The Writings of Joseph in Egypt
by Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D., 1983
Edited and expanded by David
Sielaff, May 2004
When people look at the biblical records that have come down to us, they
are often amazed that we only have the writings of about 30 different persons
spanning a period of 1,600 years. Some of the divine authors have only given us
one book (often quite small). This has caused people to ask what happened to all
the other writings of the patriarchs, prophets, priests, apostles, and
evangelists? It could hardly be imagined that the apostle Paul only wrote (in
his entire Christian experience) 14 letters — those, which are found in the New
Testament. This also applies to Old Testament personalities. The prophet Isaiah
was a noted historian of his era, but we only have the book of his prophecies
and the Book of Kings (found in the Bible) which Isaiah wrote up to his
time. 1
But surely the prophet Isaiah and the apostle Paul wrote many other
compositions than the ones which are presently found in the biblical canon. We
know from biblical evidence that some of the writers of the Bible authored many
other compositions that have not come down to us within the divine canon. The
biblical Book of Proverbs only has a little under a thousand verses within it,
but we are told that Solomon composed three thousand proverbs (parables), and we
know that some of them were very lengthy (not just simple “one-liners”).
2 See Proverbs 1:7 to the end of
chapter 9. This represents a single proverb (parable) which Solomon, or perhaps
Joseph, wrote.
The truth is, the introduction to the Book of Proverbs is a superscription of
six verses which shows that many of the proverbs in the biblical book did not
originate with King Solomon at all. That introduction states that the proverbs
selected to be included in the biblical canon were chosen to show wisdom,
instruction, understanding, justice, judgment, subtlety to the simple,
knowledge, discretion, learning, counsel, and,
“... to understand a proverb [parable], and the interpretation; the words of the wise ones
[“wise” in Hebrew is plural: “wise ones”], and
THEIR dark sayings.”
This means that the Book of Proverbs not only contains proverbs from King
Solomon, but it represents a compilation of wise and dark sayings associated
with “wise men”
before Solomon. Who were these “wise men” who lived prior
to Solomon? Of those mentioned in the Bible, there were the sons of Zerah [the
son of Judah, the brother of Joseph]. They were named Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and
Darda (1 Kings 4:31). These four “wise men” (or ancient philosophers) lived in
Egypt when Joseph was in power (Genesis chapter 41).
3
Proverbs of the Wise
Let us not forget the patriarch Joseph (the subject of this Article). Recall
when Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream that a famine of seven years was to grip
the Middle Eastern world, Pharaoh admitted that
“there is
none so discreet and wise as you [Joseph]
are” (Genesis 41:39).
There were other “wise men” who lived prior to the time of Joseph. Notable
among them were those
“of the east country” (1
Kings 4:30), the people in the land of Edom who were
“the
wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?”
(Obadiah 8), where the “wise man” Job had his residence (Job 1:1). The land of
Uz was located east of the Jordan River. This patriarch named Job composed one
of the greatest stories of ethical and moral value known to man, the Book of
Job!
There was, as the Bible indicates, considerable literary activity in Egypt
during the time the Israelites sojourned there. And some of the compositions
done in Egypt (either at that time or later) have found their way into the
biblical canon. Read Proverbs 22:17–21 and you will find it to be an
introduction to a separate division of the Book of Proverbs. It should be
understood that the five verses making up the introduction are not individual
proverbs in themselves. They represent a caption to a separate section (a new
division) of the Book of Proverbs. Let us notice that introduction.
“Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise
[plural: “wise ones”], and apply your heart
unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them [the
following proverbs] within you; they [these
proverbs] shall withal be fitted in your lips. That your
trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to you this day, even to you. Have
not I written to you excellent things [the Revised Standard Version
has: “thirty sayings”] in counsels and knowledge, that I
might make you know the certainty of the words of truth; that you might
answer the words of truth to them that send unto you?”
After this long introduction, we then find the first proverb of this new
section.
“Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress
the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the
soul of those that spoil them.”
There are actually thirty sections to this third division in the Book of
Proverbs (from Proverbs 22:22 to 24:22). The Revised Standard Version, the New
English Bible, and most modern translations realize that this reference to
“thirty” is the proper translation of Proverbs 22:20. True enough, the Hebrew
could be stretched to mean “thirty” from the use of the word “excellent,” but
now scholars are assured that “thirty” is correct. Why are they certain? Because
this section of Proverbs has been found in a manuscript from ancient Egypt.
Indeed, the similarity of language in the Book of Proverbs and what was
discovered in Egypt has caused scholars to identify the two as coming from a
single composition, no doubt originally done in Egypt.
This Egyptian document is now in the British Museum (and a part of the text
is also found on a writing tablet in Turin, Italy). Those original “thirty
sayings” were probably written by Egyptian priests and called “The Instruction
of Amen-em-opet” (or, Amenophis).
4 The date when the original Egyptian work was
written has been disputed. Some say it was composed before the time of Solomon,
while others say afterwards. The Egyptian version differs in some respects from
that in the Book of Proverbs, but there can be no question that the two
documents represent the same composition.
