Devotional
Short Note on Genesis 12
On
the basis of Genesis 11:10-12, Cush as a son of Ham will be post-Flood born
thus after 2592 BCE. If Shem was born as the oldest of Noah’s sons in 2690 BCE,
then approximately 10 years later Ham was born? 2680 BCE. It is not known when
Ham got married and when Cush was born but the approximation is this: Shem had
his first child after the trauma of the Flood at the age of 100, so one can
assume that also 100 should be given to Ham to settle properly? Thus the year
of the birth of Cush could have been three or four years after the Flood? The
date could have been 2588 BCE as the date for the birth of Cush. It is all
speculation by analogy of similarities and the known fact that they were
brothers or sons of Noah who’s dates are fixed. Also the data that Cush must
have been born after the Flood which date is absolutely known. The reason I
discuss this is to get to the approximate date of Nimrod who was the son of
Cush and who ruled in Shinar which is Babylon area in Mesopotamia. They would migrate
to Egypt and Africa with their descendants later. If the son of Shem, Arpachsad
was born 35 years later than his father, thus in 2555 BCE, one has to look for
the birth of Nimrod probably around 2545 BCE? (approximation by analogy
reasoning). Nimrod could not have played a public figure until he was 30 thus
one could see him as a “great warrior” probably in 2515 BCE? This would be the
time of the origin of the First Dynasty of Egypt and interestingly enough, the
name Narmer pops-up by the latest science and thus the connection: Nimrod and
Narmer is not that farfetched a possibility. The historical sources used in the
wikipaedia link is worth looking at and see their special technique to build
ships with the fixed mortise and tenant joint style, thinking of Noah’s style
as well. He was still alive (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Dynasty_of_Egypt).
Radiocarbon dating are hundreds of years out no doubt and they admit the “elusiveness”
of their “absolute dates” by Radiocarbon techniques. Creationists articles on
Radiocarbon after the flood should be considered to increase the skeptic
analysis of precise dating for radiocarbon science after the Flood due to many
factors and conditions. The drop in age after the Flood is very obvious in the
biblical text. Physicists who analyze the universe are still sitting in New York
in their puffed-up swivel chairs when they speak of the origin of the stars out
their millions of km from the earth. They did not go there to measure there. They
do not have 100% absolute proof that what they see there is analogia entis to
what they see in New York lab. They “believe” it is the same. Unless you are
there it is mere speculation and so are their theories of the origin of
everything.
If
Narmer is then circa 2515 BCE associating him with Nimrod of Genesis 11 as
calculated supra, then one can adjust the Oxford info at Wikipaedia as follows:
Narmer
2515 BCE or later. Followed by Hor Aha who reigned long. If 50 years are given
for him then 2465 BCE. Succeeded by Neithhotep (female given one year) thus
2464 BCE. Succeeded by Djer their [Hor Aha and Neithhotep] son who ruled 40-41
years 2425/2424 BCE. He is followed by Djet who is given 10 years thus 2414
BCE. He is succeeded by his wife or probable sister: Mermeith who is the father
of later Den. If one gives her 10 years then 2404 BCE would be an approximate.
Den reigned 42 years and that may bring it to 2362 BCE for Den. There is then a
possible gap in the listing of the pharaohs. Give 4 years for this gap? 2358
BCE for Anedjib to start and he is the grandson of Djet and Merneith and possible
son of Den. He reigned 8-10 years thus until 2348 BCE. There is again a
possible gap and allocate another 4 years? for this gap. Semerkhet started
after the gap 2344 until 8 and a half years later in circa 2336 BCE. He was an
usurper to the throne. Power hungry and power disease as a pathology of the
brain. He was a possible and legitimate son of Den. He is succeeded after 2336
BCE by Qa’a. Qa’a reigned 26-33 years thus until 2303 BCE or 2310 BCE. He was
the last pharaoh of Dynasty I. A few years later Noah died in 2292 BCE which is
300 years after the Flood.
When
the Second Dynasty of Egypt kicked in, Hotepsekhemwy reigned 38 years until
2254 BCE. This dynasty had economic prosperity. He was followed by Nebra or
Weneg who reigned 10-14 years until 2240 BCE. Nynetjer followed and reigned 40
years until 2200 BCE. It is the time of Abraham since Abraham was born in 2240
BCE according to strict biblical chronology. No approximations in the
calculations of biblical chronology. It is solidly clear. Nynetjer was followed
by Senedj or Horus Sa and ruled 20 years until 2180 BCE.
The next two or three rulers are uncertain by
scholars. Sources may give the Horus name or Nebty name and birth names of
these pharaohs. Uncertainty prevails. Seth-Peribsen was ruler after 2180 BCE
and the corresponding pharaoh in Manetho’s [Greek] list is Kaires. Then
Nepherkheres are mentioned and the scholars felt that after Seth-Peribsen is
Sekhemib-Perenmaat who is in Manetho’s list Sesokhris (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Dynasty_of_Egypt).
