The First Vision and the First Beast-Egypt

The First Vision and the First BeastEgypt

by

Norman E. Nabatar

Rodolfo Atienza Davao ity! "hilippines #$%&

The First Vision' In his first vision, Daniel spoke thus:

2 Daniel said: "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. !our great beasts, each di"erent from the others, came up out of the sea. # "$he %rst was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn o" and it was li&ed from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it. ' "(nd there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, )*et up and eat your %ll of flesh+, - "(&er that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. (nd on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. $his beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. . "(&er that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast/terrifying and frightening and

very powerful. It had large iron teeth0 it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was le&. It was di"erent from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. 1 "2hile I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a li3le one, which came up among them0 and three of the %rst horns were uprooted before it. $his horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 4 "(s I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the (ncient of Days took his seat. 5is clothing was as white as snow0 the hair of his head was white like wool. 5is throne was flaming with %re, and its wheels were all abla6e. 78 ( river of %re was flowing, coming out from before him. $housands upon thousands a3ended him0 ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. $he court was seated, and the books were opened. 77 "$hen I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the bla6ing %re. 729$he other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were

allowed to live for a period of time.: 7 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. 5e approached the (ncient of Days and was led into his presence. 7# 5e was given authority, glory and sovereign power0 all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. 5is dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.; 9Dan .:2/7# <I=:

The angel in his vision explained to him:

2 5e gave me this e>planation: )$he fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be di"erent from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 2# $he ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. (&er them another king will arise, di"erent from the earlier ones0 he will subdue three kings. 2' 5e will speak against the ?ost 5igh and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. $he saints will

be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time. 2- ")@ut the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 2. $hen the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the ?ost 5igh. 5is kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.,; 9Dan .:2 /2. <I=:

The first three beasts are the kingdoms or ancient civilizations that began in: 1) Eg pt, !) "esopotamia, and #) "edia $ %ersia& These kingdoms comprised the 'ertile (rescent, a term coined b the )rientalist *ames +reasted in 1,1-& 1 The name is given to the area o. the "iddle East /here the earliest kno/n civilizations o. the ancient /orld began& The region extends like an arc .rom the 0ile 1alle o. Eg pt north along the coast o. the "editerranean 2ea, then east and south through the 3igris and Euphrates valle to the head o. the %ersian 4ul., passing through present$da Israel, 5ebanon, 2 ria, Ira6, and /estern Iran& The 'ertile (rescent includes the areas once occupied b the ancient kingdoms o. %alestine at its /estern end, 7ss ria in the central portion, and +ab lonia and Elam in the

eastern part& The .ertile 0ile 8iver delta north o. Eg pt characterized b dr summers and rain /inters is /here .arming originated in the "iddle East at around ,999 +(& 5ater in :999 +(, the oldest urban and literate societies emerged .rom Eg pt at the /estern end o. the crescent and at 2umer at the eastern end& In the centuries that .ollo/ed, the (anaanite kingdoms rose on the "editerranean coast& These /ere succeeded b %hoenicia and ancient Israel /hile the +ab lonians and 7ss rians dominated "esopotamia&2 Eg pt;s hegemon over its area has .airl been consistent, /hile "esopotamia gave rise to 2umer, +ab lonia and 7ss ria& The First Beast - Egypt )b<ections have been made over the strict application o. science to the interpretation o. scriptures and several books have been published about it& 0ot a .e/ o. them /ere about Dar/in=s On the Origin of Species /hich propounded ho/ human beings evolved through branching over the course o. generations through a process o. natural selection&3 >is theor implied that all species o. li.e could probabl have come .rom a single original species& Dar/in=s theor is ver brie? being discussed here together /ith some ne/ theories in

paleoanthropolog to construct a plausible time$line .or the creation o. man according to the +ooks o. 4enesis and Daniel that is reconciled /ith established and authoritative scientific discoveries& 4 + emplo ing this method, /e /ill never be arbitrar , much less /himsical nor capricious $ a charge too o@en levied against a strictl spiritual approach to interpretation o. scriptures& 0either are /e /riting in .avor o. a particular church or an alliance thereo. but out o. a personal motivation& 'urthermore, I /ould like to declare at the outset, that it is m belie. that in this exegesis, I recognize our human limitation to .athom the po/er and /isdom o. the 7lmight that is a/esome in its superiorit and be ond our human capacit to .ull comprehend& It goes /ith it m o/n limitation to describe certain parts o. scripture using human language& 7nd .or this reason, I am inclined to 6uali. the use o. scripture Aincluding those .rom the Qur'an) /hose definitions ma actuall construe a concept rather than is traditionall or secularl meant& 'or example, m stud o. the +ible has led me to a conclusion that angels and heavenl beings are not parties to the covenant that men are bound& It is possible that there is a separate covenant /ith them& 0evertheless, it is .or this reason I /ent

above and be ond the average human conception o. time, space and the universe& Its application in this exegesis recognizes the limitation o. the account in the +ook o. 4enesis o. creation, .or the simple reason that the bodies o. kno/ledge toda that are available to accuratel describe it /ere not available then& 'or example, the /ord B day as it is used in the +ook o. 4enesis could also have described the a/esome po/er o. our (reator and could simpl mean that the po/er that is behind creation is so great it can achieve so much in a da & That this is no simple da & 7s %eter propounds, With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day A! %eter #:C, %s ,9:D))& In this verse, the /ord like does not exclude other interpretations o. day to mean not <ust a thousand ears, but millions or even billions o. ears& 2trongl /orded pre<udices o. the perceived irreconcilable diEerences bet/een the scriptures and science on the sub<ect o. creation and natural la/ in Dar/in;s controversial book, Origin of the Species alone can be .ound, and arguments like this .ound belo/ b 8obert (hambers, secret author o. the book Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation , are not uncommon, sa ing:

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'It will be objected that the ordinary conceptions of Christian nations on this subject (creation) are directly derived from Scripture, or, at least, are in conformity with it. If they were clearly and unequivocally supported by Scripture, it may readily be allowed that there would be a strong objection to the reception of any opposite hypothesis. But the fact is, however startling the present announcement of it may be, that the first chapter of the osaic record is not only not in harmony with the ordinary ideas of man!ind respecting cosmical and organic creation, but is opposed to them, and only in accordance with the views here ta!en." 5 #italics mine$

The said book /as thus 6uoted b Dar/in in his Origin, sa ing:
%&he ''estiges of Creation' appeared in ()**. In the tenth and much improved edition #()+,$ the anonymous author says- . '&he proposition determined on after much consideration is, that the several series of animated

beings, from the simplest and oldest up to the highest and most recent, are, under the providence of /od, the results, first, of an impulse which has been imparted to the forms of life, advancing them, in definite times, by generation, through grades of organisation terminating in the highest dicotyledons and vertebrata, these grades being few in number, and generally mar!ed by intervals of organic character, which we find to be a practical difficulty in ascertaining affinities 0 second, of another impulse connected with the vital forces, tending, in the course of generations, to modify organic structures in accordance with e1ternal circumstances, as food, the nature of the habitat, and the meteoric agencies, these being the 'adaptations' of the natural theologian.' &he author apparently believes that organisation progresses by sudden leaps, but that the effects produced by the conditions of life are gradual. 2e argues

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with much force on general grounds that species are not immutable productions. But I cannot see how the two supposed "impulses" account in a scientific sense for the numerous and beautiful co3adaptations which we see throughout nature0 I cannot see that we thus in any insight how, for instance, a woodpec!er has become adapted to its peculiar habits of life. &he wor!, from its powerful and brilliant style, though displaying in the earlier editions little accurate !nowledge and a great want of scientific caution, immediately had a very wide circulation. In my opinion it has done e1cellent service in this country in calling attention to the subject, in removing prejudice, and in thus preparing the ground for the reception of analogous views.46

>o/ true, .or o@en /e /ould hear about the church describe creation in a literar sense than a scientific one& In the period scientists call the )ld 2tone 7ge or %aleolithic %eriod A!&: million ears to C999 +() archaic man /as et primitive, seFled in caves crouched on all .ours, pursued the herds or fished in stone$made implements and gathered .ruits& 7pproximatel bet/een 199,999 and D9,999 +(, a

semi$erect archaic human $ the brutish 0eanderthals AHo o sapiens neanderthalensis) appeared& The 0eanderthals eked a living .rom the most challenging habitat and developed the 5evallois stone$making techni6ue used .or making specialized tools Amicroliths) such as knives and scrapers .or cuFing and preparing meat, scraping hides, and /orking /ood& Evidence o. rituals in burials suggests the existence o. religious belie.s& It is believed that the brain o. this archaic >omo sapiens /as suGcientl evolved to permit the use o. true language, ho/ever, the 0eanderthal;s vocal chords, /hich the h oid bone represents, /ere not suGcientl developed .or speech&7 7bout 1:H999 +(, tools that included microliths and ne/ /eapons like the bo/ and arro/ enabled hunters to pursue game and use traps, snares, and nets to exploit alternative resources& These ushered in the "esolithic 7ge or 0e/ 2tone 7ge AC#99 to -:99 +()&8 Earlier, about ,999 +(, sheep in the 0ear East /as domesticated& 7nthropologists believe that it /as onl sometime a@er 19H999 +(, as the tundra vegetation and ice sheets rapidl gave /a to coni.erous and hard/ood .orests and great herds o. game /ere replaced b more elusive animals, that >omo sapiens developed practices and technolog to adapt& + C999 +(, the

