Just who was Joe? (Part 3)
By Kay Bonikowsky | April 18, 2008
So just who was Joe? Here’s one more theory, and the conclusion of this series.
Imhotep (2600 BCE)
Statue of Imhotep
The reason more scholars won’t blend Imhotep with Joseph is not for lack of evidence. The two are strikingly similar! But, the dates are off. Remember that pesky chariot detail? Most scholars place Imhotep in 2600 BCE and Joseph in 1700 BCE, but Egyptian chronology is notoriously argued. I won’t bore you with dusty debate.
Imhotep was considered a genius by ancient Egyptians, and was deified (by the Greeks and Egyptians) 1000 years after he lived. You may know him best, albeit fictionalized, as The Mummy!
Chancellor – Imhotep was vizier to the Pharaoh Netjerkhet, called Djoser. He is described as a self-made man (common birth) who was appointed later in Pharaoh’s reign. Joseph was second in command to his Pharaoh, and was also of humble origins. They both are one of twelve brothers.
Dreaming Physician – Imhotep is deified as the god of medicine. The Greeks established a temple to worship him where they claimed he healed people in their dreams. Joseph commands the physicians (Genesis 50:2), and is plagued (or blessed, tom-A-to/tomato) with dreams throughout his life.
Sage – Imhotep was known for his wisdom and is believed to have begun the practice of writing down wise proverbs. Joseph instructed the Egyptian rulers in wisdom. (Psalm 105:17-22)
Priest of Heliopolis and called the son of Ptah – Heliopolis is the Biblical On. Joseph married Asenath, daughter of the priest of On. It is possible that the priesthood passed to Joseph on his father-in-law’s death. Ptah is the name of the Egyptian Creator god. Some argue that he created all the other gods and would be a suitable counterpart for the Hebrew God, Yaweh.
Step pyramid built by Imhotep at Sakkara
Cutting Edge Architect – Imhotep built the first pyramid and the complex at Sakkara. Some believe this to be large grain storage pits and the buildings used to dispense the large amounts of grain to the surrounding population during the foretold famine.
Seven year famine – Based on an inscription claiming to be a copy of one from 1000 years earlier, we learn about the circumstances surrounding this famine. The pharaoh is greatly troubled and asks Imhotep who the god of the Nile is so he can approach him about the drought. Imhotep says he will seek an answer from the god Khnum. Khnum, the Nile god (also associated with the creator god and Hebrew religious ideas) comes to the Pharaoh in a dream and says he will pour forth the waters for seven years of plenty after seven years of drought. (reversed from the Bible account) Djoser promises to tax the people 1/10 of everything, except the priests of god. This is the closest match to Joseph’s famine in Egyptian history. The details are surprisingly exact.
Death and burial – Imhotep lived to 110 years of age. So did Joseph. The tomb of Imhotep has not been found. Scholars believe he was buried under the complex at Sakkara. They’ve found a network of tunnels filled with artifacts they have linked with Imhotep, but have not found a burial chamber. Joseph’s bones were embalmed and removed during the Exodus by Moses.
Even if you don’t share my love of the ancient, the saga of Joseph will inspire you with a surprisingly modern experience of faith in uncontrollable circumstances.
Other fun re-tellings about Joseph:
- Joseph and Aseneth is a fantastical (fiction) love story written around the time of Christ. It explains how Joseph, a good Jewish boy, could marry a pagan priestess. Which, I guess, people had a problem with. The irony is, Joseph wasn’t Jewish. At least how Moses defined Jewishness, since Joseph was Moses’ ancestor! Joseph’s father, Jacob, married a pagan as well. She was Joseph’s own mother, Rachel.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic singing of the Genesis account is always a winner.
- Dreamwork’s Joseph: King of Dreams is one of my favorite toons. Ben Affleck is the voice of Joseph and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) is the voice of Judah. It is filled with great songs and funny animation.
- The fictionalized trilogy of Joseph’s life by Angela Elwell Hunt, Legacies of the Ancient Rivers, enlivens the Egyptian culture and makes it come to life! It is written as a romance.
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Cool concept. It makes sense to me. Good research.