Moses the Magician

18
Gary A. Rendsburg

Abstract
Exodus 1–15 repeatedly shows familiarity with Egyptian traditions: the
biblical motifs of the hidden divine name, turning an inanimate object into
a reptile, the conversion of water to blood, a spell of 3 days of darkness,
the death of the firstborn, the parting of waters, and death by drowning are
all paralleled in Egyptian texts, and, for the most part, nowhere else.

Before reaching the substantive portion of this cially Zevit 1990; Noegel 1996; Currid 1997:
article, I begin with a few introductory notes. (a) 83–120), though hopefully this essay still will
The present article is the natural follow-up to my present some new perspectives, including, I
earlier essay, “Moses as Equal to Pharaoh” believe, one particular item (see below }8) hith-
(Rendsburg 2006), which dealt with aspects of erto not commented upon, at least to the best of
Exodus 1–15 that evoke Egyptian motifs relevant my knowledge. (d) Finally, my method in this
to Horus, the god of kingship, and/or to the article, as was also the case in the first article, is
Pharaoh, as royal figure. In this second article, to consider Exodus 1–15 as a narrative whole,1
we will focus upon reverberations of Egyptian and to proceed through the biblical text in its
magical and (additional) literary motifs within canonical order.
the Exodus account. (b) I ask the reader’s for- }1. We start with Exod 3:13–15, which
bearance regarding the title, “Moses the Magi- constitutes the second of Moses’s four
cian,” which should be understood loosely, since objections to God, along with God’s
not every feature to be discussed herein relates to response, in the scene atop Mt Horeb (see
the role of the Egyptian lector-priest or magician- Exod 3:1; identified with Mt Sinai in later
priest per se. Nevertheless, as we shall see, such Jewish tradition). Moses anticipates that the
matters dominate the biblical story—and besides, people of Israel will ask him for God’s
the alliterative title resonates felicitously. (c) name: ‫ש֔מֹו ָמ֥ה ֹאַ֖מר ֲאֵלֶֽהם‬
ְ ׁ ּ ‫“ ְוָאְֽמרו ּ־ ִ֣ל י ַמה־‬and
Many of the items to be presented in this article they shall say to me, ‘What is his
have been treated by others before me (see espe-

1
Though clearly the Song of the Sea in the final chapter is
G.A. Rendsburg (*) an earlier poetic version (indeed most likely the oldest
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA piece of literature in the entire Bible), predating the prose
e-mail: [email protected] account in Exodus 14.

T.E. Levy et al. (eds.), Israel’s Exodus in Transdisciplinary Perspective, 243

Quantitative Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-04768-3_18,
# Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015
244 G.A. Rendsburg

name?’—what shall I say to them?”2 God (a) In the biblical account, God is not fear-
responds not with any of the standard divine ful of disclosing his name: Moses asks,
names used in the Bible—‫“ יהוה‬YHWH,” and God divulges—because in the bib-
‫“ ְֶאל ִֹהים‬Elohim” (“God”), “Shaddai,” lical conception of the single deity,
etc.—but rather proclaims ‫שר ֶֽאְהֶיה‬ֶׁ ‫ֶֽאְהֶיה ֲא‬ Yahweh has no fear of falling under
͗ɛhyɛ ͗ašɛr ɛ͗ hyɛ “I am that I am” (v. 14), a the influence of magical praxes (see,
name used nowhere else in the Bible, short- for example, Num 23:23). In the
ened later in the verse to the simple ‫ֶא ְֽהֶיה‬ Egyptian story, by contrast, Ra
͗ɛhyɛ “I am”.3 This unique divine name is to explicitly declares his dread of the
be understood as “the unknown name” of powerful magicians, and hence he does
Yahweh, a parallel to “the unknown name” everything “humanly” possible not to
of Ra, as narrated in Pap. Turin 1993 divulge his name.6
(c. 1300 B.C.E.).4 In this Egyptian myth, Isis (b) In the biblical story, not only does God
seeks to learn the secret name of Ra, though reveal “the unknown name” to Moses,
the great god refuses, with the comment, but the reader of the story learns the
“My father and mother told me my name. name as well—again, because there
I have hidden it in my body since birth, so as can be no concern with magical abuse
to prevent the power of a male magician or or misuse of this appellation. In the
a female magician from coming into exis- Egyptian tale, by contrast, the reader
tence against me” (lines cxxxii.11–12).5 does not learn the special name of Ra;
Isis, in turn, produces a venomous snake, he/she learns only that Isis learned the
which bites Ra, thereby forcing him—with name.
no alternative, as he suffered tremendously }2. The Exodus narrative continues with
from the burning poison—to ultimately dis- Moses’s third objection to God atop
close his name: “The great god announced Mt Horeb, namely, that the people will
his name to Isis, the Great One of Magic” not believe him when he returns to Egypt:
(line cxxxiii.14).
The parallel between the two stories is “And Moses
clear: in both cases the great god has a answered, and he said, ‘but behold, they
secret name. But the key differences are will not believe me, and they will not
illuminating: listen to my voice, for they will say,
“YHWH did not appear unto you”’” (Exod
4:1). So, how best to impress people in
Egypt with one’s power, to instill belief
in them? The answer: to empower the hero
2
Translations of the Hebrew herein are my own. I also with the ability and capacity associated
have translated the shorter Egyptian passages quoted, with the lector-priest. Accordingly, God
though for longer Egyptian texts I have relied on the instructs Moses at this point to cast down
translations of others, as indicated. his shepherd’s staff, which turns into a
3
This short form may be alluded to in one other passage,
snake ( ), and then, upon Moses’s grasp-
Hos 1:9.
4
For the four other sources, all Ramesside, all from Deir
ing the snake by the tail, it reverts to a
el-Medina, see http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/litera staff (vv. 2–4). A very similar maneuver is
ture/isisandra.html (along with transliteration of Pap.
Turin 1993).
5
Adapted from the translation of Robert K. Ritner in COS,
1.33–34. For other versions, see Wilson (1969: 12–14) and
6
McDowell (1999: 118–120). For the standard edition, see On the fear expressed by the Egyptian gods concerning
Pleyte and Rossi (1869–1876: 1.173–180) (with Plates the threat of magic directed against them, see Ritner
CXXXI-CXXXIII, LXXVII+XXXI in vol. 2). (1993: 21–22).
18 Moses the Magician 245