5
If the Egyptian text is earlier than that of Solomon, it could be that the
book was a product of Joseph’s time (perhaps by the sons of Zerah. After all,
the early Israelite patriarchs were once in Egypt and could have written many of
their works in Egyptian as well as Hebrew. It is reasonable that many of those
early works came from Israelites (even from one who was a prime minister of the
nation directly under Pharaoh). There is reason to believe that Joseph could
have left some documents of wisdom in the Egyptian language which later
Egyptians copied for their instruction. And we now know that some of these early
Egyptian works have found their way into the pages of the Bible itself.
“The Instruction of Ptah-Hotep”
This brings us to consider the author of an early Egyptian work called
“The Instruction of the Vizier [the Prime Minister]
Ptah-Hotep.”
The man who wrote this document of proverbial teaching was so close to the
Pharaoh that he was considered Pharaoh’s son — from his own body. This does not
necessarily mean that the author was the actual son of the Pharaoh. It is a
designation which means that both the author (the Prime Minister) and the
Pharaoh were one in attitude, authority, and family.
6
Could this document be a composition of the patriarch Joseph? There are many
parallels between what the document says and historical events in Joseph’s life.
Indeed, the similarities are so remarkable, that I have the strong feeling that
modern man has found an early Egyptian writing from the hand of Joseph himself.
Though it is evident that the copies that have come into our possession are
copies of a copy (and not the original), it still reflects what the autograph
said; in almost every section it smacks of the attitude and temperament of
Joseph as revealed to us in the Bible. Let us now look at some of the remarkable
parallels.
This Egyptian document is often called “The Oldest Book in the World” and was
originally written by the vizier in the Fifth (or Third) Dynasty. The Egyptian
name of this vizier (
i.e., the next in command to Pharaoh) was
Ptah-Hotep. This man was, according to Breasted the “Chief of all Works of the
King.” He was the busiest man in the kingdom, all-powerful (only the Pharaoh was
over him). He was the chief judge and the most popular man in Pharaoh’s
government.
7
The name Ptah-Hotep was a title rather than a proper name, and it was carried
by successive viziers of the Memphite and Elephantine governments. The contents
of this “Oldest Book” may direct us to Joseph and to the later teachings of
Israel.
Notice what this Ptah-Hotep (the second in command in Egypt) had to say of
his life on earth. How long did he live? The answer is given in the concluding
statement in the document:
“The keeping of these laws have gained for me upon
earth 110 years of life, with the gift of the favor of the King, among the first
of those whose works have made them noble, doing the pleasure of the King in an
honored position.”
This man, with the title Ptah-Hotep, was one who did great construction
works. Joseph was supposed to have done mighty works — traditionally, even the
Great Pyramid was built through the dole of grain during the seven years of low
Niles. And remember, Joseph also lived 110 years (Genesis 50:26) just as did
this Ptah-Hotep. He resembled Joseph in another way.
“If you would be held in esteem in the house wherein
you enterest, whether it be that of a ruler, or of a brother, or of a friend,
whatever you do enter, beware of approaching the wife, for it is not in any way
a good thing to do. It is senseless. Thousands of men have destroyed themselves
and gone to their deaths for the sake of the enjoyment of a pleasure which is as
fleeting as the twinkling of an eye.”
Here again we have Joseph! Even though adultery was the common thing in Egypt
(thousands of men were doing it), only one uncommon example shines out in its
history — that of Joseph. This virtue of Joseph was so strong, that its
inclusion into these “Precepts” again may indicate that Joseph had a hand in
writing them.
Now look at the beginning of Precept XLIV. Ptah-Hotep says that if the laws
of the master were kept, a person’s father will give him a “double good,”
i.e., a double portion. Joseph did in fact receive the birthright and
with it the “double good” (double blessing, Deuteronomy 21:15–17). This
birthright blessing is repeated in Precept XXXIX.
“To hearken [to your father] is worth more than all else, for it produces love, the
possession doubly blessed.”
Ptah-Hotep Was a Great Man
There is much more that is like Joseph in the document of Ptah-Hotep. Notice
Precept XXX:
“If you have become a great man having once been of no
account, and if you have become rich having once been poor, and having become
the Governor of the City [this exactly fits Joseph’s experience], take heed that you do not act haughtily because you have
attained unto a high rank. Harden not your heart because you have become
exalted, for you are only the guardian of the goods which God has given to you.
Set not in the background your neighbor who is as you were, but make yourself as
if he were your equal.”
The instruction above almost sounds as if it came from the Bible itself! The
parallel to such high ethical teaching could be an indication that Joseph wrote
it. There is also, in these Precepts, an emphasis on obedience, especially to
one’s father(s).
“Let no man make changes in the laws of his father;
let the same laws be his own lessons to his children. Surely his children will
say to him ‘doing your word works wonders.’”
“Surely a good son is one of the gifts of God, a son
doing better than he has been told”
“When a son hearkens to his father, it is a double joy
to both, for when these things are told to him, the son is gentle toward his
father. Hearkening to him who has hearkened while this was told him, he engraves
on his heart what is approved by his father, and thus the memory of it is
preserved in the mouth of the living, who are upon earth.”
