Egypt

EGYPT, a Country in Africk, called in Hebrew, Mezor, or Mezraïm¹, or Mizraïm, and in Greek, Aiguptos, whence the Latin, Ægyptus, and the English, Egypt, and Copt are derived. Mizraïm was the son of Ham; and Ægyptus was, they say, an ancient King of this Country, the son of Belus, and brother of Armaïs. Gen. x. 13.The sons of Mizraïm were Ludim, Anamim, Sehabim, and Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, and Casluhim, who peopled several Cantons of Egypt, or the Countries adjacent. The old Geographers placed one part of Egypt in Asia, the other in Africk. The part in Asia lay eastward of the Nile, the other westward of the same river. The Ancients likewise described that part of lower Egypt, which lies eastward of the Nile, as belonging to Arabia; and the same is in the Scripture made part of the land of Cush, which is so frequently translated Ethiopia.

Egypt was divided into Nomæ, or Cantons, whereof there were reckoned to be two and forty, which were as it were so many little Provinces. Egypt was distinguished into the Upper and Lower. The Upper was likewise called Thebaïs, because of the city Thebes, which was the Capital of it. It extended itself a great way towards the south as far as the frontiers of Ethiopia. Lower Egypt contained principally the Delta, and the Country lying upon the Coasts of the Mediterranean. Every one knows, that Egypt has properly but one river, which is the Nile, by the inundations whereof all the fertility of the Country is produced².

The Arabians call that part of Egypt which extends from Cairo to the Mediterranean, Rib, or Rif. Upper Epypt is called Rif.Sais, or Thebaïs, and the part between both, Souf. The word Rib or Rif is mentioned in Scripture, Memor ero Rahab, & Psalm lxxxvi. 4.Babylonis scientium me; where Rahab and Rib are the same thing. We find it again in this sense, Psalm lxxxix. 11. and Isaiah xxx. 7. and li. 9. The word Souf is likewise to be met with in the sacred Books written in Hebrew, Moses calls what we term the Red Sea, the Sea of Souf. It is amazing that Sais, which is the name of Thebes, the famous Capital of Upper Egypt, should no where be found in Scripture. Some are of opinion, that Thebes is there called No-Ammon, or the dwelling of Jupiter. M. D’Herbelot says, that Said in Arabic signifies an high ground, and that they call the upper part of Egypt, which is Thebaïs, Saïd Mesr. Now the Thebaïs is again divided into Upper, Lower, and Middle. The Upper comprehends the Cities of Arment, Arsouan, (or Siena) Asna, probably Latopolis, and Soïouth: to these some join the towns of Kist, Coss, and Acsour.

Lower Thebaïs includes the Cities of Abousig, Aschmounim, Manraloux, and Fioum. The middle part of it contains the City of Akonin.

Bibl. Orient. p. 579. Mesr.The name of Mesr, Misor, or Misraim, son of Ham, is preserved in the City of the same name, which has been successively called Misor, Memphis, Moph, Babylon, and Cairo. It went by the name of Moph or Memphis, till the time of Alexander the Great; then it was called Babylon, by reason of its situation, and the relation it had to Babylon of Chaldæa. This City was conquer’d by the Arabians in the 18th or 19th year of the Hegira. Amrou-Ben-As, who took it, built another very near it, which was called Fusthath, by reason of this General’s tent, which was set up for a long time in the same place. The Fatimite Caliphs having made themselves masters of Egypt, added besides another City, which they named Caberah, that is to say, the Victorious, which is known to us at this day by the name of Grand Cairo.

The Mameluc Sultans of the Dynasty of the Circassians, having afterwards built a Castle very high, and very well fortified on the eastern shore of the Nile, drew thither most of the inhabitants of Cairo, so that this City insensibly changed its situation, and the Cairo built by the Fatimites was no more known by any other name than that of Old Cairo. Cairo is built upon the eastern shore of the Nile, but the ancient Misor or Mesr, was built on the western shore of the same river.

