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 23
By Sergey V. Arkhipov, MD, PhD
CONTENT [i] Abstract [ii] Book of Genesis. Chapter 23 Analysis [iii] Notes to Chapter 23 [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 23 Analysis
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Excerpts from the
Book of Genesis (1922LeeserI:26)
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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 Arid the
lifetime of Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years; (these) were the
years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died in Kiryath-arba, the same is
Hebron in the land of Canaan : and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to
weep for her.
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Chronological
Hyperbolization The use of anomalously large
numbers serves as a literary device to denote the antiquity of the era and
the sacred status of the described characters in both traditions.
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Mesopotamia In Mesopotamia,
historical figures were attributed legendary longevity. There existed a list
of kings compiled by Sumerian scribes at the end of the second millennium
BCE. For example, the kings of «the first dynasty after the deluge also
reigned for an average of a thousand years, and subsequently for two hundred
years each» (1961ВуллиЛ:15). |
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2 And Sarah died
in Kiryath-arba, the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan : and Abraham came
to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. … 19 And after this, Abraham buried
Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which is
Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
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Toponymic
Verification The correspondence
between the biblical text and archaeological data constitutes a topographical
parallel that confirms the actual geographical coexistence of the mentioned
settlement during the specified historical period. |
Levant Hebron flourished
in the 17th–16th centuries BCE, but was subsequently destroyed and remained deserted throughout the
Late Bronze Age. The date of its foundation remains unclear (2005Na'amanN:180).
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2 And Sarah died
in Kiryath-arba, the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan : and Abraham came
to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. … 19 And after this, Abraham buried
Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which is
Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
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Ethnopolitical Isomorphism The presence of the term «Canaan»
is characteristic of diplomatic correspondence and legal archives of the
18th–15th centuries BCE. |
Levant The inhabitants
of Canaan are mentioned in a letter from Ashmad to Askudum (Mari archive, ARM
26/1 24): «Send me a hundred Canaanites <…> awaiting the arrival of the
Canaanites» (1988CharpinD:152–154). In another letter (ARM 26/1 140, Mari archive) from Nur-Addu
addressed to Zimri-Lim, «Yakhsib-El, the Canaanite» is mentioned
(1988CharpinD:303–305). The Mari
archive, a key Mesopotamian source, dates to the first half of the 18th
century BCE (1956Munn-RankinJM:106). Furthermore, according to Na'aman, «It
is thus evident that in mid–18th century BCE people called
"Canaanites" lived south of the kingdom of Qatna [south of Syria], i.e., in the
same area where they are located in the Late Bronze Age.» (1994NaʾamanN:398).
Notably, «The earliest
occurrence of the geographical term [Canaan] outside the Old Testament is in
the Idrimi statue from Alalakh, which dates to about the middle of the
fifteenth century B.C.» (1961GibsonJC:217). Additionally, «The word Canaan comes from Hurrian
Kinahhu, which is attested by the documents from Nuzi (15th century BCE) and
which is supposed to be a Hurrian word for the colour of purple.»
(1991LemcheNP:26). |
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4 A stranger and
a sojourner I am with you ; give me a possession for a burying-place with
you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. |
Socio-Legal Stratification In both cases, there is a specific
status of a «stranger / alien» who, despite integration into the local
society, requires formal recognition of their legal rights.
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Egypt In the «Story of
Sinuhe» (Middle Kingdom), we read: «I am indeed like a stray bull in a strange herd, whom the bull of
the herd charges, whom the longhorn attacks. Is an inferior beloved when he
becomes a superior? No Asiatic makes friends with a Delta-man.» (2006LichtheimM:1:227). In
another translation, we find: «But
would a stranger agree to show his back to a pugnacious bull for fear that
the pugnacious one might equal him?» (1978КоростовцевМА:98–99).
