Alternative Hebrew Translations to Petrovich

I am the author of Pharoahs of the Bible, and I have a free pdf of my dates for pharaohs’ reigns at www.pharaohsofthebible.com

This summer I began reading Douglas Petrovich’s The World’s Oldest Alphabet. It is a remarkable leap forward in proving Hebrew language development in the Sinai during the Bronze Age.  In reference to his Alphabetic Chart of Proto-Consonantal Hebrew, Douglas Petrovich wrote on page 193:

“. . . armed with the information there, plus a Hebrew lexicon and a handful of grammatical principles, anyone with a limited background in biblical Hebrew has the opportunity to translate virtually any inscription within this amazing corpus of texts, a number of which are not even treated in this volume.”

Though I may complete my own book on Paleo-Hebrew inscriptions, I wanted to publish a blog of my translations which are very different from those of Mr. Petrovich.  I agree with Petrovich’s use of /s/ for hair (sear) and /sh/ for breasts (shadayim). 

I list the phonemes of the Paleo-Hebrew glyphs left to right for ease of English transliteration to Hebrew.  

The order of the inscriptions here are the same as in his book.

Sinai 115

Petrovich and others have agreed the eastern face of Sinai 115 was written by Hebeded since he signed his name to it.  I view all the glyphs as Middle Egyptian.  In the second line of glyphs the birds face right, but Petrovich read it from the left. Egyptians may have called the Sinai Bedouin descendants of Eber, Apiru.  Not all Hebrews are descendants of Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob.  Abraham’s son with Hagar, the Egyptian, was named Ishmael.  Ishmael’s descendants lived in the Sinai up to the wall (shur) of Egypt on the Nile’s eastern delta (the wall was on the way to Assyria from southern Sinai).  Ishmael’s 12 sons lived in walled encampments [tiyrah] between Egypt and Edom (Psalm 83:6).  During Israel’s period of judges, the Ishmaelites became moon-worshippers who wore gold crescent moons in their noses or ears (Judges 8:24).

“Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham: And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles [tiyrah]; twelve princes according to their nations. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered to his people. And they dwelled from Havilah to Shur, that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brothers.” (Genesis 25:12-18)

Sinai 115 contains Middle Egyptian (ME) glyphs and one Canaanite symbol according to Petrovich.  I regard the ME water wave below the walking rope-tether as the first glyph of the sentence; whereas Petrovich regards it as the second glyph.  Petrovich regards the third glyph of an hour-glass shape to be the Canaanite symbol for copper (wiru) producing the /wi/ sound (page 17).  Petrovich notes the fourth glyph of the pintail duck as a ME determinative, but does not state that it’s a determinative for “where”.  The fifth glyph is a ME determinative for persons.  The /mr/-hoe which Petrovich places as the last glyph, I place between his 12^th (which I see as an arrowhead) and 13^th glyphs.

Phonemes and (determinatives) of first row: /n/, /itch/, /wi/, (where), (persons), six strokes, /y/, /p/, /r/, /n/;  

                                                  second row:  /gb/, /sn/, /t/, /w/

My translation of Sinai 115 is "To Itjtawy: six Apiru for Geb, his servants."

Itjtawy was the capital of the twelfth dynasty.  Among the other contemporary dynasties, Itjtawy was known as the “Great House” and “Residence” or capitol, much as the White House is the capitol among the 50 States.

Sinai 377

Mr. Petrovich makes a case that the four Paleo-Hebrew glyphs of Sinai 377 were originally inscribed in the same year right next to the hieroglyphs of stele Sinai 46.  Sinai 46 records its engraving date as the 20^th regnal year of Ni-maat-re, the prenomen of Amenemhat III.  Petrovich, using a modification of Thiele’s chronology, declares the year to be 1840 BC; with the inscribing of Sinai 115 only two years later (p. 31).

The steliform upon which Sinai 377 was written was cracked and rendered unusable.  An eroded area effected the vertical columns of Sinai 46 and the middle portion of Sinai 377.  The four Paleo-Hebrew glyphs were inscribed below the large crack, and above an area of erosion; hence I surmise they were written after the erosion occurred, and not during the 20^th regnal year of Amenemhat III.