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tundra and taiga /as a /ell defined area o. the northern hemisphere&9 7s a result o. the increasing diGcult o. hunting herds that have migrated north/ard, anthropologists believe that ver .e/ archaic populations ma have directl evolved into the more intelligent modern (ro$"agnon man and Ho o sapiens sapiens, the rest displaced as modern man expanded his range& During the "esolithic %eriod, people began to practice .arming b so/ing seeds and /aiting .or the harvest /ith tools made o. a ha@ o. bone, /ood, or antler fiFed /ith a microlith $ a small, sharp blade o. stone, .or reaping grain& Dogs, the first animals to be tamed, /ere alread in use in hunting and such herd animals as goats, sheep, and caFle, alread domesticated& Thus, paleoanthropolog , the scientific stud o. human .ossils, confirms the +ook o. Daniel concerning the first beast $ Eg pt and the histor o. ancient civilizations& The stud suggests that modern man originated onl ver recentl , sometime a@er 19,999 ears ago& It can be theorized that it coincides /ith the rise o. the ancient civilizations that began in "esopotamia and migrated to Eg pt&10 The above, are as close that our measuring instruments and processes can best do& The do not preclude the probabilit that creation, defined in the *e/ish

tradition o. a I,999$ ear or a /eek or a seven$da Ao. a thousand ears a da ) plan b 4$d beginning /ith 7dam A ear 9) /hich ma ver /ell have begun sometime a@er D999 +( /ith the BevolutionJ o. Ho o sapiens sapiens K the first humansL and end at *udgment Da , sometime a@er -999 ears later $ during the 5ord;s da o. rest on the seventh da , the 2abath& 11 The (eaning. !ierce as a lion means possessing the character and .erocit o. a lion that are best suited .or such a primitive environment& 7 lion is lord o. the <ungle as ancient Eg pt /as lord o. the kingdoms around it& B"e #ings of an eagle means possessing an extraordinar mind seFing it above its peers& These /ere the characters that gave ancient Eg pt, the first beast, the capabilit to achieve and advance its civilization& Then, Bits #ings are torn o$ thus li%ing it o$ the ground to stand on t#o feet,J like modern man& Me ma surmise that the erect and intelligent Ho o sapiens sapiens first sho/ed its leadership abilit to build a kingdom in the development o. the Eg ptian civilization overtaking +ab lon, the earliest kno/n civilization among the "esopotamian states&12

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%5mid the newly collected and e1cavated evidence of 6gypt from the 7re3 dynastic and 6arly 8ynastic ages there emerged a few cylinder seals, a !nife handle with esopotamian3style modelsthe "dynastic race" theory of the foreign origin of 6gyptian civili9ation gained a new lease on life. Sir :linders 7etrie, the founder of modern 6gyptology, who himself subscribed to that theory, thus inferred several invasions of 6gypt, on the basis of cultural changes seen in the shift from 7redynastic ;aqada I to II, and again from late ;aqada III to 8ynastic 6gypt. Certain s!eletal finds and naturally preserved bodies from 7redynastic cemeteries seemed to support this view. In addition, the apparently sudden flowering of already well3developed hieroglyphics on :irst 8ynasty monuments indicated that 6gypt's writing system also must have been brought from abroad, probably by the selfsame dynastic race. Supporters of the 5ryan odel could now detach 6gyptian pharaonic civili9ation from any supposed 5frican origin. 6gypt's high civili9ation was proclaimed the wor! of the "dynastic race." &his race was variously said to have come from somewhere to the north, from

esopotamia, from 6lam, or even possibly from India. By the early decades of the twentieth century the dynastic race theory seemed unassailable. &hus far, Bernal's account of 5ryan supremacy accords with the early study of 6gyptian antiquity as it is generally recogni9ed.413

3o have Bthe heart o. a man &&& given to itJ means his animal tendencies /ere cast aside and his humane side ruled his behavior& The remains o. >omo sapiens sapiens .ound in ancient Eg pt are evidence o. the t pe o. man /hich ?ourished during this time its civilization /as developing& It is this species o. man characterized b a developed brain as modern man toda possesses&14
%6ven those unfamiliar with craniometry will be struc! by the difference in the measurements of the s!ulls in the two series shown in the table on p .),. &he 7redynastic people are seen to have had narrow s!ulls with a height measurement e1ceeding the breadth, a condition common also in negroes. &he reverse is the case in the 8ynastic <ace, who not only had broader s!ulls but the height of these s!ulls,while e1ceeding that in the

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7redynastic <ace, is still less than the breadth. &his implies a greater cranial capacity and of course a larger brain in the invading people. 5nother remar!able point is the regularity with which the same or nearly the same figures appear in the different groups for the same diameter. In both races there is little difference in the length of the s!ull, but a mean of (,=.> mm. :or the breadth in the 7redynastic people and of (,?.> mm. In the 8ynastic <ace came to be regarded in my mind as characteristic. &he two series in the above table which do not conform to this are both from 5bydos and almost certainly, as shown by 8r. orant, are not the pure 6gyptian stoc!. It was stated above that only the earliest graves are dealt within this paper for the reason that mi1ture of the two races at later dates obscures the outstanding differences so mar!ed in the earliest periods. It is, however, important to note that infiltration had begun already in @ate 7redynastic times, and the results of measurements of s!ulls from graves of this date frequently show the presence of a larger3headed people. &his was the case in 7etrie's original discovery at ;a!adah where both 6arly and @ate 7redynastic

graves were brought to light, the latter including 6arly 8ynastic burials. &hese are distinguished in 8r. orant's tables #loc.cit.$ as 5 and A and B.&.<. Bnly the former, called by 8r. orant ' iddleC' are included in the above table.415

