English version of the article: Архипов СВ. Книга Берешит как великая компиляция текстов и смыслов Второго переходного периода Египта: пилотная культурологическая, медицинская, археологическая и текстологическая экспертиза преданий против традиционной атрибуции. Введение. О круглой связке бедра. 14.02.2026. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 2026АрхиповСВ
The Book of Genesis as a Great Compilation of Texts and Meanings from the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt: A Pilot Culturological, Medical, Archaeological, and Textological Examination of the Legends versus Traditional Attribution. Chapter 3
By Sergey V. Arkhipov, MD, PhD
CONTENT [i] Abstract [ii] Book of Genesis. Chapter 3 Analysis [iii] Notes to Chapter 3 [iv] AI Agent's Conclusion [v] Content [vi] External links [vii] Application |
The Book of Genesis (Bereshith) was composed in Egypt during the 17th century BCE and reached its definitive protographic form following the Minoan eruption of Thera. This study argues that the work was the result of a collaboration between an Egyptian polymath and a distinguished scribe of Asiatic descent. By analyzing ancient texts, anatomical descriptions, archaeological data, Bronze Age cultural history, and climatic markers, this article demonstrates that the book emerged from the work of a high-ranking socio-political committee within the Egyptian House of Life. We argue that the inclusion of precise anatomical data, such as the ligamentum capitis femoris, serves as a diagnostic marker of this Egyptian medical-scribal collaboration, challenging the late-date theories of the documentary hypothesis.
[ii] Book of Genesis. Chapter 3 Analysis
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Excerpts from the
Book of Genesis (1922LeeserI:5-6)
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Type of
Similarity and Justification |
Ancient Near
Eastern and Egyptian Contexts (Parallels,
Analogies, Similarity, Borrowings, Inversions)
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1 Now the serpent
was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made; and
he said unto the woman, Hath God indeed said. Ye shall not eat of every tree
of the garden ? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the
fruit of the trees of the garden ; 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in
the midst of the garden, God hath said. Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall
ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman. Ye will
surely not die ; 5 For God doth know, that, on the day ye eat thereof, your
eyes will be opened, and ye will be as God, knowing good and evil. … 14 And
the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, be thou
cursed above all the cattle, and above every beast of the field ; upon thy
belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life :
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Mythological Inversion The borrowing of the Egyptian
serpent archetype as a chthonic entity that «enters the ground» and is cursed
by a deity. |
Egypt The Pyramid of Teti (6th Dynasty, ca. 2323–2191 BCE)
in Recitation № 260 says: «Horus has stretched his nine bows against this akh
that comes from the ground with head cut off and tail truncated.» (2007AllenJP:89). The «Pyramid Texts» (2350–2175
BCE) in Utterance № 226 (225a-c) contain a charm against the mystical snake: «To say:
One serpent is encircled by another serpent, when a toothless (?) calf born
on pasture-land is encircled. Earth, devour that which has come forth from
thee. Monster (beast), lie down, glide away.» (1952MercerSAB:110). In the story the «Tale
of the Shipwrecked Sailor» (Middle Kingdom), we read: «Then I heard a
thundering noise and thought, "It is a wave of the sea." Trees
splintered, the ground trembled. Uncovering my face, I found it was a snake
that was coming. He was of thirty cubits; his beard was over two cubits long.
His body was overlaid with gold; his eyebrows were of real lapis lazuli.»
(2006LichtheimM:1.212). In the «Coffin Texts» (2134–2040 BCE), we find several references:
Spell № 87, it is stated,
«I am the n’w-serpent, the Bull of the Enneads, who obeys no magic»; in Spell
№ 170, «I am he of the Mansion, the two serpents on the eye of Atum are
parted for me, the bulls are led to their caverns for me.»; and in Spell №
316, «I am a primeval one of the earth, guide of the Sole Lord,
hknwtt-serpent of Harakhti.» (1973FaulknerRO:90,146,239). Furthermore, in the «Coffin
Texts», Spell № 405 reads:
«its name is Backbone of Geb and ribs of Isis on which are the repellers of
the Serpent, is Destroyer with outstretched arm in the Pure Place.»