The four Paleo-Hebrew letters are ox-head /a/, mouth /p/, water /m/, and shepherd’s crook /l/.  The ox-head is facing left, so it begins the first column.  Strong’s #639 ‘aph = nose (flared) and anger; and #4135 muwl = cut off, destroy, or circumcise.  A translation of anger at being cut off seems more reasonable.

Wadi el-Hol #1

1) The ox and other heads face left, so I’m reading the glyphs left to right.

2) I won’t be using the [H3] later glyph.  I think /q/ is a better fit for [H4].

My translation of Wadi el-Hol #1:

Hebrew transliteration:  Rechem, pa-ah, meginnah, na, ma’on, qabar.

English:  Mercy, blow away the bad covering (of sand/sorrow), I pray; respond lest (I’m) buried.

Wadi el-Hol #2

Douglas Petrovich wrote, “By the reign of Amenemhat III, Theban troops established a garrison at Wadi el-Hol . . .” (p. 36).
Reading this inscription top to bottom, and numbering the Hebrew glyphs beginning with the top:

1) I agree the [H5] glyph here represents the word “the”.  I also agree a yod shape [H9] comes after the second /t/.

2) I think the [H7] glyph of a support with a diamond or arrowhead shape represents /v/ here; whereas the support topped by a rounded shape represents /w/.

My translation of Wadi el-Hol #2:

Paleo-Hebrew phonetic letters transliteration (reading top to bottom, and right to left): 

/m/, /k/, /t/, /r/, /h/, /a/, /v/, /t/, /y/, /g/, /k/, /e/, /l/

Ma kether, /h/+‘avah ta’, ge’h, kalah is my transliteration of the Hebrew words with the following Strong's concordance numbers:

(3964) Ma =  that/what

(3804) Kether = circlet, crown, (enclosure); from kathar to enclose/besiege

(184) h+‘avah = “the” mark(ed) out

(8372) ta’ = (circumscribed) room, guard room  (1 Kings 14:28)  {ta’ah is little room}

(1343) ge’h = lofty, proud

(3615) kalah = accomplish, finish, end, complete

English translation: “That enclosure, the mark(ed) out guard room, (is a) proud accomplishment.”

Wadi el-Hol #3 (not in his book, just for completeness)

The three symbols in the cartouche, top to bottom, are Ra, /mn/, maat (goddess with feather in her hair, but without holding her ankh).  These are the symbols Seti I uses for his name Menmaatre.  Typically, Amenemhat III spells out all the sounds with glyphs, and uses Maat as a determinative; thus Seti I may have overwritten portions.

My translation of Middle Egyptian on Wadi el-Hol #3:

“Regnal year 26, 3^rd month of summer, day 1: bee and sedge (lower and upper Egypt) Nimaatre live forever.”

Lahun Bilingual Ostracon

The first line is in Middle Egyptian: “Regnal year 29, month 1 of summer.”

The second line is mostly Paleo-Hebrew: /ch/, /g/, ME /q/, /n/, /y/, /l/, /b/, /w/, /b/.

The first two letters of the third line are /z/ and /b/, followed by the ME nsw symbol for king.

Hebrew transliteration: “Chagag qanan ya’al/yaal bow babah zeb [ME nsw]”

English translation: “March as in festival built valuable/pleased enter something hallowed, yellow king.” 

I surmise this dedication was in celebration of the completion of the Lahun wall entrance to a temple.  Egyptians painted Asiatics yellow.  The Asiatic king may be of the 15th dynasty (like Khayan who served under Amenemhat III) or even of the pre-15th dynasty (like Seth II who served under Amenemhat II).  Both Amenemhat II and III reigned more than 29 years.

Sinai 376

As I have searched for Wadi Nasb and Bir Nasb, I have received locations on the east and west coasts of the Sinai, as well as one in the middle.  Though on today’s maps Wadi Nasb may only cover a short distance, I propose it may have been the name for the continuous wadi journey across the Sinai in antiquity, and thus very lucrative for its property owners to supply miners from the two ports on the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba.  Or maybe it was called Wadi Bahrain in antiquity.

Both of my translation possibilities assume the third letter of the fourth column to be ayin (an eye), not peh (a mouth).

My primary translation:  “House purchased from Asenath (on) wadi (between) two seas; assemble brotherhood.”

(1004) Beyith = house

(3739) karah = to purchase

/m/ = from

(621) asnath = Asenath

Wadi = dry riverbed or ravine

Bahrain = two seas

(7035) qalah = assemble (come together)

(264) achavah = brotherhood

Yod not used

A possible second translation:  “Daughters dance from Asenath and Deborah: see life.”