“When a son receives the word of
his father, there is no error in all his plans. So instruct your son that he
shall be a teachable man whose wisdom will be pleasant to the great men. Let him
direct his mouth according to that which has been told him [by his
father]; in the teachableness of a son is seen his
wisdom. His conduct is perfect, while error carries away him who will not be
taught; in the future, knowledge will uphold him, while the ignorant will be
crushed.”
The emphasis of Ptah-Hotep is that his own greatness depended upon his
attendance to the laws of his fathers. He encouraged all others to do the same.
This gave him the reason for recording for posterity these basic laws, and he
says that these words of his fathers
“shall he born
without alteration, eternally upon the earth” (Precept XXXVIII).
“To put an obstacle in the way of the laws, is to open
the way before violence”
“The limits of justice are
unchangeable; this is a law which everyman receives from his
father.
Some of those teachings are so biblical and right! It could well be a fact
that these principles and good teachings came from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and are here recorded by Joseph, the one respecting the teachings of his
fathers. Notice this Precept:
“The son who receives the word of his father shall
live long on account of it.’
Compare this with the Fifth Commandment:
“Honor thy father and mother: that the days may be
long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you.”
Could it be that many of the laws that became a part of the Old Covenant
which God made with Israel at the Exodus were known long before — in the times
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? We are told that the early patriarchs knew some of
God’s laws (Genesis 26:5).
The biblical agreements, however, do not stop with this reference. They are
throughout the work.
“When you are sitting at meat at the house of a person
greater than you, ... look at what is before you.”
And now, notice Proverbs 23:1. The agreement with the above of Ptah-Hotep is
exact.
“When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently
what is before you.
Professor Howard Osgood, who translated into English these “Precepts of
Ptah-Hotep,” has a note to the one precept mentioned above.
“This passage is found in the Proverbs of Solomon,
chapter 23. The Hebrews knew then, if not the whole of the maxims of Ptah-Hotep,
at least several of them which have passed into proverbs.”
-
Howard Osgood, Records of the Past 8
Why of course. Many of Solomon’s proverbs were those of ancient men. Solomon
nowhere claimed to have originated all his proverbs. On the contrary, he clearly
states that many of them were “
words of the wise men, and
their dark sayings” (Proverbs 1:6). Look at another precept of
Ptah-Hotep:
“If you are a wise man, train a son who will be well
pleasing to God.”
Compare this with Proverbs 22:6:
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he
is old, he will not depart from it.”
Solomon merely recorded many of the proverbs and laws, which were handed down
in Israel generation after generation. He, of course, augmented the proverbs but
he did not originate them all. In fact, it seems certain that many of them were
from Joseph who further recorded for us the teachings of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob.
But let us go on with the Precepts of this second in command to Pharaoh.
“In doing homage before a greater man than yourself
you are doing what is most pleasing unto God.”
“Labor diligently while you have life, and do even
more than you have been commanded to do.”
“Neglect not to add to your possessions daily, for
diligence increases wealth, but without diligence riches
disappear.”
“None should intimidate men, for this is the will of
God.”
“Terrify not men, or God will terrify
you.”
“If you would be wise, rule your house, and
love thy wife wholly and constantly. Fill her stomach and clothe her body
[i.e., support her], for these are her
necessities; love her tenderly and fulfill all her desire for she is one who
confers great reward upon her lord. Be not harsh to her, for she will be more
easily moved by persuasion than by force.”
This type of teaching for the husband to his wife seems almost like that of
the New Testament. It is very different from the normal beliefs of ancient
times.
“Take care of those who are faithful to you, when your
affairs are of low estate. Your merit then is worth more than those who have
done you honor.”
“The man who hurries all the day long has not one good
moment; but he who amuses himself all day long does not retain his
house.”
In other words, work hard but learn to relax as well, do not amuse yourself
all the time.
“Treat well your people as it behooves you; this is
the duty of those God has favored.”
Continuing, he says that if you have been given a job to do,
“never go away, even when thy weariness makes itself
felt” (Precept XIII).
“If you are accustomed to an excess of flattery and it
becomes an obstacle to your desires, then your feeling is to obey your
passions.”
“A man is naturally annoyed by having authority above
himself, and he passes his life in being weary of it ... but a man must reflect,
when he is fettered by it, that the annoyance of authority is also felt by his
neighbor.”
Or, since authority is necessary, learn to put up with it.
“If you desire that your conduct be good and kept from
all evil, beware of all fits of bad temper. This is a sad malady which leads to
discord, and there is no more life at all for the one who falls into it. For it
brings quarrels between fathers and mothers, as between brothers and sisters; it
makes the husband and wife to abhor each other, it contains all wickedness, it
encloses all injuries. When a man takes justice for his rule, walks in her ways,
and dwells with her, there is no room left for bad temper.”
Ptah-Hotep Was a Great Ruler
There are a great many laws found in this “Oldest Book” which echo over and
over the rule of Joseph in Egypt. This man was the chief judge except for
Pharaoh throughout the land. Notice Precept XVII:
“If you have the position of a Judge listen to the
discourse of the petitioner. Do not ill-treat him; that would discourage him.
The way to obtain a true explanation is to listen with kindness.”