(1977FaulknerRO:202). Apophis is a
monstrous serpent, the opponent of the god Ra (2007РакИ:64). Mentions of the serpent Apophis appeared in
Egyptian mythology during the First Intermediate Period; he figures in the
«Coffin Texts» and in all funerary «Books» of the New Kingdom era (1983ЛипинскаяЯ_МарцинякМ:178). See note! |
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1 Now the serpent
was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made; and
he said unto the woman, Hath God indeed said. Ye shall not eat of every tree
of the garden ? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the
fruit of the trees of the garden ; 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in
the midst of the garden, God hath said. Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall
ye touch it, lest ye die. … 8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day ; and the man and his wife hid
themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the Lord God called unto the man, and said unto him. Where art thou? 10
And he said, Thy voice I heard in the garden ; and I was afraid, because I am
naked; and I hid myself. … 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So he drove
out the man ; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim,
and the flaming sword which revolveth, to guard the way to the tree of life.
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Cultural-Landscape
Archetype The texts are
united by the image of the garden as a man-made, ordered space that becomes a
site of either arduous labor or moral choice.
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Egypt In the epilogue of the «Story
of Sinuhe» (Middle Kingdom), it is stated: «I was given a house and
garden that had belonged to a courtier. <…> A funerary domain was made
for me. It had fields and a garden in the right place, as is done for a
Companion of the first rank.» (2006LichtheimM:1.233). From Papyrus Westcar
(Pap. Berlin 3033) «The Tale of King Cheops’ Court» (Middle Kingdom), it says: «Then Ubainer’s wife sent
to the steward who looked after the [garden], to say, Have the pavilion in
the garden made ready!» (1997ParkinsonRB:107). In the «Satire of the
Trades» (Middle
Kingdom), there are the following words: «The gardener carries a yoke,
His shoulders are bent as with age; there's a swelling on his neck and it
festers. In the morning he waters vegetables, the evening he spends with the
herbs, while at noon he has toiled in the orchard.» (2006LichtheimM:1.187).
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1 Now the serpent
was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made; and
he said unto the woman, Hath God indeed said. Ye shall not eat of every tree
of the garden ? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the
fruit of the trees of the garden ; 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in
the midst of the garden, God hath said. Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall
ye touch it, lest ye die. … 8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day ; and the man and his wife hid
themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the Lord God called unto the man, and said unto him. Where art thou? 10
And he said, Thy voice I heard in the garden ; and I was afraid, because I am
naked; and I hid myself. … 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So he drove
out the man ; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim,
and the flaming sword which revolveth, to guard the way to the tree of life.
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Sacred Topography Similarity lies in the image of the sacred
garden/forest as a special locus of the presence of higher powers.
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Mesopotamia In the Akkadian «Epic of Gilgamesh», a sacred forest guarded by the
mythical warrior Humbaba is mentioned: «They stood at the forest's
edge, gazing at the top of the Cedar Tree, gazing at the entrance to the
forest. Where Humbaba would walk there was a trail, the roads led straight
on, the path was excellent. Then they saw the Cedar Mountain, the Dwelling of
the Gods, the throne dais of Imini. Across the face of the mountain the Cedar
brought forth luxurious foliage, its shade was good, extremely pleasant.» (1989KovacsMG:41). The standard version of the
«Epic of Gilgamesh» was first written in the Old Babylonian period (1800–1600
BCE) (1989KovacsMG:xxii). S. Kramer (1981) wrote: «there is some reason to believe that the very
idea of a divine paradise, a garden of the gods, is of Sumerian origin. The
Sumerian paradise was located, according to our poem [Enki and Ninhursag], in
the land of Dilmun, a land that was probably situated in southwestern Persia.
