There is no direct evidence that people worshipping Yahweh sojourned in ancient Egypt, let alone during the time the Exodus is believed to have happened. There is indirect evidence that at least some did. What's for sure is that thousands of years ago, Egypt was crawling with Semitic-speaking peoples.
Throughout antiquity, Egypt was known as the breadbasket of the world. The annual flooding of the Nile produced rich harvests, and when famine hit neighboring lands, starving peoples often made their way to the fruitful soils of Egypt.
The archaeological record clearly shows that at least some of these peoples were of Semitic origin , coming from Canaan specifically and the Levant in general.
In fact, the histories of both the Egyptian upper kingdom ruled from Thebes in southern Egypt and the lower kingdom ruled from Avaris in the north , and Canaan were intimately tied together. Starting over 4, years ago, Semites began crossing the deserts from Palestine into Egypt.
The tomb of the high priest Khnumhotep II of the 20th century BCE even shows a scene of Semitic traders bringing offerings to the dead top picture. Some of these Semites came to Egypt as traders and immigrants. Others were prisoners of war, and yet others were sold into slavery by their own people. A papyrus mentions a wealthy Egyptian lord whose 77 slaves included 48 of Semitic origin.
In fact, by the late Middle Kingdom era, around years ago, Canaanites had actually achieved absolute power, in the form of a line of Canaanite pharaohs ruling the Lower Kingdom, coexisting with the Egyptian-ruled Upper Kingdom. These Canaanite pharaohs included the mysterious "Yaqub," whose existence is attested by 27 scarabs found in Egypt, Canaan and Nubia and a famous one found at Shikmona, by Haifa.
The biblical tradition of the patriarch Jacob settling in Egypt could well derive from this time. In time, the Canaanite leaders were themselves ousted by the Hyksos, a mysterious group who settled in Egypt some time before BCE, and who came to rule the Lower Kingdom from the city of Avaris.
Controversy remains, but it is increasingly agreed that the Hyksos originated from northern Levant - Lebanon or Syria. Some scholars believe the Semitic traders shown in the mural on Khnumhotep II's tomb are actually Hyksos.
Under the Hyksos' wing, the Canaanite population in the delta grew and waxed stronger, as shown by findings in ancient Avaris Tell el-Dab'a. The Canaanite presence is attested by pottery that was Canaanite in form and chemically derived from Palestine. The dominant religious burial practices in Avaris at the time were also Canaanite. Eventually, the Hyksos in their turn would be vanquished. The Hyksos were driven out of Egypt through the Sinai into southern Canaan. He cites the 3rd-century Egyptian scribe and priest Manetho, who wrote that after their expulsion, the Hyksos wandered in the desert before establishing Jerusalem.
Some scholars suspect that Exodus is based on distant Semitic memories of the expulsion of the Hyksos.
Others are dubious about Manethos' history, which was penned centuries after the actual event. Also, the Hyksos were expelled monarchs of Egypt, not slaves. Ultimately, they are not a very likely source for the Haggadah story. So it is embarrassing for archaeologists to be asked who the pharaoh of the Exodus was. But it is a question that comes up every year before Passover, when we Jews celebrate our escape from Egyptian slavery into freedom.
Subscribe for our daily newsletter. Hot Opinion. Most Read. Reporters' Tweets. About Us. Contact us. Advertise with Us. Terms Of Service. Privacy Policy. Subscriber Agreement. It is hard to believe that , families which would mean about two million people crossed the entire Sinai without leaving one shard of pottery the archeologist's best friend with Hebrew writing on it.
It is remarkable that Egyptian records make no mention of the sudden migration of what would have been nearly a quarter of their population, nor has any evidence been found for any of the expected effects of such an exodus; such as economic downturn or labor shortages.
Furthermore, there is no evidence in Israel that shows a sudden influx of people from another culture at that time. No rapid departure from traditional pottery has been seen, no record or story of a surge in population. In fact, there's absolutely no more evidence to suggest that the story is true than there is in support of any of the Arab world's conspiracy theories and tall tales about Jews.
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