Joseph's arrival in Egypt coincided with a period of time modern historians call the FIRST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD.

The First Intermediate Period

Joseph's arrival in Egypt coincided with a period of time modern historians call the FIRST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD. Following the close of the Old Kingdom, Egypt experienced one of the darkest periods in her long history. Not only was little attention paid to the development of arts and crafts, but most of the temples and tombs of the Pyramid Age -- with their artistic masterpieces and untold treasures -- were systematically pillaged and destroyed. According to the Egyptian scribe Manetho, two dynasties of short-lived rulers (namely the VIIth and the VIIIth Dynasties) occupied the throne AT MEMPHIS, but their authority was only LOCAL -- and complete anarchy prevailed throughout the GREATER PART of Egypt. In fact, the chaos was so great that much of the land remained uncultivated; and in a number of nomes (counties) there was famine.

I. E. S. Edwards notes:

At some time during the VIIIth Dynasty an attempt seems to have been made to restore order in the eighth southernmost nomes, where a CONFEDERATION WAS FORMED under the hegemony of the nomarch of COPTOS. About forty years later, however, a nomarch of Heraklepolis Magna named KHETY conquered THE WHOLE OF UPPER EGYPT as far as the First Cataract at Aswan and became THE FOUNDER OF THE IXth DYNASTY. -- The Pyramids of Egypt, p. 207.

Khety's (also called Akhtoy) kingdom extended northwards as far as MEMPHIS, but evidently did not include the Delta, part of which was still under the control of Asiatic invaders. His city of Herakleopolis (known by the Egyptians as "Nen-Ny-sut") occupied the site of present-day Ahnasyeh, on the west side of the Nile -- just south of THE ENTRANCE TO THE FAYUM!

Assuming the throne name Mery-yeb-Re, Khety (or Akhtoy) and the 17 Herakleopolitan kings of the 9th and 10th Dynasties who succeeded him ruled altogether about 190 years. Except for its founder, we know very little about the 13 kings of the 9th Dynasty, most of whose names are listed in whole or in part in the tattered fragments of the TURIN PAPYRUS.

With the 10th Dynasty, however, we are on much firmer ground. The Turin Papyrus lists five rulers; and the last three kings of the HOUSE OF HERAKLEOPOLIS are major players in the story of Joseph. The third king of this dynasty -- Wah-ku-Re Akhtoy IVwas a man of great talents. History tells us that Wah-ku-Re REGAINED CONTROL OF THE DELTA, driving out the Asiatic invaders and INAUGURATING A PERIOD OF INTENSIVE RECONSTRUCTION UNDER A WELL-PLANNED ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM DIRECTED FROM MEMPHIS.

"Memphis...remained, as before, the seat of the pharaonic government and the site of the royal cemetery. To facilitate communications between the ancient capital and THE KING'S RESIDENCE AT HERAKLEOPOLIS, a CANAL FIFTY-FIVE MILES IN LENGTH now linked the two cities. With the recovery of the Delta harbors trade was reopened with the Syrian coast, and fine coniferous woods were again imported into Egypt." (The Scepter of Egypt, by William C. Hayes. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1960, p. 144).

There is a record of how Akhtoy IV, after restoring order in Egypt, traveled up and down the Nile River with AN ENORMOUS FLEET, and was hailed upon his return to the royal palace at Memphis.

THIS WAS THE PHARAOH WHO RULED LOWER EGYPT WHEN JOSEPH ARRIVED IN THE LAND as a prisoner of the Midianites!

Evidently, Joseph was initially treated severely in prison, as Psalm 105:17-19 points out: "He sent a man before them --Joseph -- who was sold as a slave. They HURT HIS FEET WITH FETTERS, HE WAS LAID IN IRONS. Until the time that his word came to pass." Later, however, the chief officer of the prison house placed Joseph in a position of trust over the other prisoners because of his exemplary behavior under adverse conditions. In this capacity, the prisoner Joseph again showed himself to be AN ABLE ADMINISTRATOR by ensuring that all the work was done in the prison.

Later on, when two of Pharaoh Achtoy's officers -- the CHIEF OF THE CUPBEARERS and the CHIEF OF THE BAKERS -- were thrown into the same prison, Joseph was assigned to wait upon them. During their incarceration, both of these men had dreams which Joseph explained to them. Since the cupbearer's dream indicated that he was to be restored to his position with the pharaoh in three days time, Joseph requested that the cupbearer remember him and mention him to the pharaoh so that he might be released from prison. The baker's dream was interpreted by Joseph to mean that he would be put to death in three days time. Both dreams were fulfilled on schedule -- on the pharaoh's birthday. By this time some 11 years had already passed since his being sold by his brothers.

