GenesisWeek 14 – Historical Joseph

“During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly,  and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it.  And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.” Gen 41:47-49

Egypt~6000 BC - 1st evidence of people

~3000 BC – Pharaonic Dynasties Appear

A distinct cultural identity for >3000 years

Egypt called the “tabernacle of Ham” & “the Land of Ham” in Ps 78:51; 105:23,27; 106:22; 1 Ch 4:40

Time Measured by: KingdomDynastyPharaoh

Pharaonic Rule Begins

1st Hierogliphs

Antony &

Cleopatra

Pyramids at Giza & Sphinx

Use of Papyrus

Akhenaten’s Monotheism

Death of King Tut

Ages of Egypt

Pre-DynasticEarly-Dynastic

Old KingdomIntermediate Periods

Middle Kingdom

New Kingdom(3rd)

Late-DynasticGreek

Roman(1st)

(2nd)

Dynasty 1 3 9-11 15-17 21 25 31

3000 2000 1000 BC/ADBC

Dating JosephNot conclusive but we can get close

Theories: Mainstream scholarship –

1900 and 1700 BCOld Kingdom – Imhotep

or Ptahhotep

ImhotepRegarded as from humble origins

A great architect – Built great grain stores throughout the land

2nd in command to the Pharaoh

Highly regarded for his advice

Worshipped as a God in the new kingdom

Presided over a 7 year famine during which he created canals from off of the Nile to water the fields

Had a dream that predicted end to famine (ref: famine stele)

Lived around 2700 BC under Pharaoh Zoser

PtahhotepA wise man – Published a book of

proverbs

Advisor to Pharaoh

Died at 110 years old

2400 BC under Pharaohs Menkauhor and Assa Djed-Ka-Ra

Literal Interpretation

2000BC

Middle Kingdom 2nd Interim 15001750

12th DynastySenusret II 1894-1878 BCSenusret III 1878-1841 BCAmenemhet III 1841-1797 BC

• Start with Solomon’s Reign ~966 BC• 1 Kings 6:1 – EXODUS was 480 years before the 4th year of

Solomon• Gen 15:13; Exodus 12:40 – “Oppression/Sojourning…was

430”• 966 + 480 + 430 = 1876• Israel & Family came to Egypt ~1876• Joseph born ~20-30 years before this in ~1900 BC• Joseph lived 71 years after Israel’s family arrived in Egypt• Joseph died ~1805

Population Counter Argument

Num 1 – Census of Moses ~603,550 men (20 yrs & up)

Add ~603,550 women

Add ~60% for kids under 20 (720,000)

TOTAL min. Pop. at Exodus ~1.9 million

This is ~2.5% population growth. In fact, this factor really only applies in modern times (Post WWII). Prior to this pop growth rates were closer to 4-5%.

Some argue that with a 5% growth rate Israel would have taken only about 250 years to get to those numbers.

Calculate the 430 years from the time Abraham originally went down into Egypt.

Other EvidenceGen 37:28 – Joseph sold for 20 shekels of silver

Egyptian records during the Middle Kingdom established the price of a slave ranged from 10-40 Shekels of Silver

Not Likely under HyksosGen 39 – Potiphar was Egyptian, not likely under Hyksos

Gen 41, 42, 45 – Joseph ruled ALL the land of Egypt.Hyksos only conquered Northern Egypt41:45 - Joseph’s wife was Egyptian daughter of a priest, not

Hyksos41:47 – Joseph shaved himself, an Egyptian custom.

Tale of Sinuhe, shaved himself as he returned from long exile in Asia

VizierMiddle Kingdom – 2nd only to Pharaoh41:40-42 – 2nd only to Pharaoh & ruled All

Egypt47:20 – Purchased land over all of Egypt

Was Joseph listed in Egyptian records?Very little info in Egyptian records about

Viziers2 are mentioned, but after Joseph’s time:Sebekemhat & KhnumhotepK. was listed uniquely as chief steward and

VizierPerhaps Joseph paved the way for this

combined office

Archeological Evidence for Joseph

Click The Pic

Toward Next Week

Exodus