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 46
By Sergey V. Arkhipov, MD, PhD
CONTENT [i] Abstract [ii] Book of Genesis. Chapter 46 Analysis [iii] Notes to Chapter 46 [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 46 Analysis
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Excerpt from the
Book of Genesis (1922LeeserI:59-60)
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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 And Israel commenced his journey with all
that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of
his father Isaac. 2 And God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night,
and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. … 5
And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba : and the sons of Israel carried Jacob
their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which
Pharaoh had sent to carry him. … . 8 And these are the
names of the children of Israel, that came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons:
the first-born of Jacob, Reuben. … 29 And Joseph made
ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and when
he obtained sight of him, he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good
while. See note!
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Onomastic authenticity. The identified structural similarity in the use of the theophoric
element «El» confirms that the biblical text belongs to the authentic Near
Eastern naming tradition of the early 2nd millennium BCE.
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Mesopotamia The theophoric element «El» in personal names is frequently
encountered in the documents of the Mari archives. An example is a letter
(ARM 2 23) from Ibal-pi-El to his lord Zimri-Lim (1988CharpinD:271). In a
letter (ARM 26/1 140) from Nur-Addu addressed to Zimri-Lim, 'Yakhsib-El, the
Hanaean' is mentioned (1988CharpinD:303–305). Yeskit-El, in a letter (ARM
26/2 386), informs his lord Zimri-Lim of the fall of Larsa
(1988CharpinD_LafontB:205). Yasim-El, in a letter (ARM 26/2 403-bis) to his
brother Shunukhra-Khalu, recounts his illness (1988CharpinD_LafontB:257). The Mesopotamian archive of Mari dates to the first half of the 18th century BCE (1956Munn-RankinJM:106). |
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2 And God spoke unto Israel in the visions of
the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. 3 And he said, I
am God, the God of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for a great
nation mil I make of thee there : 4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and
I will also surely bring thee up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon
thy eyes. |
Theophanic Oneiromancy. The motif of discerning
direct divine instruction immediately upon awakening; the dream is regarded
as a legitimate channel of communication from the gods for determining
further courses of action.
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Egypt As the Egyptians believed, «The
gods also communicated their will to people in dreams» (2021МюллерМ:208). The «Famine Stela» testifies that during a period of social distress,
Pharaoh Djoser [3rd Dynasty] ordered immediate sacrifices to be brought to
Khnum. (2004РакИВ:158). This
inscription, apparently made during the Ptolemaic era, records the Egyptians'
attentive attitude toward dreams. In «The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant» (Middle Kingdom) there are the
words: «It is the sleeper who sees the dream;» (2006LichtheimM:1.178). In the «Prophecies of
Neferti» (reign of Amenemhet I, 12th
Dynasty) contain an indication of a prophetic
dream:
«Risen as god, hear what I tell you, That you may rule the land, govern the
shores, Increase well-being!» (2006LichtheimM:1.136). In «The Story of Sinuhe» (Middle Kingdom) recounts a vision: «Lo, this flight which the servant made-I did not
plan it. It was not in my heart; I did not devise it. I do not know what
removed me from my place. It was like a dream. As if a Delta-man saw himself
in Yebu, a marsh-man in Nubia.» (2006LichtheimM:1.230-231). In «The Instruction Addressed to King Merikare» (Middle Kingdom) speaks of a god who devised magic and
rituals: «He made for them rulers in the egg, Leaders to raise the
back of the weak. He made for them magic as weapons To ward off the blow of
events, Guarding them by day and by night.» (2006LichtheimM:1.106). In the «Instruction of King Amenemhat» (12th Dynasty), a reference to
a prophetic dream is contained: «He appeared in a dream to his son, the lord
of all, and proclaimed: 'Appear as a god! Hearken to my words'» (1978КоростовцевМА:222). In Egypt, since the 12th Dynasty, the staff of the «Houses of Life»
(Pr-ʿnḫ), where magic, medicine, and divination were studied, were engaged in
compiling manuals that systematically recorded correspondences between dreams
and the events they foretold (1951GarnotJSF). The Egyptians had specialists
in dream interpretation, and Diodorus reported that above the library of the
Ramesseum there was an inscription: «The Place of Healing for the Soul»
(1972El-AssalG). The «Papyrus Chester Beatty III»
(BM 10683) contains the so-called «Dream Book», possibly dating back to the
12th Dynasty, which provides interpretations of dreams (1935GardinerAH:9).
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2 And God spoke unto Israel in the visions of
the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. 3 And he said, I
am God, the God of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for a great
nation mil I make of thee there : 4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and
I will also surely bring thee up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon
thy eyes.
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The tradition of dream interpretation. The similarity is observed in the depiction of the dream
interpretation process as a necessary stage following the awakening of the
work's protagonist, reflecting a regional practice of recording and
deciphering prophetic dreams. |
Mesopotamia In the Akkadian «Epic of
Gilgamesh», the hero sees a dream and attempts
to comprehend it: «The Young Men dozed off, sleeping on the couches of the night.
Enkidu was sleeping, and had a dream. He woke up and revealed his dream to
his friend.» (1989KovacsMG:56). The standard version of the «Epic of
Gilgamesh», first written in the Old Babylonian period (1800-1600 BCE)
(1989KovacsMG:xxii). The earliest evidence of the
practice of collecting dreams in Mesopotamia dates back to the Old Babylonian
period, specifically between 2003 and 1595 BCE (2006NoegelSB).
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5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba : and the
sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their
wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. … 29 And Joseph
made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and
when he obtained sight of him, he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a
good while. See note!
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Zooarchaeological and chronological parallelism. A shared period of the
spread of horses, chariots, and wagons in the Near East.
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Mesopotamia, Anatolia Wagons and horses are depicted on the Sumerian «Standard of Ur»,
created during the Early Dynastic period, which dominated in 2550–2400 BCE (2003AruzJ_WallenfelsR). The light chariot became widespread in the Eastern Mediterranean and
throughout the Near East in the second millennium BCE
(2010FeldmanMH_SauvageC). In letter ARM 26/1 47 (Royal Archive of Mari), it is reported that
Askudum divided the cattle and horses collected from the Canaanites into
herds (1988CharpinD_LafontB:190-199, archibab.fr). In letter ARM 26/2 533,
also from the Royal Archive of Mari, the author writes about ongoing negotiations
for the supply of white Anatolian horses (1988CharpinD_LafontB:526-527, archibab.fr). In a letter from the
royal archives of Mari (ARM 26/2 285), we learn of a shortage of cedar wood
for chariots used in rituals (1988CharpinD_LafontB:15-18). The Mesopotamian
archive of Mari dates to the first half of the 18th century BCE
(1956Munn-RankinJM:106). According to the «Hittite Laws» (17th–12th centuries BCE): «§ 71 If
anyone finds a (stray) ox, horse, mule (or) donkey, he shall drive it to the
king’s gate.» (1997HoffnerJrHA:80).
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5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba : and the
sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their
wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. … 29 And Joseph
made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and
when he obtained sight of him, he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a
good while. See note!
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Zooarchaeological and chronological parallelism. A shared period of the
spread of horses, chariots, and wagons in the Egypt.
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Egypt A horse skeleton excavated in Buhen, in the southern Nile Valley, is
dated approximately to 2055–1650 BCE (2014TatomirR). The document known as
«Be a Scribe» (Middle Kingdom?) implies the presence of horses: «The poor man
is turned into a driver - and the stable manager supervises him» (1958КацнельсонИС_МендельсонФЛ:248). In the «Admonitions of Ipuwer» (attributed by V.V. Struve to the
Second Intermediate Period), we find an indirect reference to horses:
«Behold, he who had no team now possesses a herd» (1978КоростовцевМА:236). The light chariot appeared in Egypt only during the Hyksos period
(2010FeldmanMH_SauvageC).
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5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba : and the
sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their
wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. … . 31 And Joseph said unto his brothers, and unto his father's house, I
will go up, and tell Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brothers and my father's
house, who were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; … 33 And it shall
come to pass, if Pharaoh should have you called, and say. What is your
occupation?
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Borrowing the word «Pharaoh» |
An Egyptian word that originally designated the palace or the
residence of the king and his administration. By the 12th Dynasty, it became
associated with the three wishes following the royal name (life, prosperity,
health), and by the New Kingdom, the term began to be used as a title for the
king himself (2021NoonanBJ:183).
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5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba : and the
sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their
wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten
in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt; Jacob, and all his seed with him
: 7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons'
daughters, and all his seed he brought with him into Egypt. 8 And these are
the names of the children of Israel, that came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons:
the first-born of Jacob, Reuben. See note! |
Ethnocultural Migration. The textual similarity is manifested in the
description of a large-scale movement of kin groups from Canaan to Egypt,
which in both contexts is interpreted as a sustained process of nomadic resettlement
into the Nile Delta. |
Egypt During the Second Intermediate Period, the Nile Delta was dominated by
Asiatic populations, ruled by the Hyksos pharaohs. Their capital was the
multi-ethnic city of Avaris, established in northeastern Egypt (2018BietakM).
Archaeological evidence indicates a significant influx of migrants between
1610–1590 BCE, leading to period of overpopulation from 1590–1570 BCE
(2005BoothC). Artifacts discovered among the ruins of Avaris reveal an
intensive interaction between Egyptian and Canaanite cultures, with the
latter exerting a dominant influence (1995RedmountCA). A number of
Egyptologists reasonably contend that the «Asiatics» inhabiting the region
were «almost certainly» Canaanites and/or Israelites (2019BillingtonC). Under
Hyksos rule, the inhabitants of Avaris and the surrounding territories formed
a sophisticated urban society engaged in extensive trade—particularly
maritime commerce—and the introduction of horses and chariots into Egypt
(2021BietakM_RensburgA). |
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6 And they took their cattle, and their
goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt;
Jacob, and all his seed with him : … 10 And the sons of
Simeon: Yemuel, and Yamin, and Ohad, and Yachin, and Zochar, and Shaiil the
son of the Canaanitish woman. 11 And the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kehath, and
Merari. … 31 And Joseph said unto his brothers, and
unto his father's house, I will go up, and tell Pharaoh, and say unto him, My
brothers and my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, are come unto
me;
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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 a letter
(ARM 26/1 140, Mari archive) from Nur-Addu addressed to Zimri-Lim,
«Yakhsib-El, the Canaanite» is mentioned (1988CharpinD:303–305). The
Mesopotamian archive of Mari dates to the first half of the 18th century BCE
(1956Munn-RankinJM:106). «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 arca where they are located in the Late Bronze Age.» (1994NaʾamanN:398). «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). «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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8 And these are the names of the children of
Israel, that came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: the first-born of Jacob,
Reuben. 9 And the sons of Reuben: Chanoch, and Pallu, and Chezron, and Carmi.
10 And the sons of Simeon: Yemuel, and Yamin, and Ohad, and Yachin, and
Zochar, and Shaiil the son of the Canaanitish woman. 11 And the sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kehath, and Merari. 12 And the sons of Judah: 'Er, and Onan, and
Shelah, and Perez, and Zeracli; but 'Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan,
and the sons of Perez were Chezron and Chamul. 13 And the sons of Issachar:
Tola, and Puvah, and Yob, and Shimron. 14 And the sons of Zebulun : Sered and
Elon, and Yachleel. 15 These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore unto Jacob
in Padan-aram, with Dinah his daughter: all the souls of his sons and his
daughters were thirty and three.