(1323) bath = daughters

(3769) karar = dance

/m/ = from

(621) asnath = Asenath

/v/ = and

(1683) debrah = Deborah

Ayin logogram = see

(2416) chay = life

Sinai 345a and 345b

Sinai 345 is a sphinx which was found in the temple of Hathor in Serabit el-Khadim.

Sinai 345a has Middle Egyptian hieroglyphs on its right shoulder with Paleo-Hebrew letters on the base below it.  Both texts have animals facing to the right, and so should be read right to left.

ME transliterates to Hathor, mafkat mry = Hathor, turquoise beloved OR Turquoise beloved (of) Hathor.

Hebrew phonemes are /t/, /l/, /ay/, /b/, /h/, /ah/, /m/; which I translate to English as “A chamber to mock Ham.”

(8372) ta = a chamber

(3931) la’ab = to deride, to mock

(2526) ham = Ham (the land of Africa, or Noah’s son who founded Africa)

Sinai 345b has Paleo-Hebrew letters on the base below the sphinx’s left shoulder (which may contain one glyph).

Hebrew phonemes are /t/, /l/, /ay/, /b/, /l/, (silence for yod), /ah/, /z/, /n/; which I translate to English as“A chamber to mock; surely to prove/weigh.”

(8372) ta = a chamber

(3931) la’ab = to deride, to mock

(3808) lo = no, not, otherwise, surely

(239) ‘azan = to test, prove, ponder, weigh

Sinai 346a and 346b

Sinai 346 is a cuboid statuette of the chief sculptor Nam found in the temple of Hathor in the hall of Sopdu built by Hatshepsut.  Sinai inscription 346a is written on the front of the statue; whereas 346b is inscribed on the statue’s right side.

I place Hatshpesut’s reign from 1672 to 1651 BC, with the end of her reign concurrent with the eruption of Thera/Santorini in 1651 BC.  Thus the hall of Sopdu was built during her reign (1672-1651 BC).  Based upon my translation of Sinai 346b, I suggest those glyphs were inscribed after Hatshepsut’s reign by a workman involved with the temple’s reconstruction.

My translation of Sinai 346b assumes that the glyphs are read top to bottom and left to right (even though the face is looking right).  Thus the phonemes are in the order of /ay/, /l/, /n/, /ay/, /m/, /b/, /n/, /r/, /ts/, /b/, /n/.  Petrovich chose three separate columns; whereas I chose three separate rows at the end of the ayin in the first column.  The Hebrew words which make sense to me are yaal Nam banah, ratsah benah; translating to “Be pleased, Nam, (with) builders; accept reconstructing.”  It is written in Hebraic verb-subject-object form; whereas English is written in subject-verb-object form and would read, “Nam, be pleased (with) builders.”

(2974) yaal = to show willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake

(1129) banah = builders

(7521) ratsah = be pleased, satisfy a debt, received favorably, accept

(1124) bena = reconstructing, rebuilding

Sinai 346a: The front of the statuette has top-down glyphs beginning on the right shoulder (three of which are too faint to be read) which curve to the left on the lower part of the body.  The left shoulder has top-down glyphs in which the last three are crammed together to avoid the glyphs begun on the right shoulder. I assume all the glyphs were written by the same person with no pupils in the eyes.  Since 346b and the right shoulder begin with ayin, lamed, nahash; I determined the right shoulder glyphs to be the first column, and the left shoulder glyphs to be the second column.  Because the right shoulder had questionable letters, I began with the left.

Phonemes of column I: /ay/, /l/, /n/, ?, ?, /t/, ?, /m/, /t/, /l/, /b/, /ay/, /l/, /t/

Phonemes of column II: /z/, /l/, /s/, /g/, /m/, /r/, /ay/, /t/, [/v/] [Petrovich is only one who suggests the /v/; I choose not to use it.]

Possible translation of column II in Hebrew:  Zu lu sug morah ta.

English: “. . . who, I pray, turns away terror (from) chamber.”

Possible Hebrew words for column II:

(2098) zu = this, which, who

(3863) lu = if, if haply, peradventure, I pray thee, though, I would, would God that

(5432) Sese = to drive away, banish; measure

(7735) sug = to hedge in -- make to grow.

