Exodus Decoded
	Simcha Jacobovici
	James Cameron
 notes from History Channel program 2006

The documentary sets out to explain Exodus using science, history and archeology.

The story of Exodus, the 2nd book of the Bible, begins with the plight of the
descendents of Jacob in Egypt.  Joseph, the next to youngest son of Jacob (Israel)
is sold into slavery by some of his brothers.  Joseph rises to a great position of
leadership, perhaps second only to the pharoah.

The Bible says that a pharoah rose up that did not know Joseph.  The Egyptians
feared the Israelites in their land and oppressed them, eventually heading toward
infantcide of male children.  The midwives refused to kill the Hebrew males.  One
male child born to Levites was kept hidden for three months and then set to float
down the Nile where the daughter of pharoah found him and raised him as her own.
This was the great, great grandson of Jacob, Moses.

Evidence presented as:

A. Discovered in 1947, the Stele of Ahmose, 1500BC, describes a catastrophic
	event on Egypt.  It's in the Cairo Museum. - Pharao Ahmoses
	Sequenenre Tao II - skull crushed by enemy axe, possibly by departing Hebrews

	Ahmoses - brother of Moses - expelled a foreign nation from Eqypt,
	Hyksos Period, 1750-1500BC.

B. Avaris - Capital of Hyksos - discovered in the 1960's.

C. Bible says "Exodus" / Egypt says Hyksos "expulsion"

D. Seal of Pharaoh - 9 seals found in Avaris - Jacob (Yakov) only time a Hebrew name appears.
	Avaris off limits to general public - plowed and reseeded every year.

E. Serabit El Khadim - 400km south of the Nile delta in the Sinai - turquoise mines.
	Israelites didn't use hieroglyphics - Biblical God "El" found in Serabit Slavery inscription.

F.  Santorini volcano 1600-1500BC - Pumice appears in Avaris - 1500BC
	Earthquake storms... Nile delta on a fault line.

	1) Nile turned to blood - gas leaks like Lake Manura and Lake Nyos in Cameron
		in 1984 and 1986 - dissolved iron forms iron hydroxide, depletes oxygen, kills fish
	2) frog infestation - frogs got out of the water...
	3) lice
	4) flies
	5) epedemic (mass graves at Avaris found)
	6) boils and blisters - 1986 Lake Nyos, Cameron - CO2 resulted in boils
	7) hail - unusual - ice and fire together - volcanic hail - ecrecyian (sp?)

G. Hyksos period papyrus - IPUWER plagues papyrus - describes strange hail
	
	8) locust - migrate in swarms - cold weather make them land enmasse
	9) darkness - Santorini - 40km top to bottom 200km across ash cloud, pumice found in Avaris.	

H. Santorni Pumice in Nile delta - Smithsonian Prof. Jean-Daniel Stanley

	10) first Passover - Eqyptians slept (EX 12:29) 
		- carbon dioxide - Lake Nyos, Cameron 21 August 1986 - visible fog, killed hundreds
		- only male selectively - Egyptian first born - privileged position, slept in low
			beds - graves of males at Avaris support this.  Others slept on carts or roofs.

I. Male plague - mass graves, only male found at Avaris.

J. Ahmose - son died young - Prince Sapaik 12 years old - EX 12:29

K. El Arish inscription - Lake El Balah

L. Yam Suf (Reed Sea) - Lake El Balah

M. Some left for Greece - 1972 under Santorini map found connecting Egypt to Greece.

N. Grave Stele of Mycenae - images on gravestone - "movie" of the parting of the sea.

0. Mount Sinai - Hashem El Tarif
	1) 15km/day - 210 km into desert EX 3:1-2
	  Moses tended Midianite territory - Timna - exception
	2) 45 km from Timna (local flock grazing practices - max distance)
	  Deut 1:2 - Mountain of God is an 11 day journey from Kadesh Barnea -
	Oasis of Tela Kadok - North Central Sinai (spelling needs to be verified, can't read my writing)
	3) 165km from Kadesh Barnea
		- Holy Mountain - surrounded by sanctuaries - huge plateau - large cleft/natural podium 

	Ark of the Covenant - artifacts
	National Archaelogical Museum - Athens