods shall
benevolently protect you, and you shall thrive in the hand of My Majesty.” (Hittite Diplomatic Texts,
Gary M. Beckman, Harry A. Hoffner, Vol 7, p29, 1999 AD)
 ii. 1344–1322 BC: Treaty covenant between Suppiluliuma I of Hatti and Aziru of Amurru: Curses: (A rev.
12′–16′) “All the words of the treaty and of the oath which are written] on this tablet—if Aziru does
not observe these words of the treaty and of the oath, but transgresses the oath, then these oath
gods shall destroy Aziru, together with his person, his wives, his sons, his grandsons, his household,
his city, his land, and his possessions.” Blessings: (A rev. 17′–20′) “But if Aziru observes these words of
the treaty] and of the oath which are written on this tablet], then these oath gods shall protect Aziru,
together with his person, his wives, his sons, his grand-sons, his household, his city, his land, and his
possessions. [end of document]” (Hittite Diplomatic Texts, Gary M. Beckman, Harry A. Hoffner, Vol 7,
p36, 1999 AD)
iii. 1344–1322 BC: Treaty covenant between Shattiwaza of Mittanni and Suppiluliuma I of Hatti: Curses:
(rev. 25–34) “If you, Shattiwaza, and you Hurrians do not observe the words of this treaty, these gods
of the oath shall destroy you, Shattiwaza, and you Hurrians, together with your land, together with
your wives, together with your sons, and together with your possessions. They will draw you out like
malt from its husk. As one does not get a plant from … —if you, Shattiwaza,—so you together with any
other wife whom you might take (in place of my daughter), and you Hurrians, together with their
wives and their sons, shall thus have no progeny. And these gods, lords of the oath, shall allot you
poverty and destitution. And they shall overthrow your throne, Shattiwaza. And you, Shattiwaza—
these oath gods shall snap you off like a reed, together with your land. Your name and your progeny
by another wife whom you might take shall be eradicated from [the earth]. And you, Shattiwaza,
together with your land, because of not delivering goodness and recovery(?) among the Hurrians—
you(!) shall be eradicated. The ground shall be ice, so that you will slip. The ground of your land shall
be a marsh of … , so that you will certainly sink and be unable to cross. You, Shattiwaza, and you
Hurrians shall be the enemies of the Thousand Gods. They shall defeat you.” Blessings: (rev. 35–39) “If
you, Shattiwa, and you Hurrians observe this treaty and oath, these gods shall protect you,
Shattiwaza, together with the daughter of the Great King of Hatti, her sons and grandsons, and you
Hurrians, together with your wives and your sons, and together with your land. And the land of
Mittanni shall return to its previous state. It shall prosper and expand. And you(!), Shattiwaza, your
sons and grandsons by the daughter of the Great King, King of Hatti—they shall accept you(!) for
kingship for eternity. Prolong the life of the throne of your father; prolong the life of the land of
Mittanni.” (Hittite Diplomatic Texts, Gary M. Beckman, Harry A. Hoffner, Vol 7, p52, 1999 AD)
iv. 1321-1295 BC: Treaty covenant between Mursili II of Hatti and Manapa-Tarhunta of the Land of the
Seha River: Curses: (A iv 29′–39′) “And if you, Manapa-Tarhunta, together with the people of the land
of the Seha River and the land of Appawiya, do not observe these words, and in the future, to the first
and second generation, you turn away, or you alter these words of the tablet—whatever is contained
on this tablet, then these oath gods shall eradicate you, together with your person, your wives, your
sons, your grandsons, your household, [your land], your infantry, your horses, your chariots(?), and
together with your possessions, from the Dark Earth.” Blessings: (A iv 40′–46′) “But if you, Manapa-
Tarhunta, observe these words of the tablet, and in the future you do not turn away from the King of
Hatti, together with my sons, and from the word of the oath, then these oath gods shall benevolently
protect you. And your sons shall thrive in the hand of My Majesty.” (Hittite Diplomatic Texts, Gary M.
Beckman, Harry A. Hoffner, Vol 7, p86, 1999 AD)
b. Twelve curses and blessings of Mt. Ebal and Mt Gerizim in Deut 27-28: 1. Cursed/Blessed in the city and
country. 2. Sterile/Fertile women. 3. Drought/Plentiful crops. 4. Sterile/Fertile livestock. 5.
Famine/Abundant bread and grain. 6. Cursed/Blessed coming in and going out. 7. Defeated/Defeat
enemies. 8. Ridiculed/Established as God's holy people. 9. Fear, mental illness, insanity, disease/Healthy,
feared by other nations. 10. Powder & dust/Plentiful rain. 11. Borrow/Lend to other nations. 12. Tail/head
to other nations.
c. The curses and blessings of the 10 commandments: Ex 20:5b,6,7b,12; Deut 5:9b,10,11,16,33. Oath: Deut
5:27
d. Since the 2019 Lead Curse Tablet of Mt Ebal was a legal text of a covenant, there must have been a
corresponding set of blessings. Although unrelated, the Numbers 6:24 silver blessings scroll was found at
 Ketef Hinnom in AD 1980. There are 10 curses in the curse tablet but 12 curses in Deut 27. The “10”
curses may symbolize universal completeness or echo the number of the 10 commandments.
e. Isaiah recited 10 woes again the Hebrews in Isa 3:9-10:1