It is in this same Dilmun that, later, the Babylonians, the Semitic people
who conquered the Sumerians, located their "land of the living",
the home of their immortals. There is good indication that the Biblical
paradise, which is described as a garden planted eastward in Eden, from whose
waters flow the four world rivers including the Tigris and Euphrates, may
have been originally identical with Dilmun, the Sumerian paradise-land.» (1981KramerS:143).
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1 Now the serpent
was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made; and
he said unto the woman, Hath God indeed said. Ye shall not eat of every tree
of the garden ?
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Narrative
Parallel The serpent
acts as a guileful creature that, through theft or deception, deprives humans
of access to the source of immortality.
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Mesopotamia In the Akkadian «Epic of Gilgamesh», a wily reptile appears to
emerge from the earth: «A snake smelled the fragrance of the plant, silently
came up and carried off the plant.» (1989KovacsMG:107). The standard version
of the «Epic of Gilgamesh» was first written in the Old Babylonian period
(1800–1600 BCE) (1989KovacsMG:xxii).
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1 Now the serpent
was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made; and
he said unto the woman, Hath God indeed said. Ye shall not eat of every tree
of the garden ? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the
fruit of the trees of the garden ; 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in
the midst of the garden, God hath said. Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall
ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman. Ye will
surely not die ; 5 For God doth know, that, on the day ye eat thereof, your
eyes will be opened, and ye will be as God, knowing good and evil. 6 And when
the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to
the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise,' she took of its
fruit, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they felt that they were
naked ; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. … 11
And he said, Who told thee that thou art naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree,
whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said.
The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did
eat. 13 And the Lord God said unto the woman. What is this that thou hast
done ? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. … 17 And unto
Adam' he said, Because thou hast hearkened un; to the voice of thy wife, and
hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying. Thou shalt not eat
of it: cursed be the ground for thy sake; in pain shalt thou eat of it all
the days of thy life. 18 And thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee
; and thou shalt eat the herbs of the field. 19 In the sweat of thy face
shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast
thou taken ; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. … 22 And the
Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil
; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and
eat, and live for ever — 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden
of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So he drove out the
man ; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the
flaming sword which revolveth, to guard the way to the tree of life.
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Cognitive-Sacred
Symbol The tree acts
as a repository of universal knowledge (of the past and future, or of good
and evil).
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Egypt On the leaves of the Celestial Tree (the Tree of Hathor), the goddess
Seshat records «all the significant events that occurred in the past and
those destined to take place in the future» (2007РакИ:55,160). Furthermore, «The Egyptian yearned for close proximity to
sacred trees, which he viewed as living beings capable of providing food and
drink and, in turn, receiving offerings» (1917ВикентьевВМ:35). According to the legend, «In
Heliopolis, there was an earthly representative of the Celestial Tree, a sacred
fruit tree — the Persea» (2021МюллерМ:33).
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6 And when the
woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the
eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise,' she took of its fruit,
and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. 7 And
the eyes of both of them were opened, and they felt that they were naked ;
and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. |
Anthropogonic Transformation In both narratives, the acquisition of
knowledge is inextricably linked to the loss of primordial
"wildness" and the realization of nakedness, leading to the
emergence of the first element of human culture — clothing. |
Mesopotamia In the Akkadian «Epic of Gilgamesh», it is described how the hero Enkidu,
after meeting the harlot Shamhat, found
that «his understanding had broadened. Turning around, he sat down at
the harlot's feet, gazing into her face, his ears attentive as the harlot
spoke», and later she dresses the naked hero: «Shamhat pulled off her
clothing, and clothed him with one piece while she clothed herself with a
second. She took hold of him as the gods do and brought him to the hut of the
shepherds.» (1989KovacsMG:9,15). The standard version of the «Epic of
Gilgamesh» was first written in the Old Babylonian period (1800–1600 BCE)
(1989KovacsMG:xxii).