Insight on the Scriptures reveals what happened next:

Again restored to his position, the cupbearer forgot all about Joseph. (Ge. 40:23) However, at the end of two full years, Pharaoh had two dreams that none of Egypt's magic-practicing priests and wise men could interpret. It was then that the cupbearer brought Joseph to Pharaoh's attention. At once Pharaoh sent for Joseph. In keeping with EGYPTIAN CUSTOM, Joseph, before going before Pharaoh, shaved and changed his garments. Also in this case he did not take any credit to himself but ascribed the interpretation to God. -- Page 107.

Joseph then explained that both of Pharaoh's dreams pointed to SEVEN YEARS OF PLENTY to be followed by SEVEN YEARS OF FAMINE. Also, he recommended measures to be taken to alleviate the upcoming famine (Gen. 41:1-36).

The pharaoh, in his wisdom, realized what must be done:

Pharaoh recognized in 30-year old Joseph the man wise enough to administer affairs during the time of plenty and the time of famine. Joseph was therefore constituted SECOND RULER IN EGYPT. Pharaoh gave Joseph his own signet ring, fine linen garments, and a necklace of gold. (Ge. 41:37-44, 46; compare Ps. 105:17, 20-22) This manner of investiture IS ATTESTED BY EGYPTIAN INSCRIPTIONS AND MURALS. It is also of interest that from ANCIENT EGYPTIAN RECORDS it is known that several Canaanites were given high positions in Egypt and that Joseph's change in name to Zaphenath-paneah is NOT WITHOUT PARALLEL. Joseph was also given Asenath the daughter of Potiphera (from Egyptian, meaning "He Whom Ra Has Given") the priest of On [Heliopolis] as a wife. -- Ge. 41:45.

Thereafter Joseph toured the land of Egypt and prepared to administer affairs of state, later storing great quantities of foodstuffs during the years of plenty. Before the FAMINE arrived, his wife Asenath bore him two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. -- Ge. 41:46-52. (Ibid., p. 108).

As pointed out in the quote above, the position to which Joseph attained in Egypt is well illustrated by inscriptions and reliefs. "Joseph not only was SECOND IN POWER to none but Pharaoh, but in view of the approaching FAMINE he was placed in control of all grain and granaries. From EGYPTIAN RECORDS we should judge that he therefore COMBINED IN HIS PERSON TWO OFFICES: that of 'governor' or Prime Minister at the head of the government, and that of 'superintendent of the granaries.' The duties of the Prime Minister were various; he was not only minister of the interior and chief magistrate, but occasionally MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORSHIP also" (Biblical Archaeology, pp.. 54-55).

The office of "Superintendent of the Granaries" was extremely important at all periods of Egyptian history because the real wealth and stability of the nation lay in its grain. The prime responsibility of the Superintendent was to see to it that the supply was plentiful; and every year, in a solemn ceremony, the Superintendent presented to the pharaoh an "account of the harvests." If there had been a bumper crop -- "a better harvest than for thirty years" -- then the official would be given special honors by the pharaoh, anointed and arrayed with valuable necklaces.

Joseph and Asenath

The Bible account of Joseph's rise to power states that Pharaoh Wah-ku-Re Achtoy IV gave him a new name -- Zaphnath-Paaneah -- and then "gave him as a wife ASENATH, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On" (Genesis 41:45).

Two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were born to this union, and they received not only the BIRTHRIGHT blessings promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or Israel, but were also given the claim to the name of "Israel" itself.

From these two sons of Joseph and Asenath have come the modern nations of Great Britain and the United States, as well as the British colonies of Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Many people have wondered: "Are these nations, therefore, half Israelite and half Egyptian in their heritage?" On the surface it certainly seems that way. Wasn't Asenath, the daughter of the Priest of On, an Egyptian? Let's not jump to conclusions!

Ancient historians have indicated that Egypt had its beginning as a colony founded by Nimrod and his father Cush. Herman L. Hoeh (historian of the Worldwide Church of God), in his Compendium of World History, lists Cush as the FIRST pharaoh of Egypt. When Cush died, his wife SEMIRAMIS married their son NIMROD and instituted the great Mystery Religion that was, in effect, the worship of a deified Nimrod.

Hoeh points out that SHEM (the son of Noah) also traveled to Egypt to kill Nimrod and stamp out this new PAGAN religion. Eventually Shem caught up with Nimrod in ROME where he executed him.

Shem founded a settlement in Egypt and spent all his energies fighting the new pagan heresy. During this time, and after the death of Semiramis, Egypt LEARNED THE TRUTH OF YEHOVAH GOD from Shem and his descendants