employed by the chief lector-priest Said His Majesty the King of Upper and Lower
( ) Webaoner and the caretaker of Egypt, Nebka, the vindicated, ‘This crocodile is
indeed fearful!’ But Webaoner bent down, and he
his gardens in “The Wax Crocodile” caught it and it became a crocodile of wax in his
story, the second of the tales appearing hand.
in Papyrus Westcar (Pap. Berlin 3033, c.
1600 B.C.E., though the composition is sev- To be sure, “The Wax Crocodile” tale
eral centuries earlier), as a means to does not mention Webaoner’s grasping the
avenge the indiscretions of the local crocodile by the tail, and of course Moses’s
townsman7: action atop Mt Horeb involves a snake. But
there is additional data to flesh out the
When day broke, and the second day came, the relationship between the two stories. On the
caretaker informed Webaoner of the matter . . ..
Then he lit a fire and said, ‘Bring me my chest of biblical side, we note that when Moses and
ebony and electrum’, and he opened it and made a Aaron appear before Pharaoh and produce
crocodile of wax seven fingers long. He read out this wonder, the word “snake” is not used,
his magic words saying . . . ‘If anyone comes to but rather the term “crocodile” occurs8:
bathe in my lake . . . the townsman’. Then he gave
it to the caretaker, and he said to him: ‘After the
townsman goes down to the pool, as is his daily “and
fashion, you shall cast the crocodile after him’. Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh, and
The caretaker went forth, and he took the crocodile they did such, as YHWH had commanded; and
of wax
. . . with him. Aaron cast-down his staff before Pharaoh
After night fell, the townsman returned as was
and before his servants, and it became a
his daily fashion, and the caretaker threw the croc-
odile of wax behind him into the water. At once it crocodile” (Exod 7:10).
grew into a crocodile of seven cubits, and it took The difference in word usage is to be
hold of the townsman. explained on two grounds: (a) in the wilder-
Webaoner tarried with His Majesty the King of
ness setting of Mt Horeb, the snake is appro-
Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebka, the vindicated,
for seven days, all the while the townsman was in priate; while in the Pharaoh’s court, which
the lake without breathing. After the seventh day could never be too far from the Nile, the
came, His Majesty the King of Upper and Lower crocodile is more suitable (see already
Egypt, Nebka, the vindicated, came forth, and the
Cassuto 1967: 94); and (b) a holistic approach
chief lector-priest Webaoner placed himself in his
presence and said to him, ‘May Your Majesty to the narrative suggests that an “upgrade” is
come and see the marvel which has taken place operative here, for while the snake trick is
in Your Majesty’s time’. His Majesty went with clearly something special, how much more
Webaoner. He called out to the crocodile and said,
impressive is the transformation of the staff
‘Bring back the townsman’. The crocodile came
out of the water. Then the chief lector-priest into a crocodile.9 On the Egyptological side,
Webaoner said, ‘Open up!’ And he opened up.
Then he placed. . .
8
There is a debate amongst scholars concerning the
meaning of the word ‫ַּתנ ִּין‬, though in my opinion
7
Standard editions of the entire Papyrus Westcar are “crocodile” is the only possible option here and in other
Blackman-Davies (1988) and (Lepper 2008). The transla- Egyptian contexts (e.g., Ezek 29:3, 32:2). For those in
tion here, excerpted from the second tale, is adapted from agreement with this conclusion, see the references in
that of William Kelly Simpson in Simpson (2003: 13–16) Noegel (1996: 47, n. 12). For full treatment, notwithstand-
(in particular pp. 15–16). The reader should be aware that ing a contrary view, see Cohen (1991).
9
the manuscript is much more fragmentary than my clean The source-critical approach assigns Exodus 4:1–16 to
prose would suggest (especially in this selection, col. 2, the Yahwist account, which uses “snake” both here
line 15, through col. 4, line 3), though the narrative thread and in its creation account in Genesis 2–3, and Exodus
is clear nonetheless. For other English renderings, see 7:1–13 to the Priestly source, which uses “crocodile,
Parkinson (1997: 102–109) (esp. pp. 107–108); and sea-monster” both here and in the first creation account in
Quirke (2004: 77–81) (esp. pp. 78–80) (with translitera- Genesis 1, and which elevates Aaron to greater promi-
tion). See also the German translation by Lepper (2008: nence. For convenient orientation, see Friedman (2003:
29–35) (esp. pp. 31–34) (with transliteration). 130 n. *).
246 G.A. Rendsburg

