Ipuwer

The Admonitions of Ipuwer

One of the better parts of scroll of The Admonitions of Ipuwer. In our detailed study of the Exodus narrative of Moses found in scripture we see Ipuwer's account telling concerning the attitudes of Egyptian priests toward those they think of as servants of their society who provided income for the State through their unpaid labor. We should remember that the priests did not enter that system where their land and a fifth of their labor belonged to the government during the earlier famines. The hierarchy of Egypt was dependent upon a corvee system to fund their temples which provided a social safety net as well as the necessary financing of their military exploits, which at that time was extensive.

The Admonitions of Ipuwer (also known as The Papyrus Ipuwer and The Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage) is a literary text dated to the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2040-1782 BCE). The only extant copy of the work, preserved on the Papyrus Leiden 344, dates to the New Kingdom (c. 1570-1069 BCE).

‘The Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage’, was written by Sir Alan Henderson Gardiner, who was an English Egyptologist, linguist, philologist, and independent scholar. He is regarded as one of the premier Egyptologists of the early and mid-20th century. This book has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

The original artifact remains as true to the original work as possible because only fragments remain which are a part of the "tears and tatters" of modern Egyptology. It is a plea to an un-named king of Egypt by Ipuwer, who relates how the land of Egypt has descended into chaos.

The papyrus itself was found at Memphis but a controversy exists over the exact date of the original authorship. According to Gardiner it is should be dated to the 19th Dynasty at the earliest. There are palaeography and orthography suggest that the 19th Dynasty version was a copy of an earlier 18th Dynasty text. Gardiner did propose a date at the beginning of the First Intermediate Period (FIP) for the original story but has not excluded an early 18th Dynasty.

Others like John Van Seters, a Canadian scholar of the Hebrew Bible, argues that the original Ipuwer text belongs securely in the late Middle Kingdom or Second Intermediate Period .

Didactic Literature

The Ipuwer account has been considered confirmation of the biblical account of the Exodus, in part because of its statement that "the river is blood" and its frequent references to servants running away. But clearly his account is biased by not only a lack of empathy for those servants but an animosity toward them as deplorables.

As Didactic Literature, The Admonitions of Ipuwer, a literary text preserved on the recto of a single papyrus (Papyrus Leiden I 344), stands as the most rigorous piece contrasting order and chaos and advocating for the importance of a strong central government to maintain order and preserve peace. But it also talks about Plagues. While David Rohl and others see this as possibly an account of the presence of Moses and the Israelites.

“…Ipuwer was an eyewitness to a calamitous era in Egyptian history when…foreigners had brought the great civilization of Egypt to its knees. The wise sage confronts the reigning pharaoh of the time to admonish him for his failure to rectify the dire situation” (David Rohl, Exodus: Myth or History?, page 150).

Ipuwer was clearly an advocate of an authoritarian government his spirit was also one accepting genocide as part of that management and racial superiority. “In an extraordinary parallel to the biblical story, Ipuwer laments the fact that one of the earlier pharaohs had not wiped out those Asiatics who first arrived in Egypt during the late 12th Dynasty. We now know that Egyptian king was Amenemhat III—the pharaoh who had invited Jacob and his clan to settle in the region of Gesem or Goshen in the second year of the great famine. Ipuwer and all Egypt now knew the consequences of that act of kindness… and the subsequent act of cruelty which turned the descendants of Amenemhat’s guests into slaves a few generations later” (p. 151, ellipsis in the original).

Ipuwer spoke to a pharaoh of the conditions. A few selections:

A man regards his son as his enemy. Indeed, the face is pale

Indeed, poor men have become owners of wealth, and he who could not make sandals for himself is now a possessor of riches.

Indeed, men’s slaves, their hearts are sad, and magistrates do not fraternize with their people when they shout.

Indeed, [hearts] are violent, pestilence is throughout the land, blood is everywhere, death is not lacking, and the mummy-cloth speaks even before one comes near it.

Indeed, many dead are buried in the river; the stream is a sepulcher and the place of embalmment has become a stream.

Indeed, noblemen are in distress, while the poor man is full of joy. Every town says: “Let us suppress the powerful among us.”

Indeed, men are like ibises. Squalor is throughout the land, and there are none indeed whose clothes are white in these times.

