Discussing the Writing Inscribed on the Stone Tablets Used Within the 1956 Film, “Ten Commandments”

The following correspondence originally took place upon my Facebook wall…

Stephen K.: Your thoughts, Rayn? Do they make sense?

Rayn: The above inscription looks to be written mostly in Middle Semitic “Moabite” script, which is a very slight variation of Middle Semitic “Paleo-Hebrew” that holds many of the same exact characters. The reason I believe it to be this particular Semitic script is because it’s the only one I know of that writes out the letter “waw” (“ו” in modern Hebrew) like a “Y,” and the letter “kaph” (“כ” and “ך” in modern Hebrew) like a “Y” with an extra branch emerging from the center (imagine a “☮ ,” minus the circle, and turned 180°). However, the letter “hhet” (now called “chet” and written as “ח” in modern Hebrew) and the letter “sin,” (now called “samekh” and written as “ס” in modern Hebrew) are both written in Paleo-Hebrew, instead of Moabite. Meanwhile the “lam” (now called “lamed” and written as “ל” in modern Hebrew) often jumps between Moabite and Early Semitic “Ancient Hebrew”…

Rayn: Middle Semitic to Modern Hebrew Transliteration:

אנכי יהוה אלהיך
לא יהיהלך אלהים אחרם
לא תעש לך פסל
זכר את יום השבת לקדשו

כבד את אביך ואת אמך
לא תרצח
לא תנאף
לא תגנב
לא תען ברעך עד שקר
לא תחמד בית רעך

Rayn: Hebrew to English (Latin) Transliteration:

ANKY YHWH ALHYK
LA YHYH LK ALHYM AHhRM
LA TGhSh LK PSL
ZKR AT YWM HShBT LQDShW

KBD AT ABYK WAT AMK
LA TRTsHh
LA TNAP
LA TGNB
LA TGhN BRGhK GhD ShKR
LA THhMD BYTh RGhK

Rayn: Hebrew to English (Latin) Phonemic Transliteration (?):

Anaki Yahuwah Eloheka
Lo Yihyeh ‘Leka Elohiym Aherim
Lo Taseh ‘Leka Pesel
Zakowr ‘Et Yowm HaShabbath Laqodeshow

Kabed’ Et Abika We’Et Amek
Lo Tretsah
Lo Tneap
Lo Tgenob
Lo Taaneh Ba-reaka Ed Shaqer
Lo Thahmod Bet Reaka

Rayn: Hebrew to English Translation:

Myself YaHuWaH Your Eloah
No Have for Yourself Elohiym Others
No Make for Yourself Carvings
Remember It Day the Sabbath to Set Apart

Honor Him Your Father and Also Her Your Mother
No do Murder
No do Adultery
No do Steal
No do Bear Against Your Neighbor Witness False
No do Covet House Your Neighbor

Rayn: There appears to be one important Torah missing from those listed upon these tablets…

לשוא אלהיך יהיה שם את תשא לא
LA TShA AT ShM YHWH ALHYK LShWA
Lo Tisha ‘Et Shem YaHuWah Eloheka Lashauw
No do Take It Name Yahuwah Your Eloah in Vain

Stephen K.: Oh, I see, the “aleph” resembles an ox, just as I remember from reading about the origins of our modern alphabet during my elementary school years! In fact, if you rotate it 90°, or 135° as in this non-perpendicular view, you do see a letter “A.” 😀

Rayn: Indeed! The letter “aleph” is derived from the “ox” character found within the Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic writing system.

Rayn: 

Rayn: It’s interesting that you posted these tablets onto my wall, because just last week, I decided to write in Paleo-Hebrew onto a few sea stones I found. Here’s the one of them… 🙂

Sara: What does your stone say, Rayn?

Rayn: He Is = יהוה

Stephen K.: Thanks for everything, Rayn!