Eg pt;s earl civilization .ast developed into the most sophisticated b #999 +(& It possessed a stratified societ and the ro al court /as replete /ith its entourage o. advisers& 2ome o. the earliest kno/ledge o. mathematics are preserved in Eg ptian pap ri& It also maintained an arm & Its civilization is undoubtedl considered the oldest& Early )istory. The first re.erence to Eg pt in the scriptures is .ound in the +ook o. Exodus, shortl a@er the time o. 0oah& The scripture tells us that (ush, "izraim A>ebre/: &i'rai .or Eg pt), %ut and (anaan /ere children o. >am, son o. 0oah& 16 "izraim later became Eg pt&17 The evidence o. rock carvings along the 0ile terraces and in the desert oases points to a culture o. hunter$gatherers and fishers in 19H999 +(& 7round C999 +( as a result o. climate changes and overgrazing, pasture /as depleted and migration began into the 0ile 8iver /here began a centralized societ and seFled

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agricultural econom &18 The 0e/ 4rolier "ultimedia Enc clopedia describes Eg pt=s civilization as a hunting communit o. archaic humans be.ore :999 +(, /hich seFled b the 0ile 8iver valle as .armers a@er D999 +( establishing villages in "erimdeh and 'a um in northern Eg pt bet/een these periods& 'arm surpluses economicall gave rise to an elite class b late %re$d nastic times Ac& ##99 +() ruled b chie@ains identifiable b its tombs, .orerunners o. the p ramids& + this time, the local kingdoms had coalesced into t/o competitive kingdoms, northern and southern& Throughout the period :999$#199 +( domesticated grains and animals ma have come via 2 ria and %alestine, perhaps at the time o. "erimdehs= earliest phase& +oth northern and southern Eg pt traded /ith 2 ria, %alestine, and northeast 7.rica throughout %re$d nastic times&19 Ning 0armer A/ho ma also be: "enes) unified the t/o kingdoms& >e and his immediate predecessors, the pharaohs o. the 1st and !nd d nasties, /ere buried at 7b dos in protot pes o. the later p ramids also .ound in "emphis& 8o al po/er had greatl increased b the #rd d nast A!-C-$ !-1# +() characterized b step p ramids in stone& % ramids like the one at 4iza /here Nhu.u;s

A(heops;) are .ound /ere also built& 5ater, in the Dth and :th d nasties, Eg ptian armies raided %alestine and southern 0ubia& + the -th d nast , regional kingdoms became stronger puFing Eg pt on the de.ensive& Eg ptian rule began to break do/n under the Ith d nast & In the 'irst Intermediate period A!1C1$!9D9 +(), provincial /arlords /ere not prevented b the "emphitic pharaohs .rom fighting over territor that eventuall resulted in t/o separate kingdoms& The ,th and 19th d nasties ruled .rom >eracleopolis& The 11th d nast .rom Thebes& 'inall , in !999 +(, 0ebhepetre "entuhotep o. the 11th d nast con6uered the north and rebuilt the monarch , inaugurating the "iddle Ningdom& 7bout this time, 7braham and his /i.e, 2arah, came to Eg pt .rom (anaan, /here a .amine had struck& The sta ed there a liFle /hile until %haraoh asked them to leave richer than the came a@er a liFle plo b 7braham gave an unexpectedl handsome result A4en 1!:19)& Decline marked the 2econd Intermediate period A1IC-$1:-I +() /ith internecine stri.e bet/een high oGcials o. the 1# th d nast over the ro al succession .ollo/ed b a severe .amine that /eakened Eg pt to invasions b the > ksos& )y*sos .oreign rulers)& AEg ptian: he(a khase#et .or "anetho A#99 +(), an ancient

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Eg ptian priest$historian, has an earl account o. the > ksos migration and rise to become rulers o. Eg pt& This event is significant .or at no time in Eg pt=s histor /as there a period /hich could plausibl bring us to a conclusion that this period /ould account .or *oseph=s presence in Eg pt, his rise to po/er under the > ksos; rule and ho/ his .amil , the /hole o. Israel, came to Eg pt& The biblical account spoke o. a severe .amine A4en D1::#$:D) in all the other lands saved in Eg pt /here there /as .ood& This /as the reason /h the people .rom (anaan migrated to Eg pt& The > ksos exploited Eg ptian ideolog but remained 2 ro$%alestinian in culture&20 7nother account, some D99 ears ear later ma be .ound in the /ork o. *osephus 'lavius A#I$199 7D), a *e/ish historian kno/n, among others .or his account o. the *e/s under 8oman domination& *osephus= /orks include 7gainst 7pion& >ere, *osephus sharpl criticizes "anetho=s account o. t/o Exodus$like events .or misinterpreting them as the biblical Exodus and aFempts to correct them& 0evertheless, the accounts are evidence o. the period /hen peoples .rom 7sia did enter Eg pt to be later driven or led out during the Exodus& "anetho=s /ork 7eg ptiaca, reconstructed .rom the .e/ remaining