we may note a series of seals portraying an }3. We turn now to the extended narrative
individual (most likely a magician-priest) concerning the Ten Plagues, several of which
holding crocodiles by the tail, one in each evoke Egyptian tropes. The first of these is
hand; see Fig. 18.1 for two examples10—in Plague One, turning the Nile into blood:
addition to the famous Horus stelae of the god
Horus holding snakes, scorpions, etc., in sim-
ilar fashion (see Rendsburg 2006: 213–215). “And Moses and Aaron
A chart may be useful here to summarize did thus, as YHWH commanded, and he raised
the evidence: the staff, and he struck the water that is in the
Nile, before the eyes of Pharaoh and before the
Action Biblical account Egyptian evidence eyes of his servants; and all the water that is in
Snake from Moses atop the Nile was turned into blood” (Exod 7:20).
inanimate to Mt Horeb
animate The Egyptian parallel is well known, from
Holding snake by Moses atop Horus stelae the “Admonitions of Ipuwer,” the sage who
the tail Mt Horeb described the chaotic state of the land, with
Crocodile from Moses and Aaron Webaoner in “The reference to either the First Intermediate
inanimate to before the Wax Crocodile” Period or the Second Intermediate Period,
animate Pharaoh
though the sole surviving manuscript, Pap.
Holding Egyptian seals
crocodile by the (from Egypt and Leiden 344, dates to the 19th Dynasty,
tail Canaan) centuries later.12 The key passage reads as
follows: {͗w ms {͗trw m snf swr{͗.tw {͗m.f nyw.tw
Finally, we note the response by the m rmt {͗n.tw mw “Indeed, the river is blood,
¯
Egyptians in the court: yet one drinks from it; one turns away from
people, yet one thirsts for water” (col. 2,
“and Pharaoh also called the wise-men and line 10) . . . [iw] [. . .]
the sorcerers; and they did likewise, the “[In]deed, the desert is
lector-priests of Egypt, with their spells throughout the land, the nomes are ravaged;
thus” (Exod 7:11). Which is to say, naturally foreign-tribes (lit. “bowmen”) have come
the Egyptian lector-priests are able to repro- into Egypt” (col. 3, line 1). Note not only
duce the wonder produced by Moses and the parallel to the first plague, but also the
Aaron, since, as we learn from “The Wax equally important fact that the upheaval is
Crocodile” story, the ancient Egyptians associated with the presence of foreigners in
themselves believed that such individuals the land.13
could transform an inanimate object into a
crocodile.11

10 12
For examples from Egypt, see Quibell (1898: pl. 30, no. For discussion of these matters, see Enmarch (2005,
26) (from the Ramesseum); Petrie (1906: pl. 11, no. 222) 2008), now the standard treatments of this important
(from Tell el-Yehudiyeh); and Petrie (1909: pl. 34, no. 92) composition. English translations include Lichtheim
(from Memphis). For seals of this sort from the land of (1973: 149–163), Parkinson (1997: 166–199), Nili
Israel, see Keel (1997): Achsib, no. 115; Tell el-ʿAğul, Shupak in COS, 1.93–98; Vincent A. Tobin in Simpson
nos. 200 and 996; and Akko, no. 115; and Keel (2010): (2003: 188–210); and Quirke (2004: 140–150) (with
Beth-Shan, no. 87; Beth-Shemesh, no. 10; and Dor, no. transliteration of the text).
26. For a general survey, including reproductions of some 13
For another reference to water turning to blood in an
of the above seals, see Münger (2003: 69), fig. 2, nos. ancient Egyptian text, namely Setne II (on which see
11–15. I am extremely grateful to Dr Münger for directing below, }5), see Lichtheim (1973–1980: 3.148); and
my attention to these seals and for this wealth of Robert K. Ritner in Simpson (2003: 485). The parallel is
bibliography. less apt, though, since it is the Nubian magician’s
11
For additional aspects of this episode, see Rendsburg mother’s water which will turn to blood, should he be
(2006: 209–210). defeated whilst performing sorcery in Egypt.
18 Moses the Magician 247

Fig. 18.1 Seals depicting an individual (most likely, a Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, catalogue no. UC61221,
magician-priest) holding two crocodiles by the tail, one in and may be viewed via online search at: http://petriecat.
each hand. Original publications: on the left, Petrie 1909: pl. museums.ucl.ac.uk/search.aspx. My gratitude to Dr Alice
34, no. 92 (from Memphis); on the right, Petrie 1906: pl. 11, Stevenson for this information and to Prof Stephen Quirke
no. 222 (from Tell el-Yehudiyeh). The whereabouts of the for additional assistance
former is now unknown. The latter is housed in the Petrie

}4. Plagues Three and Four both involve insects, their bodies regularly, so as not to become
‫ִּכ ִנ ּים‬ “lice” and ‫ָעֹרב‬ “gnats, flies,” impure, and hence be disqualified from
respectively.14 In these two instances, the temple service; this will explain the presence
supporting Egyptological evidence comes of the hartumim ¼ Eg., hry-tp “lector-
˙ ˙
not from Egyptian sources directly, but priests” in the short accounts of Plague
rather from Herodotus’s detailed description Three and Plague Six.
of the land of Egypt in The Histories, Book The key passage in the former pericope
Two. In section 37, he reports as follows: is the following: ‫שו ּ־ֵ֨כן ַהַחְרֻט ִ֧ ּמיים ְּבָלֵטי ֶ ֛ה ם‬ ֹ ‫ַוי ֲַּע‬
“Their priests shave the whole body every ‫ְלהֹוִצ֥יא ֶאת־ַהִּכ ִ֖נ ּים ְו֣לֹא ָיֹ֑כלו ּ ַוְּתִה ֙י ַהִּכ ּ֔נ ָם ָּבָאָ֖דם‬
other day, that no lice or aught else that is ‫“ ו ַּבְּבֵהָֽמה׃‬And the lector-priests did thus, by
foul may infest them in their service of the their spells, to bring-out the lice, but they
gods”15; while in section 95, he states very were not able; and the lice were upon
succinctly: “Gnats are abundant,”16 after human and beast” (Exod 8:14). Ironically,
which follows a long section detailing how had the hartumim succeeded in their
˙
the Egyptians protect themselves from this attempt to duplicate Moses’s and Aaron’s
pest. In light of these statements, the presence action (see vv. 12–13), the lice would have
of these two annoyances within the plagues been even more present. Though even with-
account in the book of Exodus is rather out such action, the lice that Moses and
appropriate. Also noteworthy is Herodotus’s Aaron brought forth already had infested
observation regarding the priests who shave “human and beast,” which would have
included the priests presumably.
The second relevant verse occurs
14
For the identification of ‫ ָעֹרב‬as “gnats, flies,” see
later, within the Plague Six pericope:
Rendsburg (2003). ‫שִ֑ח ין‬
ׁ ְּ ‫שה ִמְּפֵנ֣י ה‬ ׁ ֶ֖ ֹ‫ְולֽ ֹא־יְָכ֣לו ּ ֽהַ ַחְרֻט ִּ֗מים לַעֲ ֛מֹד לִפְֵנ֥י מ‬
15
Translation of Godley (1921–1924: 1.319). For discus- ‫שִ֔חין ּֽב ַַחְרֻט ִּ֖מם ו ּבְכָל־ִמצְ ָרֽיִם׃‬ ׁ ְּ ‫“ ִכּיֽ ־ָה ָי ֣ה ַה‬And the
sion, see Lloyd (1976–1988: 1.165–166). lector-priests were not able to stand before
16
Translation of Godley (1921–1924: 1.381). For discus- Moses, on account of the boils; for the boils
sion, see Lloyd (1976–1988: 1.382).
248 G.A. Rendsburg

