MERNEPTAH (STELE)
Stone monument with inscriptions to record the campaign and victories in Palestine. In this stele Israel is mentioned in the land of Canaan.
According to the proponents of the conventional chronology, who place it in the year 1230 BC, it would be “the oldest mention of Israel in history.”
However, close examination of the stele reveals numerous problems with this date assignment. The chronological revision of the date of Egypt would place this stele in the year 721 BC. (Courville), identifying Merneptah’s father, Ramses II, as Pharaoh So, or in 565 B.C. (Velikovsky), who identifies Merneptah with Hofra (Apries).
The inscription, in its mention of Israel, says: “Israel is desolate and has no seed. Palestine has been left a widow. Based on this, Courville’s position seems more solid, since the name Israel was applied to the northern kingdom, taken captive in the year 722/721 BC, and its entire territory having been left a prey to the most absolute desolation (cf. 2 R. 18-24 ff.).