Devotional
Short Notes to Genesis 41
Indeed we
pick up the fingerprints of Joseph in data from archaeology. The Word of God is
indeed a navigation for scholars who did not know what to do with papyri and
inscriptions discovered in Egypt and who refused to pay attention to data from the
biblical text at the most prestigious universities of the world. Adventists do
not suffer from that syndrome or handicap.
Joseph like
a father to Pharaoh Genesis
41:37 “And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all
his servants.” He then asked them whether there is anyone better than Joseph
for his choice is Joseph of course but he had to get their approval. It shows
that he was young when his father died 4 years before in 1962 BCE. Seḥetep-ab-rā
was the name of Amenemhat I the father of Sesostris I who had dealings with
Joseph in 1959/1958 when Joseph explained his dream for him.
The Kahun
Papyri and Joseph The Kahun
Papyri is a treasure of evidence related to Joseph and his pharaoh Sesostris I.
They were studied and published by F. Ll. Griffith in 1898 (F. Ll Griffith,
(1898). The Petrie Papyri: Hieratic Papyri from Kahun and Gurob. London:
Bernard Quaritch. One Volume is the Texts and another is the Plates). The memory
of the death of Amenemhat I was still fresh in the mind of people when they
wrote to Sesostris I shortly afterward around 1951/1850 in a letter to ask for
some seed. Two letters were published by
Griffith 1898: 68 and they read:
Letter 2 and
the movement of grain Letter 2
Lines 3-6 “The servant of the waḳf,
Za-she, said to Ren-senb, Life Power and Health! (4) in the favor of Sokaris in
Tep-sedemu, as the servant their desires. (5) It is a communication to the
Master, Life Power and Health! About causing to be brought to me seed of (6) ……
for (?) the servant there.” (Letter 2: Griffith 1898: 68). The movement of
grain is from the king’s storehouses to the servant in this Letter 2.
Letter 4 and
the grain of the famine In Letter 4
with the same formula as this Letter 2 in the day of the famine, plenty was to
be brought to storehouses of Joseph for this letter talks about the death of
Amenhotep I which just happened: “(13) The
servant of the waḳf,
Aufer-ankh, said to Aufer-sep, Life Power and Health! (14)) in the favor of, Seḥetep-[ab]-rā
[Amenhotep died in his 30th year when young Sesostris was 10 years
co-ruler with him in 1962 BCE] deceased, as the servant their desires. It is a
communication to the Master, Life Power and Health! About causing to be brought
to me (15) . . . loaded with. . .”
(Letter 4: Griffith 1898: 68).
Rolls of fat
on the stomach in Joseph’s days The people
in Sesostris I time had a happy life and one can see rolls of fat on the
stomach of an owner of the stela BM 581 which is a memorial stela to Intef in
the reign of Sesostris (Bright wrote a doctoral Thesis on Stelae of the 12th
dynasty, see page 83-84 in the Table: D. Bright, (2005, published 2008, January
2). Dating Funerary Stelae of the Twelfth Dynasty: A Statistical Study.
(Condensed version) Downloaded from internet in June 2018). All stelae were
made in workshops at Thebes, Elephantine and Abydos in a short period of time
of the 12th dynasty.
Possible
Hebrew influence in workshops of Stelae Bright found
that dividing the surface of a stela into registers (two) was very popular in
the time of Sesostris I (Bright 2005/2008: 7). They fixed the registers in the
workshops of this time. With the successor of Sesostris they slowly brought in
the winged sundisc on these stelae and in days of the pharaoh who did not know
Joseph, Sesostris III, the sundisc was majorly used (Bright 2005/2008: 8 on
CG20702). The Hebrew
influence of text rather than image importance can be seen in the fashionable
designs of the stelae in the days of Sesotris I with the two-field format and
the text in the upper part of the stela for text is priority over image as one
can see in Met 12.184 (see Bright 2005/2008: 8). But after his days, they
degenerated. In the days
of Amenemhat II the contents were strongly symmetrical and balanced on the
stelae. Then in the days of Sesostris III who did not know Joseph, the fashion
was to bring in images of gods (Bright 2005/2008: 8 mentioning the sample of
Florence 2506).
