Archeology and the Pentateuch by L. L. C.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 9, 1916

Archeology and the Pentateuch

By L. L. C.

The Mosaic origin of the first five books of the Bible, commonly called the Pentateuch, was one of the favorite points of attack of the skeptical critics of a few years ago. The objection they commonly offered was that writing was not known in the time of Moses. The recent archeological discoveries have fully vindicated the accuracy of the Bible in its references to the use of writing at the time of the exodus. Not only has the official correspondence of the kings of Egypt of the eighteenth dynasty been discovered, but also a Babylonian code of laws inscribed under the first dynasty of Babylon, over two thousand years before Christ. This code is known as the code of Hammurapi (or Hammurabi). The discovery of this code shows that long before the time of Moses, codes of laws were engraved on monuments for public use.

Among a certain class of higher critics there is a tendency to explain the historical persons and events of the Old Testament as the outgrowth of primitive myths, and not as real persons who lived and did the things recorded of them by the Scriptures. Archeology is doing much to place a check on this too prevalent practice. There are so many points in the records of the Pentateuch to whose trustworthiness archeology has borne witness that it will be possible for us to consider only a few.

The tenth chapter of Genesis, verses 8-12, affirms the existence of Babel and other cities before the existence of Nineveh. It also states that Assyria was colonized from Babylonia, and that the founder of the Babylonian civilization was not a Semite, but Cush, a descendant of Ham. Each of these statements, though disputed till the time of the archeological discoveries in Assyria, has now been confirmed by the monuments.

In the twenty-second verse of this same chapter, Elam is spoken of as the oldest son of Shem. The fact that the inhabitants of historical Elam were Aryans, not Semites, offered a basis for the higher critics to question the historical accuracy of the Bible. On this point, Rev. James Orr, in “The Problem of the Old Testament,” quotes Dr. Driver as saying:—

“It is true inscriptions recently discovered seem to have shown that in very early times Elam was peopled by Semites, . . . but the fact is not one which the writer of this verse is likely to have known.”

Dr. Orr then adds the pertinent remark:—

“The curious fact is, however, that he did know it, while modern scholars did not. Is it not more likely that Dr. Driver’s theory of the writer’s age, and of the extent of his knowledge, is wrong?”

In the Biblical accounts of Abraham’s sojourn in Egypt, and later of Joseph’s life there, we find mention of customs, manners, and history which are now being proved remarkably accurate in all their details. The more archeological study has brought back to us the Egypt of that day, the more one is impressed with the wonderful fidelity of the Scriptural account which is so accurate as to make it necessary to grant that the writer of the account was fully acquainted with Egypt and her customs.

Even the points in the history of Joseph which were formerly challenged, have received clearest illustration or confirmation from the monuments. Critics have objected that the grape was not cultivated in Egypt, that flesh was not an article of diet, that the picture of the freedom of the women was in conflict with Oriental privacy, and that the story of Joseph’s elevation was unparalleled. Records have now been found of a story bearing a striking parallel to the story of Joseph in the house of Potiphar. Other records found at Tell el-Amarna in the winter of 1887-88, contain two letters written by a Semite named Dūdu, who held a position at the Egyptian courts similar to that which Joseph held. In 1891 an inscription was found cut into a rock between the island of Elephantine and the first cataract, which records a seven-year famine in the land of Egypt. Though it may be questionable whether this is a record of the famine which occurred in the days of Joseph, it at least shows the occurrence of such famines in Egypt.

Much careful study has been bestowed on the geographical data included in the story of the journey of the children of Israel as they left Egypt. The remarkable accuracy of the Biblical accounts of this journey has been commented upon by every investigator of importance. Many of the places mentioned have been identified, and the very objections offered by some that the route was so barren that such a large company as the Israelites of the exodus could not be supported, only confirms the Bible account of the feeding of the children of Israel by manna rained down from heaven. Had there been food for them from natural sources, it would not have been necessary for God to perform the daily miracle of giving the manna to his people.

Egyptian history as a whole has been greatly illuminated by the archeologist. Among these records of the Mosaic period let us consider three of the most striking:—

In 1881 a gallery was discovered a few miles from Thebes, in which were found thirty-nine mummies. These proved, on investigation, to include among them practically all of the great kings and queens of Egypt of the eighteenth and nineteenth dynasties, besides many of other dynasties as well. Without doubt we have among these the mummy of the Pharaoh of the oppression, and probably also that of the Pharaoh of the exodus. The presence of this latter king is explained by the supposition that if he were personally present in the Egyptian army which was drowned in the Red Sea, his body must have been recovered and mummified, as would be expected among a people who considered this last rite so absolutely essential.

In 1887 a discovery was made at Tell el-Amarna, located about one hundred and eighty miles south of Cairo on the eastern bank of the Nile. Here about three hundred inscribed tablets were found, forming a part of the official correspondence of two kings of the eighteenth dynasty—Amenophis III and Amenophis IV. The remarkable fact about this correspondence is that the tablets were written, not in Egyptian hieroglyphics, but in Babylonian cuneiform. Much light is thrown on the state of Palestine during the time of these kings.

In 1896 an Egyptian monument was found in which the name Israel occurred. Though the explanation of this inscription is not without difficulties, it is striking to find the people of God actually mentioned in the records of old Egypt.

There are many other statements in the Holy Scriptures to whose accuracy no archeological discovery has borne witness, yet as further investigations are made, doubtless many more Biblical statements will receive the illumination which the discovery of these inscriptions affords. The discoveries which have been made already, have afforded many minute confirmations of the historical, geographical, and ethnographical data in the Bible. To such a degree has this been true that the open-minded, unprejudiced student can but recognize that the theories of the higher critics who assign mythical or a late origin to so many of the writings of the Old Testament, must be discarded, and we must receive the Pentateuch for what it purports to be,—a genuine account of the events of the past. L. L. C.