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Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times

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Whenever one puts Egypt and Israel in the same sentence, the stories of Joseph and Moses springs to mind, at least to Christians such as myself. This book shows that there is a lot more to it than this. Starting from 5000 years ago, the book traces in great detail the history of Egypt for 3000 years, and particularly its relation with its Asian neighbors in the lands of Canaan and beyond. In here we get to learn about the Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hittites, and Assyrians, as well as Egypt's African neighbors such as the Kushites and the Libyans. The book is extremely well-researched, drawing upon a vast wealth of archeological findings and recently discovered ancient texts and tablets, as well as the various sources of recorded history. The book is exceptional in terms of acknowledging in detail all the possible competing theories and explanations before thoroughly proving the author's theories beyond doubt through impeccable logic. The notes alone fill almost a hundred pages! But volume is far from being a dry history text. The writing is exceptional, almost bringing the ancient pharaohs and ordinary people to life in its realistic and thorough description of life in those ancient times.

The core of the book concentrates on the relationship between Egypt and the land of Canaan or southern Syria. Thus the book analyses the Hyksos invasion in detail and introduces us to the countless wars and treaties between Egypt and its Asian neighbors. Of particular interest in this book is the rise of the Hebrews, nomadic tribes from Southern Jordan who later became known as the Israelites. This book illustrates how their history has become misrepresented over the years, sometimes by well-meaning but unscholarly "Biblical scholars" who take the word of the Bible literally. Thus this book goes a long way towards establishing a history based on scientific analysis of facts, rather than purely on spiritual beliefs. Though long and tedious at times, it is a rewarding read that provides many of the answers to the most intriguing questions: Was Joseph a historical figure, and if so, is there any evidence? How did the Egyptians view their relationships with Asia? Are there any Egyptian records of the story of Moses? Why does Egypt not play a significant role during the reign of say, King David? These are all basic and fundamental questions that are of interest to all Christians, Jews, and Moslems, and the answers can all be found in this book.

"As well as being scholarly, Redford's work meets my criteria for impartiality and honesty: he provides evidence against his own position and references to dissenting scholars; he uses the same standards for evaluating his own theories and alternatives;... " Danny Yee



Canaan & the Levant:
The land known as Canaan was situated in the territory of the southern Levant which today encompasses Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan and the southern portions of Syria and Lebanon. Many names have been given to this area, throughout ancient times, called by the Egyptians Rhetenu or Kharu, and Canaan by the Syrians of the second millenium BC.
The Levant is an imprecise geographical term, historically referring to a large area in the Middle East south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and by the northern Arabian Desert and Upper Mesopotamia to the east.

Ancient Egypt, Canaan & Israel:
In a study of Ancient Egypt, and Near Eastern history and archaeology, Donald Redford, an eminent Egyptologist, and a leading Canadian scholar of Near Eastern studies, highlights Egypt's dominant influence on the cultural, political, and religious traditions of the peoples of Assyria, Canaan, and the Israelite during three millennia, to the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
This study is a lucid sociopolitical history of the relationship between Egypt and its Northern neighbors taking into account the related biblical studies. Rather than stressing Egyptian origins of clusters of Israelite culture, frequently advanced by most Egyptologists, he points out the long-lasting distinctions and differences between the cultures which prevailed to the SW and the NE of Sinai.

Study Highlights:
Exploring three thousand years of social anthropology, from prehistoric times to the Hyksos, and the continuing influential contacts across Sinai, between Egypt and its northern neighbors, with resulting resentment of the ancient superpower cultural influence and military superiority by the peoples of Canaan& the Levant. Starting with the prehistory of Egypt and drawing on archaeological evidence from the Levant, compared to Biblical history, the study then explores the Egyptian New Kingdom and its Empire in Asia.
Redford begins by considering some of the differing theories about the origins of the Hebrews, and the relationship between Egypt and the monarchy in Israel. At the end of the study, the biblical 'four great origin traditions' : the Creation accounts, the Table of Nations, the Sojourn and Exodus narratives, and the story of Joseph are discussed, within the historical context in which they were written.