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Sacral Numerological
Symbolism. The similarity is manifested
in the utilization of the number fourteen—corresponding to the number of
Jacob's direct descendants and the dismembered parts of Osiris's body—as a
structural element symbolizing the integral wholeness of a familial or divine
organism. |
Egypt Jacob and his thirteen children (twelve sons and one daughter)
collectively constitute the number fourteen. According to Egyptian myth,
Seth, upon discovering the deceased Osiris, fell into a rage; «uttering
curses, the villain drew a sword, hewed his brother's body into fourteen
parts, and scattered them throughout Egypt» (2004РакИВ:80). Furthermore, according to Plutarch (1st–2nd
century CE), these fourteen segments into which Osiris was torn signify the
lunar phases, specifically the days during which the «luminary wanes from the
full moon to the new moon» (1996Плутарх:42).
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15 These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore
unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with Dinah his daughter: all the souls of his sons
and his daughters were thirty and three.
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Biographical and
Ethnocultural Isomorphism. A similar narrative motif of
returning from Asia to restore one’s original identity, conceptualized as a
transition from East to West.
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Egypt In Utterance № 578 (1531a-b) of the «Pyramid Texts», dated to
2350-2175 BCE, it is stated: «Osiris N., thou shalt not hasten to those lands
of the East; thou shalt hasten to these lands of the West by the way of the
Followers of Rē‘.» (1952MercerSAB:389). As a result, «Sinuhe flees from
Egypt to Syria, where he spends many years» (1978КоростовцевМА:266) Later, the hero returns from Asia, making a transition from east to
west toward the banks of the Nile. Specifically, in «The Story of Sinuhe»
(Middle Kingdom), [it is] exclaimed to the Pharaoh: «Look, here is Sinuhe! He
has returned looking like an Asiatic, as if he were an Asiatic» (1958КацнельсонИС_МендельсонФЛ:40). In another translation
of the «Tale of Sinuhe», we read: «And his majesty said to the king’s wife: —
Look, Sinuhe has returned in the guise of an Asiatic, a born Bedouin». (1979ЛившицИГ_РубинштейнРИ:26). The classic
translation of «The Story of Sinuhe» into English: «Then the royal daughters were brought in, and his
majesty said to the queen: "Here is Sinuhe, come as an Asiatic, a
product of nomads!".» (2006LichtheimM:1.232).
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15 These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore
unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with Dinah his daughter: all the souls of his sons
and his daughters were thirty and three.
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Toponymic verification. Reference to a specific settlement
in Northern Syria that emerged prior to the appearance of the Aramean tribes. |
Mesopotamia Aram appears among the toponyms of Northern Syria nearly 3000 years
before the common era as «A-ra-muki», while the Mesopotamian settlement
«Arame» (A-ra-meki) is recorded in cuneiform inscriptions dating to the 22nd
century before the common era. (2000LipińskiE) |
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20 And there were born unto Joseph in the
land of Egypt Menasseh and Ephraim, whom Assenath the daughter of Poti-phera',
the priest of On, bore- unto him.
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Borrowing of the word «Asenath». |
A Hebrew rendition of an originally Egyptian personal name meaning
«(She) belongs to the goddess Neith.» (2020TheisC:2, bibelwissenschaft.de). |
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20 And there were born unto Joseph in the
land of Egypt Menasseh and Ephraim, whom Assenath the daughter of
Poti-phera', the priest of On, bore- unto him.
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Borrowing of the word «Poti-phera» |
An Egyptian name suggested to be translated as «The one whom Pharaoh
has given» (1996GörgM:10). |
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20 And there were born unto Joseph in the
land of Egypt Menasseh and Ephraim, whom Assenath the daughter of Poti-phera',
the priest of On, bore- unto him.
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The Status of the Heliopolitan Priestly Elite. The similarity lies in the mention of the high clergy of the city of
On (Heliopolis) as the most authoritative social group, whose kinship or
status served as a guarantee of legitimacy and high standing at court. |
Egypt «The priests of Heliopolis evidently edited religious texts that were
rewritten and copied in the College, adapting them to their own views» (2000БаджЭАУ). «The High Priest of Heliopolis was called the 'Great Seer' (that is,
possibly, an astronomer)» (2021МюллерМ:203). In the
story from the cycle «Tales of the Sons of Pharaoh Khufu» («Westcar Papyrus»,
late 17th century BCE), the «Chamber of Records» [House of Life?] in
Heliopolis is mentioned, and it is prophesied that an unborn child will
become the «Great Seer in Heliopolis» (1978КоростовцевМА:31-32). In «Three Tales of Wonder» (Papyrus Westcar, Hyksos period) we read: «Said Djedi: "It is the eldestofthe three children who are in the womb of Ruddedet who will bring it to you." Said his majesty: "I want iti but say: who is this Ruddedet?" Said Djedi: "She is the wife of a priest of Re, lord ofSakhbu, who is pregnant with three children of Re, lord of Sakhbu. He has said concerning them that they will assume this beneficent office in this whole land, and the eldest of them will be high priest in On."» (2006LichtheimM:1.219).
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20 And there were born unto Joseph in the
land of Egypt Menasseh and Ephraim, whom Assenath the daughter of
Poti-phera', the priest of On, bore- unto him.
