Joseph in Egyptian Historical Records
There are definite records for the Biblical Joseph in Egyptian history. Here are some:
First – Inscriptions
- After Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh, the king elevated him to the highest office under the crown. The king gave Joseph a new name “Zaphnath-paaneah (Genesis 41:45). This name has been discovered in an inscription of the later, Bubastid period (9th century B.C.), and was written in Egyptian Djed–pa–netjer–iuf–ankh, meaning, “The god speaks that he may live.”
- This below inscription talks about Pharaoh’s dream and Joseph’s interpretation of the seven years of plenty as well as the following seven years of famine. (Source)
Second – Coins
According to a report in the Egyptian Newspaper Al-Ahram, by Wajih Al-Saqqar, archeologists have discovered ancient Egyptian coins bearing the name and image of the Biblical Joseph (Al-Ahram (Egypt), September 22, 2009).
The following are excerpts from the article:
“The researchers discovered the coins when they sifted through thousands of small archeological artifacts stored in [the vaults of] the Museum of Egypt. [Initially] they took them for charms, but a thorough examination revealed that the coins bore the year in which they were minted and their value, or effigies of the pharaohs [who ruled] at the time of their minting. Some of the coins are from the time when Joseph lived in Egypt, and bear his name and portrait.“
“Research team head Dr. Sa’id Muhammad Thabet said that during his archeological research on the Prophet Joseph, he had discovered in the vaults of the [Egyptian] Antiquities Authority and of the National Museum many charms from various eras before and after the period of Joseph, including one that bore his effigy as the minister of the treasury in the Egyptian pharaoh’s court…“
“One Coin… [Had] an Image of a Cow Symbolizing Pharaoh’s Dream about the Seven Fat Cows and Seven Lean Cows”
“The researcher identified coins from many different periods, including coins that bore special markings identifying them as being from the era of Joseph. Among these, there was one coin that had an inscription on it, and an image of a cow symbolizing Pharaoh’s dream about the seven fat cows and seven lean cows, and the seven green stalks of grain and seven dry stalks of grain. It was found that the inscriptions of this early period were usually simple, since writing was still in its early stages, and consequently there was difficulty in deciphering the writing on these coins. But the research team [managed to] translate [the writing on the coin] by comparing it to the earliest known hieroglyphic texts…”
“Joseph’s name appears twice on this coin, written in hieroglyphs: once the original name, Joseph, and once his Egyptian name, Saba Sabani, which was given to him by Pharaoh when he became treasurer. There is also an image of Joseph, who was part of the Egyptian administration at the time.”
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
