photo copyright Jurgen Liepe

Pharaoh Merneptah of Egypt makes the first extra-biblical reference to a people called Israel. In an inscription popularly called the "Israel stela" dating from 1207 B.C.E., Merneptah claims military victory over Ashkelon, Gezer, Yinoam, and Israel. The symbols following Ashkelon, Gezer and Yinoam indicate that they were city-states. The symbol following Israel, however, is one used to describe a more nomadic people. Thus through this artifact, an Egyptian scribe identifies Israel as less politically established in the land – an identification that reflects the description of Israel in the first book of Judges. Moreover, the description of contact between the Egyptians and Israelites is dated within 100 hundred years of the Exodus from Egypt.

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