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Integration into the
Theocratic Elite. The similarity is manifested in the reference to the city of On
(Heliopolis) as an intellectual and sacred center, whose high priesthood
possessed an exceptional status necessary for the legitimation of
high-ranking state officials. |
Egypt «On» — the most ancient and sacred city of Egypt (Heliopolis to the
Greeks) — «was the primary site of solar mythology. … In Heliopolis resided
the earthly representative of the Celestial Tree, the sacred fruit tree —
Persea» (2021МюллерМ:33). «The
earliest center of Egyptian religion, the ancient city of On – Heliopolis,
was located at the beginning of the great caravan route from the East, and
there, it must be assumed, a constant exchange of ideas occurred even in the
most remote periods» (2021МюллерМ:161-162). В изречении № 213 из
собрания «Текстов на саркофагах» (ок. 2134-2040 до совр. эры) читаем: «Я ем
красную полбу [эммер], и семь хлебов на небе в Оне [Гелиополисе] с Ра, семь
частей [на земле] у Геба, семь частей у Осириса.» (1973FaulknerRO:170). «Coffin
Texts»
(2134-2040 BCE) Spell № 213: «I eat of red emmer, and seven loaves are in the sky in On
with Re seven portions are [on earth] with Geb, seven portions are with
Osiris.» (1973FaulknerRO:170). Pyramid of Pepi I (6th
Dynasty, ca. 2289–2255 BCE) Recitation № 319 «Ho, Pepi! You shall become ba as the bas of
Heliopolis, you shall become ba as the bas of Nekhen, you shall become ba as
the bas of Pe, you shall become ba as the living star at the fore of his
brothers.» (2007AllenJP:124). In Utterance № 21 (14a-c) of the «Pyramid Texts», dated to 2350–2175
BCE, the ritual of opening the mouth of the deceased's mummy is accompanied
by the words: «with the copper, (or, iron) which comes forth from Set, the mśḫtiw-hook
of copper (or, iron), which opens the mouth of the gods. He opens the mouth
of N. therewith, that he may go, that he himself may speak before the Great
Ennead in the house of the prince, which is in Heliopolis,»
(1952MercerSAB:44-45). Pyramid Texts (2350-2175 BCE) in Utterance
№ 600 (1652a,b): «O Atum-Khepri, when thou didst mount as a hill, and didst
shine as bnw of the ben (or, benben) in the temple of the "phoenix"
in Heliopolis» (1952MercerSAB:410). Pyramid of
Pepi II (6th Dynasty, ca. 2246–2152 BCE) Recitation № 359 «Atum Beetle! You became high, as the hill; you
rose as the benben in the Benben Enclosure in Heliopolis.» (2007AllenJP:269). Benben Enclosure – designation of the solar temple in Heliopolis, or a
part of it (2007AllenJP:427)
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20 And there were born unto Joseph in the
land of Egypt Menasseh and Ephraim, whom Assenath the daughter of
Poti-phera', the priest of On, bore- unto him. 21 And the sons of Benjamin:
Bela, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman,Echi, and Rosh, Muppim, and
Chuppim, and Ard. |
Ethno-Onomastic Authenticity The similarity is manifested
in the use of the name «Benjamin» (Binyamin) as a documented anthroponym and
ethnonym within the Near East during the Middle Bronze Age.
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Mesopotamia The correspondence from the Mari archives mentions the Benjaminite
tribes, their kings, and princes, who lived in proximity to the Bedouins of
Canaan. Specifically, the author of a letter (ARM 26/1 282) reminds
Zimri-Lim: «Two Canaanites must be brought alive to the border and mutilated
there. They must go alive to the Benjaminites and tell them that my Lord has
captured the city of Mishlan by force...» (1988CharpinD:582-583, archibab.fr). A certain Ishi-Addu, in a
letter (ARM 26/1 121), conveys the words of oracles: «Go to Dur-Yahdun-Lim
and verify the prophecies concerning the inhabitants of Qatna and the
Zalmakkum, relating to the Benjaminites. If, when Zimri-Lim and his troops
set out on a campaign... the Benjaminites will surely form a solid block with
their forces and [...] and besiege Dur-Yahdun-Lim» (1988CharpinD:287-288, archibab.fr). The Mesopotamian archive
of Mari dates to the first half of the 18th century BCE
(1956Munn-RankinJM:106).
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25 These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban
gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bore these unto Jacob, in all seven
souls. |
Numerological correspondence. In both traditions, the number
«seven» is used as a sacred marker of the absolute completeness of an action. |
Egypt The Egyptian concept of the
Seven Hathors is well known: «A complex form of the goddess Hathor’s cult;
evidently, her simultaneous incarnation into seven hypostases» (2004РакИВ:286). Hathor («Enclosure of Horus»), the wife of
the god Horus, represents the principle of joy, feminine love, and
motherhood. Pyramid of Unis (5th Dynasty, ca. 2353-2323 BCE) Recitation
№ 223: «…who
swallowed his seven uraei and his seven neckbones came into being, [who
governs] his seven Enneads and hears the sovereign’s case.»
(2007AllenJP:60). Coffin Texts (2134-2040 BCE) Spell №
213: «I
eat of red emmer, and seven loaves are in the sky in On with Re seven
portions are [on earth] with Geb, seven portions are with Osiris.» (1973FaulknerRO:170).
In the «Book of the Dead» it is stated: «I have made meat offerings
unto the seven kine and unto their bull.» (1901BudgeEAW:481).
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25 These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban
gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bore these unto Jacob, in all seven
souls. |
Numerological correspondence. In both traditions, the number «seven» is used as a sacred marker of
the absolute completeness of an action.
|
Mesopotamia In the Akkadian «Epic of Gilgamesh», the numeral seven is mentioned
repeatedly: «Six days and seven nights came the wind and flood, the storm
flattening the land. When the seventh day arrived, the storm was pounding,
the flood was a war-struggling with itself like a woman writhing (in labor).»
(1989KovacsMG:101). See also: «When a seventh day arrived I sent forth a dove
and released it. <…> Seven and seven cult vessels I put in place, and
(into the fire) underneath (or: into their bowls) I poured reeds, cedar, and
myrtle.» (1989KovacsMG:145). The standard version of the
«Epic of Gilgamesh», 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). «Myth of Atrahasis», composed ca.