Papyrus Ipuwer & Exodus:
The theme of this work has previously been taken either as a lament inspired by the supposed chaos, or as historical fiction depicting the fall of the Old Kingdom (pp. 63/67) several centuries earlier, or possibly a combination of both. This ancient Egyptian poem is preserved in Leiden Papyrus I 344. Ipuwer describes Egypt as afflicted by natural disasters and in a state of social collapse. The poor have become rich, and the rich poor, and warfare, famine and death are everywhere. One symptom of this collapse is the lament that servants are leaving their servitude and acting rebelliously. Because of this, and such statements as "the River is blood", some have interpreted the document as an Egyptian account of the Plagues of Egypt and the Exodus in the Hebrew Bible, and it is often cited as proof for the Biblical account by various biblical authorities.

End of Last Repository:
"The political defeats of 586 and 525 B.C. were destined ultimately to exert a deleterious influence on the intellectual life of both Egypt and the Levant. The reputation of Egypt for metaphysical inquiry into imponderables, which brought many a Greek of the seventh and sixth centuries to the feet of an Egyptian priest, vanished in the fifth and fourth,... The dominance of foreigners in the affairs of Egypt and Judah set the intelligentsia in both communities in a defensive posture." Epilogue, page 470

Qualified Reviews:
"What distinguishes this study is the perspective of an Egyptologist who approaches the subject of ancient Egypt and Israel without the usual preconceptions and emphases found in the studies emanating from biblical studies scholars." Paula Nielson, Loyola Marymount University.
In a book review, Danny Yee comments that, "Christians or Jews raised on 'orthodox' accounts of Israelite history may find some of it disturbing, but should persist unless they are literalists -- Redford is not out to discredit the Bible, he is just determined to treat it as one historical source amongst others."

This is an incredibly comprhensive account of ancient Egypt and its Asian neighbors. It may contain more detail than some readers may want at first reading, but since then, I have found the specifics useful in clarifying other material that I am reading. Mr. Redford takes an even-handed approach with his materials and considers various viewpoints. Archaeological findings are cited, many ancient texts are quoted and some, but not many, photographs are present, and welcome. There are some typo's in my edition (EYGPT and the like).

The subject matter of this work is compelling, and those seriously interested in this period should have access to it. Unfortunately, however, it is extremely difficult to read. The book attempts to cover quite a lot of ground, politically and culturally as well as historically, but it lacks overall thematic continuity. It presents an extensive survey of scholarly literature (with copious bibliographical notes), but this is used more as raw content than as illustrative material for a high-level view of the historical flows and currents of the times, and it not organized for easy reference. An occasional insight into the great forces which shaped the history of the period can be drawn out with some effort, though, but this is not a satisfying process, and the book leaves the impression that there is much more basic matter to be understood and realized about those ancient times than it reveals. Although the text is liberally punctuated with minor analysis, it is missing an important central view. There is an enormous amount of detail, but no big picture emerges. Its very title is exciting, but it fails to meet the high expectations it encourages, and aside from the author's personal opinions scattered here and there, it has very little to say that is original. In summary, this is an overly-ambitious project that comes across as a disappointing, uninspired compilation, an almost mechanical academic exercise more than anything else. And on top of these already-formidable challenges, the author's writing style, with its excessive dependence on thoroughly obscure vocabulary and arcane foreign phrases, too often makes comprehending what he does have to say a burdensome task (you will need a good dictionary at your side).

This is a general history of the developing and changing relationships between Egypt, Canaan, Israel and Palestine. A solid academic work, it is divided into three sections and is backed by extensive references. the first part deals with the comparative prehistory and history of Egypt and the Levant down to the time of the Hyksos. The second part deals with the New Kingdom and its Asian Empire. In the third part, the discussion moves to four of the origin stories from the Bible : Creation, Table of Nations, Sojourn and Exodus, and Story of Joseph. Anyone interested in the early history of Egypt and the Ancient Near East should enjoy this book.

