I was watching a documentary from the History Channel on the history
of Egypt and it made me wonder if there is any known archaeological
evidence found linking Biblical and Egyptian history. Being a Biblical
Christian and seeing so much of scripture proven true, I know there is a
correlation, but there also must be some kind of evidence out there.
The interaction between Israel and Egypt actually begins with the story
of Joseph and the coat of many colors. It was this story of jealousy and
betrayal that God turned and used for His glory. The young Joseph went
from being sold into slavery to becoming the vizier in Egypt and saving
his family and the genealogy from which the Messiah would come.
On
that note, I came across the following article that takes a pretty
convincing look at some archaeological evidence with some pretty amazing
correlations:
Joseph’s
main position was that of a prime minister and Imhotep appears to be the
first who could boast of such a broad range of authority in ancient
Egypt. There are records of many, many viziers throughout Egyptian
history- but the first evidence which connects Imhotep with Joseph is an
amazing inscription found carved on a large rock on the island of Sihiel
just below the First Cataract of the Nile.
This inscription claims to
be a copy of a document written by Djoser in the 18th year of his
reign,- this copy being written over 1,000 years after the events it
claims to be relating. It goes on to tell of a 7 year famine and 7 years
of plenty. Let’s look at a few passages from this inscription and
compare them with the Biblical account, keeping in mind that this was
written a millennium after the events it claims to be describing:
1. It begins with the great distress of the pharaoh:
“I was in distress on the Great Throne...”
Genesis 41:8
And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was
troubled;
2. In the inscription, the pharaoh is troubled about
a famine and asks Imhotep who the god of the Nile is, so he can approach
him about the drought: “... I asked him who was the
Chamberlain,...Imhotep, the son of Ptah... `What is the birthplace of
the Nile? Who is the god there? Who is the god?’” Imhotep answers: “I
need the guidance of Him who presides over the fowling net,...”
Genesis 41:16
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying,
It is not in me:
God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. In the Egyptian
text, Imhotep is termed “the son of Ptah,” who was the Egyptian god
known as the “creator” of everything else, including the other gods.
3. In the inscription, Imhotep answers the pharaoh
about the god of the Nile and tells him where he lives. In the Bible,
Joseph interprets the pharaohs dream. But, the next thing in the
inscription tells that when the king slept, the Nile god Khnum, revealed
himself to him in a dream and promised the Nile would pour forth
her waters and the land would yield abundantly for 7 years, after a 7
year drought. This passage reflects the fact of a dream by the
pharaoh of 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine, although reversed.
4. The inscription then goes on to record Djoser’s
promise to the Nile god, Khnum, in which the people were to be taxed
1/10 of everything, except for the priests of the “house of the god,”
who would be exempted.
Genesis 47:26
And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this
day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the
priests only, which became not Pharaoh’s.
So here we have an inscription which tells a story of pharaoh Djoser
asking his vizier, Imhotep, to help him with the problem of a great 7
year famine. Imhotep tells him he must consult the god because the
answer is not in him. Then, the pharaoh dreams a dream which foretells
the event.
Next follow 7 years of plenty, which is reverse from the Biblical
account.
The pharaoh levies a tax of 10% on all of the population except
for the priesthood. The Biblical account tells of a 1/5, or 20% tax,
with the priesthood exempt. All of the components of the Biblical
account are present in this inscription, except that the story has been
“Egyptianized” to fit their religious beliefs.
It is believed that this inscription was written during the 2nd
century BC, by the priests of Khnum for the purpose of justifying their
claim of some land privileges. Part of the inscription states the
pharaoh dedicated some of the land and taxation to the god.
But, this isn’t the only inscription with this “tale”- there is a
similar inscription on the Isle of Philae, only this one has the priests
of Isis stating that Djoser made the same gift to their
god for the same purpose. Just as the story of the flood is found in
almost every ancient culture but is twisted to fit their own purposes
and gods, here we find the story of Joseph, only it is twisted to fit
the needs of the priests of the various gods in substantiating their
claims to certain land.
Netjerikhet or Djoser (Turin King List “Dsr-it”; Manetho “Tosarthros”)
is the best-known pharaoh of the Third dynasty of Egypt. He commissioned
his official, Imhotep (ca. 2650-2600 BC), to build the first of the
pyramids, a step pyramid for him at Saqqara.
The Famine in Egypt (2296 AM-2303 AM, or 1708 BC-1701 BC) was a
seven-year period during which no grain grew in Egypt, or indeed
anywhere in the ancient Near East. It is a pivotal event in the history
of the Israelites and the subject of continuing controversy in secular
archaeology and Egyptology.
2229 Joseph became Viceroy of Egypt.
Joseph was released from prison on the 1st of Tishre and became viceroy
of Egypt [Bible Br.41.46/Tal.R.H.11a]. Joseph married Osnat, his niece,
the adopted daughter of Potipher (see 2205) [Mid.Yal.Br.34.134]. Pharaoh
gave him the Egyptian name of Tzaphnat Pane’ach [Bible Br.41.45]. Some
say that graduates of a special university in Khartoum were the
Khartumim who acted as Pharaoh’s advisers [Pirush Inyaney Chalom Par’oh
Br.41.8].
2235 7 years of famine
The seven years of plenty came to an end and the famine began
[Tal.Toseph.Sot.10.3] Kohath (son of Levi) was born [Ralbag q.Sed.Had.].
Manasseh and Ephraim (Joseph’s sons) were born before the famine years
[Bible Br.41.50].
7. “And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon
Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold
collar about his neck” (Genesis 41:42). Joseph advised the pharaoh
to store a portion of the harvest in granaries during the years of
plenty to be used during the years of famine. Pharaoh acknowledged the
wisdom of Joseph and made him the viceroy. This investiture of power was
formalized in three ways: 1) Joseph was given the pharaoh’s ring, 2)
Joseph was arrayed in fine linen clothing, and 3) a gold collar was
placed around Joseph’s neck.
The symbolism of a king removing his ring and placing it upon the
hand of another is well known as an investiture of authority and power
in the ancient world.8] A vizier who was given the pharaoh’s signet ring
was known officially as The Royal Seal Bearer.[9] The wearing of fine
linen garments, so thin as to be semi-transparent, seem to have been a
sign of royalty and great prestige in ancient Egypt. Princes and
princesses and members of their household are often depicted wearing
semi-transparent linen clothing. The placement of a gold collar around
the neck is a uniquely ancient Egyptian custom called the conferment of
the Gold of Praise.[10]
There are two well-known depictions of this ceremony. The first one
shows Pharaoh Seti I sitting on his throne under an ornate canopy.
Before him are two servants placing a gold collar around the neck of a
priest. The second depiction shows Akhenaten and his queen standing on
their balcony tossing gold collars to one of the gods. Though there are
almost 40 known depictions and written references to the investiture
ceremony, none pre-date the Eighteenth Dynasty.[11] The story of Joseph
occurred during the Eighteenth Dynasty. Circa 1550-1300 BCE