(5473) sug = to fence about, to hem in; bind

(5472) sug = turned, to move away, turn away, backslide, to flinch

(4177a) morah = a razor

(4172) morah = a fear, a terror

(4787) Morrah = trouble

(8372) Ta = a chamber; guardroom

Possible words for column I in Hebrew: /ay/, /l/, /n/, ?, ?, /t/, ?, /m/, /t/, /l/, /b/, /ay/, /l/, /t/

{Working backwards}

(1173) the last four glyphs spell “Baalat”, the female “mistress” of Baal

The phonemes of the three glyphs prior to Baalat are /m/, /t/, /l/

(4972) mattlaah = what a trouble! -- what a weariness.  A compound word from . . .

(4100) mah = what, how long, oft, what end, good, purpose, thing,   AND
(8513) tlaah = weariness, hardship

(4191) muwth = to die, to kill

(3964) mah = that, what, whatever, how, why

(3971) muwm = a stain, blemish, defect

(3972) muwmah = a speck, fault

(8372) ta = a chamber

(2894) Tu = to sweep

(2904) tul = to hurl, carry away, utterly cast down, forth, out, send out; overthrow, rejection

(8510) tel = a mound

(8518) talah = to suspend

-(8522) tliy = a quiver (hung/suspended from shoulder)

(8524) talal = to pile up, to elevate, to exalt; to mock, deceive, trifle with

Since 346b is a petition to be pleased with the reconstructing; it is likely 346a is also a petition.

First two phonemes are /ay/, /l/

(2973) yaal = to be foolish, to show wicked folly

(2974) yaal = to show willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake (to do anything)

(3276) yaal = to confer or gain profit or benefit

The next three phonemes are /n/ and two that are too difficult to determine.  For the first mystery letter, Petrovich suggested a /ch/ enclosure, which could be a sideways /ah/ ox-head.  For the second mystery letter, Petrovich suggested an /l/ shepherd’s crook.  I suggest it is a curved-arm /h/ (as in Sinai 362) with a short body (as in Sinai 374).  So I suggest the next three phonemes are /n/, /ah/, /h/.  Or that there is only one large mystery letter which is an ox-head facing right like the fish in the other column.

(4994) na = I pray, I beseech, pray thee you, go to, now, oh

(4998) naah = be at home, be pleasant, be befitting

(4999) naah = habitations, pastures

The next three phonemes are /t/ and another mystery letter and /m/.  

(8641) terumah = a sacrifice, gift, heave offering, oblation, offering, contribution

(8649) tormah = fraud, deceit, treachery

Possible translation of Sinai 346a column I in Hebrew: yaal naah terumah talal Baalat

English: “Be pleased to be at home; an offering to exalt Baalat.”

My complete translation of Sinai 346a in Hebrew: Yaal naah; terumah talal Baalat, zu, lu, sug morah ta.

English: “Be pleased to be at home; an offering to exalt Baalat, who, I pray, turns away terror (from) chamber.”

My translation of Sinai 346b in Hebrew: yaal Nam banah ratsah benah.
English: “Be pleased, Nam, (with) builders; accept reconstructing.” 

Sinai 349

Sinai 349 is a steliform (in shape of a stele) on a boulder near mine L and Wadi Tleha.  The steliform was written sinistrograde (right to left) as in Biblical Hebrew, regardless of the fact the animals and humans face left; thus providing evidence that Biblical Hebrew existed prior to Egyptian hieroglyphs which face the direction from which they are to be read. 

Phonemes of row I: /ah/, /n/, /t/, /z/, /sh/, /p/

Possible Hebrew words for row I: Antah zu shaaph

(607) antah = Thee, Thou, or you (singular)

(2098) zu = this, which, who

(7602) shaaph = desire earnestly or pant (Job 7:2), devour, hasten (Ec. 1:5), trample (Ps. 56:2, 57:3), snuff up (Jer. 2:24), swallow up  

Row I could be: “Thou/You who hastens/desire or bruises/overwhelms . . .”

