1. Genesis Week 14 – Historical Joseph “ During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.” Gen 41:47-49

2. Egypt  ~6000 BC - 1 st evidence of people  ~3000 BC – Pharaonic Dynasties Appear  A distinct cultural identity for >3000 years  Egypt called the “tabernacle of Ham” & “the Land of Ham” in Ps 78:51; 105:23,27; 106:22; 1 Ch 4:40  Time Measured by:  Kingdom  Dynasty  Pharaoh

3. Pharaonic Rule Begins 1 st Hierogliphs Antony & Cleopatra Pyramids at Giza & Sphinx Use of Papyrus Akhenaten’s Monotheism Death of King Tut Ages of Egypt Pre-Dynastic Early-Dynastic Old Kingdom Intermediate Periods Middle Kingdom New Kingdom (3 rd ) Late-Dynastic Greek Roman (1 st ) ( 2 nd ) Dynasty 1 3 9-11 15-17 21 25 31 3000 2000 1000 BC/AD BC

4. Dating Joseph  Not conclusive but we can get close  Theories:  Mainstream scholarship – 1900 and 1700 BC  Old Kingdom – Imhotep or Ptahhotep

5. Imhotep  Regarded as from humble origins  A great architect – Built great grain stores throughout the land  2 nd in command to the Pharaoh  Highly regarded for his advice  Worshipped as a God in the new kingdom  Presided over a 7 year famine during which he created canals from off of the Nile to water the fields  Had a dream that predicted end to famine (ref: famine stele)  Lived around 2700 BC under Pharaoh Zoser

6. Ptahhotep  A wise man – Published a book of proverbs  Advisor to Pharaoh  Died at 110 years old  2400 BC under Pharaohs Menkauhor and Assa Djed-Ka-Ra

7. Literal Interpretation 2000 BC Middle Kingdom2 nd Interim 1500 1750 12 th Dynasty Senusret II 1894-1878 BC Senusret III 1878-1841 BC Amenemhet III 1841-1797 BC Start with Solomon’s Reign ~966 BC 1 Kings 6:1 – EXODUS was 480 years before the 4 th year of Solomon Gen 15:13; Exodus 12:40 – “Oppression/Sojourning…was 430” 966 + 480 + 430 = 1876 Israel & Family came to Egypt ~1876 Joseph born ~20-30 years before this in ~1900 BC Joseph lived 71 years after Israel’s family arrived in Egypt Joseph died ~1805

8. Population Counter Argument  Num 1 – Census of Moses ~603,550 men (20 yrs & up)  Add ~603,550 women  Add ~60% for kids under 20 (720,000)  TOTAL min. Pop. at Exodus ~1.9 million  This is ~2.5% population growth. In fact, this factor really only applies in modern times (Post WWII). Prior to this pop growth rates were closer to 4-5%.  Some argue that with a 5% growth rate Israel would have taken only about 250 years to get to those numbers.  Calculate the 430 years from the time Abraham originally went down into Egypt.

9. Other Evidence  Gen 37:28 – Joseph sold for 20 shekels of silver  Egyptian records during the Middle Kingdom established the price of a slave ranged from 10-40 Shekels of Silver  Not Likely under Hyksos  Gen 39 – Potiphar was Egyptian, not likely under Hyksos  Gen 41, 42, 45 – Joseph ruled ALL the land of Egypt.  Hyksos only conquered Northern Egypt  41:45 - Joseph’s wife was Egyptian daughter of a priest, not Hyksos  41:47 – Joseph shaved himself, an Egyptian custom.  Tale of Sinuhe, shaved himself as he returned from long exile in Asia

10. Vizier  Middle Kingdom – 2 nd only to Pharaoh  41:40-42 – 2 nd only to Pharaoh & ruled All Egypt  47:20 – Purchased land over all of Egypt  Was Joseph listed in Egyptian records?  Very little info in Egyptian records about Viziers  2 are mentioned, but after Joseph’s time:  Sebekemhat & Khnumhotep  K. was listed uniquely as chief steward and Vizier  Perhaps Joseph paved the way for this combined office

11. Archeological Evidence for Joseph Click The Pic

12. Toward Next Week  Exodus