extant .ragments A.rag& D!, 1&I:$I,&!) recorded the > ksos appearance as an armed invasion b a horde o. .oreign barbarians /ho plundered their cities and took the Eg ptians into slaver & This theor is no/ overturned b the theor o. a non$violent /ave o. migration& Onder this theor , the Eg ptian rulers o. the 1#th d nast preoccupied b a serious .amine, /ere unable to stop migrants .rom 7sia looking .or .ood and emplo ment in Eg pt& 21 >istorian 4ae (allender notes:
%;umerous inscriptions record 5menmhat III's mining activities. In the Sinai region alone, where the !ing's officials wor!ed the turqoise and copper mines on a quasi3 permanent basis, fifty3nine grafiti have been identified. &he quarries at Dadi 2ammamat, &ura, 5swan, and various ;ubian sites wer also wor!ed. 5ll this building and industrial activity symboli9es the prosperity that 6gypt enjoyed during the reign, but it may also have e1hausted the economy and, combined with a series of low ;ile floods, late in his reign, resulted in political and economic decline. Ironically, the large inta!e of 5siatics, which seems to have occurred partly in order to subsidi9e the e1tensive building

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wor!, may have encouraged the so3called 2y!sos to settle in the 8elta, thus leading eventually to the collapse of native 6gyptian rule.422

+ 1I99 +( Eg pt had broken into local kingdoms in the northeastern Delta& )ne o. these /as ruled b Ning 0ehes /hose capital /as at 7varis& > ksos o. 2 ro$%alestinian origin, among them soldiers, sailors, shipbuilders and /orkmen during the 1!th d nast made up his kingdom& >is d nast ma have been succeeded b Mest$2emitic$ speaking 2 ro$%alestinians /ho later became the > ksos kingdom that *oseph belonged to& *oseph, his brothers and .ather, *acob ver probabl began the migration o. the Israelites to Eg pt during this period& "anetho described an invasion&
%&utimaeus. In his reign, for what cause I !now not, a blast of /3d smote us0 and une1pectedly from the regions of the 6ast, invaders of obscure race marched in confidence of victory against our land. By main force they easily sei9ed it without stri!ing a blow0 and having overpowered the rulers of the land, they then burned our cities ruthlessly, ra9ed to the ground the temples of the gods, and treated all the

natives with a cruel hostility, massacring some and leading into slavery the wives and children of others. :inally, they appointed as !ing one of their number whose name was Salitis. 2e had his seat at emphis, levying tribute from Epper and @ower 6gypt, and always leaving garrisons behind in the most advantageous positions.423

7 stud o. ceramic arti.acts .rom the 2econd Intermediate %eriod excavated in the "emphis$ 'a um region o. 5o/er Eg pt b *anine +ourriau Aas cited in )ren, E& ed&, The > ksos: 0e/ >istorical and 7rchaeological %erspectives) did not find > ksos in?uence debunking the vie/ espoused b "anetho that the > ksos invaded and plundered "emphis and sub<ected it to their authorit & 24 The > ksos first appeared in the 11th d nast o. Eg pt and invaded the eastern 0ile Delta in the 1!th d nast /hich began the 2econd Intermediate %eriod& The rose to po/er in the 1#th d nast o. Eg pt and are o@en depicted in the art o. the period /earing the cloaks o. man colors associated /ith the mercenar "itanni bo/men and cavalr o. 0orthern (anaan, 7ram, Nadesh, 2idon and 3 re&25 This /as also the kind o. coat *acob gave his son, *oseph /ho /ore it /ith

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pride A4en #I:#)& >erbert E& Minlock describes ne/ militar hard/are introduced b the > ksos, such as the composite bo/, improved recurved bo/, horse$ dra/n /ar chariot, improved arro/heads, various kinds o. s/ords and daggers, a ne/ t pe o. shield, mailed shirts, and the metal helmet&26 The 1:th > ksos d nast capital /as at "emphis and their summer residence at 7varis& The ruled 5o/er Eg pt until the end o. the 1Ith d nast o. Eg pt& The hiatus in native Eg ptian rule began .rom the end o. the 1!th d nast to the start o. the 1Cth d nast o. Eg pt /hen the capital moved to Thebes& )nl .our 1:th > ksos D nast rulers /ere kno/n b their (anaanite names& The dates o. their approximate reigns are: 2akir$>ar Anamed as an earl > ksos king on a door <amb .ound at 7varis /hose reign is et unkno/n)L Nh an Ac& 1-!9 +()L 7pophis Ac& 1:C9 +( to 1:D9 +()L and Nhamudi Ac& 1:D9 +( to 1:#9 +()&27 The > ksos kingdom /as centered and limited to the eastern 0ile Delta and "iddle Eg pt /hile the Theban$based native Eg ptian rulers controlled the south into Opper Eg pt&28 (ommerce bet/een them consisted o. transit rights through > ksos$controlled "iddle and 5o/er Eg pt and pasturage rights in the .ertile

Delta&29 The (arnarvon 3ablet I, narrates the Theban %haraoh Namose= proposal to the council to move against the > ksos, /ho /ere seen as a humiliating stain upon the hol land o. Eg pt& The councilors clearl did not /ish to disturb the status 6uo:
%&he great men of his council spo!e- Behold, it is 5siatic water as far as Cusae, and they have pulled out their tongues that they might spea! all together, #whereas$ F we are at ease in our #part of$ 6gypt. 6lephantine is strong, and the middle (of the land) is with us as far as Cusae. &he sleekest of their fields are plowed for us, and our cattle are pastured in the 8elta. 6mmer is sent for our pigs. Bur cattle have not been ta!en awayF 2e holds the land of the 5siatics0 we hold 6gypt. Should someone come and act [against us], then we shall act against himG4 30