Phonemes of row II:  /r/, /b/, /n/, /ts/, /b/, /n/, /m/, /sh/

Possible Hebrew words for row II: riyb naats biyn

(7378) riyb = to plead, to contend, to quarrel  V

(5006) naats = to spurn, treat with contempt, despise, blaspheme   V

(995) biyn = to discern, consider, understand  Verb

Row II could be: “. . . to contend to blaspheme, consider the burden/oracle/tribute ”

Phonemes of row III:  /ay/, /r/, /k/, /m/, /l/, /b/, /ay/, /l/, /t/

Possible words for row III: yare kemo lo Baalat. 

(3372) yare’ = affright, be make afraid, dreadful, put in fearful reverence, terrible act, fear   Verb

(3644) kemo = like, as, when, such; thus, so

(3808) lo = no, before, or else, ere, except, ignorant, much, less, nay, not

Baalat, consort of Baal

Row III could be: “. . . to put (you) in fearful reverence when before Baalat.”

Phonemes of row IV:  /v/, /t/, /l/, /ah/, /ch/, /n/, /z/, /l/, [/v/]

[Petrovich is only one who suggests a /v/ at end of this row; I choose not to use it.]

Possible Hebrew words for row IV: uwth la chanah azal

(225) uwth = to consent, agree  Verb

(3809) la/lah = not, or even, neither, none cannot, as nothing, without

(2583) chanah = to decline, bend down, to encamp  Verb

(235) azal = to go, to depart, go away, disappear   Verb

Row IV could be: “. . . Agree not to encamp.  Depart . . .”

Phonemes of row V:  /ay/, /sh/, /ah/, /m/, /ay/, /l/, ?

Possible Hebrew words for row V: Yeshimah al.

(3451) yeshimah = death, desolation  (Psalm 55:15  “Let death seize . . .”)

(5921) al = upon, above, over, against

Row V could be: “. . . to despair feeble . . . OR  . . . desolation wailing   OR

Death upon (you)!  

Phonemes of row VI:  ?, /ah/, /sh/, /p/, /m/, /v/

Possible Hebrew words for row VI: [Hala] yaash pi-hem

If vav begins row, then [(1933) Hava = to be   OR    (1934) Hava = to exist]

If qoph begins row, then (6958) qo = vomit, spew out

If lamed begins row, then (1972) hala.

(1972) hala = to be removed far off; outcast    Verb

(2976) yaash = to despair, one that is desperate, be no hope   Verb

(6310) peh = mouth         pim = according (I Sam. 13:21);   pi-hem “by their mouth/word” (Deut.21:5)

Row VI could be: “Outcast beyond hope by (your) word.”

Phonemes of row VII:  /ay/, /sh/, /ts/, /ay/, /q/, ?

Possible Hebrew words for row VII: yesh tsiyiy qaah.

(3426) yesh = there are, he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should be

(6728) tsiyiy = nomad, desert/wilderness dweller

(6958) qo = vomit, spew out;  qaah = spewed out (Lev. 18:28)

Row VII could be: “There, a nomad spewed out.”

Possible complete translation of Sinai 349: (Hebrew) Antah zu shaaph riyb naats biyn yare kemo lo Baalat. Uwth la chanah; azal. Yeshimah al! [Hala] yaash pi-hem yesh tsiyiy qaah.

(English) “You who desire to blaspheme, consider the burden to put (you) in fearful reverence when before Baalat.  Agree not to encamp; depart!  Death upon (you)!  [Outcast] beyond/without hope by (your) word; there, a nomad spewed out.”

Sinai 351

Sinai 351 is a two-piece steliform (in shape of a stele) on a rock slab which included Sinai 353, and from which Sinai boulder 349 boulder was broken off; all near mine L and Wadi Tleha.  The steliform was written top to bottom with an illustration on the right of Ptah framed/enshrined and standing on a rock labelled ma’at.  Ptah is holding a was scepter.  Column I is next to Ptah.

Phonemes of column I: /s/, /b/, /sh/, /n/, /m/, /sh/, /n/, /ts/, /b/, /v/, /tov/ [ME /nfr/]

Hebrew: Sabib shenayim massa shay naah tsebi bah hava tob.

Possible translation for column I:  “Surrounded twice, a tribute; a gift befitting her glory is good.”  (completion of a double wall to protect turquoise of Baalat/Hathor)

Phonemes of column II:  /m/, /ah/, /h/, /b/, /m/, /t/, /v/, /sh/, /t/

Hebrew:  Mah yaah bamah hava shith.

Possible translation for column II:  “Whatever befits a high place is placed.”