As to the name of Egypt, it comes from Kibt, or Kibthi, which is the ancient city of Coptos in High Egypt, distant from the Nile Bibl. Orient. p. 1003. Kibt.about seven Parasangs, which make about fourteen Leagues. From this town of Coptos, the Cophti or present Egyptians derived their name, who are all Christians, and speak a language compounded of Greek and old Egyptian. The Turks call the old Egyptians, who are natives of the Country, and not Mussulmen, Kibs. Their Authors mention Egypt as one of the best and most beautiful Countries in the world: one of them says, the Soil of this Country is for three months in the year white and sparkling like a pearl, for three months black like musk, for three more green like emeralds, and for three months more as yellow as amber. He enumerates all the particular things which are to be found only in Egypt; the principal whereof are these, a mine of oriental Emeralds, red Barley, Opium, Balm of Mataræa, Joseph’s Wheat, the art of hatching Chickens in ovens, Honey of the Bees of Baenza, the Egyptian Bean, fine Flax, Cassia, the Fish called Scinchur, several sorts of Woods and Marbles singular in their kind, the plant Papyrus, &c. It should not therefore appear so surprizing, to find the Israelites in the Wilderness regretting their departure out of so excellent and fine a Country.

Odyss. xiv. v. 258. Στῆσα τ’ ἐν ‘Αιγύπτῳ ποταμῷ νέας ἀμφιελίσσας.Homer calls the Nile, Ægyptus. Several of the Ancients have asserted in their writings, that Egypt was no more than a large tract of land produced by the Nile; and of this the Ethiopians were so persuaded, that they made use of this argument to prove, that they were more ancient than the Egyptians. Bochart has confuted this opinion in his Phaleg. l. 4. c. 24.

Egypt is divided into two parts by a great ridge of Mountains, which lies between the Nile and the Red Sea; and extends from North to South. The space between these Mountains and the Red Sea is in the possession of the Arabians, and almost intirely a desart; but so much as lies between the Nile and these Mountains, is the most fertile Country in the world. They are forced to throw sand upon their lands, to lessen the excessive fruitfulness of them, which proceeds from the inundations of the Nile, this river regularly overflowing the Plin. l. 18. c. 18.Country hereabouts in the beginning of the summer solstice, and so continuing there during the whole time of the sun’s passage through the sign Leo: it decreases when the sun cometh to Virgo, and when it is at Libra, the Nile sinks intirely into its channel. The old Egyptians had two crops of corn every year from the same ground; at present they are content with one. After barley-harvest they sow in the same field rice, melons, and cucumbers. Egypt is said to have furnished Rome with corn to the quantity of twenty millions of bushels.

Plin. ibid. Cassian. collat. 15. c. 4. Exod. ix. 31, 32. Joseph. Antiq. l. 3. c. 10.Pliny says, they set about sowing in the beginning of November; that the first of their harvest is in April, and that in May they finish it. Moses observes, that in the middle of March, when the Israelites departed out of Egypt, the barley and flax, which were already far advanced, were spoiled by the hail; but that the wheat, which is backwarder, was preserved. The Egyptians sowed their barley and flax before winter, that is to say, in the beginning of November, after the waters of the Nile had retired. Winter in this Country is very moderate, and the inhabitants put their horses to grass in January and February. The wheat-harvest was compleatly ended by Pentecost in Palestine and Egypt: the whole harvest must certainly have been over when the Nile began to overflow.

The Egyptians boasted in being the most ancient people in the world: they have been thought to be the Inventors of Arts and Sciences: they communicated to the Greeks the names of the gods, and their false Theology: they carried Superstition and Idolatry farther than any other people, worshipping stars and men, animals, and even plants, if the Heathens themselves may be believed in this particular, who have ridiculed their excessive Superstition. In imitation of them, the Hebrews adored the golden Calf in the Exod. xxxii. 6.wilderness; and Jeroboam set up the like Figures, which he recommended to his subjects, as objects of their worship. Moses informs us, that the Hebrews sacrificed beasts, the death whereof was looked upon by the Egyptians as an abomination, and something Exod. viii. 26. Gen. xlvi. 34. Maneth apud Joseph. l. 1. contra Apion. Euseb. præpar. l. x. c. 13.detestable. He tells us likewise, that they would not eat with the Hebrews, because they had an abhorrence for all shepherds.

