Israel In Egypt

Scholars of the Hebrew Bible have in the last decade begun to question the historical accuracy of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt, as described in the book of Exodus. The reason for the rejection of the exodus tradition is said to be the lack of historical and archaeological evidence in Egypt. Those advancing these claims, however, are not specialists in the study of Egyptian history, culture, and archaeology. In this pioneering book, James Hoffmeier examines the most current Egyptological evidence and argues that it supports the biblical record concerning Israel in Egypt.

Israel in Egypt is an investigation into the Jewish experience of the land and people of Egypt from antiquity to the middle ages. Using contemporary sources to explore the varied experience of Egypt’s Jews, the volume brings together a rich collection of studies from top scholars in the field.

The Hebrew Scriptures consider the exodus from Egypt to be Israel’s formative and foundational event. Indeed, the Bible offers no other explanation for Israel’s origin as a people. It is also true that no contemporary record regarding a man named Moses or the Israelites generally, either living in or leaving Egypt has been found. Hence, many biblical scholars and archaeologists take a skeptical attitude, dismissing the exodus from the realm of history. However, the contributors to this volume are convinced that there is an alternative, more positive approach. Using textual and archaeological materials from the ancient Near East in a comparative way, in conjunction with the Torah’s narratives and with other biblical texts, the contributors to this volume (specialists in ancient Egypt, ancient Near Eastern culture and history, and biblical studies) maintain that the reports in the Hebrew Bible should not be cavalierly dismissed for ideological reasons but, rather, should be deemed to contain authentic memories.

Covering the time span from the Paleolithic period to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., the eminent Egyptologist Donald Redford explores three thousand years of uninterrupted contact between Egypt and Western Asia across the Sinai land-bridge. In the vivid and lucid style that we expect from the author of the popular Akhenaten, Redford presents a sweeping narrative of the love-hate relationship between the peoples of ancient Israel/Palestine and Egypt.

*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts written by Egyptian and Assyrian rulers *Discusses the historicity of the Biblical account of Exodus *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.'" - Exodus 14 The story of the Ancient Israelites in Egypt is one of the most famous stories in the world, and one of the most contentious from a historical standpoint. Today, most people know about the relationship between the ancient Israelites and the Egyptians from the Old Testament book of Exodus, and the numerous feature films that often depict the dealings between the two peoples in contentious ways. The deadly plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, the arduous 40 years the Israelites spent in the desert, and the Ten Commandments all make the Exodus unforgettable, but they've also left generations of scholars wondering just how accurate the Scripture is, with some seeking to prove the historicity of the account and others trying to tie it to the Babylonian exile of the Israelites in the 7th century BCE. It is true that the Egyptians and Israelites had, at times, a difficult relationship that stemmed from Egypt's status as an imperial power and the Israelites as a conquered people, but their shared history began long before the Biblical Exodus, and continued long after both peoples were no longer relevant as ancient powers. Indeed, a closer examination of the Israelites' ties to Egypt reveals that there is more to the story than just the book of Exodus, and that the fortunes and miseries of the Israelites were often inextricably intertwined with that of their Egyptian neighbors. The story of the Israelites in Egypt begins in the first book of the Old Testament, Genesis, when the Israelites were known as Hebrews, and ends after Egypt passed under foreign rule and the Israelites became known by their more modern appellation: Jews. The Old Testament provides the backbone of the ancient sources for the story of Israelite-Egyptian relations, but archaeological evidence from Egypt and the Levant, along with textual sources from Egypt and Mesopotamia, also provide a fuller picture of the two peoples' geopolitical interactions. A study of the sources reveals that ancient Israelite-Egyptian relations were truly complex, and that the events of the Exodus were merely just a few in a series that ebbed and flowed, according to the desires and abilities of either people. Both the Israelites and Egyptians used their relationship with the other in order to obtain wider geopolitical objectives in the ever changing world of the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age Near East, and at times they battled together against other nations, notably the Babylonians and Assyrians. The Ancient Israelites in Egypt: The History of the Egyptian Enslavement of the Jews and the Exodus to the Promised Land looks at the historical record behind some of the world's most famous events. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Israelites in Egypt like never before.

This book deals with the diplomatic triangle of Israel, the United States, and Egypt during the War of Attrition along the Suez Canal in 1969–1970. Considering the Egyptian president’s political positions and outlooks on the Arab-Israeli conflict and the pan-Arab sphere, relations with the United States, the study reviews the internal disagreements between the State Department and Henry Kissinger, the national security adviser in the White House. The study demonstrates that the United States and Egypt worked together to thaw their relations after the severance of ties in June 1967, motivated by a desire to protect and advance their interests in the Middle East. The book is based chiefly on textual analysis of political and historical events in the domain of international relations, but with the same attention to internal policy as well. In addition, the research draws chiefly on primary sources that have only recently been released to the general public and that have not yet been the subject of serious analysis. The lion’s share of the work is based on qualitative content analysis of documents from the National Archives in Washington and especially of the US State Department. Providing a reading that is new, comprehensive, and complete, both with regard to the scope of the sources as well as the analysis of developments in the relations between Egypt and the United States, this book is a key resource for students and scholars interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict, political science and diplomacy, Israeli studies and the Middle East.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1874.

Major scholars in North America, Europe, and the Middle East provide a variety of fresh studies on the history, literature, religion, and art of Egypt, Israel, Phoenicia, and the rest of the ancient Mediterranean world. The first part of the book features chapters on ancient Egyptian inscriptions, art, history, and religion. The second part deals with biblical studies, the histories of ancient Israel, Canaan, and the relations among societies in the ancient Near East. The periods covered in the volume range from Old Kingdom Egypt to the late antique era. Most of the art historical and archaeological essays on ancient Egypt, Israel, and Canaan deal with previously unpublished finds. Many of the essays dealing with literary and historical issues explore the relations among ancient cultures, explaining the development of and interest in international trade, warfare, and travel. The book is amply illustrated with photos, drawings, graphs, and tables. "Egypt, Israel, and the Ancient Mediterranean World is a rich and wide-ranging collection of papers that well honors the distinguished scholar to whom it was dedicated. It also has much to offer all scholars interested in political and cultural interactions in the ancient eastern Mediterranean basin." Stanley M. Burstein, California State University, Los Angeles