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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Excerpt from the Book
of Genesis (1922LeeserI:26)
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Type of
similarity and justification |
Ancient Near
Eastern and Egyptian Contexts (Parallels, Analogies, Convergences,
Borrowings, and Inversions in Archaeology, Culture, Medical Knowledge, and
Historical Facts: Mesopotamia, the Levant, Anatolia, and the Nile Valley)
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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. |
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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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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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 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). A receipt is known from the Mari
archive (M.11436), in which the author reports the receipt of: 'one shekel of
silver, according to market standards, for Lupahum, the guarantor of Dagan'
(1988CharpinD:396). In another document from the same archive (ARM 26/1 149),
a promise is made to pay 10 shekels of silver (1988CharpinD:314). The Mesopotamian archive of Mari dates
to the first half of the 18th century BCE (1956Munn-RankinJM:106). 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.» В конце документа указано «11 witnesses; 10 seals.» (1928SpeiserEA:59). 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); «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. |
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. |
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):
Ǥ 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); «§ 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», written around 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.
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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 and then was destroyed
and remained deserted throughout the Late Bronze Age. The date of Foundation
is still unclear (2005Na'amanN:180). |
See above for mention of Hebron: Gen 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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