1600 BCE (1989KovacsMG:xxvi).
|
|
27 And the sons of Joseph, who were born him
in Egypt, were two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob, that came into
Egypt, were seventy. |
Sacral-Chronological
Numerical Code. The similarity is evidenced in the use of the number seventy as a
symbol of completion, representing either the duration required to assemble
all constituent parts or the total fullness of a familial composition. |
Egypt The mummy of Osiris was completed in seventy days; however, «various
sources provide different figures for the number of days during which Isis
gathered Osiris's remains. Collectively, the search and mummification spanned
70 days—the period during which Sirius remains invisible» (2004РакИВ:81). Sothis – the morning star, Sirius, seen by the Egyptians as a goddess. «In Egypt the star disappears below the horizon once a year for a period of some seventy days; its reappearance in midsummer marked the beginning of the annual inundation and the Egyptian year. The star’s rising was also seen as a harbinger of the sunrise and therefore associ-ated with Horus in his solar aspect, occasionally specified as Horus in Sothis (œrw jmj spdt), Sothic Horus (œrw spdtj), or Sharp Horus (œrw spd).» (2007AllenJP:441).
|
|
28 And Judah he sent before him unto Joseph,
to direct him beforehand unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen
|
Regulated Border Crossing and State Escort. The similarity lies in the
description of a strictly regulated procedure for the arrival of Asiatic
groups into Egypt, which included prior notification of the authorities and
the dispatch of an official escort.
|
Egypt In «The Story of Sinuhe» (Middle
Kingdom) speaks of the border guards: «Then I made my way
northward. I reached the "Walls of the Ruler," which were made to
repel the Asiatics and to crush the Sand-farers. I crouched in a bush for
fear of being seen by the guard on duty upon the wall.» (2006LichtheimM:1.224).
Below is another account of border crossing: «This servant departed southward. I halted at
Horusways. The commander in charge of the garrison sent a message to the
residence to let it be known. Then his majesty sent a trusted overseer of the
royal domains with whom were loaded ships, bearing royal gifts for the
Asiatics who had come with me to escort me to Horusways.» (2006LichtheimM:1.231). A procession of «Asiatics» arriving
in Egypt is captured in a fresco within the tomb of the official Khnumhotep
II, constructed between 1897 and 1878 BCE (2009KamrinJ). Other Egyptologists
date this depiction of a Canaanite caravan to approximately 1895 BCE
(2021BietakM_RensburgA). |
|
28 And Judah he sent before him unto Joseph,
to direct him beforehand unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen
29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father,
to Goshen; and when he obtained sight of him, he fell on his neck, and wept
on his neck a good while. … 34 That ye shall say,
Owners of cattle have thy servants been from our youth even until now, both
we, as also our fathers; in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen;
for every shepherd is an abommation unto the Egyptians.
|
Geographic and Administrative Localization. The similarity lies in the mention of the specific toponym «Goshen»,
identified as a frontier territory—a region in the eastern Nile Delta
suitable for settlement and animal husbandry. |
Egypt A.H. Gardiner (1924) suggested that the biblical locality «Goshen»
should be sought in the eastern Nile Delta. According to E. Naville, the land
of «Goshen» (Gesem) was located in the east, «not far» from the heart of the
country. «At the western entrance to the Goshen Valley, with its capital
Pe(r)-sopd(u) ('House of Sopdu'; also referred to as the 'House of the
Sycamore'), modern Saft el-Hinna, was situated the twentieth nome of the
Delta, later designated as the 'Arabian Nome'» (2021MullerM:158). In «The Story of Sinuhe» (Middle
Kingdom), it is stated: «I crossed Maaty near Sycamore; I reached
Isle-of-Snefru.» (2006LichtheimM:1.224). |
|
34 That ye shall say, Owners of cattle have
thy servants been from our youth even until now, both we, as also our
fathers; in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd
is an abommation unto the Egyptians.
|
Sociocultural and epidemiological isolation. The similarity is manifested in the practice of strict demarcation of
everyday contacts and separate dining as forms of ritual and sanitary
protection against potential sources of infection associated with foreigners. |
Egypt On the verso
of the «Edwin Smith Papyrus» (1650–1550 BCE), there are three spells for
«protection» against certain epidemics (Incantations № 1–3). One magical
formula (Incantation № 7) was recited during the disinfection of belongings
«against the plague», while another (Incantation № 6) was used in the event
of accidentally swallowing a flying insect (1930BreastedJH:473–478,482,483; sae.saw-leipzig.de). In these spells, we discern utterances that
accompanied anti-epidemic measures. According to Herodotus (5th century BCE), priests in Egypt were
meticulous about cleanliness: «Every three days the priests shave the hair on
their bodies... Twice a day and twice a night they perform ablutions in cold
water and, in short, observe a multitude of other rites.» Furthermore, all
Egyptians wash their dishes and «wear linen garments, always freshly
laundered» (1972Геродот:2.37). Plutarch (1st–2nd century CE)
discusses the special attitude toward personal hygiene on the part of
Egyptian priests and their attention to water as a substance capable of
negatively affecting humans and animals (1996Плутарх:4-5,75).
|
|
34 That ye shall say, Owners of cattle have
thy servants been from our youth even until now, both we, as also our
fathers; in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd
is an abommation unto the Egyptians.
|
Diplomatic identity. The established structural similarity of rhetorical formulas «your
servant» confirms the use in the Book of Genesis of an authentic protocol of
interstate and social correspondence from the Middle Bronze Age. |
Mesopotamia The standard opening of vassal correspondence from the Mari archives
contains the formula «your servant». A letter from Kibri-Dagan to his lord
Zimri-Lim (ARM 26/1 210) states: «Say to my Lord: Thus (spoke) Kibri-Dagan,
your servant.» (1988CharpinD:439-440). A letter from Askudum and Rishiya to
their lord Zimri-Lim (ARM 26/1 11): «Say to our Lord: Thus speak Askudum and
Rishiya, your servants.» (1988CharpinD:107-109); A letter from Shibtu to her
lord Zimri-Lim (ARM 26/1 214): «Say to my Lord: Thus speaks Shibtu, your
servant: In the temple of Annunitum in the city of Ahatum, the servant of
Dagan-Malik prophesied and said the following…» (1988CharpinD:442-443). The Mesopotamian archive of Mari dates to the first half of the 18th
century BCE (1956Munn-RankinJM:106).
|
Topographic and Chronological Context of Beer Sheba
1 And Israel commenced his journey with all
that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his
father Isaac.
5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba : and the
sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their
wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
The modern administrative center of Beer Sheva (31°14'45"N, 34°47'33"E) is situated in the Negev Desert. Approximately two kilometers to the east lie the ruins of the ancient settlement of Tel Be'er Sheva (31°14'44"N, 34°50'27"E). The earliest traces of human activity in this territory date to the late fifth millennium BCE (2006GileadI_VardiJ). However, the delineated area remained entirely abandoned for approximately 2,000 years during the Bronze Age (1979GerdosI_SternI). Substantive evidence for the existence of the settlement of «Beer Sheba» dates only to 1050–1025 BCE (1986BraemerF).
Technological Diffusion of Chariotry
29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went
up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and when he obtained sight of him, he
fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
Light wagons appeared in the steppes of Ukraine during the third millennium BCE, from where they were introduced into Eastern Anatolia (1986MooreyPRS). However, it was only at the beginning of the second millennium BCE that the two-wheeled vehicle, which can be defined as a chariot, was engineered (2022LittauerMA_CrouwelJH). Joseph was transported in a chariot following his appointment as prime minister (Gen. 41:43); he later used a chariot to go and meet his father, who had been brought to the Nile Delta in a wagon (Gen. 46:29). Furthermore, chariots were part of Jacob’s funerary procession (Gen. 50:9). The light chariot became widespread in the Eastern Mediterranean and throughout the Near East during the second millennium BCE, yet it appeared in Egypt only during the Hyksos period (2010FeldmanMH_SauvageC). The first evidence of a horse-drawn chariot in an Egyptian text is found on the stela of Pharaoh Kamose, dating approximately to 1550 BCE (2025FlamminiRC).
Yaqub-Har and the Hyksos Context.
6 And they took their cattle, and their goods,
which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt; Jacob, and
all his seed with him:
Yaqub-Har was a West Semitic (Amorite/Canaanite) ruler of the Hyksos period, traditionally assigned to the 15th or 16th Dynasty (c. 1700–1550 BCE) during Egypt's Second Intermediate Period. His historical existence is attested by a significant corpus of scarab seals found across a vast geographical range, extending from the Nile Delta (Avaris) to the southern Levant (Canaan). These artifacts frequently bear the titulary «Son of Ra» (Sa-Ra) alongside the West Semitic name «Yaqub» (Jacob), representing a definitive Semitic-Egyptian synthesis in administrative and sacral authority. The widespread distribution of these seals demonstrates a centralized bureaucratic control and high social stratification, correlating with the biblical depiction of a wealthy, semi-autonomous pastoral elite operating within the Egyptian-Levantine sphere. Such archaeological evidence provides a plausible historical and onomastic anchor for the name Jacob during the Hyksos-Avaris horizon.
(The conclusion compiled by the AI agent, with our minor changes)
Preliminary Conclusion to the Analysis of Genesis Chapter 46
Onomastic
Near Eastern Tradition
The
application of the theophoric element «El» in personal names (Gen. 46:10, 14)
finds direct structural and linguistic analogies in the Mari archives (first
half of the 18th century BCE), where names such as Yakhsib-El and Ibal-pi-El
are documented. This onomastic model is characteristic of the Amorite substrate
of the Old Babylonian period, confirming that the Biblical anthroponyms belong
to an authentic Near Eastern naming tradition of the early 2nd millennium BCE.
Such a precise correspondence in naming formulas serves as a robust argument
for the genealogical stratum of Chapter 46 being rooted in the historical
context of the Middle Bronze Age.
Theophanic
Oneiromancy and Cultural Continuity
The motif
of receiving divine instruction through nocturnal visions (Gen. 46:2) reflects
a highly developed tradition of oneiromancy and theophany prevalent in Egypt
and Mesopotamia during the early-to-mid 2nd millennium BCE. Evidence from the
12th Dynasty «Dream Books» (e.g., Papyrus Chester Beatty III) and the Old Babylonian
«Epic of Gilgamesh» (c. 1800–1600 BCE) confirms that dreams were regarded as
legitimate, systematic channels for political and spiritual guidance. By
framing Jacob’s migration as a response to a prophetic awakening, the text
utilizes a specific Middle Bronze Age literary and psychological template where
«the sleeper who sees the dream» acts upon divine directives to «increase
well-being» or «ward off events.»
Zooarchaeological
and Technological Synchronicity
The
provision of Egyptian wagons for Jacob’s migration (Gen. 46:5) aligns with the
transformative period of the mid-2nd millennium BCE, when equestrian technology
and wheeled transport became integrated into Near Eastern logistics. Textual
evidence from the Mari archives (18th century BCE) regarding Canaanite horses
and ritual chariots, combined with the horse skeleton at Buhen (c. 2055–1650
BCE), confirms that the infrastructure described in the narrative was an
established reality during the Middle Bronze II and Hyksos periods.
Consequently, the presence of royal transport and specialized drivers (as
mentioned in Middle Kingdom texts like «Be a Scribe») serves as a precise
technological marker for dating the Genesis 46 migration to the era of active
cultural and military diffusion between Egypt, Anatolia, and the Levant.
Ethnocultural
Migration and Urban Resettlement
The
description of a large-scale kin-group migration from Canaan to Egypt (Gen.
46:5–7) precisely mirrors the archaeological and historical realities of the
Second Intermediate Period (c. 1650–1550 BCE). Excavations at Avaris (Tell
el-Dab'a) confirm a massive influx of Asiatic/Canaanite populations between
1610–1590 BCE, creating a multi-ethnic society where Levantine material culture
exerted a dominant influence. By situating the settlement of Jacob’s household
within this specific geographic and demographic surge, the narrative aligns
with the documented rise of a sophisticated, trade-oriented urban society in
the Eastern Delta under Hyksos rule.