From human
to god and from Joseph to after Joseph A certain
Bennett in 1941 also studied the inscriptions on stelae and mentioned that in the
time of Sesostris I (Senusret I) the recipient of the funerary gifts were
mentioned with a picture of ka [soul] followed by the owners name. Then in the
successors like Amenemhat II the recipient was not the owner but the ka [soul]
of the venerated owner. By the time the pharaoh that did not know Joseph,
Sesostris III came to the throne around 1850 BCE, the owner was no longer
venerated, just ka [soul] was used. There is a progress from human to
superstition which may indicate the role of Hebrews in the royal court of Egypt
in Joseph’s time?
The role of
the family in Joseph’s days The role of
the family on these stelae indicated that the family was important until the
days of Sesostris III when they were no longer on the stelae (Bright 2005/2008:
11 mentioning the results of Plüger
1947).
Obese figures
in the days of Joseph The figures
became skinnier after the days of Sesostris I on these stelae. The figures are
more obese in the days of Amenemhat I and Sesostris I e.g. Louvre C2 and
LeidenV2 (Bright 2005/2008: 16). The dog under the table was common but slowly
less and less are shown after Sesostris I.
Women more
natural role in the days of Joseph in society Flowers are
smelled in the days of Sesostris I and in the days of Amenemhat II men and
women were smelling flowers but after this, this event disappeared on the
stelae (Bright 2005/2008: 11). There were no place for flowers or women and
families on the stelae of Sesostris III who started the oppression of the
nations or the 400 years period of oppression.
Other
figures and family on Stelae from Joseph’s time but not afterwards Stelae from
the time of Sesostris I like Alnwick 1932, BM586, CG20026, CG20561, Leiden V3
and Met 12.184, “are the well-organised groups of offerings and the variety of
goods carried by the offering bearer” thus active figures are also on the
stelae. They were discontinued later. Stelae BM576,
BM828, CG20531 and Guimet 11324, “the owner is seated, his wife standing behind
him with her hand on his shoulder. There are usually six or more family members
and other figures”. This family pose was discontinued afterwards but existed
during Joseph’s role in the palace of Egypt (Bright 2005/2008: 16 citing Freed
1996). Intimate family relationships [like Joseph caring for his brothers and
father] were discontinued after Joseph’s time on the funerary stelae.
Comparing
the Pharaohs and their stelae Time of
Sesostris I who made Joseph president Figures:
Wife and children appear often. (Pflüger) Mother
frequently present. (Pflüger) Rolls
of fat apparent on figures. (Pflüger), (Freed) Attenuated
figures. Continues later. (Freed) Single
large male. (Freed) Elongated
skull on men. Continues later. (Freed) Tableau:
Dogs appear under seat and table. Disappear after this reign. (Pflüger) Women
smelling lotus flowers. (Pflüger) Women
carrying lotus flowers on short stems. (Freed)S Amenemhat II Tableau:
Men and women smelling lotus flowers. Fades out after this reign. (Pflüger) Elongated
skull on men. (Freed) Attenuated
figures. (Freed) Time of
Pharaoh Sesostris III who did not know Joseph Pattern:
Winged disk on private stelae. Fades out by Amenemhat III. (Evers) Figures
in middle; text at sides. (Evers) Lunette
with central vertical cartouche and flanking gods. Continues into later reigns.
(Müller) Figures:
Wife and children often present. Importance wanes after this reign. (Pflüger) Tableau:
Oil jars reappear. (Pflüger) (Bright 2005/2008: 19-20). There is
definitely a paradigm shift with the disappearance of Joseph from the scene.
One cannot miss it.