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7 And the eyes of
both of them were opened, and they felt that they were naked ; and they sewed
fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
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Vegetable Symbolism Similarity is evident in the use of the fig
tree (sycamore) as a key sacred marker during moments of qualitative change
in the hero’s status or state.
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Egypt The Pyramid of
Teti (6th Dynasty, ca. 2323–2191 BCE) in Recitation № 403 says: «O you whose
зb-tree greens on his field, o Blossom-opener on his sycamore, o you of
gleaming shores upon his imз-tree, o lord of verdant fields: rejoice today!»
(2006LichtheimM:1.42). The Pyramid of Pepi I (6th Dynasty, ca. 2289–2255 BCE)
in Utterance № 516 contains the
exclamation: «Greetings, sycamore that incorporates the god—you under whom
the undersky gods stand,» (2007AllenJP:181). In the «Story
of Sinuhe» (Middle Kingdom), it is stated: «I crossed Maaty near
Sycamore; I reached Isle-of-Snefru.» (2006LichtheimM:1.224). It is noteworthy that «Sinuhe» means
«Son of the Sycamore»; this plant was considered the sacred tree of the
goddess Hathor (1915ТураевБА:4). In the «Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor» (Middle
Kingdom), we read: «I found figs and grapes there, all sorts of fine
vegetables, sycamore figs, unnotched and notched, and cucumbers that were as
if tended.» (2006LichtheimM:1.212).
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14 And the Lord
God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, be thou cursed above
all the cattle, and above every beast of the field ; upon thy belly shalt
thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life : 15 And I will put
enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; he
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt wound his heel.
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Aetiological Enmity Similarity is traced in the
archetypal confrontation between a human (or a solar deity) and a serpent,
accompanied by an emphasis on the treachery of the bite and the fatal danger
of the reptile. |
Egypt In the myth of the «Destruction
of Mankind», it is said: «Beware of serpents both in the earth and in the
water» (1940МатьеМВ:77). There is an
authoritative opinion that this myth, the «Destruction of Mankind», is likely a tale of the Middle
Kingdom (2006LichtheimM:2,197). According to one version of the myth «Isis
and Horus in the Delta Marshes», Seth «took the form of a snake, crawled into
the papyrus hut and stung Horus» (2004РакИВ:83).
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16 Unto the woman
he said, I will greatly multiply thy pain and (the suffering of) thy
conception ; in pain shalt thou bring forth children ; and for thy husband
shall be thy desire, but he shall rule over thee.
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Theological Inversion Explanation: The biblical text represents a semantic inversion of the
Sumerian myth, transforming the effortless divine triumph of birth into a
grueling earthly ordeal and an ethical punishment for humanity. |
Mesopotamia The Sumerian myth
«Enki and Ninhursag» tells us that, unlike human women, the goddess Ninmu
gives birth without pain: «One day being her one month, Two days being her
two months, Nine days being her nine months, the months of "womanhood",
Like . . cream, like . . cream, like good, princely cream, Ninmu, like . .
cream, like . . cream, like good, princely cream, Gave birth to the goddess
Ninkurra.» (1981KramerS:145). |
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16 Unto the woman
he said, I will greatly multiply thy pain and (the suffering of) thy
conception ; in pain shalt thou bring forth children ; and for thy husband
shall be thy desire, but he shall rule over thee.
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Nosological Correspondence Specific pain syndromes associated
with the female reproductive system are recorded. |
Egypt In the «Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus», written around 1825 BCE, Case №
17 proposes a treatment for pain in a woman who has given birth
(2021LopesHT_PereiraRGG, intechopen.com). On the verso of the «Edwin Smith
Papyrus» (1650–1550 BCE), a recipe is provided for treating pain associated
with menstrual problems (1930BreastedJH:487; sae.saw-leipzig.de). In the «Ebers Papyrus» (Case 832), a method is proposed for treating a
woman suffering from pain in the lower abdomen (1889EbersG; sae.saw-leipzig.de). The «Ebers Papyrus» is dated to 1553–1550 BCE (1947CastiglioniA:487).