Possible complete translation of Sinai 351, Hebrew: Sabib shenayim massa shay naah tsebi bah hava tob. Mah yaah bamah hava shith.

English: “Surrounded twice, a tribute; a gift befitting her glory is good. Whatever befits a high place is placed.”

Sinai 353

Sinai 353 is a steliform (shape of a stele) on a rock slab which included Sinai 351, and from which Sinai boulder 349 boulder was broken off; all near mine L and Wadi Tleha.  The steliform has three vertical columns red top-down, and right to left.

Phonemes of column I: /ay/, /t/, /ya/, /ah/, /sh/, /ch/, /m/, /sh/, /h/, /b/, /ay/, /l/, /t/

Phonemes of column II:  /g/, /d/, /n/, /sh/, /ah/, /r/, /q/, /m/, /t/

Phonemes of column III:  /ch/, /g/, /sh/, /m/, /ah/, /t/, /l/, /b/, /l/, /m/, /n/

Possible translation for column I in Hebrew: “Eth yaah shachah ma shaah ha Baalat.”

English “A befitting homage that delights the (goddess) Baalat.”

Possible translation for column II in Hebrew:  Gaah din, shay raqa ma’at.

“To exalt (raise up) judgment: a gift to spread forth ma’at.”

Possible translation for column III in Hebrew: Hebrew:  Chayay geeh, shama eth.  Lu Baal manon. 

English: “To live proud, to understand yourself; perhaps Baal shall have you [his] son.”

Possible complete translation of Sinai 353 in Hebrew: “Eth yaah shachah ma shaah ha Baalat:  gaah din, shay raqa ma’at; chayay geeh, shama eth.  Lu Baal manon.”

English: “A befitting homage that delights the (goddess) Baalat: to exalt (raise up) judgment: a gift to spread forth ma’at.  To live proud, to understand yourself. Perhaps Baal shall have you [his] son.”

Sinai 357

Sinai 357 is inside mine L at Serabit el-Kahadim.  It was carved into the northern wall of the southern chamber.  It consists of one vertical column (read top to bottom) and one horizontal row (in which the characters face right, so it is read sinistrograde).  The figures in the vertical column are slightly larger than those of the horizontal row; and therefore, were likely carved at two different times by different scribes.  The rendition of the mayim letters of the horizontal row contain three regular peaks, whereas the mayim letters of the vertical column contain three to four irregular peaks. The last figures of the vertical column include a zigzag line to separate it from the last figures in the horizontal row; thus it was written after the horizontal row.

Phonemes of horizontal row: /ay/, /b/, /r/, /ah/, /r/, /m/, /ah/, /ay/, /m/, /n/

Hebrew:  “Abar yare.  Im yaah aman.”

Possible translation for horizontal row:  “Cross over, fear.  If befitting, turn right.”

Phonemes of vertical column:  /ah/, /n/, /th/, /sh/, /g/, /n/, /s/, /k/, /m/, /ts/, /ah/, /b/, /b/, /m/, /l/, /k/

Hebrew “In toah shagah nasi ki mitstsab/mitstsabah bah melek/melkah.”

Possible vertical translation: “Is it not a wandering/error/disturbance to go astray (to the) ruler for garrison/guard entry (to the) king/queen?”

Possible complete translation in Hebrew: “Abar yare.  Im yaah aman.  In toah shagah nasi ki mitstsab/mitstsabah bah melek/melkah.”

English: “Cross over, fear.  If befitting, turn right.  Is it not a wandering/error/disturbance to go astray (to the) ruler for garrison/guard (who has) entry (to the) king/queen?”

Sinai 360

Sinai 360 was discovered in a tumulus about 150 meters southesat of Mine K at Serabit el-Kahadim.  It has one vertical column (read top to bottom) of eleven letters.

Phonemes of vertical column:  /ah/, /sh/, /b/, /ah/, /t/, /z/, /t/, /b/, /sh/, /n/, /sh/

Possible translation in Hebrew: “Iy, shaba ‘athah zeh tebuah shay neshi.”

Possible translation in English: “Woe, swear to bring here revenue (as) homage debt.”

Sinai 361

Sinai 361 was discovered near the entrance of Mine N at Serabit el-Kahadim.  It consists of a large, small and one missing fragment which contains the rest of two glyphs.  It has four vertical columns with the heads of snakes facing right, and the head of an ox-head facing left.  Petrovich read the columns from right to left; thus from the right I will number them column I, II, III, and IV (being furthest left). 

