Can You Prove My Theory? Ancient Egyptians Influenced The Creation Of The Torah?

Question

I have a theory that the Ancient Egyptians influenced to a large degree the creation of the first five books (the Torah) of the Old Testament. The Jews lived there for over 400 years before the books were written by Moses, and it seems like such a powerful civilization would have had some influence on Judaism. I'd also think that the 10 Commandments probably originated in Egypt.

Answer 1

Very good question.

There is no question about it, however one has to kind of rethink the whole process. Most people have their understanding of the events from the biblical stories, which have been adapted from many source documents, most of which were accessed for the first time by the Israelites during the 'Captivity' in Babylon, in the 5th century bc.

Go back to Egyptian history, and look closely at the period of the Hyksos Kings, the so-called 'Desert Princes'. There it is found that far from being a 'slave race' under the Egyptian 'boot' it was actually the other way around, the 'Hyksos' were semitic invaders who overran Lower Egypt ( the northern part ) in around 1,720 bc, and usurped the true Pharaohs of Egypt, who got relegated to Thebes and the Upper Egyptian lands.

In around 1,550 bc Khamose started the revolt against the Hyksos and eventually succeeded in kicking them out of Lower Egypt around 1,547 bc, and the reign of the powerful 18th Dynasty, founded by Amenhotep I started in 1,546 bc.

That gives a window for the Exodus evacuation of the proto-Israelites from the lands of Egypt, one that does not clash with any other version. The idea that these people were a unified, single origin, race is laughable, and totally ludicrous in the light of Moses obvious difficulties in controlling them during the 40 years wandering about in Sinai and Negev !

Moses was a Royal Prince, and would have been a high initiate of the Osirian cult at Annu/On, and would have known all of the major mysteries of Egyptian 'wisdom', these are, undoubtedly, the basis of 'Judaism'. All of the symbology, and ritual, suggest that this must have been so. I also have a shrewd hunch that Moses stole a bunch of irreplaceable artifacts when he high-tailed it out of Egypt, items such as the 'Ark of the Covenant', or rather what was contained inside it, and that this was the real reason that 'Pharaoh' chased after them, eventually losing them in the 'Sea of Reads', a marshy area where war-chariots could not run, not the Red Sea at all.

The 'Ten Commandments' were a short list of 'does and don'ts', adapted from the 42 questions of Osiris, asked of each soul of the recently departed before that soul could pass either the heavenly realms as a star, or to the Underworld, to re-learn the lessons that hadn't 'stuck' this time around.

Answer 2

Well, the name "Moses" is an Egyptian word meaning "birth". Ramses III, also known as Pharaoh in the Exodus story, is an abbreviation of Ra-Moses (he who is born of Ra).

Another influence on Hebrew society may have been circumcision. The ancient Egyptians apparently practiced this tradition and so the Hebrews may have adopted it during their time as slaves?

Finally, the exodus itself is an important component of the Torah, though some historians believe that the Hebrews didn't cross the Red Sea, but rather the "Sea of Reeds". This is a marsh land around the Nile delta area (I think) which is subject to low and high tides, allowing pedestrians to traverse during the low tides. Maybe Moses, as a learned individual, knew when the tides would occur and planned the exodus accordingly.

Answer 3

If I am not mistaken, the Kush kinda kept the Egyptian culture alive a bit longer.... Anyways, from the first source, it sounded like it was probably the soil. They called their country 'Kemet' or black because of their soil. So it could have been more so, 'people of the black land'. However, I always thought of the Egyptians more tan. However, some people can consider a black person black even if the person has a warm but not as deeper dark skin. The second reference states that there were many types of people with different skin tones so in that case, Egyptians can be a mix of colors. Even if you just check google, there are egyptologists that still are in debate. O_O

Answer 4

Not a new theory, although I doubt I can prove it, I can add to it for you. Compare the Ten Commandments with the Egyptian Book of the Dead, you may be surprised by the similarities.

Answer 5

There can be no doubt. Jesus In The House of the Pharaohs by Ahmed Osman discusses this theory in detail. Also, The Jesus Papers by Michael Baigent discusses the influence that Hellenized Alexandria had on Jesus.....

Answer 6

Insufficient data, either way. If the Moses tale is true (and there is good reason to suppose that it isn't), there would have been good reason to suppose an Egyptian influence on subsequent events. But see:

Answer 7

Egypt wasn't so acient in Moses day. The Hebrews were around long before Moses was in Egypt. God gave Moses the information to write in his books. The 10 Commandments came from God and He came before Egypt.

Answer 8

Well, the Jews were a slave race for the Egyptians so they had to have had some form of effect on it.