were upon the lector-priests and upon all of the land of Egypt (Erman-Grapow
Egypt” (Exod 9:11). While not lice, the 1926–1931: 1.107; Yahuda 1933: 62–63;
boils constitute a different skin affliction, Rendsburg 1988: 7). Indeed, Targum
which also would have rendered the Egyp- Onqelos renders the Hebrew phrase
tian priests unable to serve the gods. To my “the eye of the sun of the
mind, it is not a coincidence that the contest whole earth,” inserting the word
between the hartumim, on the one hand, “sun” in the middle of this phrase, thereby
˙
and Moses and Aaron, on the other, ends departing from its typical word-for-word
with the third plague of lice, and that the rendering (Rendsburg 1990).
hartumim reappear only once (in a cameo The relevant Egyptian texts here are the
˙
appearance, as it were), during the telling “Prophecy of Neferti” and “Setne Khamwas
of the sixth plague of boils. The attack on and Si-Osire” (¼Setne II). The former is a
the lector-priests by extension represents Middle-Egyptian composition, though it is
an assault on the heart of Egyptian religion, known to us only from New-Kingdom cop-
for without the priestly service in the ies, to wit, the complete 18th-Dynasty Pap.
temples, the cults are inoperative, the St Petersburg 1116B (whose lines are cited
deities are ineffective, and all of Egypt below), along with many fragmentary
descends into turmoil. copies from the 19th and 20th Dynasties.17
}5. Our next topic is Plagues Eight and Nine, the The pertinent passage reads as follows:
plagues of locusts and darkness, respectively. “the
The two are clearly distinct, but they share the sun-disc is covered, it does not shine for
motif of darkness descending upon the land: people to see; no one can live, when
‫שךְ ָהָאֶרץ ַו ֜י ֹּאַכל ֶאת־ָּכל־ֵעֶׂ֣שב‬
ֶ
ׁ ַ֣ ‫ַוְיַ֞כס ֶאת־ֵ֣עין ָּכל־ָהָאֶר֮ץ ַוֶּתְח‬
the clouds cover” (line 25) . . .
‫ָהָ֗אֶרץ ְוֵא֙ת ָּכל־ּפְִ֣רי ָהֵ֔עץ ֲאֶׁש֥ר הֹוִ֖תיר ַהָּב ָ ֑רד ְולֹא־נֹוַ֨תר‬
‫שֶ֖דה ּבְָכל־ֶאֶ֥רץ ִמְצָֽרִים׃‬ ָׂ ּ ‫ָּכל־ֶי֧ ֶרק ָּב ֵ֛עץ ו ְּבֵעֶׂ֥שב ַה‬ “Syrians (styw) are throughout the land,
enemies emerge in the east, Asiatics ( )
And it [sc. the locust swarm] covered the
have come-down into Egypt” (lines 32–33).
eye of the whole earth, and the earth was
Once more we note how the disorder,
darkened, and it ate all the vegetation of the
characterized by the concealment of the
land and all the fruit of the trees, which the
sun, is connected to the arrival of Syrians/
hail left over; and not a single green was left
Asiatics (i.e., Semites).
on the trees or on the vegetation of the field,
The second parallel appears in the late
in all the land of Egypt. (Exod 10:15)
Demotic text “Setne Khamwas and Si-
‫שְך־ֲאֵפ ָ ֛לה ְּבָכל־ֶאֶ֥רץ‬ ׁ ֶ ‫ש ָ ֑מִים ַוְיִ֧הי ֹֽח‬ָׁ ּ ‫שה ֶאת־ָי֖דֹו ַעל־ַה‬ ֛ ֶׁ ‫ַויֵ ּ֥ט ֹמ‬ Osire” (¼Setne II) (Pap. British Museum
‫שת ָיִֽמים׃‬ֶ ׁ ֹ ֥‫של‬ְׁ ‫ִמְצַ֖רִים‬ 604 verso). This composition relates a series
‫שת ָיִ֑מים‬
ׁ ֶ ֹ ‫ש ִמַּתְח ָּ֖תיו ְׁש ֣ל‬ ׁ ‫ש ֶאת־ָאִ֗חיו ְול ֹא־ ָ ֛קמו ּ ִא֥י‬ ׁ ‫לֽ ֹא־ָר֞או ּ ִ֣אי‬
‫שבָֹֽתם׃‬ ְׁ ‫שָר ֵ ֛אל ָהָ֥יה ֖אֹור ְּבמֹו‬ ְ ׂ ‫ו ְּֽלָכל־ְּבֵ֧ני ִי‬
of stories concerning Setne Khamwas, son
of Rameses II, high priest of Memphis, and
And Moses extended his hand towards the renowned magician. While the text is late
heaven, and there was a deep darkness in all (indeed, the manuscript dates to the first
the land of Egypt (for) 3 days. One could century C.E., based on the information
not see his fellow, and no one rose from his provided on the recto), and indeed the
place (for) 3 days; and for all the children of
Israel there was light in their dwellings.
(Exod 10:22–23) 17
The standard editions are Goedicke (1977) and Helck
In the first verse above, note that “the eye of (1992). For English translations see Lichtheim (1980:
the whole earth” is a Hebrew quasi-calque 138–151), Parkinson (1997: 131–143), Nili Shupak in
COS, 1.106–110, Vincent A. Tobin in Simpson (2003:
on the Egyptian phrase {͗r.t rʿ “the eye of the 214–220), and Quirke (2004: 135–139) (with translitera-
sun,” a metaphor for Ra, and by extension, tion of the text).
18 Moses the Magician 249