Joseph Tax
principle of 20% and the Kahun papyri Then there
is the evidence from the Kahun papyri again as given by F. Ll. Griffith in the
text mentioned above::
Page 2. Stock-keepers
had to give a fixed annual amount or fixed proportion of one fifth of their
produce from the animals committed to their care to the palace. “Account of the
produce [of fowls]” “You make
the excess of 100 (line 52) over 45: the result thereof is 55. You make (line
53) a repetition of the 11 to find 55: (line 54) the result thereof is 5 times.” Genesis
47:24 “And it shall come to pass in the increase, that you shall give the fifth
part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own”. Comment: the
principle is that if the farmer makes an excess of 100 above the 45 that he
has, minus 100 will be 55 and if the Joseph principle of 20% is calculated, it
will be 11 that has to be given to the pharaoh because that is the fifth part.
Griffith
1898: 18 TEXT Here is also
the Joseph calculation of 5. If a person has an income of 40 increased 3 times
the result is 120 increase. One tenth of 120 increase will be 12. If he wants
to find the three quarter it will be one and a third times. Multiply then the one
and a third times with the 12 and the answer is 16. To make the corner of 16 is
to minus one from 16, to get 15 and the result of 1 and one third of four is
then 3. Three times five will be 15 which is one subtracted from 16. One tenth
of 15 is 1.5 and two tenths of 15 will be 3 and that is what Joseph expected
from them. Page 2. Stock-keepers
had to give a fixed annual amount or fixed proportion of one fifth of their
produce from the animals committed to their care to the palace. “Account of the
produce [of fowls]” “You make
the excess of 100 (line 52) over 45: the result thereof is 55. You make (line
53) a repetition of the 11 to find 55: (line 54) the result thereof is 5 times.” Genesis
47:24 “And it shall come to pass in the increase, that you shall give the fifth
part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own”. Comment: the
principle is that if the farmer makes an excess of 100 above the 45 that he
has, minus 100 will be 55 and if the Joseph principle of 20% is calculated, it
will be 11 that has to be given to the pharaoh because that is the fifth part. Griffith
1898: 17-18 Text (Kahun, LV. 3; Plate VIII, lines 23-29. The papyrus was found
at Kahun in November of 1889). The Joseph
Mathematics is also here. If three quarters are subtracted and 5 remains for the
king, then how can the control accountant know what the full income was? Get
the remainder of three quarters and that is one quarter and the result is 4
times, if one then multiply it with the 5 for the king, four times, the result
is 20. Thus the full income is 20. Griffith
1898: 17-18 Text The Joseph
Mathematics is also here. If three quarters are subtracted and 5 remains for the
king, then how can the control accountant know what the full income was? Get
the remainder of three quarters and that is one quarter and the result is 4
times, if one then multiply it with the 5 for the king, four times, the result
is 20. Thus the full income is 20. Griffith
1898: 46 TEXT Plate XVII is from the time of Joseph since the pharaoh Amenemhat
I is already deceased (line 7) “cattle of the king Sehetep-ab-ra, deceased, under
the management of this city” which is a text in year 20 of Sesostris I which is
1952/1951 BCE, the seventh year of the prosperity years in the pharaoh
Sesostris I’ dream and Joseph’s interpretation. Unfortunately one cannot see
the 20% tax Joseph principle here in this tax for the text is not preserved
completely.
Storehouses
kept the items brought in Griffith
1898: Plate XVII, lines 26-27 or the Kahun VI. 20 text Verso is an example of a
papyrus that provides evidence of storegoods kept and brought by
superintendants in charge of the enclosures or storebuildings. One storekeeper
had almost a similar name as the one Pharaoh gave Joseph, namely, Per-Benbent
in Line 26.
Evidence of
slavery from Sesostris III and onwards Griffith
1898: 52 Amenemhet III and Userserten
III highest date is 26 Sesostris
III did not know Joseph and the 400 years of slavery started and this is evidence
of it.