As to the motives of this aversion, opinions are much divided. Some believe it to be founded on the invasion of Egypt by the Kings surnamed Shepherds, who came from Arabia, made an irruption into this Country, and reigned there for a long time, according to Manetho’s relation. Others think, that the Egyptians, from the time of their King Sesostris having been accustomed to a soft and idle life, detested shepherds, whose profession was more active and laborious. Lastly, others will have it, that the Egyptians were so averse to the Hebrew, and other shepherds, on the score of their killing and eating sheep, kids, and goats, which were the objects of their worship.

We have examined in the Article CEREMONIES, whether the Hebrews received those Laws and Ceremonies, which are common to both Nations, from the Egyptians, or whether the Egyptians received them from the Hebrews.

Nothing is more common in Scripture than the name of Egypt. This Country, properly speaking, was the cradle of the Hebrew nation. Joseph being carried thither and sold as a slave, was soon, by a very sensible effect of God’s Wisdom and Providence, established Governour, and as it were Viceroy of all Egypt. Hither he invited his father and all his family to the number of about seventy persons, and after an abode there of two hundred and fifteen years, they departed thence They came into Egypt in the year of the World 2298, and departed thence in 2513, before J. C. 1487, before the Vulgar Æra 1491.in number six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men, capable of bearing arms, without reckoning women and children. The King of Egypt would not permit the Hebrews to leave his country till he was compell’d thereto by miracles and chastisements inflicted on his people. Moses afflicted Egypt with ten plagues, before this obstinate Prince could resolve with himself to let a numerous people go, whom he had enslaved, and from whom he received great services: and after he had dismissed them, and compelled them to go away, he repented, pursued them with his army, and having inconsiderately followed them into the channel of the Red Sea, he there perished with all his people.

The common name of the Egyptian Kings was Pharaoh, which among them signified sovereign power. But besides this, they had another name which was proper to them. History has preserved the names of several Kings of Egypt, and a succession of their Dynasties. But the inclination of these Historians to cry up the great antiquity of their nation, Vide Manethon. apud Joseph. l. 1. contra Appion. Chronic. Ægypt. apud Syncel. Marsham Can. Chronolog. Ægypt.has induced them to inlarge very much in their accounts of the duration of their Empire, whereby they have forfeited their credit with all people, who are lovers of truth. They assert, that Egypt was successively governed by Gods, Demigods, or Heroes, and at last by Men, or Kings. The reign of the Gods and Demigods lasted, as they pretend, four and thirty thousand two hundred and one years; that of their Kings from Menes to Nectanebus, two thousand three hundred and twenty four years. Nectanebus was deposed by Artaxerxes Ochus, King of Persia, fifteen years before the Monarchy of Alexander the Great. From Nectanebus to the birth of Jesus Christ, there are reckoned about three hundred and forty years. So that from the beginning of the Egyptian Monarchy to the birth of our Saviour, there must have been by this account thirty-six thousand eight hundred sixty-five years. A computation which is given up by all our Chronologers.

It is supposed that the way wherein the ancient Egyptians computed their years, must have contributed much to swell their Chronology so immoderately, and to the multiplying the great number of years which their first Kings are supposed to have reigned. Palæphatus says, that of old they Palæphat. Fragm. ex Chron Alexand.reckoned the duration of their Princes reigns by days, and not by years. And who will warrant us, that they who came after, did not set down years instead of days; and that when they read, for example, that Helios the son of Vulcan reigned four thousand four hundred and seventy seven days, that is to say, twelve years, three months and four days, they did not affirm that he reigned four thousand four hundred and seventy seven years?

Diodorus the Sicilian says, that the Egyptians tell us fabulous stories, when they affirm to us, that the most ancient of their Gods reigned each, at least twelve hundred years, and the least ancient of them not less than three hundred years. So that from the reign of Helios, or the Sun, to Alexander the Great’s passage into Asia, they reckon two and twenty thousand years. But, he adds, as this number of years exceeds all belief, some have endeavoured to excuse them by observing, that at the beginning, their year consisted only of one month, according to the course of the moon; so that the twelve hundred years of every God’s reign were reduced to twelve hundred months, or an hundred years. Afterwards, as he proceeds to say farther, the Egyptian year having been made up of four months, they asserted that their Kings reigned every one at least three hundred years, which make twelve hundred months, or an hundred years. By this means the excessive antiquity of the Egyptian Dynasties Censorin. de die natali, c. 19.was reduced to a reasonable duration. Censorinus assures us, that anciently the Egyptian year consisted only of two months, and that King Pison added two months more to the year, and at last fixed it at twelve months.