“If you have the position of leader prosecuting plans
according to your will, do the best things which posterity will remember; so
that the word which multiplies flatteries, excites pride and produces vanity
shall not succeed with you.”
The next Precept could certainly come from the experiences of Joseph. Notice
it:
“Be not puffed up because of the knowledge which you
have acquired, and hold converse with unlettered men as with the scholar; for
the barriers of art are never closed, no artist has ever possessed the full
limit of the knowledge of his art.”
In other words, no one knows it all, even of his own profession. Even the
unlettered may instruct at times.
“If you are in the position of leader, to decide the
condition of a large number of men, seek the best way, that your own position
may be without reproach.”
“Do not speak to the great man more than he asks, for
one does not know what might displease him. Speak when he invites you to do so,
and your word will please.”
And finally:
“As to the great man [i.e., the
ruler, master or Pharaoh] who has behind him the means of
existence, his line of conduct is as he wishes. But as this means of existence
is under the will of God, nothing [not even the great man] can revolt against that.”
Conclusion
The foregoing has been a selection of the remarkable precepts of this vizier.
And, amazingly, throughout this document there is complete agreement to Bible
principles. No paganism is found within it. The name Osiris is found once when
Ptah-Hotep said that no laws had been changed
since the time of Osiris.
See Precept V.
9 There is hardly anything wrong with
that passage.
The only possible objection is found in Precept XLII where we find:
“A son who hearkens, is like a follower of Horus; he is happy
because he has hearkened.” The fact is, the name Horus became a
general title for all kings of Egypt. The Horus-name was applied to Pharaohs.
Even Joseph possessed it! The name Horus in this passage is not necessarily a
reference to the personal Horus of the First Dynasty. The monotheistic contents
of these Precepts of Ptah-Hotep predominate. The Horus name is merely a title
and does not reflect paganistic tendencies. Even names like “Ptah-Hotep” or like
“Im-Hotep” were normally titles that could refer to people like Joseph. Note (in
the comparison below) the remarkable literary agreements.
10
All indications are that the narrative about Ptah-Hotep appears to be
referring to the biblical character we know as Joseph. Understand that
non-biblical works may have had mistaken or untrue elements added to the
narrative. Thus, they may not 100% correspond to the biblical narrative.
However, that does not seem to be the case with Ptah-Hotep. Below are some
side-by-side comparisons between Ptah-Hotep and Joseph.
Ptah-Hotep Precepts
|
: |
Joseph’s History
|
| (1) He lived to be 110 years old (XLIV). |
|
(1) He lived to be 110 years old (Genesis
50:26). |
| (2) He lived in the Third Dynasty. 11 |
|
(2) The Third Dynasty saw seven years of low
Niles. |
| (3) The name Ptah-Hotep was a title of all
Memphite viziers, those second in command to Pharaoh himself. 12 |
|
(3) Joseph was second in command to Pharaoh. He
was the vizier, as all scholars admit (Genesis 41). |
| (4) Ptah-Hotep was the chief judge in ancient
Egypt but had been raised to the highest office (XXX). |
|
(4) Pharaoh required all Egyptians to submit to
the judgeship of Joseph (Genesis 41:41–44). |
| (5) Ptah-Hotep was once of no account in Egypt but
had been elevated to the Prime Ministership (XXX). |
|
(5) Joseph was raised from the dungeon to sit on
the very throne of Pharaoh (Genesis 41:14, 41–44). |
| (6) Out of thousands who went into their
neighbor’s wives, Ptah-Hotep did not, and taught people not to do so
(XVIII). |
|
(6) Joseph refused to submit to the advances of
his master’s wife (Genesis 39). |
| (7) Ptah-Hotep received from his father divine
laws; even one of the Ten Commandments was quoted (XXXIX). |
|
(7) Joseph was taught the divine laws from
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 26:5). |
| (8) Ptah-Hotep was a monotheist. No idolatry is
mentioned. |
|
(8) Joseph believed only in the God of Israel,
not idols. |
| (9) Many of Ptah-Hotep’s teachings went directly
into the Bible especially Proverbs. 13 |
|
(9) Solomon quoted from the ancient wise men of
Israel and copied their teachings and proverbs (Proverbs 1:6). |
| (10) Ptah-Hotep received a double possession from
his father because of his obedience (XXXIX and XLIV). |
|
(10) Joseph likewise received the birthright the
double possession (1 Chronicles 5:2). |
| (11) Ptah-Hotep warns those of advanced knowledge,
such as he had, to shun being puffed up (II). |
|
(11) There was none considered wiser in all the
land of Egypt than Joseph (Genesis 41:39), but he was also humble (Genesis
45:15). |
| (12) Ptah-Hotep was the first in Egypt whose great
public works made him famous. (XLIV) |
|
(12) Joseph, traditionally, built the Great
Pyramid, the Labyrinth, the canal system of Egypt, and many other great public
works. |
Addendum One: The Works of Joseph in Egypt
The history of Egypt is a long and complicated one. Historians are still
trying to figure out when the events described in the literary and
archaeological accounts took place, and who the actors were that carried them
out. It is not an easy task — especially for the periods before the 6th century
B.C.E. The truth is, we simply do not have enough chronological data to be
certain, and this would be admitted by any reasonable scholar.