Tithe and
payments in the last year of the period of prosperity of Pharaoh’s dream This papyrus
from Kahun published by Griffith in 1898 Plate XVII is a remarkable one. The
reason is that it is dating to the son of the deceased pharaoh Sebetep-ab-ra
which is Amenemhat I so that the son is Sesostris I, the pharaoh that placed
Joseph in charge of the 20% tax system that Joseph suggested to this pharaoh to
prepare for the skinny years of famine. This particular papyrus dates to the
first year of the famine in the 21th year of Sesostris I in 1951/1950 and is a
serious collection of arrears owed until the 20th year or the 7th
year of the prosperity years of the Pharaoh’s dream. These are taxes that
should have been paid the previous year or years but now is asked for in full
since the famine will be starting this year. [This page of the papyrus does not
say it dates to the 21st year but page 1, or the previous page
mentioned it]. He had to pay 615 prime bulls in the second month which is the
Winter of 1951/1950 BCE and a further 625 for arrears [which may be for years
before?]. The total of the two are 1240 prime bulls which is only 20% of his
total increase of 6200 prime bulls. It is not necessarily an account of a
farmer but a collector of taxes appointed by Joseph for a region and that over
seven years taxes accumulated and were now due since the famine is at hand. The
text says it is a city so it will be a conglomerate of farmers cows collected
here. Notice the
tithe (10%) paid as offerings for the gross income: 1240 divided by 10 = 12
prime cows as offerings.
Amenemhat
the good overseer of a city and famine preparation A Beni-Hasan
text reads about the character of Amenemhat and his conduct as ruler of the
Oryx nome (Beni Hasan Vol. 1 page 25 lines 15-17 he said: “(Line 15) I was
possessor of favor, abounding in love, a ruler who loved his city. Moreover, I
passed years (line 16) as ruler in the Oryx nome. All the works of the house of
the King came into my hand. Behold, gave to me the superintendent of the
gangers of the domains of the herdsmen of the Oryx nome, bulls 3000 of their
famine stock. I was praised (line 17) for it in the house of the King at each
annual occasion (or year) of stock-taking. I rendered all their works (produce)
to the King’s house: there were no arrears to me in any of his offices.” I
worked the Oryx nome to (line 18) its boundary, in numerous visits(?). Not the
daughter of a poor did I wrong. Not a widow did I oppress. Not a farmer did I
oppose myself(?) to him. Not a herdsman did I prevent. (Line 19). There was not
a foreman of five from whom I took his men for the works. There was no a poor
around me. There was not a hungry man of my time. (When) there became years of
famine, (line 20) I arose, I ploughed all the fields of the Oryx nome, to its
southern (and its) northern boundary. I made to live its inhabitants, making
its provision, not became hungry man in it. I gave to the widow as to her that
possessed a husband. (Line 21) Not did I favor the elder above the younger in
all that i gave. (When) thereafter great rises of the Nile took place,
producing (literally possessing) wheat and barley, producing all things
(abundantly), not did I exact the arrears of the farm." The original text
can be seen here: http://edoc3.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/lepsius/tafelwa2.html In line 19
he mentioned the coming of the years of famine: “iw ḫpr-n
rnpt ḥḳrw
= when was to come years of famine”. He happens to have the same name as the
father of Sesostris I. In line 17 he talks about “at each annual occasion of
stocktaking” = r ṯnw
rnpt nt ìrw. The taxes were given to the king or pharaoh. He prepared when he
was aware the famine was to come.
Joseph Name Change by the Pharaoh Joseph’s name: The name that
pharaoh gave Joseph was p3-ankh = “And Pharaoh called Joseph's name
Zaphenath-paneah” = וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה שֵׁם-יוֹסֵף צָפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ (Genesis 41:45). Genesis 41:1
started of with Sesostris I as follows: “And it came to pass at the end of two
full years
[in 1959/9158 BCE in Sesostris I 14th year of reign or 4th
year of sole reign after his father died], that [young] Pharaoh dreamed: and,
behold, he stood by the river” = וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים וּפַרְעֹה חֹלֵם וְהִנֵּה
עֹמֵד עַל-הַיְאֹר.