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17 And unto Adam'
he said, Because thou hast hearkened un; to the voice of thy wife, and hast
eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying. Thou shalt not eat of
it: cursed be the ground for thy sake; in pain shalt thou eat of it all the
days of thy life. 18 And thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ;
and thou shalt eat the herbs of the field. 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt
thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou
taken ; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
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Socio-Agricultural Determination Similarity in the description of
agriculture as an exhausting, existentially difficult labor that serves as a
fundamental condition for survival. |
Egypt In the «Satire of the
Trades» (Middle
Kingdom), there are the following words: «The gardener carries a yoke,
His shoulders are bent as with age; there's a swelling on his neck and it
festers. In the morning he waters vegetables, the evening he spends with the
herbs, while at noon he has toiled in the orchard. <…> The farmer wails
more than the guinea fowl; His voice is louder than a raven's; His fingers
are swollen And stink to excess. He is weary ... He is well if one's well
among lions. ... When he reaches home at night, The march has worn him out.»
(2006LichtheimM:1.187–188).
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19 In the sweat
of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out
of it wast thou taken ; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. |
Substantial-Genetic
Analogy Similarity of
cultural traditions in representing the earth as the primary material from
which the human body is artificially fashioned. |
Egypt According to the ancient «Elephantine version of the creation of the
world, humans and their Ka were fashioned from clay by the ram-headed god
Khnum» (2007РакИ:40). According to one of the concepts, Khnum is the «potter-god» who once
«created all beings, from gods to animals, on his potter's wheel» (2021МюллерМ:56). There was a belief that the god
Atum breathed the Ka, that is, the soul, into his children, the gods Shu and
Tefnut (2007РакИ:29). In the «Admonitions of Ipuwer» (Leiden Papyrus № 344), Khnum is the
potter who fashions men on his wheel: «Khnum fashions (mankind) no longer
because of the condition of the land.» (1909GardinerAH:24). The original version of the
Admonitions of Ipuwer dates back no earlier than the end of the 12th Dynasty,
which flourished between 1991–1783 BCE (2010WillemsH).
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19 In the sweat
of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out
of it wast thou taken ; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
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Anthropological
Determination In both
traditions, the act of creating a human from terrestrial substance is
inextricably linked to the establishment of their physiological dependence on
plant-based food.
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Mesopotamia In the Sumerian
poem («Myth of
Enki and Ninmah»), we read: the goddess «Ninmah takes some of the clay that is over
the abyss and fashions six different types of abnormal individuals, and Enki
decrees their fate and gives them Bread to eat.» (1981KramerS:107). The tablet with the
myth of Enki and Ninmah is dated to the Old Babylonian period
(1969BenitoCA:1). The Akkadian «Epic of Gilgamesh» describes a goddess
fashioning a human: «Aruru washed her hands, she pinched off some clay,
and threw it into the wilderness. In the wilderness(?) she created valiant
Enkidu, born of Silence, endowed with strength by Ninurta.» (1989KovacsMG:6).
The standard version of the «Epic of Gilgamesh» was first written in the Old
Babylonian period (1800–1600 BCE) (1989KovacsMG:xxii).
The Atrahasis myth tells that at
a meeting of the gods, the god «We-ila, who had personality, They
slaughtered in their assembly. From his flesh and blood Nintu mixed clay.»
From this mixture, «Seven produced males, [Seven] produced females.»
(1999LambertWG_CivilM:59–63). The «Myth of Atrahasis» was composed ca. 1600
BCE (1989KovacsMG:xxvi).