Instead of a reference to Moses and the Israelites servitude in Egypt, I perceive Sinai 361 to be an innkeeper’s advertisement assuring Hebrews they won’t be molested if they sleep next to Baalat’s temple.

Phonemes of vertical column I:  /b/, /sh/, /ch/, /b/, /sh/, /n/, /m/, /sh/

Possible translation of column I in Hebrew: “Bow shaa, chayay.  Bow shaan; mah shaah.” English: “Enter to look upon with delight, to be restored to health.  Come in to be at ease; whatever delights (you).”

Phonemes of vertical column II:  /ah/, /z/, /t/, /m/, /h/

Possible translation of column II in Hebrew: “Azaz tummah.”

English: “Integrity prevails.”

Phonemes of vertical column III:  /sh/, /n/, /t/, /m/, /h/, /n/, /ah/, /ay/, /l/

Possible translation of column III in Hebrew: “Shaan et/attah.  Mahah henah al . . .

English: “You rest securely.  Tarry here beside . . .”

Phonemes of vertical column IV:  /b/, /ah/, /l/, /t/

Possible translation of column IV in Hebrew: “Baalat.”

English: “Baalat.”

Possible complete translation of Sinai 361 in Hebrew: “Bow shaa, chayay.  Bow shaan; mah shaah.  Azaz tummah. Shaan et/attah.  Mahah henah al Baalat.”

English: “Enter to look upon with delight, to be restored to health.  Come in to be at ease; whatever delights (you).  Integrity prevails.  You (feminine) rest securely.  Tarry here beside Baalat.”

Sinai 375a

Sinai 375A was discovered in a dump outside of Mine M at Serabit el-Kahadim.  It has two vertical columns with the head of an ox-head facing left in the first, and a fish facing right in the second.  Petrovich read both vertical columns dextrograde (from left to right). 

Petrovich concluded four of the marks in the first column were Egyptian hieroglyphs.  What he saw as Middle Egyptian glyph F20 for “overseer”, I see as the right angle mark for PCH /g/.  Petrovich saw the plus sign as an abbreviation glyph M42 for “the office” of the “overseer”, I see it as the PCH tayish (“goat”) for /t/.  After the ox-head, Petrovich saw a PCH enclosure of a rectangle with two smaller squares, but in his photograph, I see no vertical bar separating the two squares.  Instead, I view an enclosure of three equal squares just like the last letter of the vertical column.  But following the 3-square enclosure of the first horizontal column, it seems an extra square representing bet is present.

In the second vertical row, I suggest Petrovich’s eye and mouth are switched, with the fullness of two smiling lips of the mouth above the eye with its tear duct.

I suggest the graphic in the middle of Sinai 375A is a directional arrow to the inn with a little well beside it.  This is another innkeeper’s sign to direct Hebrew traffic towards an inn.

Phonemes of vertical column I:  /g/, /t/, /ah/, /ch/, /b/

Hebrew: “Gaah, attah achab, bo.”

Possible translation of column I: “Be proud, you lovers, come in.”

Phonemes of vertical column II:  /s/, /m/, /k/

Hebrew: “Samak.”

Possible translation of column II: “Rest.”

Phonemes of horizontal column:  /h/, /g/, /ah/, /p/, /ay/, /sh/, /k/, /ch/

Hebrew: “Hagah peah sok che.”

Possible translation of horizontal column: “Decide tabernacle/inn direction now.”

Possible translation of Sinai 375A in Hebrew: “Gaah, attah achab, bo.  Samak.  Hagah peah sok che.”

English: “Be proud, you lovers, come in.  Rest.  Decide tabernacle/inn direction now.”

Sinai 378

Sinai 378 was discovered amidst rock debris in the southern hall of Mine L at Serabit el-Kahadim.  Sinai 378 is a piece of what was a larger engraved stone.  Due to the smoothed vertical right edge and the straight horizontal groove beneath the lamed pictograph, Sinai 378 is only the lower right corner piece. It contains two vertical columns with the head of the ox-head facing left.  The left-most column contains one vertical stroke, likely representing the number one.  The right column contains two pictographs for aleph and lamed, so the text ended with “-el” of someone’s name, or with “El” meaning God.