Origins - The Alphabet

It's debated as to where the alphabet originated, and which culture was responsible for creating and using the first one. Egypt is typically credited with creating the first alphabetic writing system. However some contend the first alphabetic system was Hebrew.

Let's look at the first 2 letters of the Hebrew alphabet: א-aleph, and ב-bet. It's believed that these first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet were later converted to Alpha and Beta (respectively) in the Greek alphabet. Put these two letters together and you get "Alphabeta". Look familiar? I personally never really questioned where the word "Alphabet" came from, but this makes sense.

Furthermore, it's interesting to note that the presumably oldest alphabetic cave writing is found in Egypt, however the writing is Hebrew. The next oldest alphabetic cave writing is found in the Sanai region, again in Hebrew. And the next oldest alphabetic cave writing is found in the (then) Canaanite region, again in Hebrew. Does this route sound familiar? Can you say... Exodus?!