14
The case is not completely hopeless, however. It is our belief that the Bible
ought to be consulted in a more serious way by scholars. We feel that it can
provide some solid chronological and historical bits of information which can
clear the way to a better comprehension of an overview of Egyptian history.
After all, the Bible not only has some definite information as to what was
happening in Egypt in some crucial times of glory and decline, but it records
(in almost an unbroken historical account) the major events occurring in
Palestine, a geographical area adjacent to that of Egypt. What was taking place
in Palestine, in a cultural way, must have been reflected in the Egyptian
environment as well. This is why we think that the biblical record can properly
serve as a guide to understanding the historical periods in neighboring Egypt.
The major problem in straightening out Egyptian history has been
chronological, that is, discovering when the recorded events in the literary and
archaeological evidences actually took place in world history.
For example, the main classical account of early Egyptian history (before the
time of Alexander the Great) is that of an Egyptian priest called Manetho — who
lived in the 3
rd century B.C.E. He said there had been thirty-one
separate dynasties of kings from the earliest times to that of Alexander the
Great. When one reads Manetho, the impression is that all the dynasties were
successive to one another. But historians have disputed this, saying that some
parts or even whole dynasties ruled at the same time with each other, though in
different geographical areas of Egypt. The Bible supports this belief. In Isaiah
we have an 8
th century B.C.E. description of Egypt as being made up
of more than one kingdom.
“And I will set the Egyptians against the
Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one
against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against
kingdom.”
Jeremiah also said there were kings (plural) over various regions of Egypt.
“The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says; ‘Behold,
I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and
their kings [plural]; even Pharaoh, and
all them that trust in him.’”
And even at the time of the Exodus, Psalm 105:30 says that there were several
kings in Egypt.
“Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the
chambers of their kings [plural].”
In this brief survey we cannot give proofs for the contemporaneity of some of
the dynasties (we hope to do that in a book on the subject),
15 but it can be shown that this
was the case. It appears certain that parts of the third, fourth, and fifth
dynasties (for example) were in existence at the same time — only in different
regions of Egypt. The third dynasty saw the first construction of pyramids by a
king named Djoser who had a famous architect and writer called Imhotep. This
later person was so famous for his wisdom and buildings that the later Greeks
thought him to have had divine knowledge. From this period an inscription has
been found which says that there were seven years of famine in the land but the
wise counselor to the king was able to find out how the Nile River inundations
were under divine control. After seven years the Nile returned to normal flow.
In the Bible there is only one major time in Egyptian history in which there
was an exact period of seven years famine. That was in the time of Joseph
(Genesis 41:25–57). Early Christian scholars (some of them were natives of
Egypt) said that the chief pyramids were constructed in the time of Joseph. They
derived the meaning of “pyramid” from
pyros (wheat). Joseph supposedly
paid the people in grain (which was stored up during the seven years’ plenty) to
build some of the pyramids and other buildings
The Roman historian, Pliny, said the pyramids were constructed partly out of
ostentation and partly out of state policy to divert the people from mutinies by
putting them to work (XXXVI.12). This would seem to have been a wise policy to
keep the people occupied with work during the seven years famine when no
ordinary farming was possible. Thus, there was a good reason for pyramid
construction.
The greatest pyramid was built in the fourth dynasty by a man that the
Egyptians called Philition the shepherd (Herodotus 11.128). This man was not an
Egyptian, and his name implies he was from Palestine (where the raising of herds
was a primary occupation). Could this have been Joseph?
There was also an artificial lake called Moeris which was fed by an extensive
canal system which is named the
Bahr Joseph. This was supposed to have
been constructed by Joseph. It was a huge reservoir which was once 72 feet above
sea level, but has now dried up (through deterioration) to a water level 144
feet below sea level. Herodotus in the 5
th century B.C.E. called the
whole hydro-complex an outstanding engineering feat (Herodotus 11.149).
Really, if one could have seen Egypt during the time of Joseph (and
especially the flourishing condition in which he left it), it would be an
astonishment to modern man. Yet even the small remnants of what was once a
glorious civilization cause us moderns to marvel. But when all the buildings,
canal systems, and other artistic creations were in their prime, Egypt must have
been the most wondrous nation in existence and one that has not been surpassed
even in modern times!
When one uses the Bible as a chronological and historical guide to events in
the Middle East, it is possible to arrive at a sensible account of what was
generally happening in nations surrounding Palestine. It has to be admitted,
however, that many questions remain for historians to sort out, because many of
the sources of evidence are not always consistent or complete. But we have
enough to show that Joseph’s time was one of profound human accomplishment.
Addendum Two: “The Instruction of Amen-em-otep”
In Appendix Two of
Restoring the Original Bible (see note 3 above) Dr.
Martin discusses the relationship between several of the sayings in Proverbs
chapters 22 and 23 and a work called “The Instruction of Amen-em-otep. There are
30 sayings in the Division of Proverbs, and there are 30 sections in “the
Instruction of Amen-em-otep” but scholars are unable to determine at this time
how the 30 Hebrew sayings fit with the 30 Egyptian sections.