Indeed, the land turns around as does a potter’s wheel; the robber is a possessor of riches and [the rich man is become] a plunderer.

Indeed, the river is blood, yet men drink of it. Men shrink from human beings and thirst after water.

Indeed, the desert is throughout the land, the nomes are laid waste, and barbarians from abroad have come to Egypt.

Indeed, men arrive [. . .] and indeed, there are no Egyptians anywhere.

Indeed, gold and lapis lazuli, silver and turquoise, carnelian and amethyst, Ibhet-stone and [. . .] are strung on the necks of maidservants. Good things are throughout the land, (yet) housewives say: “Oh that we had something to eat!”

Indeed, the builders [of pyramids have become] cultivators

They come no more; gold is lacking [. . .] and materials for every kind of craft have come to an end. The [. . .] of the palace is despoiled.

What can we do about it? All is ruin!

Indeed, hair [has fallen out] for everybody, and the man of rank can no longer be distinguished from him who is nobody.

Indeed, trees are felled and branches are stripped off.

“there is no food [. . .]. What is the taste of it like today?”

neither fruit nor herbage can be found [for] the birds, and [. . .] is taken away from the mouth of the pig. No face is bright which you have [. . .] for me through hunger.

Indeed, everywhere barley has perished and men are stripped of clothes, spice, and oil; everyone says: “There is none.” The storehouse is empty and its keeper is stretched on the ground; a happy state of affairs! . . .

Would that I had raised my voice at that moment, that it might have saved me from the pain in which I am.

Behold, the fire has gone up on high, and its burning goes forth against the enemies of the land.

Behold, he who had no property is now a possessor of wealth, and the magnate praises him.

Behold, the poor of the land have become rich, and the [erstwhile owner] of property is one who has nothing.

All is ruin!

The overseer of [. . .] the trees, the poor [. . .. . .] in their midst like Asiatics [. . .]. Men [. . .] the state thereof; they have come to an end of themselves; none can be found to stand up and protect themselves [. . .].

Individual quotes used in our study of Exodus:

“Behold, Egypt is fallen to the pouring of water. And he who poured water on the ground seizes the mighty in misery.” Ipuwer 7:5

Exodus 7:20-21

“The River is blood. If you drink of it, you lose your humanity, and thirst for water.” Ipuwer 2:10

Exodus 9:6, 9:23, 9:31

“Gone is the barley of abundance . . . . Food supplies are running short. The nobles hunger and suffer . . . . Those who had shelter are in the dark of the storm.” Ipuwer 6:3, 3:3, 7:13

“Indeed, all animals, their hearts weep; cattle moan because of the state of the land.” Ipuwer 5:5

“Behold, cattle are left to stray, and there is none to gather them together“ Ipuwer 9:2–3

“Indeed, gates, columns, and [walls] are burnt up… Behold, the fire has gone up on high, and it’s burning goes forth against the enemies of the land.” Ipuwer

“Fire ran along the ground. There was hail and fire” Ipuwer

“Indeed, trees are felled and branches are stripped off.” Ipuwer

“Forsooth, gates, columns and walls are consumed by fire” Ipuwer 2:10

Exodus 10:15, 7

“The land is without light” Ipuwer 9:11
“[The land] is not bright because of it.”

“What shall we do about it? All is ruin!” Ipuwer 3:13

“Forsooth, that has perished which was yesterday seen. The land is left over to its weariness like the cutting of flax” Ipuwer 5:12

“Forsooth, grain has perished on every side, no fruit or herbs were found” Ipuwer 6:3

“Indeed men are few, and he who places his brother in the ground is everywhere… Indeed [hearts] are violent, pestilence is throughout the land, blood is everywhere, death is not lacking, and the mummy-cloth speaks even before one comes near it.” Ipuwer

Exodus 12:29

“Behold, plague sweeps the land, blood is everywhere, with no shortage of the dead . . . . He who buries his brother in the ground is everywhere . . . . Woe is me for the grief of this time.” Ipuwer 2:5, 6, 13, 4:3

“Forsooth, the children of princes are dashed against the walls” Ipuwer 4:3 and 5:6 “Forsooth, the children of princes are cast out in the streets”. Ipuwer 6:12

Exodus 12:30

“Wailing is throughout the land, mingled with lamentations.” Ipuwer 3:14”

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