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19 In the sweat
of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out
of it wast thou taken ; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. |
Agrarian-Cultic Determinism Similarity in the traditions of
cereal cultivation and the production of the final product as the fundamental
basis of human existence. |
Egypt The «Pyramid
Texts» (2350–2175 BCE), Utterance № 205 (121a), states: «For as to N., it is his father who gives,
to him; it is Rē‘ who gives to him barley, spelt, bread, beer.»; in Utterance
№ 662 (1880ab) reads:
«I have hoed wheat (or spelt) for thee; I have tilled barley for thee- barley
for thy wȝg-feast, wheat for thy yearly feast.» (1952MercerSAB:88,457).
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20 And the man
called his wife's name Eve [Chavvah] ; because she was the mother of all
living [Chay].
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Genealogical Universality Both traditions vest the first
woman with the status of the progenitress of the entire human race,
establishing her role as the sole source of biological continuity.
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Mesopotamia Ninhursag «was
regarded as the mother of all living things, the mother-goddess.» (1981KramerSN:95).
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21 And the Lord
God made unto Adam and to his wife coats of skins, and clothed them.
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The Borrowing of the Word «Clothing»
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Regarding linguistics, it is quite possible that all such words are
linked to the Sumerian and Akkadian word for «flax» with an Anatolian ending
(2021NoonanBJ:137–138).
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23 Therefore the
Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from
which he was taken. |
Genetic-Substantial
Correlation Both
traditions view the human being as a derivative of terrestrial substance,
while recording the moment when the direct act of creation ceases and
humanity transitions to autonomous reproduction. |
Egypt According to the ancient «Elephantine version of the creation of the
world, humans and their Ka were fashioned from clay by the ram-headed god
Khnum» (2007РакИ:40). According to one of the concepts, Khnum is the «potter-god» who once
«created all beings, from gods to animals, on his potter's wheel» (2021МюллерМ:56). There was a belief that the god
Atum breathed the Ka, that is, the soul, into his children, the gods Shu and
Tefnut (2007РакИ:29). In the «Admonitions of Ipuwer» (Leiden Papyrus № 344), Khnum is the
potter who fashions men on his wheel: «Khnum fashions (mankind) no longer
because of the condition of the land.» (1909GardinerAH:24). The original version of the
Admonitions of Ipuwer dates back no earlier than the end of the 12th Dynasty,
which flourished between 1991–1783 BCE (2010WillemsH).
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23 Therefore the
Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from
which he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man ; and he placed at the east of
the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flaming sword which revolveth, to
guard the way to the tree of life.
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The Borrowing of the Word «Eden» |
In the Akkadian language, «edinu» means «plain», which is a concept
borrowed from the Sumerian «eden»: «plain,
steppe, open country» (2004OppenheimAL:33; oracc.museum.upenn.edu).
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24 So he drove
out the man ; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim,
and the flaming sword which revolveth, to guard the way to the tree of life.
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Technological
Correspondence The similarity reflects the
emergence of the first complex rotational mechanisms in the region. |
Mesopotamia,
Levant The technique of molding pottery flywheels on the eastern bank of the
Jordan River emerged at the end of the fifth millennium BCE (2008RouxV). In
northern Mesopotamia, the use of the potter's wheel at the Tell Feres
al-Sharqi site is on average dated to 3900 BCE, while a rotatable clay disk
is believed to have been manufactured in 4700 BCE (2016BaldiJ_RouxV). |
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24 So he drove
out the man ; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim,
and the flaming sword which revolveth, to guard the way to the tree of life.
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Military-Technological Archetype Identical types of weaponry,
advanced for that era — specifically swords — are described.
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Mesopotamia,
Anatolia The first bronze swords, discovered among the ruins of the Arslantepe
palace in the upper Euphrates, were forged between 3300–3000 BCE
(1998PalmieriAM_HessK; 2010DiNoceraGM). Presumably, the idea of the curved
sword originated in Mesopotamia in 2700–2400 BCE (1946Maxwell-HyslopR). On
the Sumerian mosaic «Standard of Ur» (BM 121201, 2500 BCE), a sickle-shaped
blade (battle axe?) and a short straight sword are depicted (britishmuseum.org). The Akkadian «Epic of Gilgamesh» repeatedly
speaks of the sword:
«Their swords should be one talent»; «Suddenly the swords ... , and after the
sheaths ... , the axes were smeared ... dagger and sword...»; «Between the
nape, the horns, and ... thrust your sword.»; «You, axe at my side, so trusty
at my hand- you, sword at my waist, shield in front of me, you, my festal
garment, a sash over my loins» (1989KovacsMG:20,41,55,70). The epic also
talks about the guardian of the forest: «Enkidu spoke to Gilgamesh, saying:
"My friend, Humbaba, Guardian of the Forest, grind up, kill,
pulverize(?), and ... him!" <…> The tavern-keeper spoke to
Gilgamesh, saying: "If you are Gilgamesh, who killed the Guardian, who
destroyed Humbaba who lived in the Cedar Forest, who slew lions in the
mountain passes, who grappled with the Bull that came down from heaven, and
killed him, why are your cheeks emaciated, your expression desolate?»
(1989KovacsMG:45,84). The standard version of the «Epic of Gilgamesh» was
first written in the Old Babylonian period (1800–1600 BCE) (1989KovacsMG:xxii).
|
|
24 So he drove
out the man ; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim,
and the flaming sword which revolveth, to guard the way to the tree of life.
|
Material-Historical
Attribution The
description of the blade held by the guardians of Eden corresponds to the
period of the proliferation of khopeshes in Egypt. |
Egypt In Ancient Egypt, the curved battle axe (khopesh) was adopted during
the Middle Kingdom, approximately, between 2040–1640 BCE, and was widely used
in the New Kingdom, or 1550–1070 BCE (1946Maxwell-HyslopR). According to
another point of view, ancient Egyptian swords, including the curved khopesh,
came into use during the Second Intermediate Period (2017DeanR). In the «Prophecies
of Neferti» (reign of Amenemhet I, 12th
Dynasty), a sword is mentioned: «The son of man will make his name for all
eternity! The evil-minded, the treason-plotters, They suppress their speech
in fear of him; Asiatics will fall to his sword, Libyans will fall to his
flame, Rebels to his wrath, traitors to his might, As the serpent on his brow
subdues the rebels for him.» (2006LichtheimM:1.143).
|
The Serpent in Late Egyptian
Mythology
According to the «Legend of Horus of
Behdet, the Winged Sun» (Temple of Edfu, 1st century BCE), after the battle in
the nome of Mere, Seth «turned into a roaring serpent and entered the ground»
(2007РакИ:66).
In
the tale «Isis and Horus in the Delta Marshes», written on a stele for magical
practices, a wise woman says: «Perhaps a scorpion has stung him? (or) has the
serpent Awen-yeb bitten him?» (1940МатьеМВ:81,111).
(The conclusion compiled by the AI agent, with our minor changes)
Preliminary Conclusion to the Analysis of Genesis Chapter 3
The narrative of Genesis Chapter 3 serves as a sophisticated theological and etiological synthesis of the Near Eastern Bronze Age. Based on the analyzed Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Anatolian sources, the following conclusions are established:
1. Mythological Inversion and the Archetype of the
Opponent
The biblical Serpent represents a profound mythological
inversion of the Egyptian chthonic entity. While the Egyptian texts
(Pyramid and Coffin Texts, ca. 2350–2040 BCE) depict the serpent-adversary
(Apophis/Seth) as a chaos-monster that «enters the ground» or is «devoured by
the earth», Genesis transforms this cosmic rebel into a terrestrial deceiver.
The aetiological enmity established in Genesis mirrors the Egyptian
emphasis on the «treachery of the bite», shifting the conflict from a
solar-divine struggle to a human-moral tragedy.