16 Part of the problem is
Egyptian translation, and part is because the Hebrew sayings were likely edited
and updated to suit audiences who would have had the material read to them by
scribes in Solomon’s (or Hezekiah’s) time. Whoever performed the final compiling
and editing (likely done by Ezra the priest), had full authority to do so.
17
There is practically unanimous agreement among scholars that these two works
are related.
18 Let us
review some of the corresponding passages from Proverbs and the “Instruction”
19:
“Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply your heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if you keep
them within you [Heb. in your belly]; they shall withal be fitted in your lips.
... That I might make you know the certainty of the words of truth; that you
might answer the words of truth to them that send unto you?”
|
“Give your ears, hear the sayings,
Give your heart
to understand them;
It profits to put them in your heart,
Woe to him who
neglects them!
Let them rest in the casket of your belly,
May they be
bolted in your heart;
When there rises a whirlwind of words,
They’ll be a
mooring post for your tongue.”
|
Note how the texts obviously relate to each other, yet do not appear to be
direct quotations. This is the way the entire comparison reads.
“Rob not the poor, because he is poor:
neither
oppress the afflicted in the gate.”
|
“Beware of robbing a wretch,
of attacking a
cripple.”
|
Rich and poor, and how to properly relate to them, is a major theme in both
works.
“Labor not to be rich:
Cease from your own wisdom.
By humility and the fear of the Lord
are riches, and honor, and
life.”
|
“Do not set your heart on wealth,
There is no
ignoring Fate and Destiny;
Do not let your heart go straying,
Every man
comes to his hour,
Do not strain to seek increase.”
|
Part of the problem is that many of the Egyptian words in the “The
Instruction of Amen-em-otep” are unique and the meanings are up for
interpretation, less so than with this section of Proverbs, although here too
there are problems of understanding word meanings.
20
“Make no friendship with an angry man 21; and
with a furious man you shall not go: Lest you learn his ways, and get a
snare to thy soul.”
|
“Do not befriend the heated man,
Nor approach him
for conversation, ...
He is the ferry-man of snaring
words.”
|
Landmarks and boundary markers for fields were important to the agricultural
society of Egypt, where on a yearly basis the Nile River inundated the fields
and left a deposit of rich mud which became fertile soil when the floods receded
and the new earth dried. Who owned what piece of land was a matter of life and
death to the lower classes, and advantage was frequently taken by the rich and
powerful.
“Remove not the ancient landmark,
which thy
fathers have set.”
|
“Do not move the markers on the borders of the fields
...
Nor encroach on the boundaries of a widow ...
Beware of destroying the
borders of fields.”
|
An “evil eye” meant someone who is stingy and greedy.
“Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil
eye, neither desire you his dainty meats: ... The morsel which you have eaten
shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.”
|
“The big mouthful of bread —
you swallow,
you vomit it,
And you are emptied of your gain.”
|
Dealing with rulers or superiors is a large part of the discussion in both
Proverbs chapters 22 and 23, and the “The Instruction of Amen-em-otep”
“When you sit to eat with a ruler,
consider
diligently what is before thee.”
|
“Do not eat in the presence of an official,
And
then set your mouth before [him]."
|
Hard work is praised. Sloth is demeaned. A courtier is a court official or a
friend of the ruler, most always a nobleman by birth.
“See you a man diligent in his business?
he shall
stand before kings;
he shall not stand before mean men.”
|
“The scribe who is skilled in his office,
He is
found worthy to be a courtier.”
|
As mentioned before the Proverbs and “Instructions” are not exact parallels,
although they are close enough that scholars recognize their relationship. The
Proverbs of this section were collected to be advice to those acquainted with
rulers (Proverbs 23:1–3), those with access to the king (Proverbs 22:11), and
those with opportunities and expectations for wealth (hence the warning against
striving after riches, Proverbs 24:4–5), all of which shows that the intended
audience was composed of nobility. So too, the “Instructions” were not written
to peasants but to those who could expect make good use of the advice, again,
the nobility.
Conclusion
As both the Proverbs and “Instructions” indicate, people are free to pursue
their various courses in life, but there are certain courses of action, borne
out by experience that tend toward success. This is not information that has
anything to do with your spiritual salvation, but it may help you live life a
little better than you otherwise would, until the day when God takes control of
this earth and directly shows us how to maximize our lives to our benefit and to
the glory of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you ignore the advice that is available in the Wisdom Books of the Old
Testament, you may be missing out on tangible benefits to your present life here
and now. God has made wonderful resources of the world’s wisdom available to
you. Read them, use them, and learn from them.
You have nothing to lose except ignorance.
Ernest L. Martin, 1983
Edited and expanded by David Sielaff,
April 2004
[ NOTE: I am reprinting a short commentary that deals with Joseph and
Egypt. DWS ]
God Enslaves the Egyptians — Commentary for June 10, 2003
In today's world “freedom” is very important. Freedom of nations, peoples,
families, and in the western world, the freedom of individuals to live their
lives as they see fit is one of our cherished ideals. Freedom is such a central
principal that it is surprising to learn that God has created circumstances
whereby men and women were made less free, and became servants or slaves of
other men.