traditions concerning Setne Khamwas grew from these collections were brought to the
over the course of time,18 a number of the attention of scholars by Mordechai Gilula
motifs hark back to earlier Egyptian (1977):
tropes.19 The relevant episode within the (a) Pyramid Texts, par. 399a–b (within the
narrative actually concerns not Setne “Cannibal Hymn”) from pyramids of
Khamwas, but rather his son Si-Osire, who Unas, c. 2350 B.C.E., and Teti, c. 2320
in fact surpasses his father in wisdom and B.C.E.
magic. In the course of this story, an )̉ p{̉ wdʿ mdw hnʿ {mn
̉
(wn{s)/(tt{
¯ ̉ rn-f / hrw pw n rh^ s
unnamed Nubian magician states the fol- smsw ˙
lowing: “Were it not that Amun would find (Sethe 1908–1922: 1.208; see also Faulkner
fault with me, and that the lord of Egypt 1969: 81)22 (see Fig. 18.2)
It is the king who will be judged with Him-
might [punish me], I would cast my whose-name-is-hidden on this day of the slaying of
sorceries upon Egypt and would make the the first-born (smsw). (Unas 508//Teti 322)
people of Egypt spend three days and three
(b) Coffin Texts, }178p (Spell 573) (c. 2000
nights seeing no light, only darkness.”20 In
short, we have here another Egyptian tale B.C.E.)

centered on darkness, in fact, specifically 3 • from Asyut [Siut] coffin, S1C, inner
days of darkness, in accordance with the coffin of msht ¼ Cairo 28118
˙
biblical description of the ninth plague. • parallel: Asyut [Siut] coffin S2C,
}6. The culminating plague, as is well known, outer coffin of msht ¼ Cairo 28119
˙
is the death of the firstborn, narrated in
Exod 11:1–10, 12:29–30. {̉nk wdʿ mdw hnʿ {̉mn rn-f / grh pw n r‹h^ ›s wrw
(de¯ Buck 1935–1961:
˙ ˙ see also Faulkner
6.178;
1973–1978: 2.176) (see Fig. 18.3)
I am he who will be judged with Him-whose-
name-is-hidden on this night of the slaying of the
And it was, in the middle of the night, and first-born (wrw).
YHWH struck all the firstborn of the land of
(c) Coffin Texts, }163b–c (¼Spell 136) (c.
Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who
2000 B.C.E.)
sits on his throne, unto the firstborn of the
• from Saqqara coffin Sq3Sq, coffin of
captives who are in the house of the pit, and
snny in Saqqara storeroom with three
all the firstborn of the animals. (Exod 12:29)
parallels:
The same motif occurs in Egyptian funerary – B2L, outer coffin of -tp, from
literature, both the Pyramid Texts of the Old el-Barsha ¼ BM 38039
Kingdom period and the Coffin Texts of the – B2P, inner coffin of sp{͗, from el-
Middle Kingdom.21 The relevant passages Barsha, now in the Louvre23
– Sq4C, coffin of h^ nw, from
Saqqara ¼ Cairo J39052
18
This includes the transformation of the title stm “priest”
(>Setne) into part of the protagonist’s name.
19
In addition to which, one of the tales is known from an
earlier Aramaic version found at Elephantine; see Robert
K. Ritner in Simpson (2003: 471), with n. 1.
20 22
Translation of Lichtheim (1980: 138–151) (in particular For a different approach on how to render this passage,
p. 144). For another rendering, see Robert K. Ritner in see Allen (2005: 51, 91). Eyre (2002: 85) includes nary a
Simpson (2003: 471–489) (in particular p. 480). The comment about this line.
standard edition remains, Griffith (1900), with translation 23
The sigla for these coffins (S1C, B2L, etc.) are those
and transliteration on pp. 142–207. employed by de Buck. In this particular case, for coffin
21
For basic orientation into these two genres, see B2P, de Buck did not supply a museum accession number,
Hornung (1999: 1–6, 7–12), respectively. beyond indicating its current location in the Louvre.
250 G.A. Rendsburg

Fig. 18.2 Pyramid Text

}399a–b, from pyramids of
Unas [W] and Teti [T],
from Sethe (1908–1922:
1.208). Used with kind
permission of Georg Olms
Verlag

Fig. 18.3 Coffin Text Now, to be sure, we know very little about
}178p, from de Buck “this day of the slaying of the first-born” (in
(1935–1961: 6.178). Used
with kind permission of the the first text above), or with even greater
Oriental Institute of the relevance “this night of the slaying of the
University of Chicago first-born” (in the second text), or the com-
posite version with both “night” and “day”
(in the third text). In addition to the change
from smsw in the Pyramid Texts to wrw in
the Coffin Texts, one also should note that
the latter is followed by the “deity” deter-
minative, in all copies and in all instances
(see Figs. 18.3 and 18.4). The same holds
for the expression {̉mn rn-f “He-whose-
name-is-hidden” in those instances where
the phrase is extant (}178p [again, see
Figs. 18.3 and 18.4] and }163a [not included
above]).
Regardless of how this echo of a myth is to
be understood, one will agree with Gilula
(1977: 95): “These passages are strong evi-
dence that a mythological tale once
circulated in which some or all of the first-
born in Egypt—whether gods, mortals or
animals—were slain on a certain day or
night. Such a myth may very likely lie in
the background of the biblical account.”
}7. While the ten plagues suffice to demon-
strate Yahweh’s might and salvific power
(that is, from the perspective of the biblical
narrator and his audience), the story line
allows for one ultimate act which eclipses
. . . grh pw n rh^ s wrw / hrw pw n rh^ s wrw all the previous ones. I refer, naturally, to
(de˙ Buck 1935–1961: 2.163; see also Faulkner the splitting of the Reed Sea and the
1973–1978: 1.117) (see Fig. 18.4) subsequent drowning of the Egyptians,
. . .this night of the slaying of the first-born
(wrw),
recounted both in prose (Exodus 14) and
this day of the slaying of the first-born (wrw). in poetry (Exodus 15). Our treatment
18 Moses the Magician 251