> ksos rule overlapped /ith the native Eg ptian pharaohs o. the 1-th and 1Ith d nasties o. the 2econd Intermediate %eriod o. Eg pt& The 1:th

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d nast > ksos kings assimilated /ell into Eg ptian culture;s /ide use o. scarabs, art .orms, ro al titles and the god 2eth& >o//ever, native Eg ptians continued to vie/ the > ksos as invaders& 31 Mhile the > ksos controlled the Delta region the Thebans mined gold and traded in the 8ed 2ea until the 1Ith d nast /hen the Theban /ars o. liberation began& +ourriau .ound Theban /ares in the "emphis$'a um region corresponding to this period and agrees /ith "anetho;s description o. > ksos rule /hich is confirmed in the Namose texts that Namose re<ected vassal status, the strict control o. the border at (usae, the imposition o. taxes on all 0ile traGc and the existence o. garrisons& The /ar against the > ksos began in the laFer part o. the 1Ith d nast /hen the Theban king 2e6enenre 3ao II aFacked his > ksos contemporar 7userra 7pophis Aalso: 7pepi or 7pophis)& >is mumm in the (airo "useum sho/s head /ounds .rom a sharp blade that caused his death& >is son Mad<kheperra Namose, the last ruler o. the 1Ith d nast at Thebes, brought Eg pt its first victor & In the third ear o. his reign, Namose overran the southernmost garrison o. the > ksos at 0e.rus , north o. (usae Anear modern 7s ut) and led his arm as .ar north as 7varis devastating the fields around it& 7 second stele discovered at Thebes

continues the account o. the /ar broken oE on the (arnarvon 3ablet I, and narrates the interception and capture o. a courier bearing a message .rom the > ksos king 7a/oserra 7pophis at 7varis to his all , the ruler o. (ush, re6uesting support against the threat posed b Namose on both their kingdoms& Namose troops occupied the +ahri a )asis in the Mestern Desert to block the desert route to the south& Namose then sailed back up the 0ile to Thebes .or a <o ous victor celebration& + the end o. the reign o. 7pophis, the second last o. the > ksos kings o. the 'i@eenth D nast , the > ksos had been routed .rom "iddle Eg pt and had retreated north/ard in the vicinit o. the 'a um at 7tfih& 7pophis outlived his first Eg ptian contemporar , 2e6enenre 3ao II, and /as still on the throne at the end o. Namose;s reign& Nhamudi, last > ksos ruler o. the 'i@eenth D nast had a relativel shorter reign /hich .ell /ithin the reign o. 7hmose, Namose;s successor and the .ounder o. the 1Cth d nast & 7hmose I, the first pharaoh o. the 1Cth d nast , finall expelled the > ksos .rom their last holdout at 2haruhen a@er a three$ ear siege in the 0egev desert bet/een 8a.ah and 4aza b the 1-th ear o. his reign& Eg ptian literature until the 4reek times, depict the > ksos as P7siatics= re.erring to the 2emitic groups /ho seFled in 7s/an or the Delta, and possibl led "anetho to believe the

30

> ksos episode /ith *oseph=s so<ourn in Eg pt& "odern historians have also identified the expulsion o. the > ksos /ith the Exodus due to the .act that some > ksos pharaohs had .amiliar 2emitic names, such as *acobaam o. the 1-th d nast & 7t the end o. the 1,th d nast , the Elephantine stele and the >arris %ap rus records that the first pharaohs o. the !9th d nast revived the anti$> ksos sentiment& 2etnakht, /ho .ounded the !9th d nast , records in the Elephantine stele that in the second ear he de.eated and expelled a large .orce o. P7siatic= invaders during the chaos bet/een the end o. 3/osret;s reign and the beginning o. the !9th d nast & In his 7gainst 7pion, 'lavius *osephus debates the s nchronism bet/een the biblical Exodus o. the >ebre/s .rom Eg pt and t/o Exodus$like events that the Eg ptian historian, "anetho records& *osephus identifies the +iblical Exodus /ith the first exodus mentioned b "anetho, /hen some DC9,999 > ksos Aalso re.erred to as ;shepherd kings=, ;shepherds;, ;kings; or ;captive shepherds; in his discussion o. "anetho) le@ Eg pt .or *erusalem& The mention o. > ksos identifies this first exodus /ith the > ksos period Ac& 1-99 +()& *osephus identifies a second exodus mentioned b "anetho /hen a renegade Eg ptian priest called )sarseph led C9,999