Father mentioning to Pharaoh by Joseph
(Genesis 41:37) In 2007 R. Landgráfová, completed a
dissertation with a focus on the articulation in biographical inscriptions of
the times of Joseph and Sesostris I and other pharaohs. Connection to Genesis
41 can be mentioned. “41. jw jr.n=j jt n Xrd, “I was a father to
the child.” (Sarenput I, 18-19) In this case, “father” also denotes rather a
function (caring and nourishing) than a real family relationship, and as such,
this sentence is well in line with those introduced above. The jw focuses the
function Sarenput I fulfilled in the society.” (See Landgráfová, R. (2007).
Topic-focus articulation in biographical inscriptions and letters of the Middle
Kingdom (dynasties 11-12). (Dissertation thesis in the faculty of Philosophy at
the University of Karlova v Praze), page 65.)
Artisan mentions his job during the time of
Sesostris I “35. jw jr.n(=j) kst.\ m jmn-m-HA.t-jTj-tA.wy
dj(.w) anx D.t “I was a sculptor in Amenemhat-ItjTawy, given life for ever …”
(LA County A.5141.50-876, 15) This sentence is one of the very few in Shen’s
text that actually say something about his career, and while his presence at
Itj-tawy can be derived from his having served a 12th dynasty king (Senwosret
I.), the informationally most loaded part of this sentence is the fact that at
that court, he served as sculptor, and to focalize that part, jrj kst.y, the jw
is used.” Landgráfová, R. (2007): 64.
Joseph made to live with the king “73. jw dj.n Tw Hm=j r smr=j jw=k m Hwnw n
rnpt 26, “My Majesty made you my friend when you were (still) a youngster of 26
years.” (Berlin 1204, 22) Here the jw clearly stresses the dj r smr, despite
the fact that at first sight, the jw=k m Hwnw n rnpt 26 could be seen as a more
likely focus. However, the text continues as follows: jr.n Hm(=j) nw mAa.n=j Tw
m jqr sxr spd ns pr(j) m X.t sjA, “My Majesty did this (because) I saw that you
were excellent of plans and sharp of tongue one who issued from the body as a wise
one” (Berlin 1204, 23–24). Clearly, the context points out the dj r smr as the
informative part of the first sentence. The childhood that the text owner spent
in the presence of the king is moreover already treated in the preceding text
(Berlin 1204, 21 – 22).” Landgráfová, R. (2007): 73.
Joseph fed his brothers “75. jw sanx.n(=j) sn.w(j) sn.wt(=j), “I fed
my brothers and sisters.” (Cracow MNK-XI-999, 8) This sentence appears in the
section of Merer’s text where he lists the positive activities he performed
during his life in a series of jw-sentences. The function of the focaliser jw
appears to be that of stressing the veracity of the statements, as in the case
of the type of sentences discussed above under VI.iii.iv.” Landgráfová, R.
(2007): 73.
Joseph furnished his father house with riches “74. jw grg.n=j pr jt(=j) mH.n(=j) sw m
[Spss], “I furnished the house of my father and filled it with riches.” (Djemi,
8) This sentence begins a new paragraph in Djemi’s text. After his successes in
the military, he describes his virtuous life at home. The jw thus focuses the
VP grg pr jt(=j) and marks the transition to a new major theme of the text.”
Landgráfová, R. (2007): 73.
Famine evidence “76. jw qrs.n(=j) nt.j mwt sanx.n(=j) nt.j anx
m xn.t nb.t jm m Ts.w pn xpr(.w), “I buried the dead one and nourished the
living one, whenever I alighted in this famine that happened.” (Cracow
MNK-XI-999, 9) This sentence belongs to the series mentioned in the previous
example, and the focalizer jw is again used to stress the veracity of the
statement.” Landgráfová, R. (2007): 74.
“82. jw grt sanx.n=j s nb n hA.wt(=j) m Hqr.w
n rdj(=j) mw.t, “I, moreover, nourished every man in my vicinity during famine,
causing that no one died (lit. I didn’t cause that one died).” (BM 1628, 7-8)
This sentence appears within a paragraph on food and nourishment,74 and again
elaborates an already treated theme.” Landgráfová, R. (2007): 76 . 74 jnk nb bdt jt dj.n=j bdt jt n hqr.w „I
possessed barley and emmer. I gave barley and emmer to the hungry.”