nefer-ka-ptah,” known as “Setne I” for

˙
short, dated to the Ptolemaic period
(Pap. Cairo 30646).24 (For general orienta-
tion regarding the figure of Setne Khamwas,
see above, }5) In the relevant snippet, the
magician-prince Na-nefer-ka-ptah seeks to
˙
locate and obtain the “book” written by
Thoth himself, now housed inside a box
(actually, within a series of boxes) in the
middle of the Nile at Coptos. Na-nefer-ka-
ptah creates a model boat, replete with
˙
rowers and sailors, then brings it all to life
via the recitation of a spell. At which point,
the story reads:
He said to the rowers, “Row me to the place where
that book is!” [They rowed him by night] as by
day. In three days he reached it. He cast sand
before him, and a gap formed in the river. He
found six miles of serpents, scorpions, and all
kinds of reptiles around [the place where the
book was]. He found an eternal serpent around
this same box. He recited a spell to the six miles
of serpents, scorpions, and all kinds of reptiles that
were around the box, and did not let them come
up.25 (page 3, lines 29–32)

The narrative continues with Na-nefer-ka-

ptah’s opening of the series of nested
˙
boxes and his successful acquisition of the
“book.” In short, we see in this tale the belief
that an Egyptian wise man could part the
waters (viz., “a gap formed in the river”) in
order to reach the desired object, in this
case, the “book” written by Thoth himself.
The second pertinent text returns us to Papy-
rus Westcar (see above, }2), though this time
our focus is on the third tale in the collec-
tion, “The Boating Party” story. In this tale,
Fig. 18.4 Coffin Text }163b–c, from de Buck the royal family is enjoying a day of leisure
(1935–1961: 2.163). Used with kind permission of the on the lake, when a pendant of one of the
Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago princesses falls into the water. The king
(Seneferu [4th Dynasty, c. 2600 B.C.E.])
commands that the chief lector-priest
divides this episode into its two component
parts, beginning with the splitting of the sea,
24
for which there are two germane texts from As with Setne II discussed above, the standard treat-
ancient Egypt. We begin with the less ment remains, Griffith (1900), with translation and trans-
literation on pp. 82–141.
famous and indeed slightly less comparable 25
Translation of Lichtheim (1980: 127–138) (esp. p. 130).
story, namely, an episode which appears in For another translation, see Ritner in Simpson (2003:
the Demotic tale “Setne Khamwas and Na- 454–469).
252 G.A. Rendsburg

(hry-tb hry-tp) Djadja-em-ankh be brought, considerable knowledge amongst the

¯ ˙
at which point we pick up the story as Israelites of ancient Egyptian beliefs and
follows (col. 5, line 25, through col. 6, line practices, perhaps even specific literary
15): motifs.
Said his majesty, “Djadja-em-ankh, my brother, I }8. The final item to be discussed here is the
did as you had said. My majesty’s heart was climactic act in the extended narrative of
refreshed seeing them row. Then a pendant of Exodus 1–15, to wit, the drowning of the
new turquoise of one of the leaders fell into the Egyptians. We begin not with evidence
water. She stopped rowing and thereby spoiled her
side. I said to her, “Why have you stopped row- from Egypt directly, but rather with the
ing?” She said to me, “Because the pendant of new testimony of Herodotus, The Histories,
turquoise fell into the water.” I said to her, “Row! I Book Two, section 90:
shall replace it for you!” She said to me, “I prefer
my thing to one like it.” When anyone, be he Egyptian or stranger, is
Then the chief lector-priest Djadja-em-ankh known to have been carried off by a crocodile or
said his say of magic. He placed one side of the drowned by the river itself, such an one must by all
lake’s water upon the other; and he found the means be embalmed and tended as fairly as may be
pendant lying on a shard. He brought it and gave and buried in a sacred coffin by the townsmen of
it to its owner. Now the water that had been twelve the place where he is cast up; nor may any of his
cubits deep across (lit. ‘on its back’) had become kinsfolk or his friends touch him, but his body is
twenty-four cubits when it was turned back. Then deemed something more than human, and is han-
he said his say of magic and returned the waters of dled and buried by the priests of the Nile
the lake to their place. themselves.27
His majesty spent the day feasting with the
entire palace. Then he rewarded the chief lector- In short, according to Herodotus, death by
priest Djadja-em-ankh with all good things.26 drowning in ancient Egypt was a noble
death.28
In other words, the marvel produced by
Corroboration for this statement is forth-
Moses at the Sea of Reeds is of a piece
coming from native Egyptian sources, espe-
with the marvel produced by the famous cially the two interrelated New Kingdom
lector-priest Djadja-em-ankh in “The
funerary texts, Amduat, 10th hour, and
Boating Party” tale. Though whereas the
Book of Gates, 9th gate,29 both of which
dividing of the waters saves the day in the portray the drowned ones afloat in the river
Egyptian tale, in the biblical narrative this
in their respective registers. See below, line
action serves to outwit the Egyptians,
drawings in Figs. 18.5 and 18.6 and photo in
allowing the Israelites to flee safely to the Fig. 18.7, from KV-9, the tomb of Rameses
other side of the body of water. It is as if the
VI.30 A representative passage from the
biblical writer wishes to state the following
accompanying hieroglyphic text in the for-
(both here and in several instances above):
mer runs as follows: “You are those who are
if you Egyptians believe that magician-
within Nun, the drowned who are in his
priests are capable of such praxes, we will
following. May life belong to your bas!”31
use those very same actions to bring about
Another excellent exemplar of the Book of
your ruin and defeat. At the same time, for
Gates, 9th gate, is visible in KV-14, the
these tropes to be meaningful to an Israelite
tomb shared by Tausert (pharaoh-queen,
audience, who after all were the consumers
of the biblical literature, one must assume a
27
Translation of Godley (1921–1924: 1.375).
28
For further discussion, see Griffith (1909), Rowe (1940:
26 3–30), and Lloyd (1976–1988: 1.366–367).
Translation of Lichtheim (1973: 216–217) (esp. p. 217). 29
For other renderings see Parkinson (1997: 109–112) (esp For orientation, see Hornung (1999: 27–53, 55–77),
p. 111), Simpson (2003: 16–18) (esp. pp. 17–18), and respectively.
30
Quirke (2004: 81–83) (esp. pp. 82–83) (with translitera- All to be seen in the unsurpassed magisterial edition of
tion). See also the German translation by Lepper (2008: Piankoff and Rambova (1954).
31
36–40) (esp. pp. 38–39) (with transliteration). Translation of Manassa (2007: 350).
18 Moses the Magician 253

