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The Exodus Decoded is a 2006 documentary created by Jewish Canadian filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici, in which new evidence regarding the alleged escape of Hebrew slaves from Egypt is explored. It is partially narrated by film director James Cameron, and also features input by Charles Pellegrino, author of Unearthing Atlantis. Jacobovici suggests that the Exodus took place around 1500 BCE during the reign of pharaoh Ahmose I, and coincided with the eruption of Santorini that most scholars believe was one of the causes of the collapse later of the Minoan civilization. The dating of the eruption is now thought to be late 17th century BCE.^[1]In the documentary, the plagues that ravaged Egypt in the Bible are explained as having resulted from that volcanic eruption, and a related limnic eruption in the Nile Delta. While much of Jacobovici's archaeological evidence for the Exodus comes from Egypt, some comes from Mycenae, on mainland Greece.

The documentary made extensive use of computer animation and visual effects made by Gravity visual effects from Toronto. It ran for two hours and was first aired in Canada on April 16, (Easter Day) 2006 (Discovery Channel Canada). Shown in the US on August 20, 2006 (History Channel US), UK on December 23, 2006 (Discovery Channel UK) and Spain on December 25, 2006 (Cuatro).

Egyptian archaeological evidence

The Hyksos Expulsion, contemporaneous Egyptian records of the departure of the mysterious Semitic Hyksos people. Jacobovici suggests that the Hyksos and the Hebrews were one and the same, a thesis he supports with Egyptian-style signet rings uncovered in the Hyksos capital of Avaris (30°47'14.71"N, 31°49'16.92"E) that read "Yakov/Yakub" (from Yaqub-her), similar to the Hebrew name of the Biblical patriarch Jacob (Ya'aqov).

The Ahmose stele, also called the Tempest Stele pieces of this stone tablet were unearthed in Karnak by Henri Chevalier in 1947.^[2] In it an unknown god incurs one of the same plagues described in the Biblical account (darkness, also described as "a great storm"). The Exodus Decoded official website quotes the stele, "How much greater is this the impressive manifestation of the great God, than the plans of the gods!" An alternative reading is "Then His Majesty said 'How these (events) surpass the power of the great god and the wills of the divinities!'".^[3]

Ahmose I. Jacobovici suggests that the name of the Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus may have been a pun (paronomasia). Jacobovici states that in Hebrew, the Egyptian name Ahmose would mean "Brother of Moses". In Egyptian, 'Mose', 'Moses', 'Mes' etc. means 'son of'^[4] and 'Ah' is a common part of Egyptian royal names referring to the moon god Iah.^[5] The documentary also examines the mummy of Ahmose's son, Sapair, who appears to have died at the age of twelve. In the Bible, the pharaoh loses a son to the Plague of the Firstborn.

Serabit el-Khadim turquoise mine, a labour camp in the Sinai with a Semitic alphabetic inscription that reads "O El, save me from these mines." The use of "El" suggests that it was written before the revelation at Sinai, supporting the thesis that Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt, although this inscription was undated.

Mycenaean archaeological evidence

Gravestones. Jacobovici suggests that three of the stones marking the wealthy tombs of Grave Circle A in Mycenae depict the parting of the Sea of Reeds. The stones show a man on a chariot in pursuit of a man on foot carrying a long, straight object. Archaeologists, Jacobovici explains, have typically interpreted the scene as a chariot race, with the long, straight object being a spear or sword. Jacobovici suggests that, instead, the man on the chariot is Ahmose I, the man on foot is Moses, and the long, straight object is the staff of Aaron. Above and below the scene are rows of swirls which, in the Jacobovici's interpretation, represent the parting waters.

A Gold ornament excavated from one of the tombs in the Grave Circle is believed by Jacobovici to show the Ark of the Covenant against a background of the tabernacle altar. However, when you compare the photo of the gold ornament to the Biblical story of God telling Moses how to build the Ark, the descriptions differ in several ways. Jacobovici suggests that members of the Tribe of Dan may have emigrated to Mycenae after the Exodus. This, the documentary suggests, is why Homer refers to the buried at Mycenae as "Danaoi". The Greek myth states, however, that the Danaoi were descended from the Argosites under the matriarch Danaë.

Scientific conjecture

Jacobovici suggests that the Biblical Exodus took place shortly after the eruption of Thera (now known as Santorini), which is thought to have happened some time between 1650 BCE and 1600 BCE. The dates are disputed, depending on the use either of archaeological dating results (1600 BCE to 1550 BCE), or of radiocarbon dating results (1650 BCE to 1600 BCE). Jacobovici accepts a date around 1500 BCE. He goes on to explain how each of the Mosaic plagues, and even the parting of the Sea of Reeds, could be explained by earthquakes, faulting and a limnic disaster, all caused by Santorini.

One possible scientific conjecture of the past has referred to a spot on the western end of a now-dried lake where it has been observed in the past to turn to a sandbar and facilitate foot travel when a low tide and a strong eastern wind coincide. Jacobovici refers to the possibility of the bed of the reed-filled lake rising out of the water due to geological movements, leaving the water on the sides and below the bed. The text of the story of Exodus 14:21-22, however, states that there were literal walls of water on either side, making this explanation incomplete.

Previous research

The ancient Jewish historian Flavius Josephus suggested in his work Contra Apion that the Hyksos were, in fact, the ancient Hebrews.

Many of the theories explored by Jacobovici were previously published in the 1998 book Act of God written by British historian Graham Phillips.

Theology

The documentary notes that most historians consider the Exodus a "fairy tale", while others reject scientific explanations that are not explicitly miraculous. Jacobovici reminds that God, according to the Judeo-Christian description, can control nature, having an intimate understanding of it. His miracles may therefore be efficient and exploit natural cycles and logic.

