KING OF EGYPT (NOT NAMED IN SCRIPTURE) · EGYPT

Pharaoh of Joseph's day. The king who raised Joseph from the prison to rule Egypt.

REIGNEDi

Not given Scripture gives no length of reign. "Pharaoh" raised Joseph at thirty and was still the title of the king who let Joseph bury Jacob, about twenty-six years later (Gen 41:46; 45:6; 47:28; 50:6).

CAPITAL

Not stated

HOUSE

Not stated 1st of 9 in Egypt

SCRIPTURE SAYS

“He dreamed of seven fat and seven lean kine, and of full and thin ears, and none of the magicians or wise men…”

PROPHETS

None named

EGYPT: 9 RULERS PHARAOH OF JOSEPH'S DAY → HOPHRA

ON THE WORLD STAGE

The powers of the day

ISRAEL (JACOB'S HOUSEHOLD)

Joseph · Jacob (Israel)

CANAAN AND ALL LANDS

SUCCESSION

Before and after

THE REALM

The places Scripture names

Egypt. Only places Scripture names are shown, each where the Atlas puts it.

WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS

What Scripture says of him

  • He dreamed of seven fat and seven lean kine, and of full and thin ears, and none of the magicians or wise men of Egypt could interpret it. Genesis 41:1–8
  • Joseph told him: "God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do." Genesis 41:25
  • He asked his servants, "Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" Genesis 41:38
  • He set Joseph over all Egypt: "only in the throne will I be greater than thou." Genesis 41:40–41
  • Jacob blessed Pharaoh when he came before him, and again when he went out. Genesis 47:7 Genesis 47:10
  • Stephen: God "gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house." Acts 7:10
  • The psalm: "The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free." Psalms 105:20–21

DEALINGS

Dealings with God's people

  • Pharaoh spoke of Joseph as "a man in whom the Spirit of God is", because God had shown him the dreams' meaning. Genesis 41:38–39
  • Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Genesis 47:7 Genesis 47:10
  • Food was laid up "under the hand of Pharaoh" in the cities of Egypt. Genesis 41:35 Genesis 41:48
  • He invited Jacob's household into Egypt and gave them Goshen; Joseph's brothers could be made "rulers over my cattle". Genesis 45:17–20 Genesis 47:5–6
  • Joseph told his brothers to say they kept cattle, "for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians". Genesis 46:33–34
  • The Egyptians sold themselves and their land for bread: "we will be Pharaoh's servants". Genesis 47:19–25

EVENTS

Wars, works and turning points

UNDATED IN SCRIPTURE

DATES DIFFER

When was it?

SCRIPTURE'S NUMBERS

No years given

No name and no years. Any BC date depends on who he was; see the question below.

A Hyksos king

W. M. F. Petrie (1915); M. G. Kyle (1915); the Pulpit Commentary, naming Apophis; S. R. Driver (1911), on a late reckoning

Petrie takes Joseph's title "Bow the knee" (Abrekh) for a Babylonian title of the Hyksos period; Kyle reads the note that Potiphar was "an Egyptian" as a sign of a foreign court; the Pulpit Commentary supposes Joseph to have been "the minister of Apophis, the last Hyksos king". Driver adds that a 13th-century Exodus and 430 years would bring Jacob to Egypt "c. 1660–40 B.C., while the foreign kings, called the Hyksos, were ruling", though he calls the 430 years "very uncertain". Genesis 41:43 Genesis 39:1 [9][13][33][20]

A king of Manetho's list named by Ussher

James Ussher (1650–54), as reported by John Gill

Gill reports that Ussher, following Manetho's list, named the Pharaoh whose dreams Joseph interpreted Mephramuthosis, followed by Thmosis, Amenophis and Orus, in whose reign Joseph died. Exodus 1:8 [35]

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 12

Genesis 37 Genesis 39 Genesis 40 Genesis 41 Genesis 42 Genesis 44 Genesis 45 Genesis 46 Genesis 47 Genesis 50 Psalms 105 Acts 7

PASSAGES · 11

Genesis 37:36 Genesis 39:1 Genesis 40:1–23 Genesis 41:1–57 Genesis 42:15–16 Genesis 44:18 Genesis 45:1–28 Genesis 46:31–47:26 Genesis 50:4–7 Psalms 105:16–22 Acts 7:9–13

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Scripture never gives this king's name.
  • Scripture does not say whether the Pharaoh who let Joseph bury Jacob (Gen 50:6) is the king who raised Joseph (Gen 41).
  • Scripture does not say when this king died; the next change it notes is "a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph", after Joseph and his generation had died (Exod 1:6, 8).
  • None of the records used for this page names Joseph or this king.