Fig. 18.5 KV-9, tomb of Rameses VI, Right Wall of This image is also available online at http://www.
Corridor G, Amduat 10th hour (Piankoff and Rambova egiptologia.org/textos/amduat/10/; see also Hornung (1999:
1954: fig. 85 [double foldout facing p. 299], with text on p. 51), fig. 23
304). Reprinted by permission of Princeton University Press.

last monarch of Dynasty 19) and Setnakht Time and again we have seen how the Exo-
(first pharaoh of Dynasty 20).32 dus narrative evokes Egyptian tropes and
To relate this concept to a narrative already turns them on their head. The imagery of
discussed herein, note that in Setne I (see baseball may be helpful here, since in this
above, }7), three different characters, sport the ground rules of the home team and
including the great magician Na-nefer-ka- its ballpark are in effect during the game.
ptah himself, drown in the Nile and become Since the Egyptians are the “home team” in
˙
“the praised one” of Ra—in Ritner’s words, the Exodus story, the biblical author plays
“an expression for the deified ‘drowned’” by their rules, whereby inanimate objects
(Ritner in Simpson 2003: 460, n. 19). may be transformed into crocodiles, the
Lichtheim (1973–1980: 3.131) goes so far death of the first born is an important
to render the expression as simply theme, waters can be divided in order
“drowned,” though with a note “Lit., ‘He to restore joy to the royal family, death
became one praised of Re’” (Lichtheim by drowning is honorific, and more. The
1973–1980: 3.138, n. 12). biblical author subverts all of these notions
To return now to the biblical account of as he leads his readers through the sustained
Exodus 14–15: it is as if the biblical author narrative. To repeat what I stated at the end
is stating: okay, Egyptians, if you believe of the previous section: in order for this
that drowning is such an honorable death, technique to be meaningful, one must
then fine, we will arrange your demise in assume a considerable knowledge amongst
just such manner. Which is to say, the the Israelites of ancient Egyptian beliefs
Torah’s narrative turns the death of honor and practices, perhaps even specific literary
into the death of dishonor.33 motifs.
}9. In the above sections, we have seen repeat-
32 edly that Moses (or at times Aaron)
For superb color images, go to: http://www.
thebanmappingproject.com/database/image.asp?ID¼14638, performs the same actions as those achieved
http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/database/image. by magicians, lector-priests, and the like in
asp?ID¼14641, http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/
database/image.asp?ID¼14642, especially the middle one.
33
Given the centrality of the drowning motif in New biblical tradition, and does not constitute a later develop-
Kingdom texts of the afterlife, I would argue that the ment. For discussion, see Loewenstamm (1972: 101–120)
presence of this trope in Exodus 14–15 is essential to the (with English summary on pp. viii–ix).
254 G.A. Rendsburg

Fig. 18.6 KV-9, tomb of Rameses VI, Left Wall of Corri- Press. This image is also available online at http://www.
dor, Book of Gates, 9th Gate, (Piankoff and Rambova 1954: egiptologia.org/textos/puertas/08/; see also Hornung (1999:
fig. 54 [double foldout facing p. 190], with text on pp. 74), fig. 38
193–194). Reprinted by permission of Princeton University

ancient Egyptian texts. In the biblical pre- through the recitation of magical spells
sentation of the narrative, however, one (Ritner 1993: 35–49; see Noegel 1996: pas-
detects an important distinction. When the sim)—a point clearly recognized by the bib-
Egyptian magicians execute their magic, lical author. By contrast, when Moses (and/
they do so via the recitation of magical or Aaron) engage in such acts, the biblical
spells, as indicated in the following verses: text is mindful never to ascribe the results to
Exodus 7:11 the magical arts. The leaders of the
‫שו ּ ַגם־ֵ֜הם ַחְרֻטֵּמ֥י‬
ׂ ֨ ‫ַוִּיְקָר֙א ַּגם־ּפְַר ֔ע ֹה ֽל ֲַחָכִ֖מי ם ְוַל ְֽמַכ ּ ְׁשִ֑פים ַו ַֽי ֲּע‬ Israelites are able to accomplish such tasks
‫ִמְצ ַ ֛רִים ְּבַלֲהֵטיֶ֖הם ּכֵ ֽן׃‬ because God empowered them to do so,
And Pharaoh called the wise-men and the pure and simple. In the words of Nahum
sorcerers, and they also did, the magician-priests
of Egypt, by their spells likewise. Sarna (1986: 59), “Moses knows no
techniques, recites no spells, utters no
Exodus 7:22 ‫ַוּי ַ ֲֽע ׂשו ּ־ ֵ ֛כ ן ַחְרֻטֵּמ֥י ִמְצ ַ ֖ריִם ְּבָלֵטי ֶ ֑ה ם‬ incantations or magical formulae.”34 Let
And the magician-priests of Egypt did likewise by us recall here the famous passage in Num
their spells. 23:23, uttered by Balaam (mentioned above
[}1] in passing):
Exodus 8:3 ‫ַוי ַֽ ֲּעׂשו ּ־ֵכ֥ן ֽ ַהַחְרֻטִּ֖מים ּבְָלֵטי ֶ ֑ה ם‬
And the magician-priests did likewise by their “for there is no magic in Jacob, and
spells. no sorcery in Israel”—a point which holds
throughout the Bible, including, as we have
Exodus 8:14 ‫ַוי ֲַּעׂשו ּ־ֵ֨כן ַה ַח ְרֻטִּ֧מים ְּבָלֵטי ֶ ֛ה ם‬ seen, the book of Exodus. In short, while the
And the magician-priests did likewise by their ends are the same, the means are profoundly
spells.
different.
This presentation of the Egyptian hartumim One additional point is worthy of mention
˙
accords with the narratives we have exam- here, as it once more speaks to the manner
ined herein, in which Webaoner “read out in which the Exodus narrative is thoroughly
his magic words,” Djadja-em-ankh “said his anchored in its Egyptian milieu. I refer here
say of magic,” Na-nefer-ka-ptah “recited a to the manner in which these actions
˙
spell,” and so on (quoting the translations
utilized above). Magical praxes in ancient
Egypt were almost always accomplished 34
See also Sarna (1991: 37).
18 Moses the Magician 255