Land reform against the severity of the famine
before the famine “77. jw xtm.n(=j) AH.wt=sn jA.wt=sn nb.(w).t m
njw.t m sx.t, “I closed all their fields and hills in the city and in the
countryside.” (Cracow MNK-XI-999, 10) The last example in this section uses the
jw to focus the verb against the adverbial complement. The informational
content of the phrase xtm AH.wt=sn jA.wt=sn nb.(w).t is much higher than the
general phrase m njw.t m sx.t; Merer is describing the measures he took against
the famine that endangered his district.” Landgráfová, R. (2007): 74.
Because of Joseph the admin was better
(moreover) “78. jw gr.t Hn.n(=j) s(t) smA sSm=s m nfr.t r
tp.t-a, “Moreover, I organised it completely so that its administration was
better than before.” (Cairo 20543, 13) The preceding context already speaks
about Rediukhnum’s acquisition of a position in Dendera,71 and this sentence
elaborates more specifically on what was already expressed before. The
translation of gr.t as “moreover” thus appears appropriate.” Landgráfová, R.
(2007): 74. 71 aHa.n djn.n=s w(=j) m jwn.t m wA.t wr.t n
km.tjw swD.t drf xnt.t m xr.w ar.t wr.t ... jw jr.n(=j) Aw.w jm=s aHa.w aA
rnp.wt {r=s} n sp jj x.t nb.t jm n aA.t n rx(=j) x.t, “Then she placed me in
Dendera … foremost inside the great royal palace. I spent a long time there, a
long period of years {…} There never came a (bad) thing therein, for I was a
knower of things.” (Cairo 20543, 11–13).
The use of “as for” Landgráfová, R. (2007): 77.
Seal bearing and overseer example “88. jr.y-pat HAt.y-a, xtm.ty bjty jm.y-rA
gs-pr jdn.w n jm.y-rA xtm sHtp-jb-ra mAa-xrw Dd=f ..., “The hereditary noble
and local prince, seal-bearer of the king of Lower Egypt, the Overseer of the
Work-centre and Deputy Chief Treasurer, Sehetepibre, justified, he says: ...”
(Cairo 20538, vs. 1)” Landgráfová, R. (2007): 80.
Second in
command to the king and seal bearer sn-nw n nswt
m wsx.t aA.t second to
the king in the great broad hall, jmj-rA xtm.t
mnTw-Htp Dd=f overseer of
the seal Mentuhotep, he says: (Landgráfová, R. (2007): 181)
Seal bearer xtm.w-bjty
smr-wa.ty seal-bearer
of the King of Lower Egypt, unique friend, (Landgráfová, R. (2007): 183)
One trusted
by the Pharaoh Sesostris I mH-jb n nswt
xnt.y tA.wy one trusted
of the king, who is at the fore of the Two lands, (Landgráfová, R. (2007): 179)
Invent new
ideas when famine creates gap gm x.wt
gAA.w wr=s who finds
things when there is great lack of them
(Landgráfová, R. (2007): 180)
Promoted
because of ability sr wHA Tss.t A magistrate
who can unravel what is knotted, Tnn nb.f xnt
HHw one whom his
lord promoted before millions (Landgráfová, R. (2007): 180)
Calms the
bedouin or nomads sgrH n=f
Hr.jw-Sa who calms
for him the bedouin, (Landgráfová, R. (2007): 180)
Control of
the lands of Egypt upper and lower (successor to Joseph?) sxm-jrj=f m
jdb.wy A potentate
on the Two banks, Hr.y-tp n
km.t dSr.t leader of
the Black Land and of the Red Land. DD wD.w n
Sma.w jp rA jd n tA-mH.y who gives
orders to Upper Egypt and controls the terrace of Lower Egypt (Landgráfová, R.
(2007): 181)