![]() Could these steles and the Amarna Letters record the earliest invasions of Israel and settlement in Canaan by Joshua and the other tribes of Israel?Ī parallel situation is described in the Old Testament books of Shechem and Jerusalem were the two earliest capitals of Israel. Shechem is one of the major cities located in the hill country of Western Canaan - territory that would become Israel's heartland. One Egyptian vassal was said to have handed Shechem over to the , dating from the same period, also speak of Habiru attackers raiding towns and sometimes seizing control of cities throughout all of Canaan. The Apiru were engaged in open warfare in the hill country of Canaan. Yarmut, together with the Tayaru.are engaged in attacking "This day, then, one came to tell his majesty that theĪpiru of Mt. Of similar circumstances - marauding invaders. It dates from the time of the Amarna letters and speaks The stele describes a military engagement among They rank below royalty, yetĪ particularly interesting stele is found in Beth-shan, the work of Set I during a campaign inĪround 1300 B.C.E. The Apir seem to represent someįorm of middle class in this hierarchy. Some scholars have pointed out the list descends in social order,įrom highest class to lowest class. Of Retenu (Syria): 127Brothers of princes: 179Apiru: 3600Shasu "List of the plunder which his majesty carried off. Inscriptions from the reign of Amenhotep II have been found Much knowledge of ancient Egyptian literature and history has Or granite slabs with inscriptions on them. Oftentimes in antiquity if a ruler wanted to memorialize aīattle, or victory, or a eulogy on a headstone, they would erect stone People could have been the Hebrews during their stay in Egypt. Of the Apiru involved in manual labor, is compelling evidence these The linguistic similarity noted here, as well as the common depictions One of Abraham's descendants was named Eber. A linguistic similarity can be made between the Apiru/Habiru, and the Apir, in this sense, is closely related to Iber/Eber. Take notice of the word used as "Apir" without the typical -u ending. Not out of character of the Habiru (and Israelites/Hebrews) based on numerous previous references. The phrase, "passing Apir" implies a migrating band, certainly The GeneralĪsks that the horses of he and his men be taken inside the city, lest General, General Toth, and speaks of the conquest of Joppa. ![]() Thisĭocument, also from the reign of Thutmose III, is from the Pharaoh's This, too, is in accordance with Egypt's reliance upon Israelite slave labor in the Old Testament.Īnother document has been found dating from 1440 B.C.E. From these references it would appear the ancient Egyptian economy relied heavily on the menial labor tasks assigned the Apiru. ![]() Manual labor in Egypt - a condition that accurately described Israel's slavery experience. It is noteworthy this scene depicts foreigners doing The date of this scene puts it during the reign of HatshepsutĪnd Thutmose III. depicts a group of men working at a wine press. The reference to the Apiru in ancient Egyptian literature is simply a different name for the same group of people know elsewhere as Habiru.Ī scene from the tomb of an Egyptian woman dating from 1470ī.C.E. Scholars agree that the PR.W logogram finds its Akkadian equivalent in Hapiru. Manual labor, a parallel of the Hebrews in ancient Egyptian history. Apiru in the Egyptian texts are often depicted in Indeed, the word Apiru oftentimes refers to a similar type of Quick to notice similarities between 'Apiru', and the terms Habiru and Hebrew. 1140 B.C.E.)Īncient Egyptian literature bears mention of a specific group of Ancient Egyptian Literature Ancient Egyptian Literature (1470 B.C.E.
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