Fig. 18.7 KV-9, tomb of Rameses VI, Left Wall of Corridor, Book of Gates, 9th Gate; note the drowned ones in the
upper register; photo # Gary A. Rendsburg

(whether induced by magic or via divine or whether Moses and Aaron are the
empowerment) are considered perfectly initiators of these feats.
natural and acceptable—one might even }10. Finally, we turn to the issue of the wide
say, expected—within the general story chronological range of the Egyptian
line. Which is to say, of course these things parallels evoked in this article. As we have
can happen. As Ritner (1993: 8–9) seen, the texts derive from the full range of
observed, “No suggestion of trickery is Egyptian chronological periods: Old King-
ever implied in Egyptian terms for magic. dom (Pyramid Texts), First or Second Inter-
Even where theatrical feats are described in mediate Period (Ipuwer), Middle Kingdom
literature, there is no indication that writer (Pap. Westcar, Neferti, Coffin Texts), New
or audience disbelieved the possibility of Kingdom (Pap. Turin 1993, Amduat, Book
such feats.”35 The biblical text enters the of Gates), Persian period (Herodotus), Ptol-
mindset of ancient Egypt so thoroughly emaic rule (Setne I), and Roman period
that this is equally true of the book of Exo- (Setne II). The warnings of parallelomania
dus—on both sides, whether the hartumim are clearly in mind here.
˙
There are several controls, though. First we
should keep in mind the tenacity of Egyp-
35
To which Ritner added a footnote, “Compare the mirac- tian religion and tradition, with beliefs and
ulous events narrated in Pap. Westcar, Setna I, and Setna customs present already during the Old
II” (p. 9, n. 24), all of which have been discussed above. Kingdom still reverberating in the late
Ritner further commented that this Egyptian attitude to period. One need only peruse Alan Lloyd’s
magic stands in contrast to the Greco-Roman world, in
which magic was judged with skepticism and distrust (1976) commentary on Herodotus, The
(p. 9). Histories, Book Two, to realize the number
256 G.A. Rendsburg

of points raised by the fifth-century Greek Near Eastern societies. The one exception is
historian with antecedents stretching back the first plague, turning the water into
one or two millennia. To provide just one blood, which occurs in two Sumerian
illustration from a passage cited earlier, compositions, both involving Inanna,
note that the depilation practiced by the “Exaltation of Inanna” and “Inanna and
Egyptian priests (see above, }4) is depicted the Gardener” (for references, see Propp
throughout the earlier epochs as well, even 1998: 349). This concession, however,
if it did not become standard until the 19th should not serve to overturn the larger pic-
Dynasty apparently (te Velde 1995: 1733; ture presented here.
Green 2001: 73; Filer 2001: 135). Or to use In sum, the narrative that encompasses Exo-
an example not forthcoming from dus 1–15 evokes the Egyptian setting at
Herodotus, note that the motif of darkness every turn. I, for one, like to imagine an
occurs both in the “Prophecy of Neferti,” ancient Israelite audience enjoying the reci-
composed during the Middle Kingdom, tation, with complete understanding of the
with textual witnesses from the New King- nature of the composition, which both
dom, and in “Setne Khamwas and Si-Osire” subverts Egyptian religious notions and
(¼Setne II), dated to the first century C.E.— simultaneously expresses Israel’s national
a span of approximately two millennia. heritage in exquisite literary fashion.
Accordingly, regardless of how we envision
the production of the book of Exodus (mul-
tiple sources, single unified text, etc.), and
References
no matter to when we date these sources
and/or the final product,36 to my mind, and Allen, James P. 2005. The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid
as I hope to have demonstrated by now, an Texts (Writings of the Ancient World), vol. 23.
educated Israelite writer and his well- Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature.
Blackman, A.M., and W.V. Davies. 1988. The Story of
informed Israelite audience would have
King Kheops and the Magicians: Transcribed from
been familiar with the Egyptian cultural Papyrus Westcar (Berlin Papyrus 3033). Reading,
context which motivated a good portion of MA: J.V. Books.
the dramatic narrative of Exodus 1–15. de Buck, Adriaan. 1935–1961. The Egyptian Coffin Texts.
7 vols. Oriental Institute Publications 34, 49, 64, 67,
The second control is that almost without
73, 81, 87. Chicago, IL: Oriental Institute. http://oi.
exception the parallels to the Exodus narra- uchicago.edu/research/pubs/catalog/oip/
tive are known only from Egypt, and not Cassuto, Umberto. 1967. A Commentary on the Book of
from other sources, such as Canaan (espe- Exodus. (trans. Israel Abrahams). Jerusalem: Magnes.
Cohen, Chaim. 1991. The Other Meaning of Biblical
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such as the hidden name of the deity, turn- Prof. H. M. Y. Gevaryahu: Mehqarim ba-Miqra’ u-
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Yiśra’el. ˙ ˙
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full treatment is not possible here, I would place the All. Oxford: British Academy / Oxford University
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