O God, Save Me

For thousands of years ancient Egyptians mined turquoise at present day Serabit El Khadim, located four hundred miles southeast of Cairo deep in the Sinai desert. The ancient mines are mostly hidden today.

The presence of Israeli slaves there is proven because of words chiseled on the walls of the mine. Whereas Egyptians used heiroglyphics, Israelis used an early form of alphabetic writing. This writing is found in this mine.

Additionally, Israelis did not worship Egyptian gods; they worshipped one god, whom the Bible calls El.

Thirty-five hundred years ago a Hebrew slave in this mine carved these words:

El, save me.

This is the cry of a person who was a slave in this mine and who likely died there as well. Its presence documents the progression of Jacob’s family’s immigration to Egypt, of Joseph becoming a royal overseer, and of the eventual enslavement of the Hebrews.

This is one of the two earliest pre-alphabetic inscriptions in the world, but it is also decidedly the first inscription that records the name of God, El.

But moreso it is, of course, a heart-wrenching cry, telling the ancient story of aware, gentle people being set upon by the world who would objectify them.

This is the hard evidence of broken hearts, the ancient cry to God for salvation, and the beginning of salvation history itself.