Plepers= to rebel against Eg pt& "anetho con?ated events o. the 7marna period Ac& 1D99 +() and the events at the end o. the 1,th d nast Ac& 1!99 +()& +oseph. The 11th son o. *acob AIsrael), *oseph /as seventeen /hen his brothers sold him to "idianite merchants on their /a to Eg pt, /here he /ould later become right hand man o. the > ksos %haraoh&32 In Eg ptian histor , the > ksos emergence to become rulers o. Eg pt /as an opportunit .or the development o. the communit o. >ebre/s brought about b the migration o. >ebre/s like *oseph and his brothers /ho brought their .amilies and reseFled in Eg pt as a result o. the periodic .amine /hich s/ept through (anaan& The >ebre/s /ill spend approximatel D99 ears in Eg pt be.ore "oses led them out o. it to return to (anaan&33 + 1I99 +( Eg pt /as /eakened b internal problems and overran b > ksos /ho set up t/o contemporaneous d nasties and ruled bet/een 1-ID$1:-I +(&34 In this stud , the secular date o. the > ksos= reign is an important re.erence .or approximating the time o. "oses= and *oseph=s birth, their so<ourn in Eg pt, and the exodus out o. her& The existence in

32

Eg pt o. the > ksos, /ho became its rulers explains *oseph=s rise as the right hand o. the > ksos ruler, both o. them coming .rom (anaan& Mith the aid o. the Bmiddle o. the sevenJ prophec .ound in Daniel ,:!I and the period covering the 1!-9 ears o. the Bchurch in the /ildernessJ discussed later in this stud , /e;ve alread determined that the first hal. o. the BsevenJ Aprophetic da s o. ears), /hich is Bthree and a hal. da sJ is also e6uivalent to 1!-9 ears& These number o. ears going back/ard .rom I9 7D, the ear o. the end o. the dail sacrifice in the temple o. 2olomon, is 11,9 +(& This is the ear beginning the old covenant, the covenant that *esus confirms ABthe la/ and the prophetsJ) together /ith the ne/ covenant that he brought /ith him and sealed b his blood B.or man J Aboth *e/s and 4entiles)& I9 7D is the Bmiddle o. the /eekJ, all o. /hich /e shall discuss later& "oses lived to a hundred and t/ent ears and his li.e has been significant ever .ortieth ear o. his li.e& >e /as .ort /hen he killed the Eg ptian mistreating his *e/ slave A7cts I:!#), eight /hen called to argue be.ore pharaoh to release the >ebre/s AEx I:IL 7cts I:#9), and the last .ort spent /andering around the 2inai peninsula subsisting on manna be.ore he brings the >ebre/s back to (anaan .rom Eg pt ADeut #D:IL Ex 1-:#:)& In Exodus 1!:D9$D1 it /as alread D#9 ears since the time o. *oseph that

the >ebre/s had lived in Eg pt as the are led b "oses and set out .or (anaan& In their third month in the desert, the 5ord gave the covenant to "oses and the >ebre/s on "ount 2inai AEx !D:C)& D#9 ears back .rom 11,9 is 1-!9 /hen the > ksos /as on the :Dth ear o. its 19I ears o. rule& *oseph /as thirt ears old A1-!I +() /hen he /as made right hand o. the > ksos %haraoh A4en D1:D-) and /as alread in Eg pt .or thirteen ears& It /as seven ears later /hen the .amine started and he called .or his .ather to live in Eg pt A1-!9 +()& This marks the beginning o. the D#9 ears o. *acob A/ho is also called Israel: 4en #!:!C) in Eg pt& *oseph /ould be born in the ear 1-:I +(& %otiphar, a high Eg ptian oGcial /ho became the master o. *oseph is significantl mentioned as an Eg ptian, i&e& one o. the native Eg ptian oGcials at the > ksos court& 35 *oseph died at the age o. a hundred and ten A4en :9:!-)& (oses. The >ebre/ people had been in slaver in Eg pt .or some D99 ears in accord /ith 4od;s /ords to 7braham that his seed, or descendants, /ould be in a .oreign land in aQiction A4en 1::1#)& 7t the end o. this time, 4od brought up "oses, a child o. the >ebre/ slaves to set them .ree& "oses lived to be a hundred and t/ent ADeut #D:I)&

34

"oses /as eight ears o. age /hen he spoke to %haraoh to convince him to let the >ebre/s go AEx I:I)& In that same ear, the Israelites le@ Eg pt and the covenant /as given to "oses in "t& 2inai& "oses /ould be born sometime in the ear 1!I9 +(& The native Eg ptian monarchs o. Thebes finall expelled the > ksos and .ounded the 1Cth d nast inaugurating ancient Eg pt;s most brilliant period, the 0e/ Ningdom A1:I9$19C: +()& 7mong its notable rulers /ere >atshepsut, Thutmose III, 7khenaten, 2eti I, and 8amses II& The recon6uered southern 0ubia and %alestine& The kingdom ended in a civil /ar under 8amses RI&