Ethnopolitical
Isomorphism and Territorial Identification
The
systematic use of the term «Canaan» (Gen. 46:31) as a distinct geopolitical and
ethnic designation aligns with the diplomatic nomenclature found in the Mari
archives (c. 18th century BCE) and the Alalakh and Nuzi records (c. 15th
century BCE). Archaeological and textual evidence confirms that «Canaanite»
served as a standardized identifier for West Semitic populations during the
Middle and Late Bronze Ages, distinguishing them from neighboring Hurrian or
Amorite entities. Consequently, the presence of this toponym in the narrative
serves as a diagnostic marker, situating the text’s historical horizon within
the transformative period of the mid-2nd millennium BCE when regional
identities were formally codified in international archives.
Sacral
Numerology and Biographic Isomorphism
The
numerical structuring of Jacob’s household into fourteen descendants (Gen.
46:22) and the motif of returning from the East to the Nile in the «guise of an
Asiatic» (Gen. 46:29–34) reflect profound structural parallels with Egyptian
Middle Kingdom theology and literature. The use of «fourteen» aligns with the
Osirian myth of the Pyramid Texts (c. 2350–2175 BCE), symbolizing the
restoration of a fragmented body—a lunar-based code for familial wholeness—while
the transition from «nomadic product» to Egyptian resident mirrors the
reintegration of the hero in the «Story of Sinuhe.» Consequently, the narrative
utilizes established 2nd-millennium BCE cultural tropes to frame the Israelite
descent into Egypt as a legitimate restoration of identity and divine order.
Onomastic
and Toponymic Authenticity
The use of
the toponym «Aram» (Gen. 46:21) and specific Egyptian names such as Asenath and
Poti-phera (Gen. 46:20) in Genesis 45-46 demonstrates the author's profound
historical awareness of 2nd-millennium BCE realities. The mention of Aram as a
Semitic toponym (A-ra-muki) in North Mesopotamian cuneiform texts as early as
the 22nd century BCE confirms that this term existed long before the emergence
of Aramean tribes in the early 1st millennium BCE. Linguistic analysis of the
names Asenath («She belongs to the goddess Neith») and Poti-phera («The one
whom Pharaoh has given») reveals their authentic Egyptian origins, typical of
the onomastics of the Middle and New Kingdoms. Thus, the combination of
Mesopotamian toponymy and Egyptian titulature serves as a reliable indicator
that the textual substrate of the chapter was formed during the era of active
cultural exchange in the Middle Bronze Age. This allows the narrative to be
viewed not as a late reconstruction, but as a reflection of the actual
ethnopolitical situation in the Nile and Euphrates regions.
Heliopolitan
Elite and Theocratic Legitimation
The integration
of Joseph into the priestly family of On (Heliopolis) through his marriage to
Asenath (Gen. 46:20) reflects an authentic socio-religious reality of the
Middle Kingdom and the Second Intermediate Period. As the primary center of
solar mythology and intellectual life, Heliopolis housed the «Great Seers» and
the «House of Life,» where the high priesthood possessed the exclusive
authority to legitimate state officials and even prophesy the rise of
dynasties, as evidenced by the Westcar Papyrus (17th century BCE). The mention
of Heliopolis (On) as a destination of supreme prestige aligns with the Pyramid
and Coffin Texts (c. 2350–2040 BCE), which depict the city as the cosmic
threshold where the deceased and the elite are transformed into ba (spirits) before
the Great Ennead. By situating the patriarchs' lineage within this Heliopolitan
framework, the narrative utilizes the most ancient and sacred urban center of
Egypt to anchor the Joseph cycle in a period when the solar temple (Benben
Enclosure) served as the ultimate source of administrative and sacral
stability. This specific focus on Heliopolitan status suggests that the text
preserves a memory of a time when the «Great Seers» of On were the
indispensable arbiters of royal and bureaucratic power in the Nile Delta.
Ethno-Onomastic
Authenticity and Tribal Geography
The
identification of «Benjamin» (Binu-Yamina) in the Mari archives (18th century
BCE) as both a prominent anthroponym and a powerful tribal entity provides a
direct historical anchor for the biblical name within the Middle Bronze Age.
The correspondence from Zimri-Lim’s reign confirms that the Benjaminites were a
militarily significant group operating on the frontiers of Canaan and
Mesopotamia, involved in local prophecies and geopolitical alliances. By
situating Benjamin as a key figure in Jacob’s household during the migration to
Egypt (Gen. 46:19-21), the narrative utilizes a documented ethnic and onomastic
tradition that was actively shaping the Near Eastern landscape in the early 2nd
millennium BCE. This synchronicity suggests that the text preserves authentic
tribal nomenclature from the Old Babylonian period, accurately reflecting the
mobility and status of West Semitic groups prior to the Late Bronze Age.
The
Sacred Septenary and Cosmic Completion
The
recurrent use of the number seven (and its multiples, such as seventy in Gen.
46:27) as a marker of absolute completion finds exact theological and literary
parallels in the Old Babylonian and Middle Kingdom traditions. In the Epic of
Gilgamesh (c. 1800–1600 BCE) and the Atrahasis Myth, the «seventh day» and the
creation of «seven pairs» of humans symbolize the transition from chaos to a
stabilized divine order, while Egyptian Coffin Texts (c. 2134–2040 BCE) employ
the «seven loaves» and «seven portions» to denote a state of ritual fullness in
Heliopolis. By framing the transition of Jacob’s household into Egypt through
this septenary logic, the narrative utilizes a shared Near Eastern sacral
metric that was fundamental to defining the wholeness of a creative or
restorative act during the early-to-mid 2nd millennium BCE. Consequently, this
numerological consistency anchors the text in a period where «seven» was the
primary symbolic vehicle for expressing the perfection of divine assembly and
the fulfillment of destiny.
