Difference between revisions of "Pharaoh"
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| − | '''Pharaoh''' | + | '''Pharaoh''' (Egyptian: ''per aa'', "great house", i.e. the royal palace), generic name or title used in referring to the kings of Ancient Egypt; its use as a synonym began during the 18th Dynasty (1539-1293 B.C.), although it was never in formal use as an actual royal title. |
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| + | ==Egyptian use of the name== | ||
| + | The term "pharaoh" occurs in its earliest form from the text inscriptions within the pyramids onward. At first it is used with distinct reference to its etymology and not clearly as an independent title. Pharaoh, "great house," was applied first as a metaphor to mean the government. But in an absolute monarchy as Egypt the king was the government, and the title of pharaoh was, by a figure of speech, put for the king. Its use in Egypt clearly as a title denoting the ruler (similar to Caesar, Kaiser, and Czar) belongs to a few dynasties probably beginning with the 18th, and certainly ending not later than the 21st during the time of Pharaoh Sheshonk I (possibly the Shishak of 1 Kings 14:25). The title is certainly used in the time of Rameses II, in the "Tale of Two Brothers" (Records of the Past, 1st series, II, 137; Recueil de Travaux, XXI, 13, l. 1). | ||
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| + | In official documents, the full title of the Egyptian king consisted of five names, each preceded by one of the following titles: Horus; Two Ladies; Golden Horus; King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Lord of the Double Land; and Son of Re and Lord of the Diadems. The last name was given him at birth, the others at coronation. | ||
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| + | ==Significance of Use in the Bible== | ||
| + | Biblical writers had used this word with historical accuracy for the various periods to which it refers, not only for the time of Necoh and Hophra, but for the time of Rameses II, and use the style of the time of Rameses II for the time of Abraham and Joseph, concerning which we have not certain knowledge of its use in Egypt. Despite its use throughout the Bible in refering to the king of Egypt, there are only two instances in the Bible in which a pharaoh was referred to by name: the previously-mentioned Shishak, and Necoh. It is suspected that writers of the 7th or 5th century BC would not have been able to make such historical use of this name, while, to a writer at the time of the Exodus, it would have been perfectly natural to use Pharaoh for the king without any further name; and historical writers in the time of the prophets in Palestine would likewise have used Pharaoh-necoh and Pharaoh Hophra. This evidence is not absolutely conclusive for an early authorship of the Pentateuch and historical books, but is very difficult to set aside for a late authorship (compare Genesis 12:14-20; 41:14; Exodus 1:11; 3:11; 1 Kings 3:1; 14:25; 2 Kings 23:29; Jeremiah 44:30; also 1 Kings 11:19; 2 Kings 18:21; 1 Chronicles 4:18). | ||
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| + | ==See also== | ||
*Tutankamen "[[King Tut]]" | *Tutankamen "[[King Tut]]" | ||
*[[Ramses II]] | *[[Ramses II]] | ||
[[category:Egypt]] | [[category:Egypt]] | ||
Revision as of 05:32, September 19, 2008
Pharaoh (Egyptian: per aa, "great house", i.e. the royal palace), generic name or title used in referring to the kings of Ancient Egypt; its use as a synonym began during the 18th Dynasty (1539-1293 B.C.), although it was never in formal use as an actual royal title.
Egyptian use of the name
The term "pharaoh" occurs in its earliest form from the text inscriptions within the pyramids onward. At first it is used with distinct reference to its etymology and not clearly as an independent title. Pharaoh, "great house," was applied first as a metaphor to mean the government. But in an absolute monarchy as Egypt the king was the government, and the title of pharaoh was, by a figure of speech, put for the king. Its use in Egypt clearly as a title denoting the ruler (similar to Caesar, Kaiser, and Czar) belongs to a few dynasties probably beginning with the 18th, and certainly ending not later than the 21st during the time of Pharaoh Sheshonk I (possibly the Shishak of 1 Kings 14:25). The title is certainly used in the time of Rameses II, in the "Tale of Two Brothers" (Records of the Past, 1st series, II, 137; Recueil de Travaux, XXI, 13, l. 1).
In official documents, the full title of the Egyptian king consisted of five names, each preceded by one of the following titles: Horus; Two Ladies; Golden Horus; King of Upper and Lower Egypt and Lord of the Double Land; and Son of Re and Lord of the Diadems. The last name was given him at birth, the others at coronation.
Significance of Use in the Bible
Biblical writers had used this word with historical accuracy for the various periods to which it refers, not only for the time of Necoh and Hophra, but for the time of Rameses II, and use the style of the time of Rameses II for the time of Abraham and Joseph, concerning which we have not certain knowledge of its use in Egypt. Despite its use throughout the Bible in refering to the king of Egypt, there are only two instances in the Bible in which a pharaoh was referred to by name: the previously-mentioned Shishak, and Necoh. It is suspected that writers of the 7th or 5th century BC would not have been able to make such historical use of this name, while, to a writer at the time of the Exodus, it would have been perfectly natural to use Pharaoh for the king without any further name; and historical writers in the time of the prophets in Palestine would likewise have used Pharaoh-necoh and Pharaoh Hophra. This evidence is not absolutely conclusive for an early authorship of the Pentateuch and historical books, but is very difficult to set aside for a late authorship (compare Genesis 12:14-20; 41:14; Exodus 1:11; 3:11; 1 Kings 3:1; 14:25; 2 Kings 23:29; Jeremiah 44:30; also 1 Kings 11:19; 2 Kings 18:21; 1 Chronicles 4:18).