2. Anthropogonic Transformation and the Culture of
Dress
The transition from primordial «wildness» to
civilization is marked by the acquisition of knowledge and the subsequent
realization of nakedness. This anthropogonic transformation finds its
closest parallel in the Epic of Gilgamesh (1800–1600 BCE), where
Enkidu's enlightenment through a woman leads directly to the adoption of
clothing. The linguistic link between the word for flax (linen) and
its Sumerian/Akkadian roots suggests that the «coats of skins» in Genesis
symbolize the definitive entry of humanity into a technologically regulated
cultural existence.
3. Substantial-Genetic Analogy and the Technology of
the Potter
The creation of man from «dust» (clay) reflects a clear technological correspondence with the development of the potter's wheel in Mesopotamia and the Levant (ca. 4700–3900 BCE). The imagery of the Egyptian god Khnum fashioning humans on a rotational mechanism provides the material metaphor for the biblical act of creation. The cessation of this direct «shaping» by the deity marks the transition to autonomous reproduction, which Genesis frames through the lens of biological suffering.
4. Nosological Correspondence and Socio-Agricultural Determinism
The «curse» of labor and childbirth in Genesis reflects the documented physical realities of the II millennium BCE.
Medical Reality: The Kahun, Edwin
Smith, and Ebers papyri (1825–1550 BCE) provide a nosological
match for the specific reproductive pain syndromes described in Gen 3:16.
Existential Labor: The Satire of the
Trades depicts the gardener’s and farmer’s toil as an exhausting,
festering, and «lion-like» struggle for survival [2006LichtheimM:1.187],
providing the socio-economic context for the biblical «thorns and thistles».
5. Material-Historical Attribution of the Guardian’s
Weapon
The «flaming sword which turned every way» (Gen 3:24) serves as a military-technological archetype. The appearance of
forged bronze swords (Arslantepe, 3300 BCE) and the later proliferation of
the khopesh (curved sword) in Egypt (2040–1550 BCE) provide the
material basis for the divine guardian’s weaponry. The epithet «turning»
(rotating) likely reflects the emergence of complex rotational
mechanisms (pottery flywheels) as the pinnacle of engineering.
Summary
Genesis Chapter 3 functions as a «technological and physiological passport» of the era. It anchors the loss of immortality in the concrete achievements and hardships of the Bronze Age: the transition to agriculture, the invention of the potter's wheel and the sword, the production of linen, and the medicalization of human biology.
Sumer (c. 3300 – before 1900 BCE) britannica.com
The Old Kingdom of Egypt (c. 2543 – c. 2120 BCE) britannica.com
The Third Dynasty of Ur (22nd – 21st cent. BCE) britannica.com
The First Intermediate period of Egypt (c. 2118 – c. 1980 BCE) britannica.com
The Old Babylonian period of Egypt (2000 – 1595 BCE) onlinelibrary.wiley.com
The Middle Kingdom of Egypt (c. 1980 – c. 1760 BCE) britannica.com
The Second Intermediate period of Egypt (c. 1759 – c. 1539 BCE) britannica.com
The New Kingdom of Egypt (c. 1539 – c. 1077 BCE) britannica.com
Authors of the article
Arkhipov S.V. – Independent Researcher, MD, PhD, Orthopedic Surgeon, Medical Writer, Joensuu, Finland.
Correspondence: Sergey Arkhipov, email: archipovsv @ gmail.com
Article history
February 23, 2026 - online version of the article published.
February 27, 2026 - the article has been updated with the addition of quotes.
Suggested citation
Arkhipov S.V. The Book of Genesis as a Great Compilation of Texts and Meanings from the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt: A Pilot Culturological, Medical, Archaeological, and Textological Examination of the Legends versus Traditional Attribution. Chapter 3. About round ligament of femur. February 23 , 2026.
Note
Keywords
Genesis Protograph, Bereshit Protograph, Hyksos-era Scriptorium, Ligamentum Teres, Ligamentum Capitis Femoris, Minoan Eruption Impact, Bronze Age, Middle Egyptian Origin, Cross-cultural Codification, Ancient Medicine, Biblical Chronology
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