The End of Days - Zecharia Sitchin-pages

Page 150 of 319

Page 150 of 319
The End of Days - Zecharia Sitchin-pages

Page Content (OCR)

142 treating the Exodus as just an “Israelite” story, clearly placed it in the context of Egyptian history and the interna- tional events of the time. The Hebrew Bible opens the story of the Israelite exodus from Egypt in its second book, Exodus, by reminding the reader that the Israelite presence in Egypt began when Jacob (who was renamed Israel by an angel) and his other eleven sons joined Jacob’s son Joseph in Egypt, in 1833 B.c.z. The full story of how Joseph, separated from his family, rose from being a slave to the rank of viceroy, and how he saved Egypt from a devastating famine, is told by the Bible in the last chapters of Genesis; and my take on how Joseph saved Egypt and what evidence of that exists to this day is told in The Earth Chronicles Expeditions. Having reminded the reader of how and when the Israelite presence in Egypt began, the Bible makes it clear that all that was gone and forgotten by the time of the Exodus: “Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation had passed away.” Not only they but even the dynasty of the Egyptian kings who were connected to those times were also long gone. A new dynasty came into power: “And there arose a new king over Egypt who knew not Joseph.” Accurately, the Bible describes the change of government in Egypt. The dynasties of the Middle Kingdom based in Memphis were gone, and after the disarray of the Second Intermediate Period the princes of Thebes launched the dy- nasties of the New Kingdom. Indeed, there arose entirely new kings over Egypt—new dynasties in a new capital, “and they knew not Joseph.” Forgetting the Israelite contribution to Egypt’s survival, a new Pharaoh now saw danger in their presence. He ordered a series of oppressive steps against them, including the killing of all male babies. These were his reasons: And he said unto his people: “Behold, a nation, Children of Israel, is greater and mightier than us; Let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply THE END OF DAYS