SELECTIONS | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 22, 1858

SELECTIONS.

Egyptian Testimony to the Truth of Scripture.

"The Preacher and United Presbyterian" contains an interesting letter from Egypt, from which we abstract the following:

On arriving at Thebes I visited the great temple of Karnak, built in part by Thothmes III, the Pharaoh of the Exodus. There, upon the outer wall of the grand hall, we found a record of the invasion and conquest of Judea and Jerusalem, by Sheshouk, or Shishak, king of Egypt, as it is written in 1 Kings xiv, 25, 26.

"And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem: and he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made."

This king Shishak, or Sheshouk, from his cartouch or imperial signet, is represented in his chariot leading the captive Israelites in triumph to Thebes. Their beards and features stamp them unquestionably Jews, as distinctly as the Jewish face can now be recognized in Jerusalem, Constantinople or New York. Their hands are bound with a rope, and their eyes upraised, as if imploring mercy from their conqueror.

The names of the conquered towns and districts taken in this expedition are also recorded in the hieroglyphics. Among these, Champollion has deciphered "the kingdom of Judah, and also the Scripture names of Megiddo, Hebron, Bethshan, Taanac, all cities of Palestine, and also the Valley of Hinnom; and the great place of Jerusalem."

Here we indeed read the confirmation of Scripture history on the temple of Thebes, preserved almost three thousand years, to bear their silent testimony to the truth of the Bible.

I also found many verifications of the Scripture history, represented upon the tombs of Egypt, cut in the solid rock. In the tomb of Raschere, the overseer of public buildings under Thothmes III, the probable Pharaoh of the Exodus, we saw the whole process of brick-making depicted. Some are digging and mixing the clay, others shaping it in the mould, others are taking the bricks from the form and placing them in rows, and others carrying them away to be dried. There also is the taskmaster with his rod in hand, overlooking the slaves at their work. I also found another most interesting incidental confirmation.

"And Pharaoh commanded the same day, the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves. And the tale of the bricks which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof."

Now, on one of the tombs of Thebes, the mode of reaping grain is illustrated. It was cut a little below the ear, and the straw left standing in the field. Thus the Israelites were ordered to go into the fields, and gather straw for themselves, instead of having it brought to them by others as before, and yet were compelled to render the same number of bricks through the day. Such was their additional burden of oppression. In fact, we see almost the entire history of Joseph and the Israelites pictured upon the tombs and sculptured upon the monuments of ancient Egypt.

The steward with his books, taking estimate of his master's goods. The storehouses that were built for the grain of Egypt. The making of bricks with chopped straw, which is still found in the ruins. The Israelites were pursued with horses and chariots. These are represented in every battle scene. Joseph was made overseer of Pharaoh's house. The monuments furnish many evidences of this custom. Pharaoh put a gold chain about his neck. The ceremony of decorating persons of rank with a necklace of gold is often seen. Jacob dies and was embalmed by the Egyptians. To embalm the dead was customary in those days. And they mourned for him three score and ten days. Funeral processions and mourning for the dead are frequently represented; indeed, this custom continues in the land at the present day.

All abundantly prove that the author of the books of Moses had lived in Egypt, and "was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians."

During my visit to Thebes, I had the pleasure of meeting with Sir Gardiner Wilkinson, the veteran authority in regard to Egyptian antiquities. I inquired what was his view with regard to the confirmation of Scripture history from the monuments. He replied: "We find that everything confirms the Bible. In fact, the taking of the Jews captive by Shishak, which you saw sculptured at Karnak, is our first determined point in chronology. Before that period all is uncertain. But this date is certain, since the Bible and the record upon the temple entirely agree, and we can therefore trace the subsequent kings in their proper order." He remarked also, "that in his opinion, the explorations and discoveries were still in their infancy." It was most gratifying to receive this unqualified testimony from one who has spent years in carefully studying the monuments and hieroglyphics, and comparing them with history and the Bible.