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4 A stranger and
a sojourner I am with you ; give me a possession for a burying-place with
you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
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Socio-Legal
Stratification A functional
similarity in the designation of an «alien» or «stranger» (Habiru / ger
ve-toshav) as a specific social category requiring formal recognition to
establish legal and territorial rights within a foreign community. |
Middle East In the early to mid–2nd millennium BCE, within the territory of the
Mitanni kingdom among the Hurrians, there existed a category of people known
as «Habiru» (stranger, alien), possibly designating impoverished community
members who had abandoned their settled lands (1956ЦкитишвилиОВ:12).
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5 And the
children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him : … 7 And Abraham stood up
and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth. … 10
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth ; and Ephron the Hittite answered
Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, of all those that went in at
the gate of his city, saying, … 16 And Abraham understood the meaning of
Ephron; and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver which he had named in
the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current with
the merchant. … 18 Unto Abraham for a bought possession in the presence of
the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. … 20
And the field, with the cave that is therein, was made sure unto Abraham for
a possession as a burying-place by the sons of Heth.
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Ethnogenetic Verification Fixation of the presence of Indo-European
groups (Hittites) in the Levant as a consequence of a migratory wave element.
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Levant In approximately 1800 BCE, a
case of the presence of a Lycian [Hittite] from Western Asia Minor was
recorded in Byblos, Phoenicia (1966KitchenKA).
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8 And he spoke
with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my
sight, hear me, and intercede for me with Ephron the son of Zochar, 9 That he
may give me the cave of Machpelah, which is his, which is at the end of his
field ; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me, for a
possession as a burying place amongst you. 10 And Ephron dwelt among the
children of Heth ; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of
the children of Heth, of all those that went in at the gate of his city,
saying, <…> 15 My lord, hearken unto me: a piece of land worth four
hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and thee ? only bury thy
dead. 16 And Abraham understood the meaning of Ephron; and Abraham weighed
out to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of
Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current with the merchant. 17 And the
field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamrd, the field,
and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field,
that were in all its borders round about, were made sure 18 Unto Abraham for
a bought possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that
went in at the gate of his city.
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Commercial-Legal
Formalization A structural
similarity in the mandatory presence of witnesses, the use of silver weighed
according to «market standards», and the public certification of the
transaction as essential legal requirements for a valid property transfer in
the 2nd millennium BCE. |
Mesopotamia The procedure for
concluding agreements is established in the Babylonian «Code of Hammurabi»,
written around 1760 BCE. It states: Ǥ 7. If a man purchase silver or gold,
man-servant or maid-servant, ox, sheep, or ass, or anything else from a man's
son, or from a man's servant without witnesses or contracts, or if he receive
(the same) in trust, that man shall be put to death as a thief.»
(1920HandcockPSP:10). Furthermore, the Nuzi archive contained a marriage contract (H69),
according to which «Akkulenni, his sister Beltakkadummi as wife to
Hurauzzi shall give. And Hurauzzi, one
ox (and) 10 shekels of silver, of the "brothership" money, as the purchase price for Beltakkadummi, to
Akkulenni shall pay.». At the end of the document, it records: «11 witnesses;
10 seals.» (1928SpeiserEA:59).
The cuneiform tablets from Nuzi date back to the mid-second millennium BCE
(1976SelmanMJ:114).
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8 And he spoke
with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my
sight, hear me, and intercede for me with Ephron the son of Zochar, 9 That he
may give me the cave of Machpelah, which is his, which is at the end of his
field ; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me, for a
possession as a burying place amongst you. … 17 And the field of Ephron,
which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamrd, the field, and the cave which
was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all its
borders round about, were made sure 18 Unto Abraham for a bought possession
in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate
of his city. 19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of
the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
20 And the field, with the cave that is therein, was made sure unto Abraham
for a possession as a burying-place by the sons of Heth.
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Memorial-Legal Consolidation A profound structural
similarity in the existential priority placed upon the acquisition of a
permanent, legally recognized funerary estate to ensure the continuity of
memory and the preservation of sacred burial space. |
Egypt In the «Story of Sinuhe» (Middle Kingdom), it is stated: «The dance of
the mrow-dancers is done at the door of your tomb; the offering-list is read
to you; sacrifice is made before your offering-stone. Your tomb-pillars, made
of white stone, are among (those of) the royal children.» (2006LichtheimM:1:229–230). The text
continues: «A stone pyramid was built for me in the midst of the pyramids.