It is farther certain, that the Dynasties of Egypt, which are so much talked of, were not all successive, but were many of them collateral, and that the greatest part of those Kings, who are placed one after the other, were oftentimes contemporary; one reigning in one Canton of Egypt, another in another. These Lists also bear seven different names according to the seven Cantons, wherein the Dynasties subsisted: viz. at This, at Memphis, Diospolis, Thanis, Sethron, Elephantina, and at Sais. Now if these Dynasties are placed successively, we may easily imagine that the duration of them may be very much enlarged, and such an antiquity attributed to them as no way belongs to them. Wherefore to avoid the danger of publishing what is false for truth, we shall be excused if we do not here set down a list of the first Kings of Egypt.

From Mizraïm the Scripture perpetually calls the Kings of this Country by the name of Pharaoh, and has delivered down to us the proper names of four only of these 1 Kings xi. 40. 2 Kings xxiii. 29. Jerem. xlvi. 2. 2 Kings xvii. 4. Jerem. xlv. 30. Herodot. l.2.c.158, 159. Herodot. l.2.c.141. Herodot. l.2.c.161, &c.Princes, Shishak, Necho, So, and Hophrah. Shishak is perhaps Sesonchis³; Necho is Nechos in Herodotus; So is the same as Sabacon or Sethon; and Hophrah is Apries. Shishak lived in the time of Rehoboam the son of Solomon; Necho, in the time of Josiah King of Judah; So, in the time of Hoshea King of Israel; and Hophrah in the time of Jeremiah and Zedekiah. Herodotus makes him to be the son of Psammis, and grandson of Necho. The history of him may be seen in this Author. After Apries we find Amasis, and Psammitichus, in whose reign Cambyses made a conquest of Egypt, in the year of the World 3479, before Jesus Christ 521, before the Vulgar Æra 525⁴. After this, we again find the following Kings in Egypt, Inarus, Ackoris, Tuchos, Nectanebus. This last was deprived of his Kingdom by Artaxerxes Ochus, in the year of the World 3654, before Jesus Christ 346, before the Vulgar Æra 350. About nineteen years after, Alexander the Great entred Egypt, and conquered it, in the year of the World 3673, before Jesus Christ 327, before the Vulgar Æra 331.

The Ptolemys succeeded Alexander, and we have a series of them in the order of their succession, which may be depended upon.

Ptolemy the son of Lagus, surnamed Soter, reigned nine and thirty years; from the death of Alexander, which happened in the year of the World 3681, to 3720.

Ptolemy Philadelphus reigned nine and thirty years; from 3720 to 3758.

Ptolemy Euergetes, reigned five and twenty years; from 3758 to 3783.

Ptolemy Philopater, seventeen years; from 3783 to 3800.

Ptolemy Epiphanes, four and twenty years; from 3800 to 3824.

Ptolemy Philometor, thirty seven years; from 3824 to 3861.

Ptolemy Euergetes, or Physcon, fifty three years, from 3861 to 3888.

Ptolemy Lathyrus, thirty six years, six months; from 3888 to 3923.

Cleopatra, the daughter of Lathyrus, and wife of Alexander I. reigned six months.

Alexander I. the nephew of Lathyrus, established in 3924, died in 3943. Vide Usserium ad annum mundi 3924.

Alexander II. the son of Alexander I. was banished by the Alexandrians in 3939.

Ptolemy Nothus, or Auletes, reigned thirteen years; from 3940 to 3953.

Ptolemy Dionysius, or Bacchus, reigned three years, and eight months; he died in 3957.

Cleopatra, Ptolemy’s sister, from 3957 to 3974.

There will be particular Articles relating to all these Kings, who are named in the Bible, or were any ways concerned in the Affairs of the Jews.

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