35 1 ! # D : I 8alph 2olecki) in Ne# *rolier &ulti edia +ncyclopedia& 8elease -& 1,,#& (D$8)"& s&v& 'ertile (rescent& ,-id. (harles 8obert. Dar/in, "e Origin of Species. Aed& (harles Eliot)& 0e/ Sork: '&'& (ollier and 2on& pp. /01/2. ,-id. 8obert (hambers, Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation) 5ondon: *ohn (hurchill& )ctober, 1CDD) pp& 1:D$1:: (harles 8obert. Dar/in, "e Origin of Species. Aed& (harles Eliot)& 0e/ Sork: '&'& (ollier and 2on& pp& 1#$1D& Wikipedia contri-utors) 3Hyoid -one)3 Wikipedia) "e !ree +ncyclopedia) h4p566en.#ikipedia.org6#6inde7.php8 title9Hyoid:-one;oldid9<=>?2>@?2A2 Baccessed5 NoCe -er /0) >@@=D. CollierEs +ncyclopedia) /=A= ed. s.C. 3&esolithic Feriod.3 B3undra and 3aiga,J "e World Gook *reat *eographical Htlas) A"itchell +eazle %ublishers, 1,C!)& -!& Wikipedia contri-utors) 3Iynastic Jace "eory)3 Wikipedia) "e !ree +ncyclopedia) h4p566en.#ikipedia.org6#6inde7.php8 title9Iynastic:Jace:"eory;oldid9<K<?K@<?<>> Baccessed !e-ruary /<) >@/2D. 4od;s %rophetic 3imetable AThe I,999 Sear %lan o. 4$d), >ebraic >eritage "inistries International, hFp:TT///&hebroots&comTlul-&html A7ccessed: "arch -, !91D) 5eUo/itz, "&8& and 8ogers, 4&"&5&, Glack Hthena JeCisited, AOniversit o. 0orth (arolina %ress, 1,,-)& p& -:& ,-id. I.+. Ieary) 3"e Iynastic Jace in +gypt)3 Lournal of +gyptian HrchHeology) 2> B/=<AD5 p. M>1M2. ,-id. p. M2& Gook of *enesis /@5A Old Nesta ent BN,VD.

C , 19

11 1! 1# 1D 1: 1-

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1I &i'rai ) !aussetEs Gi-le Iictionary) h4p566###.studylight.org6dic6f-d6Cie#.cgi8nu -er9N><M< Baccessed5 NoCe -er /0) >@@=D. 1C GOatri7 &idant1Jeynes) "e Frehistory of +gypt5 !ro the !irst +gyptians to the !irst Pings BO7ford) QP5 Glack#ell Fu-lishersD as (uoted in Wikipedia) "e !ree +ncyclopedia) s.C. +gypt) h4p566en.#ikipedia.org6#iki6+gypt Baccessed5 NoCe -er /0) >@@=D. 1, 0e/ 4rolier "ultimedia Enc clopedia 8elease -& 1,,#& (D$ 8)"& s&v& B7ncient Eg pt&J !9 Mikipedia, The 'ree Enc clopedia, s&v& B> ksos,J hFp:TTen&/ikipedia&orgT/ikiT> ksos Aaccessed: 0ovember 1#, !99,)& !1 Ibid& !! (allender, 4ae, VThe "iddle Ningdom 8enaissance,V in Ian 2ha/, ed& The )x.ord >istor o. 7ncient Eg pt& A)x.ord: )x.ord Oniversit %ress) !999, p& 1:-$1:I& !# "anetho, trans& M& 4& Maddell A5ondon: >arvard Oniversit %ress, 1,D9)& pp& I,$C1& !D Eliezer D& )ren, The > ksos: 0e/ >istorical and 7rchaeological %erspectives AOniversit o. %enns lvania, 1,,I) as 6uoted in Mikipedia, The 'ree Enc clopedia, s&v& B> ksos,J hFp:TTen&/ikipedia&orgT/Tindex&phpW titleX> ksosYoldidX:,DH,!-H9D1 Aaccessed: 0ovember 1#, !99,)& !: ,-id. !- >erbert E& Minlock, "e Jise and !all of the &iddle Pingdo in "e-es A0e/ Sork: The "acmillan (ompan , 1,DI) as 6uoted in Wikipedia, "e !ree +ncyclopedia) s.C. B> ksos,J hFp:TTen&/ikipedia&orgT/ikiT> ksos Aaccessed: 0ovember 1#, !99,)&

37 !I Wikipedia) "e !ree +ncyclopedia) s.C. Hyksos) h4p566en.#ikipedia.org6#iki6Hyksos Baccessed5 NoCe -er /0) >@@=D. !C ,-id. !, ,-id. #9 La es G. Fritchard. ed.) Hncient Near +astern Ne7ts Jelating to the Old Nesta ent BHN+ND. #d edition& A1,-,), p& !:C& as (uoted in Wikipedia) "e !ree +ncyclopedia) s.C. Hyksos) h4p566en.#ikipedia.org6#iki6Hyksos) Baccessed5 NoCe -er /0) >@@=D. #1 Wikipedia) "e !ree +ncylcopedia) s.C. Hyksos) h4p566en.#ikipedia.org6#iki6Hyksos Baccessed5 NoCe -er /0) >@@=D. #! David );(onnor, in Ne# *rolier &ulti edia +ncyclopedia. Jelease A. /==0. (D$8)"& s&v& BThe > ksos&J ## +ook o. 4enesis 1::1# Old Nesta ent. A0I1) #D Ne# *rolier &ulti edia +ncyclopedia. Jelease A. /==0. CI1 JO&. s.C. "e Hyksos. #: Gook of *enesis 0=5< Old Nesta ent. A0I1).