The masons who build tombs constructed it. A master draughtsman designed in
it. A master sculptor carved in it. The overseers of construction in the
necropolis busied themselves with it. All the equipment that is placed in a
tomb-shaft was supplied. Mortuary priests were given me. A funerary domain
was made for me.» (2006LichtheimM:1:233);
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8 And he spoke
with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my
sight, hear me, and intercede for me with Ephron the son of Zochar, 9 That he
may give me the cave of Machpelah, which is his, which is at the end of his
field ; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me, for a
possession as a burying place amongst you. 10 And Ephron dwelt among the
children of Heth ; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of
the children of Heth, of all those that went in at the gate of his city,
saying, 11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field I give to thee, and the cave that
is therein, I give it to thee; in the presence of the sons of my people do I
give it thee; bury thy dead. 12 And Abraham bowed himself down before the
people of the land. 13 And he spoke unto Ephron in the hearing of the people
of the land, saying, But if thou wouldst only hear me; I will give the money
for the field, take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. 14 And Ephron
answered Abraham, saying unto him, 15 My lord, hearken unto me: a piece of
land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and thee ?
only bury thy dead. 16 And Abraham understood the meaning of Ephron; and
Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of
the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current with the merchant.
17 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamrd,
the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the
field, that were in all its borders round about, were made sure 18 Unto
Abraham for a bought possession in the presence of the children of Heth,
before all that went in at the gate of his city. 19 And after this, Abraham
buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre,
which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 20 And the field, with the cave that
is therein, was made sure unto Abraham for a possession as a burying-place by
the sons of Heth.
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Memorial Law A reflection of a rigid legal
standard: ownership of a tomb required impeccable legal documentation to
protect the sacred space from alienation.
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Egypt It has been observed that in the texts on the walls of Egyptian tombs,
«nobles constantly emphasize that it is their legal property, and that they
have not violated the rights of others» (1920ТураевБА:49).
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9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which is his, which is at the end of his field ; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me, for a possession as a burying place amongst you. … 11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field I give to thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it to thee; in the presence of the sons of my people do I give it thee; bury thy dead. … 17 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all its borders round about, were made sure 18 Unto Abraham for a bought possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. 19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 20 And the field, with the cave that is therein, was made sure unto Abraham for a possession as a burying-place by the sons of Heth.
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Fiscal-Territorial Liability These fragments
demonstrate a functional similarity in the transition of feudal and tax
obligations (luzzi / service of the field) from the seller to the buyer,
explaining the legal necessity of purchasing the entire field rather than
just the cave to finalize the transfer of state duties. |
Middle East The reason for selling not only the cave but also the field according
to the «Hittite Laws» (17th–12th centuries BCE): «§ 46 If in a village
someone holds land (lit. fields) as an inheritance share, if the [larger part
of] the land has been given to him/her, (s)he shall render the luzzi-services.
But if the sm(aller part) (of) the land [has been given] to him/her, (s)he
shall not render the luzzi-services: they shall render them from the house of
his/her father. If an heir cuts out for himself/herself unused(?/idie(?)
land,! or the men of the village give land to him/her (in addition to his/her
inherited land), (s)he shall render the luzzi-services (on the new land).»
(1997HoffnerJrHA:55); Ǥ 47b If anyone buys all the land of a man having a
TUKUL-obligation, he shall render the luzzi-services. But if he buys only the
largest portion of the land, he shall not render the luzzi-services. But if
he carves out for himself idie/fallow land, or the men of the village give
(him land), he shall render the k luzzi-services.» (1997HoffnerJrHA:57). Requirements for the buyer of an entire plot according to the
Babylonian «Code of Hammurabi» (ca. 1760 BCE): «§ 40.
A woman, merchant, or other property-holder may sell field, garden, or house.