Naturally as an Egyptologist Redford relates the history of the Near East from the angle of Egyptian activity and thought, beginning from pre-dynastic times and following through to Assyrian empire, focusing mostly on Egyptian intercourse with Syria-Palestine, whether that be in the form of its control over its peoples, trade relations with them, or hostility towards them. (or in the case of the Hyskos, subordination) The origins of several Semitic groups, including the Israelite community, and those of different stock are explained, and there is a tangent of two chapters on the influence of Egypt on the Israelites in the political, ideological, cultic and literary spheres. All the events discussed acuminate with Nebuchadrezzar's destruction of Jerusalem, and an epilogue of two pages ends on a kind of cheesy note. But forgiving this, *Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times* is anything but a cheesy work. This is knitty-gritty historiography which far from 'attractively presents for the lay reader' anything. (see the review comment on the back cover by the *Journal of Palestinian Studies*) Nothing about Redford's book, excepting the pictures, maps, and tables perhaps, is 'lay'. That is, unless the laity in perspective are scholars who just aren't Egyptologists. Those unaccustomed to this kind of reading, with all its jargon and impressive eloquence, will find it overbearingly pedantic. Otherwise, you'll love it, as I did, and it will be easy enough to follow along. The footnotes are usually short and to the point, citing references with little or no comment, so no real worries about a choppy read, eyes moving constantly athwart between main text and footnote. (I hate that for myself) I would like to have seen provided a chronological chart for the periods discussed. I have other ready resources for this, but of course not everyone would. I wouldn't mind a bibliographical list either.

I only gripe with the fact that Redford gets a little caustic when he addresses biblical studies, and gives off the impression that all or most biblical scholars are 'apologists' for the historicity of the biblical tradition. This is misleading and in some cases I would say unfair. His passion for his own field erupts through the pages at this point, as is evident, e.g., from the first-person pronouns used on pp. 268 & 421(when the norm of self-reference everywhere else is 'the present author') and remarks such as: 'At least we can thank such writers for providing us with comic relief.' [n. 113, p. 310] I don't think he should have crossed so antipathic to a field he's not an expert in...then he would not have made a mistake such as: 'The absence of the Exodus tradition from early Biblical material should also be noted.' [n. 76, p. 410]; but then not long later: 'Despite the lateness and unreliability of the story in Exodus, no one can deny that the tradition of Israel's coming out of Egypt was one of long standing. It is found in early poetry (e.g., Exod. 15) and is constantly alluded to by the prophets.' [p. 412] My guess for such a contradiction is that he wrote the footnote some distance prior to discovering and writing the fact of the latter (despite their spatial closeness in the text) and never emended his error. However, on most counts I agree with the points he's making about biblical literature.

I'll be holding on to this one.


Fun Facts:

* There are multiple trivial flaws in this book of the humorous kind, like the sentence on p. 64 ending with a comma ['...and perhaps disease, With all this...']; or the sentence on p. 213 being interrupted by a period when it should have been a comma ['In fact, in the schematized scenes of tribute bringing. Syrian ornamental vases often stand symbolically...']; or the curious 'J. J. Rowley' in n. 11, p. 260 for the proper 'H. H. Rowley'.

* Redford states [p. 257]: 'The patient and observant reader will have noted that, up to this point in our study, no mention has been made of Israel'. This is false. See pp. 172 & 237.

* Redford cites his wife, Susan Redford, once in n. 63, p. 271.

I will make this review as short as possible without being being useless, I hope.
This is one of the finest books on ancient Israel and Egypt that I have read for a long time for two reasons (1) the author, escapes the trap of being caught up in the mire/maze that can be biblical studies studies and/or Christian origins; (2) with success, challenges many of the prevailing orthodoxies of this area which are nothing more than myth surrounded by very little fact. It is very scholarly, and has to be so, because it is addressing a very complex and difficult field. But it is well worth reading. His other works repay the effort also.

Too often books of ancient Egyptian history are predominently books of Art History; the author becomes overwhelmed by pyramids, sphinxes.... Redford redresses this imbalence. That he writes well is a plus.

Redford has probably read every ancient inscription and has knowledge of every archiological site in Egypt-Middle east - as well as knowledge of every language written then. For the serious scholar of the region, book a must, both for its detail and his debunking of past popular "reasoning" about events in the area. For the casual reader, at times irritatingly challenging - he uses proper and place names often with no previous reference and maps are very sparse, and in tiny print. However, the overall sweep of history he presents is fascinating, but the sidebars - often for pages - into minutae a bit hairpulling - but, then again, one can skip these sections.

This book is excellent in its usage of facts that no other author had thought of using ... Intellectually elite -- it is used on my own website often for excerpts ...