The documentary ends by posing the question of whether the Exodus was just a natural event or "the Hand of God", implying it is for the viewer to decide.

Criticism

Detailed criticism of Jacobovici's assertions can be found on the Web site of the Biblical Archaeology Society. The site, for example, includes a review of The Exodus Decoded by Dr. Ronald Hendel, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.^[6] As Dr. Hendel writes in his review, "The made-for-TV documentary, The Exodus Decoded, begins with some excellent special effects and a short excerpt from the Steven Spielberg-George Lucas thriller, Raiders of the Lost Ark. This introduction sets the stage for a fast-paced show with high production values and dramatic footage. Unfortunately, unlike the Indiana Jones movie, this film presents itself as non-fiction. Watching it is reminiscent of an expensive infomercial, in which the actor-salesman makes increasingly exaggerated claims for his product—it makes you lose weight, adds muscle, and makes you rich to boot. In this case, the actor-director is selling a highly dubious bundle of theories about the historical and scientific veracity of the Biblical Exodus".

References

^ {http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/theeruptionoftheradateandimplications The Eruption of Thera: Date and Implications
^ A Storm in Egypt during the Reign of Ahmose
^ A Storm in Egypt during the Reign of Ahmose
^ A Structuralist Exercise: The Problem of Moses' Name Michael P. Carroll American Ethnologist, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Nov., 1985), pp. 775
^ Shaw, Ian, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford University Press, 2003, page 209
^ Jewish Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley - Faculty

External links

[1] {http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/theeruptionoftheradateandimplications The Eruption of Thera: Date and Implications

[2] A Storm in Egypt during the Reign of Ahmose

[3] A Storm in Egypt during the Reign of Ahmose

[4] A Structuralist Exercise: The Problem of Moses' Name Michael P. Carroll American Ethnologist, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Nov., 1985), pp. 775

[5] Shaw, Ian, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford University Press, 2003, page 209

[6] Jewish Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley - Faculty

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@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 * '''The [[Hyksos#The Theban Offensive|Hyksos Expulsion]]''', contemporaneous Egyptian records of the departure of the mysterious Semitic [[Hyksos]] people. Jacobovici suggests that the Hyksos and the Hebrews were one and the same, a thesis he supports with Egyptian-style signet rings uncovered in the Hyksos capital of Avaris (30°47'14.71"N, 31°49'16.92"E) that read "Yakov/Yakub" (from ''Yaqub-her''), similar to the Hebrew name of the Biblical patriarch [[Jacob]] (Ya'aqov).
-* '''The [[Ahmose stele]]''', pieces of this stone tablet were unearthed in [[Karnak]] by Henri Chevalier in 1947.<ref>[http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/astorminegyptduringthereignofahmose/ A Storm in Egypt during the Reign of Ahmose]</ref> In it an unknown god incurs one of the same plagues described in the Biblical account (darkness, also described as "a great storm"). The ''Exodus Decoded'' official website quotes the stele, "How much greater is this the impressive manifestation of the great God, than the plans of the gods!" An alternative reading is "Then His Majesty said 'How these (events) surpass the power of the great god and the wills of the divinities!'".<ref>[http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/astorminegyptduringthereignofahmose/ A Storm in Egypt during the Reign of Ahmose]</ref>
+* '''The [[Ahmose stele]]''', also called the Tempest Stele pieces of this stone tablet were unearthed in [[Karnak]] by Henri Chevalier in 1947.<ref>[http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/astorminegyptduringthereignofahmose/ A Storm in Egypt during the Reign of Ahmose]</ref> In it an unknown god incurs one of the same plagues described in the Biblical account (darkness, also described as "a great storm"). The ''Exodus Decoded'' official website quotes the stele, "How much greater is this the impressive manifestation of the great God, than the plans of the gods!" An alternative reading is "Then His Majesty said 'How these (events) surpass the power of the great god and the wills of the divinities!'".<ref>[http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/chronololy/astorminegyptduringthereignofahmose/ A Storm in Egypt during the Reign of Ahmose]</ref>
-* '''[[Ahmose I]]'''. Jacobovici suggests that the name of the Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus may have been a pun ([[paronomasia]]). Jacobovici states that in Hebrew, the Egyptian name Ahmose would mean "Brother of Moses". The documentary also examines the mummy of Ahmose's son, Sapair, who appears to have died at the age of twelve. In the Bible, the pharaoh loses a son to the [[Plagues of Egypt#Death of Firstborn|Plague of the Firstborn]].
+* '''[[Ahmose I]]'''. Jacobovici suggests that the name of the Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus may have been a pun ([[paronomasia]]). Jacobovici states that in Hebrew, the Egyptian name Ahmose would mean "Brother of Moses". In Egyptian, 'Mose', 'Moses', 'Mes' etc. means 'son of'<ref>A Structuralist Exercise: The Problem of Moses' Name Michael P. Carroll American Ethnologist, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Nov., 1985), pp. 775</ref> and 'Ah' is a common part of Egyptian royal names referring to the moon god Iah.<ref>Shaw, Ian, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford University Press, 2003, page 209</ref> The documentary also examines the mummy of Ahmose's son, Sapair, who appears to have died at the age of twelve. In the Bible, the pharaoh loses a son to the [[Plagues of Egypt#Death of Firstborn|Plague of the Firstborn]].
 * '''[[Serabit el-Khadim]] turquoise mine''', a labour camp in the Sinai with a Semitic alphabetic inscription that reads "O [[El (god)|El]], save me from these mines." The use of "El" suggests that it was written before the revelation at Sinai, supporting the thesis that Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt, although this inscription was undated.