Sacral-Chronological
Numerical Code
The
enumeration of seventy descendants in Jacob’s household (Gen. 46:27) functions
as a sacral-chronological marker deeply embedded in the Egyptian astronomical
and ritual cycles of the Middle and New Kingdoms. The number seventy directly
corresponds to the seventy-day invisibility of Sirius (Sothis)—a period
representing the interval of transition before the Nile's inundation—and the
subsequent seventy-day duration of the Osirian mummification rite. By utilizing
this specific metric, the narrative characterizes the arrival of the seventy
souls in Egypt as a moment of cosmic completion and «rebirth,» analogous to the
restoration of the divine body and the heliacal rising of the star.
Consequently, this numerical code provides a precise 2nd-millennium BCE cultural
anchor, linking the structural wholeness of the Israelite family to the
foundational Egyptian concepts of temporal and biological renewal.
Geographic
and Administrative Localization
The
identification of Goshen (Gen. 46:28) as the designated settlement for the
patriarchal group aligns with the historical topography and administrative
division of the Middle Kingdom (c. 2040–1783 BCE) and the Second Intermediate
Period. By locating this region in the eastern Nile Delta—specifically the 20th
Nome with its capital at Per-Sopdu (the «House of the Sycamore»)—the narrative
utilizes an authentic geographic framework confirmed by the «Story of Sinuhe»
and later archaeological assessments by Naville and Gardiner. Consequently, the
description of Goshen as a frontier territory suitable for pastoralism reflects
a period when the Eastern Delta served as a primary zone for Semitic
immigration and specialized land management, providing a concrete spatial anchor
for the narrative within the second millennium BCE.
Sociocultural
and Epidemiological Isolation
The
practice of strict demarcation in daily contacts and separate dining (Gen.
46:34) finds profound parallels in the Egyptian sanitary and ritual norms of
the Middle and New Kingdoms. Texts from the Edwin Smith Papyrus (c. 1650–1550
BCE), containing spells against «the plague» (epidemics), confirm the existence
of a developed system of disinfection and protection against external
infections. The tradition of exceptional cleanliness and ritual segregation of
Egyptians from foreigners («an abomination to the Egyptians»), later documented
by Herodotus and Plutarch, reflects an authentic hygienic code of the 2nd
millennium BCE, where the isolation of pastoralist groups served as a form of
epidemiological defense for sedentary society. Thus, the social barrier
described in Chapter 46 is not a literary fiction, but a reflection of actual
medical and sanitary protocols from the Second Intermediate Period.
Diplomatic
Identity and Formal Protocol
The
recurrence of the rhetorical formula «your servant» (ebduka) in the patriarchal
dialogue (Gen. 46:34) demonstrates a precise adherence to the Middle Bronze Age
diplomatic and social protocols. As documented in the Mari archives (18th
century BCE), this specific opening was the standardized vassal and
administrative greeting used in correspondence between subordinates (such as
Kibri-Dagan or Askudum) and their sovereign, Zimri-Lim. The consistent
application of this servile terminology by Jacob’s sons when addressing the
Egyptian administration reflects an authentic knowledge of the interstate
etiquette prevalent throughout the Near East during the Old Babylonian period.
Consequently, the inclusion of these formal linguistic markers suggests that
the narrative preserves a historical layer of second-millennium BCE diplomatic
discourse, further anchoring the text’s origin in a period of highly structured
socio-political hierarchy.
General
Conclusion
The
comprehensive analysis of Genesis 45-46, based on fourteen thematic blocks of
data, reveals a profound convergence between the Biblical narrative and the
historical-cultural landscape of the Near East during the second millennium
BCE:
Diplomatic
and Onomastic Authenticity: The use of Amorite theophoric names containing the
element «El,» the mention of the tribal group «Benjaminites,» and strict
adherence to the protocol formula «your servant» find direct parallels in the
Mari archives (18th century BCE). This evidence attests to the preservation of
an authentic administrative lexicon from the Middle Bronze Age.
Ethnocultural
Migration and Toponymy: The description of the resettlement of kin groups into
the Nile Delta and their establishment in the frontier region of Goshen (20th Nome)
perfectly aligns with archaeological data from Avaris (Tell el-Dab'a). The
period of massive Asiatic influx during the 17th–16th centuries BCE under
Hyksos rule provides the most precise historical context for this narrative.
Sacral-Numerological
Coding: The structural utilization of the numbers 14 (corresponding to the
parts of Osiris’s body) and 70 (corresponding to the period of Sirius's
invisibility and the duration of mummification) indicates a deep integration of
the text into the Egyptian theological systems of the Middle and New Kingdoms.
These numerals serve as markers of «fullness» and the «rebirth» of the familial
organism within Egypt's sacred space.
Sociocultural
and Epidemiological Isolation: The segregation of pastoralists as a form of sanitary
protection for the sedentary population is corroborated by the medical
protocols found in the Edwin Smith Papyrus (c. 1650–1550 BCE). This underscores
the authentic nature of the medico-social barriers prevalent during that era.
Final
Verdict
Based on
the synthesis of all analyzed factors, the most probable dating for the
formation of the factual and cultural core of Genesis 46 is the 18th–16th
centuries BCE (Middle Bronze Age II / Second Intermediate Period).
Despite the presence of a later toponymic anachronism (Beer Sheba, pointing to the Iron Age, c. 11th century BCE), the vast majority of the data—ranging from zooarchaeology (horses and wagons) to the Heliopolitan priestly hierarchy—reflects the state of the region in the middle of the second millennium BCE. The text captures a unique period of Hyksos-Levantine synthesis, characterized by high status and administrative mobility for Semitic groups within Egypt.
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 22, 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 46. About round ligament of femur. March 22, 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
NB! Fair practice / use: copied for the purposes of criticism, review, comment, research and private study in accordance with Copyright Laws of the US: 17 U.S.C. §107; Copyright Law of the EU: Dir. 2001/29/EC, art.5/3a,d; Copyright Law of the RU: ГК РФ ст.1274/1.1-2,7
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