After this gap of uncertainty a certainty came in with the name of the next
ruler Khasekhemwy who ruled 17-18 years and whose name means “the Two Powers
arise”. Scholars think it may be to do with unification. With these pharaohs we
are in the court with Abraham and his wife in Genesis 12. With these three
pharaohs the capital has moved from Thinis to Saqqara and then to Memphis.
Abraham
left Haran at 75 years old in 2185 BCE (Genesis 12:4). If the drought in Egypt
was after he left Haran and he left in 2185 BCE and the approximate date of
Senedj or Horus Sa is 2180 BCE, then one can see him as the pharaoh that
Abraham met in Egypt. The capital was still at Thinis.
When
Abraham arrived at Shechem after 2185 BCE the Canaanites were in the land
(Genesis 12:6).
The
Lord appeared to Abraham then and he built Him an altar (Genesis 12:7).
Also
at Bethel and Ai he built an altar to the Lord (Genesis 12:8). He went to the
South (Genesis 12:9).
Then
the drought was there and we are not given dates for this drought and how long
it took to move since 2185 BCE to Egypt. The above pharaohs discussed were
involved, at least one of them.
Then
of course Abraham lied with Sarah and they were evicted out of Egypt. For this
lie, he was going to receive hardship in Canaan later.
William
Shea did his Phd in 1976 under G. Mendenhall with an emphasis on “Famines in
the Early History of Egypt and Syro-Palestine. That year he went to Andrews
University. Of special importance is a stela known as “The Famine Stela” of which
a translation is by M. Lichtheim. Ancient Egyptian Literature: A Book of Readings.
Vol. 3, pp. 94-100. It is also discussed by other scholars like Joachim
Friedrich Quack, (1992-1993). P. Wien D 6319: Eine demotische Ubersetzung aus
dem Mittelagyptischen, Enchoria 19 (1994), 125-129; also E. Reymond, From
Ancient Egyptian Hermetic Texts, Wien 1977, pp. 45-105, index pp. 161-180, pls
I-III. Especially page 45 mentioned P. Vienna D 6319. See http://docplayer.org/11008445-Joachim-friedrich-quack-ein-aegyptisches-handbuch-des-tempels-und-seine-griechische-uebersetzung.html.
Aso Joachim Friedrich Quack,(2005). Die Uberlieferungsstruktur des Buches vom
Tempel. In Tebtynis und Soknopaiu Nesos. Leben im romerzeitlichen.
This
demotic priestly document dating to the time of Ptolemies of Egypt, really had
elements in it coming from the 2nd Dynasty of Egypt with the name of
the very king who was pharaoh during Abraham’s sojourn to Palestine and Egypt:
pharaoh Neterkhet
“Year
18 of Horns: Neterkhet; the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Neterkhet;
Two Ladies: Neterkhet; Gold-Horus: Djoser; under the Count, Prince,
Governor of the domains of the South, Chief of the Nubians in Yebu, Mesir. There
was brought to him this royal decree. To let you know:” (citing from
Lichtheim). See the translation downloaded from the internet on the 25th
of October 2018 at https://web.archive.org/web/20111123033346/https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/prec/www/course/egypt/274RH/Texts/The%20Famine%20Stela.htm.
What
the Famine Stela (Papyrus Vienna D 6319 is saying is that in the 18th year of
this pharaoh Neterkhet, some famine was reported:
“I was in
mourning on my throne, Those
of the palace were in grief, My
heart was in great affliction, Because
Hapy had failed to come in time In
a period of seven years. Grain
was scant, Kernels
were dried up, Scarce
was every kind of food. Every
man robbed his twin, Those
who entered did not go. Children
cried, Youngsters
fell, The
hearts of the old were grieving; Legs
drawn up, they hugged the ground, Their
arms clasped about them. Courtiers
were needy, Temples
were shut, Shrines
covered with dust, Everyone
was in distress.” Thus,
sometime before 2161 BCE but after 2185 BCE when Abraham entered Canaan,
pharaoh Neterkhet ruled and a Ptolemaic Xerox copy of his decree or narrative
survived speaking about a famine in the same terms as Genesis 12:10 “And there
was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for
the famine was sore in the land.” Genesis 12:17 reads: “And the Lord plagued
Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife”. What
the plagues were we do not know but famine in Palestine will affect also Egypt.
The secret in those days were that Egypt prepared for this event better than
Palestine did and that is why migrants went to Egypt during a famine Dear
God We
love Your history since they are not fables or myths or fabrication or
propaganda. They are the truth of the Word of God and we rest assure that God
has also us in mind for His plan of salvation and the same principle apply to
us. In Jesus Name Amen.