IDENTIFICATIONS THIS PAGE RELIES ON

  • From the textGenesis calls him only "Pharaoh" and "Pharaoh king of Egypt". This page follows the person record that gathers Genesis 37–50 under one king; Scripture does not say whether the Pharaoh who let Joseph bury Jacob is the king who raised him. Genesis 41:46 Genesis 50:6

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • E. Hornung, R. Krauss and D. A. Warburton (eds.), Ancient Egyptian Chronology (Handbook of Oriental Studies 83; facts only) (2006), Chronological table for the dynastic period, pp. 490–495; Kushite rulers, p. 496.
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. I (Chronology) (1906), §§67–75, pp. 44–47 (chronological table).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. III (1906), §§603–605, 617, pp. 257–258, 264 (Merneptah's Hymn of Victory).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. IV (1906), §§701–724A, pp. 344–358 (Silsileh stela; great Karnak relief; Karnak stela).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. IV (1906), §892, pp. 454–455 (Tanis stela of Taharka).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. IV (1906), §§974–975, 984, pp. 497–501 (Serapeum stelae of Necho's and Apries' reigns).
  • J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, vol. IV (1906), §§996–1007, pp. 509–512 (Elephantine stela of Amasis).
  • J.-F. Champollion, Lettres écrites d'Égypte et de Nubie en 1828 et 1829 (1833), seventh letter (Thebes, 24 November 1828), p. 99.
  • W. M. Flinders Petrie, "Egypt", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. II (1915), pp. 911–913 (§§4–19, the connections with the Old Testament).
  • C. R. Conder, "Exodus, The", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. II (1915), pp. 1053–1055 (§§II–III, the date; the theory of Lepsius).
  • Edward Mack, "Chronology of the Old Testament", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. I (1915), p. 641.
  • M. G. Kyle, "Pharaoh", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), p. 2359.
  • M. G. Kyle, "Joseph", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. III (1915), pp. 1738–1739.
  • T. Nicol, "Shishak", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), pp. 2777–2778.
  • T. Nicol, "So", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), p. 2820.
  • T. Nicol, "Pharaoh Hophra", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), pp. 2359–2360.
  • T. Nicol, "Pharaoh-necoh", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. IV (1915), p. 2360.
  • T. G. Pinches, "Tirhakah", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. V (1915), p. 2986.
  • C. M. Cobern, "Zerah (the Ethiopian)", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. V (1915), pp. 3146–3147.
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Exodus (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1911), Introduction §4, p. xxx; p. xlii, note 5.
  • Herodotus, tr. G. C. Macaulay, The History of Herodotus, vol. 1 (1890), Book II, §§158–159, 161, 169; Book IV, §42.
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§5, 18, 55, pp. 5, 7–8, 26–27 (Sargon's annals and display inscription).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§573, 580, pp. 224–227 (the Senjirli stele).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§770–771, 778, pp. 292–296 (Ashurbanipal's first campaign against Egypt); §906, p. 351.
  • D. D. Luckenbill (after C. J. Gadd, The Fall of Nineveh, 1923), Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§1166, 1183, pp. 416, 421.
  • D. D. Luckenbill, The Annals of Sennacherib (Oriental Institute Publications 2) (1924), pp. 31–32 (Oriental Institute Prism, col. II, ll. 73–81).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 324–327 (Sargon at Raphia); pp. 361–362 (Hophra).
  • D. J. Wiseman, Chronicles of Chaldaean Kings (626–556 B.C.) in the British Museum (facts only) (1956), BM 21946 (Babylonian Chronicle 5).
  • A. K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (facts only) (1975), Chronicle 5, obverse 1–11; reverse 5–8 (read in Livius's reproduction).
  • James Ussher, The Annals of the World (English edition) (1658), Part One, p. 68.
  • L. McFall, "A Translation Guide to the Chronological Data in Kings and Chronicles", Bibliotheca Sacra 148 (facts only) (1991), numbered texts 1–68; page numbers of the author's PDF.
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch, vol. 2 (1864), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Exod 1:8 (read on Bible Hub).
  • J. R. Lumby, The First Book of the Kings (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1886), note on 1 Kgs 3:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 1 Kgs 3:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Books of the Kings (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 1 Kgs 3:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 1 Kgs 11:19 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 1 Kgs 11:19 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. A. Harper, The Books of the Chronicles (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 2 Chr 12:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 1 Kgs 14:25 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 2 Chr 12:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Kgs 17:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Kgs 17:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Books of the Kings (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 2 Kgs 17:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • J. R. Lumby, The Second Book of the Kings (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1887), note on 2 Kgs 17:4 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Kgs 19:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Kgs 19:9 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on 2 Kgs 23:29 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Kgs 23:29 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Books of the Kings (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 2 Kgs 23:29 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Chr 35:20 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 2 Chr 35:20 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Jer 37:5 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • A. W. Streane, The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1881), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. D. Patrick and J. Kennedy, The Prophecies of Jeremiah (Keil and Delitzsch) (1874), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (1871), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Jer 47:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Ezek 29:2 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Ezek 29:2 (read on Bible Hub).
  • James Ussher, The Annals of the World (English edition) (1658), Part One, pp. 12–13 (Rameses Miamun and his son Amenophis), p. 20 (Amenophis "drowned in the red Sea").

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