f. Jesus recited 8 curses (woes) against the scribes and Pharisees, and 9 blessings (Mt 5; 23).
6. Succession: Deut 31—34
a. Hittite covenants required vassals and their descendants to continue to obey the succeeding sons of the
Hittite kings. Succession clauses generally preceded the oath of curses and blessing, but in the
Deuteronomy covenant the succession clauses came after the oath.
b. The Deuteronomy covenant had dual succession clauses where both Joshua and Moses were two
different antitypes of Jesus. First, Joshua succeeded Moses as physical leader, but not a lawgiver (Deut
31:14-23; 34:9). Second, Jesus succeeded Moses as the messianic spiritual leader and lawgiver of the New
Covenant (Deut 18:18; Acts 3:22; 7:37; Heb 8:6).
c. The succession of the 10 commandments (God to Moses): Ex 20:19; Deut 5:25-27
d. The Law of Moses was in force continually from 1446 BC until it was abolished by being nailed to the cross
on 3 April AD 33, then it was replaced by the Law of Christ (Col 2:14; 1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2).
7. Depository of duplicate copies: Deut 10:2; 31:24–30
a. In Hittite covenants, the original copy was deposited in the Hittite sanctuary and a duplicate copy was
deposited in the vassal’s sanctuary.
i. “A duplicate of this tablet is deposited before the Sun-goddess of Arinna, since the Sun-goddess of
Arinna governs kingship and queenship. And in the land of Mittanni a duplicate is deposited before
the Storm-god, Lord of the kurinnu of Kahat.” (Treaty covenant between Suppiluliuma I of Hatti and
Shattiwaza of Mittanni: 1344–1322 BC, A rev. 35–53, Hittite Diplomatic Texts, Gary M. Beckman,
Harry A. Hoffner, Vol 7, p52, 1999 AD)
b. In the Deuteronomy covenant the formal textual object of the “old covenant” was the ten
commandments written by the finger of God on stone and placed in the Ark of Covenant where God
dwelt, with access forbidden for all except the high priest (Deut 5:2-3; 9:9-11; Ex 34:27-28; 1 Ki 8:9+21).
While the original “sealed copy” of the stone tablets covenant was in the Ark, a second papyrus “open
copy” of the ten commandments was placed beside the Ark, which was brought outside the Tabernacle
and made available for any Hebrew to read.
c. This exactly mirrored how duplicate copies of Jeremiah’s “Deed of Land” where deposited in the royal
document chamber of Elishama the scribe in Jerusalem (Jer 32:9-14). The “sealed copy” was inside the
vault secured with string and clay bulla seals, and the “open copy” was in the viewing room adjacent to
the vault for all to read. If a legal dispute occurred, and someone challenged that the words of the open
copy were different from the words of the sealed copy inside the fault, they would call the officials who
would open the fault, break the seals of the original document, and compare it with the open copy. In AD
1982, excavations in the City of David discovered both this official document room of Elishama and his
bulla (Jeremiah 36:20). What you read in the book you find in the ground.
 d. The depository of the 10 commandments: God gives tablets of stone to Moses: Deut 5:22
e. The 2019 Lead Curse Tablet of Mt Ebal was a sealed official legal document that was never intended to be
opened. The lead tablet resembled an envelope with text on the outside and a folded sealed letter inside.
8. Public readings: Deut 6:7–9; 11:18-21; 17:18-20; 31:19-30
a. In Hittite covenants, the text was to be annually read to the vassal king and his people forever.
i. “It shall be read repeatedly, for ever and ever, before the king of the land of Mittanni and before
the Hurrians.” (Treaty covenant between Suppiluliuma I of Hatti and Shattiwaza of Mittanni: 1344–
1322 BC, A rev. 35–53, Hittite Diplomatic Texts, Gary M. Beckman, Harry A. Hoffner, Vol 7, p52, 1999
AD)
b. In the Deuteronomy covenant, YHWH went one step further and required the king to write a copy of
the law with his own hand and always keep it with him to read daily. The Hebrews had to write out the
law on their doorposts, gates, hands, foreheads, and memorize the song of Moses. All this demonstrates
the high literacy rate of the Hebrews where man, women and child could all read and write.
c. The public readings of the 10 commandments: Expectation that children will be taught: Ex 20:5; Deut
5:9;29
d. The 2019 Lead Curse Tablet of Mt Ebal demonstrates the exceptional literary skills at the time of Moses.
It also proves that there was an alphabetic script with which Moses and Joshua could have written the
earliest biblical books.

Conclusion: Only through Jesus can we escape the curse:

The Mt. Ebal Lead Curse Tablet reveals the nature of God and our choice of curse or
blessing! The Serpent was cursed. Sinners are cursed. Hell is the final curse. Joshua’s
Altar was on mountain of curses where atonement was needed. Expiation from the
curse comes through the blood of Christ. Become a Christian to escape the final curse.

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is
written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”— in order that in Christ Jesus
the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the
promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:13–14)