“TMT,” “A Warning!”

The Mt. Ebal Curse Tablet

Facts

Stripling’s Claims

Photo Study IV

[Post twenty of thirty-three]

We now look at an extra word and two single letters relevant to a critic’s arguments.

My introduction to them here is superficial. When I discuss a sceptic’s views, I delve deeper.

Our new word is “TMT”, meaning “You will die!”

Galil depicts it in Figure 7 as numbers: 18, 19, and 20.

The phonetic spelling is “Taw”, “Mem”, “Taw”.

Here is how they look:

• “Taw” looks like an “X” or a cross, and with small tick marks, it resembles crossed hockey sticks or swords.
• “Mem” looks like our “M”, wavy lines, or rolling waves.

To see photos and drawings of each, click:

• #18: Table 9 (1a and b);
• #19: Table 7 (1a and b) plus Table 10, photo #7; and
• #20: Table 9 (2a and 2 b).

This concludes our proto-alphabetic vocabulary survey.

Our lexicon now includes YHW, ARWR, and TMT, words with heavy meanings.

I now turn to our two solo letters. For simplicity, I examine these apart from the words they help form.

The first I call “Lovely Aleph”. See it as Figure 7’s #21 and as Table 2’s (3a & b).

All I will say is, “What a beauty!”

The second letter, which appears to exude rhythmic motion on the lower tablet, I call “Dancing He.”

View it as Figure 7’s #3 and in Table 3 (4a & b).

See a remarkable negative of it in Table 10, #2.

We now finish our initial canvas of letters and words.

We have learned seven letters: “Aleph”, “He”, “Mem”, “Resh”, “Taw”, “Waw”, and “Yod”.

At first, tackling ancient inscriptions was likely intimidating. In retrospect, you likely see them as straightforward.

As an aside, consider that in short order, first graders learn all 26 letters of our alphabet. Plus, they master a corral of words from their readers. What a wonder!

But we are not yet done. We must review the arguments opposing Stripling’s claims.

Let us get started!

But first, here are some questions. How do you suppose children master the complexities of language? Why does it seem easy for them?

Let me know your response in the comment section below.

Next post: “A Refutation?”

To view the memorandum from the beginning, click here.

For the composite footnotes, click here.