Dr. Martin explained the story of Genesis 47 (I do not remember the
occasion), and he pointed out that the Egyptians were free before the 7 years of
plenty and the 7 years of famine. During the long famine Joseph kept the
Egyptians alive by providing them grain he ordered stored during the 7 years of
plenty. However, Joseph did not give them grain, he sold it to
them in stages. First he sold them grain in exchange for their goods, then in
exchange for their lands and in exchange of their freedom,
“And the famine was over all the face of the earth:
And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and
the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to
Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all
lands.”
• Genesis
47:56–57
Before 7 years of famine Egyptian farmers were free men. They were not
“subject” to Pharaoh. After the famine Pharaoh was the majority landholder and
most all Egyptians were servants of Pharaoh.
In the first year the people of Egypt spent all their money on food (Genesis
47:13–15). Then Joseph exchanged grain for all the cattle of the Egyptians
(Genesis 47:16–17). The second year Joseph gave the Egyptians grain in exchange
for ownership of their land so that Pharaoh owned all the land except that of
the priest (Genesis 47:18–22). Joseph sold them the seed to grow food on land
that Pharaoh now owned (Genesis 47:23–24). The payment price was their freedom.
The Egyptians made a covenant with Pharaoh through Joseph. They said, “We will be Pharaoh's servants” (Genesis 47:25).
Then Joseph did something even more interesting, “Joseph made it a law ... that Pharaoh should have”
one-fifth of the produce of the land, in perpetuity. This law existed
even to the time of Moses “unto this day”
(Genesis 47:26). It was during this period of time that the Israelites
prospered (Genesis 47:27), probably because they were free and unencumbered by
the one-fifth tax on their agricultural produce. In addition, the Israelites
probably owned their land in Goshen, unlike the Egyptians.
God, through Joseph, transformed the Egyptians from being free men into being
servants of Pharaoh in less than three years. It is therefore not surprising
that the Egyptians were so willing to oppress the Israelites when God brought up
“a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph”
(Exodus 1). The Jewish historian Josephus stated in Antiquities of the
Jews Book 2, chapter 9, that the new king was from a new family that arose
in Egypt. We now would say that a new “dynasty” had taken rulership over Egypt.
The Thackeray translation of Josephus in fact uses the term “dynasty.”
Through the famine God made the Egyptians servants to Pharaoh. The Egyptians
in turn oppressed the Israelites (with Pharaoh's approval), then God later freed
the Israelites through His mighty acts at the Exodus. God is sovereign. If God
so chooses He will make those who are free to be slaves, and those who are
slaves to be free.
Remember the main message of Paul’s letter to Philemon in the New Testament.
We should always attempt to improve our situation in life. That is good and
proper. However, keep in mind that prayer has great effect at times, we should
also be willing to accept from God both good and bad, not cheerfully
necessarily, but with the understanding that He is sovereign and He will do what
He will do, sometimes regardless of our wishes or current understanding.
David Sielaff, 2003, 2004
|
1 Note that 2 Chronicles 32:32
where the word “and” is in italics in the King James Version. If that word is
removed, as it should be, it shows that Isaiah wrote the biblical Book of Kings
up to his time.
ELM
2 1 Kings 4:32 tells us about
Solomon that,
“He spoke three thousand proverbs: and his
songs were a thousand and five.” We have only 1 of the 1,005 songs in
the biblical canon. It is the best song. In Hebrew it is “the Song of Songs”
which the King James titles as the Song of Solomon.
DWS
3 See Appendix Two, “The Book of
Proverbs: The Book of Proverbs: Its Structure, Design and Teaching” in Dr.
Martin’s
Restoring the Original Bible (Portland: ASK, 1994),
pp.
483–492 on this subject. As Dr. Martin understood their structure, the Divisions
of the book of Proverbs are:
| Introduction |
Proverbs 1:1 to 1:6 |
| Division 1 |
Proverbs 1:7 to 9:18 |
| Division 2 |
Proverbs 10:1 to 22:16
“The
Proverbs of Solomon” |
| Division 3 |
Proverbs 22:22 to 24:22
“The Words of the wise [ones]” |
| Division 4 |
Proverbs 24:23 to 24:34
“These also belong to the wise [ones]” |
| Division 5 |
Proverbs 25:1 to 29:27
“These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of
Hezekiah king of Judah copied” |
| Division 6 |
Proverbs 30
“The words of
Agar the son of Jakeh” |
| Division 7 |
Proverbs 31 (whole chapter)
“The words of king
Lemuel” |
For more information see R.N. Whybray’s
The Composition of the Book of
Proverbs (Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement 168;
Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1964). It gives a summary of the history of
composition and organizational studies of the book of Proverbs. Some consider
that there are only 6 Divisions. They combine together into one all of the
sayings from Divisions 3 and 4.
DWS
4 There is an excellent
discussion in “Excursus on the Book of Proverbs and Amenemope” by Murphy, Roland
E. in Vol. 22,
Word Biblical Commentary: Proverbs (Dallas: Word Biblical
Commentary, 1998). “The Instruction of Amen-em-opet” was not written by Joseph.
