Memphis

MEMPHIS, in Hebrew, Noph, or Moph, a very famous City of Egypt, situate at about fifteen Thousand Paces above the parting of the Nile, or where the Delta begins¹. Above Memphis, towards the South, were the famous Pyramids, two of which were esteemed the Wonders of the World. Memphis for a long Time was the Place of Residence of the ancient Kings of Egypt, till the Times of the Ptolemies, who commonly resided at Alexandria. The City of Memphis is now entirely destroyed. The Prophets often speak of Memphis.See Isai. xix. 13. Jerem. xliv. 1. xlvi. 14, 19. Hosea ix. 6. Ezek. xxx. 13, 16. They foretel the Miseries it was to suffer from the Kings of Chaldæa and Persia, and they threaten the Israelites that should retire into Egypt, or should have Recourse to the Egyptians, that they should perish in this Countrey. Ezekiel says, that the Lord will destroy the Idols of Memphis. ‘Twas in this City that they fed the Ox Apis, that King Cambyses put to Death.

This City is called Mesr, or Misr, by the Orientals, as being the Capital of Egypt, otherwise Mezer or Mizraim. They also call it Monf, a Name nearly approaching to the Hebrew Word Noph, or Moph, from whence the Greeks have formed their Memphis. The ancient Kings of Egypt took much Pleasure in adorning it. It continued in its Beauty till the Arabians made a Conquest of Egypt, under the Calif Omar, in the eighteenth or nineteenth Year of the Hegira, or 640 of Jesus Christ. Amron Ben-as, who took it, built another City just by it, which was called Fustbat², because of the Tent of this General, which was for a long Time set up in this Place. The Califs Fatimites, who became Masters of Egypt, added another to it which they called Caherah, that is, the Victorious, which is still known to us at this Day by the Name of Grand Cairo.

The Mammeluck Sultans, of the Dynasty of the Circassians, having afterward built a very high and fortified Castle; on the Eastern Shore of the Nile, brought it about by little and little, that the City of Cairo changed its Place; so that what the Fatimites had built is still to this Day called the old Cairo. But it must be observed, that the ancient Mesr, or Memphis, stood on the Western Shore of the Nile, and that whatever the Arabians have built there from Time to Time, is on the Eastern Shore of this River.

Isai. xix. 11, 12, 13, &c.So that at length, after a Succession of Ages, is fulfilled what the Prophets had predicted against Memphis. “These wise Counsellors of Pharaoh have given him foolish Advice: How do you say to Pharaoh, I am the Son of the wise, the Son of ancient Kings? Let these wise Men now tell you, what the Lord has resolved upon concerning Egypt. They are Fools, these wise Men of Egypt; they are without Wisdom, these Princes of Memphis; they have deceived Egypt and all its People. The Lord has scattered amongst them a Spirit of Infatuation. They have made Egypt to wander, as a Man drunk with Wine. Egypt shall be then uncertain what she shall do. Great and Small, those that command, and those that obey, shall all be in Trouble and Confusion. They shall be astonished, they shall tremble like Women. In that Time the Land of Judah shall become the Terror of Egypt, &c.” We imagine all this relates to the Time of the War of Sennacherib against Egypt, and the Divisions that followed the Death of Sethon King of Egypt. See the Commentary upon the xix Chapter of Isaiah.

Jeremiah describes the Calamities that Jerem. xlii, xliv, xlv, xlvi.Nebuchadnezzar was to bring upon the same Countrey in a plainer Manner than this. “I shall send Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, my Servant, who shall set up his Throne in the City of Taphantes it self. He shall come and destroy the whole Countrey of Egypt. He shall put to Death him that is appointed for Death, and shall carry into Captivity him that is designed for Captivity, and shall put to the Sword him that is to die by the Sword. He shall set on Fire the Temples of Egypt, and shall carry away the Gods of Egypt into Captivity. He shall break down the Statues, the Pillars, or Obelisques, which are in the Temple of the Sun; probably at Memphis.” All this came to pass under the Reign of Pharaohhophra King of Egypt, whom Nebuchadnezzar overcame and put to Death. Oh thou Daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thy self to go into Captivity; for Noph shall be waste and desolatewithout an Inhabitant.

Jer. xlvi. 19.Ezekiel also relates at large the Misfortunes which Nebuchadnezzar brought upon Egypt. He says that the Lord had delivered this Countrey into Nebuchadnezzar’s Hands, as a Recompence of those Services he had performed for him at the Siege of Tyre³. He speaks in Particular of the City of Memphis. Thus says the Lord God, I will also destroy the Idols, and will cause their Images to cease out of Noph, and there shall be no more a Prince of the Land of Egypt, and I will put a Fear in the Land of Egypt. And I will make Pathros desolate, and will execute Judgments in No.

A long while after⁴ Cambyses King of Persia, and Son of Cyrus, made himself Master of Egypt, having first taken Pelusium, which is as it were the Key of Egypt⁵, when Psammenites King of Egypt marched out to meet him, at the Head of a powerful Army. Cambyses defeated him, and those that could escape took Refuge in Memphis; whither Cambyses pursued them, and sent to the City by Means of the Nile, a Ship of Mitylene, with a Summons to ‘em to surrender. But the Egyptians in a great Rage fell upon the Herald, and upon the rest of those in the Ship, cutting them all to Pieces. When Cambyses in a short Time had made himself Master of the Place, he ordered as many Egyptians to be publickly executed, as there were Persons in the Ship of Mitylene, and those of the Chief of the Nobility. The eldest Son of King Psammenites was one of this Number. As for the King himself, Cambyses saved his Life, and even appointed him a sufficient Maintenance, but he did not enjoy it long. For it was found that he endeavoured to raise Commotions in the Kingdom, so they made him drink Bulls Blood, which killed him upon the Spot.

Egypt continued under the Government of the Persians till the Reign of Artaxerxes⁶. Then they shook off the Yoke, and chose Inarus Prince of the Libyans for their King. They called in the Athenians to their Assistance; Charitimis was intrusted with the Conduct of this Enterprize; and Artaxerxes sent Achemenides, one of his Brothers, against the Rebels, at the Head of an Army of 300000 Men. The Persians were beaten, and lost in one Battle 100000 Men. Those that escaped retired to Memphis, whither the Conquerors pursued them, and immediately made themselves Masters of two Parts of the City. But the Persians having fortified themselves in the third Part, called the white Wall, which was the largest and strongest of the three; they held out a Siege there of near three Years, till they were relieved by others sent to their Assistance.

Alexander the Great having conquered Egypt from the Persians, and having there built Alexandria, the Kings of Egypt his Successors thought of nothing else so much as of enlarging and beautifying Alexandria, till it became the capital City of Egypt. Memphis was then of small Consideration, and after several Revolutions in its Fortune it was finally destroyed by the Arabians, as we have said before.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages