Joseph and his Pharaohs and more

Koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Visiting Professor

Department of Liberal Education

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

The value of correct biblical chronology is that we are able to bring together much data from biblical and extra-biblical areas to enlighten the times of events. Joseph is such an example.

           When Joseph became Prime Minister in 1950 BCE it was the 22^nd year of Sesostris I who started his sole reign at his 10^th year as co-ruler with his father Amenemhet I who died in 1961 BCE while Sesostris I was in a Libyan campaign. The Tale of Sinuhe gives us a lot of background as to what happened the day the father of Sesostris I died. He left his army when someone whispered the news to him, which Sinuhe happened to have overheard and rushed back to Egypt to secure the throne. His father was seemingly assassinated by the harem.

           Thanks to the books by Breasted we know exactly when Sesostris I was crowned by his father, namely in the 20^th year of Amenemhet I in 1971 BCE according to the Stela of Intef. We are working with the information supplied by Breasted in Vol. I of Ancient Records of Egypt. The book is online.

Joseph must have been in jail a year or two before 1950 BCE. The seven prosperity years started in 1950 and lasted to 1944 BCE. The seven years of famine stretched from 1944-1938/37. It is interesting that in the modern age, if we turn these numbers around, it was also the seven years of famine during World War II.

Sesostris I was still reigning and the prosperity years started in the 22^nd year of Sesostris I and continued to the 28^th year of Seostris I. The famine years stretched between his 29^th to 35^th year. According to the Stela of Uwaweto, also mentioned by Breasted, Sesostris I ruled until his 44^th year in 1928 BCE. That was the 2^nd year of his son Amenemhet II but in Amenemhet II’s 3^rd year the Stela of Simontu also mentions Sesostris I and thus Sesostris I was still alive in his 45^th year in 1927 BCE.

Jacob died three years later in the 6^th year of Amenemhet II in 1924 BCE.

The reign of Amenemhet II lasted for 35 years until 1895 BCE when he was succeeded by Sesostris II who reigned until 1877 BCE or his 19^th year. Three years before the death of Amenemhet II, Joseph died in 1880 BCE. Joseph was advanced in his years and like it goes with passing generations and passing legacies, Joseph was not known to Sesostris III who took the throne in 1877 BCE.

The oppression did not start until 1850 BCE or the 27^th year of Sesostris III. The oppression would start a program of oppression and Egyptian Imperialism that would last for 400 years [from the 27^th year of Sesostris II] or 430 years [from the death of Joseph in 1880 BCE].

What we did here is to align the information of Breasted using the high chronology and align it with the biblical chronology as we worked in out in koot van wyk, Archaeology in the Bible and Text in the Tel (1996).   

Now let us turn to surprise. The Beni-Hasan people are very important to biblical investigators. We remember the Beni-Hasan relief with iconography of a group of Semites moving to Egypt.

Another piece of evidence needs our attention as well. A Beni Hasan prince, Amenemhet or Ameni wrote in the 43^rd year of Sesostris I or the 1^st year of Amenemhet II a report of his life. He says that the year 1929 BCE was the 25^th year since he started working for King Sesostris I. He was a high official in Egypt’s government. 1. He is a Beni Hasan prince; 2. After coming from a trip for Sesostris I and coming back “the king’s son praised god for me” (Breasted 520:14). It is very interesting that the god’s name is not mentioned? 3. “There was no citizen’s daughter that I misused” (Breasted 523;1). Joseph also did not misuse an overlord’s wife as a young man. 4. “When years of famine came, I ploughed all the fields . . . “ “furnishing its food so that there was none hungry therein” (523;19).

Conclusion: Either this Amenemhet or Ameni is the nickname of Joseph himself, or he was a close colleague or assistant of Joseph himself. Between the date of his retirement in 1929 BCE and the assumed start of his work in 1953 BCE was a crisis of famine. It coincides with the famine of Joseph in 1943-1938/37 BCE. He also said that at his nome, they considered him a prophet (see Breasted 518-519). This is a very interesting term to be connected to a high official of Egypt. Everyone can think for themselves but for me, I somehow favor Joseph here. His father was Knumhotep, also a vizier of the Egyptian pharaohs but he may have adopted Joseph and when he died it coincided with Joseph’s experience in the jail and since the pharaoh needed a new vizier, Joseph was selected and what better way to give him continuation without politics involved than to say he is the son of Knumhotep, adopted that is.

If one compares a photo of Sesostris I with Sesostris III, it is very obvious that Sesostris I is happy, tranquil and satisfied in his life. Totally opposite is the oppressor Sesostris III known for his gruesome acts. One can see he hanging mouth on the three statues in the Louvre. Very unhappy, sour, toothache, ingrowing toe-nail and plain hatred. The one knew Joseph, the other not.