Joseph was
not Amen-em-opet. Its importance is that it is used as a
source for a section of Proverbs. See below, “Addendum Two: The Instruction of
Amen-em-opet.”
DWS
5 See James B. Pritchard, ed.,
Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 3
rd
ed. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1969), pp. 421–424, for more
information and the complete Egyptian text. According to Miriam Lichtheim:
“It can hardly be doubted that the author of Proverbs
was acquainted with the Egyptian work and borrowed from it, for in addition to
similarities in thought and expression — especially close and striking in
Proverbs 22 and 23 — the line of [Proverbs] 22:20: ‘Have I not written
for you thirty sayings of admonition and knowledge’ derives its meaning from
the author’s acquaintance with the ‘thirty’ chapters of
Amenemope.”
Lichtheim’s quote is in The Context of Scripture,
Volume 1: Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World, William W. Hallo,
General Ed., (Boston: Brill, 2003), p. 115. This selection in Context of
Scripture was taken from Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian
Literature, 3 volumes (University of California Press, 1973–1980).
DWS
6 Recall that the husband of Mary
(the New Testament Joseph) was only the
legal father of Christ, though
the Gospel of Luke records his name as though he were the real father Luke
3:23.
ELM
7 See James Henry Breasted,
A
History of Egypt: From Earliest Times to the Persian Conquest,
2
nd ed. (New York: Scrivner, 1937), p.83.
DWS
8 Howard Osgood,
Records of
the Past: Being English Translations of the Ancient Monuments of Egypt and
Western Asia, Vol. I, A. H. Sayce, ed. (Concord, NH; Washington, D.C.:
Archaeological Institute of America, c1914–1934), p. 313.
DWS
“And besides these there are other gods, they say, who
were terrestrial, having once been mortals, but who, by reason of their
sagacity and the good services which they rendered to all men, attained
immortality, some of them having even been kings in Egypt. Their names, when
translated, are in some cases the same as those of the celestial gods, while
others have a distinct appellation, such as Helius, Cronus, and Rhea, and also
the Zeus who is called Ammon by some, and besides these Hera and Hephaestus,
also Hestia, and, finally, Hermes. ... Then Cronus became the ruler, and upon
marrying his sister Rhea he begat Osiris and Isis, according to some
writers of mythology, but, according to the majority, Zeus and Hera, whose high
achievements gave them dominion over the entire universe. From these last were
sprung five gods, one born on each of the five days which the Egyptians
intercalates: the names of these children were Osiris and Isis, and also
Typhon, Apollo, and Aphrodite; and Osiris when translated is Dionysus,
and Isis is more similar to Demeter than to any other goddess.”
DWS
10 There are several complete
translations of the two Egyptian documents mentioned in this Article. One modern
translation is found in
Ancient Near Eastern Texts edited by J.B.
Pritchard (see Note 4 above)
. This work can be found in most major
libraries. We cannot furnish photocopies of these translations because of
copyright laws, but because they are easily obtained in public libraries, we
thought to make mention of them at the conclusion of this Article. Modern
discoveries are revealing more information about the Bible and its contents.
Several complete English translations of “The Instruction of Ptah-Hotep” are on
the internet at:
http://maat.sofiatopia.org/ptahhotep_maxims.htm. This version
has excellent notes, but it does not show all of the Precept numbers. Other
English translations are at:
www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/ptahhotep.html, and
www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/literature/ptahhotep.html.
ELM/DWS
11 Breasted,
History of
Egypt, p. 83.
ELM
12 Breasted,
History of
Egypt, p. 126.
ELM
13 Osgood,
Records of the
Past, p. 313.
DWS
15 Unfortunately, this book
was never written, nor did Dr. Martin compile writings that could be published
before he died in January 2002. As I mentioned before, in my opinion one book
has gone far to accomplish what I understand Dr. Martin wanted to do with regard
to understanding the Egyptian dynastic chronology. The book is called
Synchronized Chronology: Rethinking Middle East Antiquity by Roger Henry
(New York: Algora Publishing, 2003;
http://www.synchronizedchronology.com). It seeks to correct
Egyptian chronology for the middle and later dynasties and resolves major
historical problems in biblical and Greek archaeology. Mr. Henry takes the
literary history seriously.
DWS
16 It is possible that the
biblical reference to 30 sayings may in fact be indicating the source of the
sayings that are in this section of Proverbs, a source that the original
audience may have known was “The Instruction of Amen-em-otep,” hence no further
explanation was necessary beyond “thirty sayings.”
17 See Martin,
Restoring,
chapter 10, pp. 128–135.
DWS
18 Murphy, “Excursus on the
Book of Proverbs and Amenemope” in
Proverbs. DWS
19 The translations are
Lichtheim’s (contained in
Context of Scripture) and are somewhat
different from the
ANET translation Dr. Martin used in his Appendix Two
of
Restoring.
DWS
20 Lichtheim, “Instruction,”
p. 116 states,
“Amenemope is a difficult text. It abounds
in rare words, elliptic phrases and allusions whose meaning escapes us. Further,
the copying scribes introduced numerous errors.” DWS
21 See Proverbs 15:18, 17:27,
and 29:22 which also discuss angry men.
DWS
....