The purchaser shall conduct the business of the field, garden, or house which
he has purchased.» (1920HandcockPSP:14).
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17 And the field
of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the
cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were
in all its borders round about, were made sure 18 Unto Abraham for a bought
possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in
at the gate of his city. 19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in
the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which is Hebron, in the
land of Canaan.
|
Toponymic
Verification The correspondence
between the biblical text and archaeological data constitutes a topographical
parallel that confirms the actual geographical coexistence of the mentioned
settlement during the specified historical period. |
Levant Hebron flourished
in the 17th–16th centuries BCE, but was subsequently destroyed and remained deserted throughout the
Late Bronze Age. The date of its foundation remains unclear (2005Na'amanN:180). See note! |
Mamre
See above for mention of Hebron:
13:18 Then Abram pitched his tent,
and came and dwelt in the grove of Mamre, which is in Hebron ; and he built
there an altar unto the Lord.
(The conclusion compiled by the AI agent, with our minor changes)
Preliminary Conclusion to the Analysis of Genesis Chapter 23
Socio-legal
stratification and «Habiru»:
Abraham’s status as a «stranger and a sojourner» (ger ve-toshav) find a direct functional similarity with the socio-legal category of the Habiru, recorded in the documents of Mitanni and Mari (18th–16th centuries BCE). This identifies a specific social category requiring formal legal recognition to establish rights within a foreign community.
Fiscal-territorial
liability and Hittite Laws:
The
expansion of the transaction from just the cave to the entire field is
explained by the similarity to the norms found in the Hittite Laws (§ 46-47b)
and the Code of Hammurabi (§ 40). The purchaser of the entire plot assumed the
state obligations (luzzi / service of the field), thereby exempting the seller
from future duties, which provides the legal justification for Ephron's
insistence on selling the whole property.
Commercial-legal formalization:
The procedure of weighing silver «current money with the merchant» demonstrates a structural similarity to the market standards described in the archives of Mari (M.11436) and Nuzi (H69). The presence of witnesses "at the gate of the city" aligns with the rigid standards of the Code of Hammurabi (§ 7), where the absence of formal evidence in property exchange was equated with theft.
Memorial-legal
consolidation:
Abraham’s insistence on impeccable legal documentation for the tomb reflects the Egyptian standard of «memorial law». A profound similarity is found in «The Story of Sinuhe» and tomb inscriptions of Egyptian nobles, where the acquisition of a permanent «funerary domain» served as the ultimate guarantor of a clan's legitimacy and the protection of sacred space.
Cultural-Ritual
Inversion From Nomadic to Sedentary Burial:
Abraham’s rejection of traditional nomadic burial practices (interment in the earth or wrapping in animal skins) in favor of a cave-tomb constitutes a cultural transition. This preference demonstrates a profound similarity to Egyptian mortuary philosophy, where a permanent stone structure was essential for the preservation of the body and the «funerary domain» (Sinuhe).
Toponymic
and Ethnogenetic Verification:
The mention of the «sons of Heth» (an Indo-European element) in Hebron correlates with data regarding the presence of Lycians/Hittites in the Levant as early as 1800 BCE. The archaeological flourishing of Hebron specifically in the 17th–16th centuries BCE confirms the actual geographical and chronological coexistence of the settlement during the specified period.
Chronological
Hyperbolization:
Sarah's age (127 years) is interpreted as a literary device of "chronological hyperbolization," analogous to the Sumerian King Lists, used to denote the antiquity of the era and the sacred status of the characters [1961ВуллиЛ:15].
Summary
The legal precision of Genesis 23, mirroring the tree-counting formulas of Nuzi, the fiscal obligations of Hittite Law, and the silver standards of Mari, anchors the text in the 17th–16th centuries BCE. This multidimensional similarity to Middle Bronze Age administrative practices suggests that the narrative was codified in a multicultural environment like Avaris, where the socio-legal status of the Habiru integrated with Egyptian memorial law and Hittite land tenure systems.
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
March 6, 2026 - online version of the article published.
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 23. About round ligament of femur. March 6, 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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