“Chenephres” of Artapanus like a golden thread uniting two Egyptian kingdoms and five dynasties

 

by

Damien F. Mackey

 

 

… we now proceed to connect the Old to the ‘Middle’ kingdom.

What facilitates this right at the start is that Teti, our founding Pharaoh

(Exodus 1:8) for the Sixth Dynasty, has striking likenesses to Amenemes

(as picked up by historians like Nicolas Grimal), our founding Pharaoh

(Exodus 1:8) for the Twelfth Dynasty: same throne name, Seheptibre;

same Horus name, Sehep-tawy; and death likely due to assassination.

 

 

 

Introduction

 

The life of the historical Moses embedded in dynastic Egypt enables for the unifying of a great deal of ancient Egyptian history. But this is best exemplified by tracing through the jealous Pharaoh, “Chenephres”, a rival to Moses, who eventually sought his life. The reason that I say this is because the name “Chenephres”, a Greek version of Khaneferre/Neferkare is something of a constant, he along with “Merris”, Egyptian Meresankh/Ankhesenmerire (also Meritites), the Egyptian foster-mother of Moses according to Artapanus, the woman whom “Chenephres” would marry.

 

Our tracing of this pharaoh Khaneferre/Neferkare will lead us to conclude that the life of the Egyptianised Moses (i.e. before Midian) had spanned what in conventional Egyptian terms is five dynasties (Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Twelfth and Thirteenth) occupying the Old and so-called ‘Middle’ kingdom of Egypt. 

 

Once “Chenephres” has been found (along with the woman, “Merris”), then it becomes easy to isolate the dynastic founding Pharaoh, the “new king”, of Exodus 1:8, and also to discover Moses himself.

 

Basically the structure for dynastic Egypt during the first forty years of Moses, Egyptianised, consisted only of, as we shall find:

 

(1) Dynastic founding Pharaoh (Exodus 1:8);

(2) Moses briefly as Pharaoh, then abdicating;

(3) Pharaoh rival of Moses (and the Pharaoh’s wife).

 

Fourth Dynasty

 

This one is fairly straightforward.

Khaneferre/Neferkare is found (name in abbreviated form) in the great Khafre (Greek Chephren), builder of the second Pyramid of Giza and the Sphinx.

His wife, appropriately, was Meresankh (“Merris”), so-called III.

The founding Pharaoh, then, must be Khufu (Cheops) himself.

Moses is the somewhat obscure pharaoh, Djedefre (also Djedefhor - the sage Hardedef - and the shadowy Djedefptah).

 

Fifth Dynasty

 

Not quite so straightforward - I have chopped and changed a bit on this one.

The Fifth Dynasty appears to be somewhat jumbled.

Khaneferre/Neferkare, though, is found fairly clearly in Neferirkare.

Once again, we find a Meresankh, so-called IV, married to a pharaoh – but, which one, is not certain.

 

The founding Pharaoh would be Djedkare Isesi.

Moses is pharaoh Niuserre Ini. He was later greatly venerated.

 

For Moses’s Ini type names, see my article:

 

Ini, Weni, Iny, Moses

 

(2) Ini, Weni, Iny, Moses

 

Sixth Dynasty

 

This one, again, is straightforward.

Khaneferre/Neferkare is Pepi Neferkare, who was married to Ankhesenmerire (“Merris”), also called Meritites (“Merris” again).

The founding Pharaoh would be Teti.

Moses is Pharaoh Userkare (also the sage Ptahhotep), upon whom the jealous Pepi would declare a damnatio memoriæ, relegating Userkare’s kingship to the “desert”.

 

Though conventional scholarship would be horrified at this, we now proceed to connect the Old to the ‘Middle’ kingdom. What facilitates this right at the start is that Teti, our founding Pharaoh (Exodus 1:8) for the Sixth Dynasty, has striking likenesses to Amenemes (as picked up by historians like Nicolas Grimal), our founding Pharaoh (Exodus 1:8) for the Twelfth Dynasty: same throne name, Seheptibre; same Horus name, Sehep-tawy; and death likely due to assassination.

 

Twelfth Dynasty

 

This one, now, becomes straightforward.

Khaneferre/Neferkare is Sesostris Neferkare.

The founding Pharaoh is Amenemes (Amenemhat).

Moses is the semi-legendary, Sinuhe, who flees Egypt from Sesostris Neferkare.

 

Thirteenth Dynasty

 

Khaneferre/Neferkare, both of these names were held by a pharaoh Sobekhotep.

The founding Pharaoh would be one or another Amenemhat, and/or Seheptibre (the lists are chaotic), who precedes Sobekhotep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moses later deified as Kagemni?

 

by

 Damien F. Mackey

  

“Kagemni was a chief justice and vizier, who lived at the

beginning of the Sixth Dynasty (reign of King Teti)”.

 

Inside Egypt

 

 

 

The historical Moses I have determined now, in various articles, to have been the Vizier and Chief Judge (Justice) of Egypt. This is based, scripturally, on the useful clue from Exodus 2:14: ‘Who made you ruler [Vizier] and [Chief] judge over us?’, and also according to my historical revision, which has the Egyptianised Moses (cf. Acts 7:22) as Weni and Mentuhotep, Vizier and Chief Judge of, respectively, the Sixth Dynasty and the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt.  

 

This radical squeezing of the conventional dynastic history of Egypt is made possible thanks to Dr. Donovan Courville’s largely undeveloped view that the Old and Middle kingdoms of Egypt had overlapped in time. See e.g. my article:

 

Life of Moses and reform of the Old - Middle Kingdom of Egypt

 

(3) Life of Moses and reform of the Old -Middle Kingdom of Egypt

 

Moses was also the famous teacher of Instructions, Kagemni, who emerges ostensibly in two Old Kingdom dynasties:

 

Vizier Kagemni another vital link for connecting Egypt’s Fourth and Sixth dynasties

 

(3) Vizier Kagemni another vital link for connecting Egypt's Fourth and Sixth dynasties

 

Kagemni was, like Weni and Mentuhotep his alter egos (so I believe), Chief Justice and Vizier of Egypt.

Thus I wrote in my article:

 

Triplicating woman ruler Khentkaus

 

(6) Triplicating woman ruler Khentkaus

 

…. Given that my Moses was, as Weni-Mentuhotep a Chief Judge and Vizier of Egypt, undoubtedly a singular status, then it is most likely that he re-emerges in the guise of the Sixth Dynasty’s Chief Judge and Vizier, Kagemni, who enjoyed that exact same status, “chief justice and vizier”.

 

Kagemni was also the “High priest of Heliopolis [On]” ….

Had not his great Hebrew predecessor, Joseph, married “… Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On …” (Genesis 41:45)?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructions_of_Kagemni

“The Instructions of Kagemni is an ancient Egyptian instructional text of wisdom literature which belongs to the sebayt ('teaching') genre. Although the earliest evidence of its compilation dates to the Middle Kingdom of Egypt …”.

 

No problem here, given that the so-called ‘Middle’ Kingdom is basically a repetition of Egypt’s Old Kingdom. ….

 

But it was only yesterday (14^th March 2026) that I learned that Kagemni had later been deified.

 

I knew this to have been the case with Imhotep (the biblical Joseph)

 

Enigmatic Imhotep - did he really exist?

 

(3) Enigmatic Imhotep - did he really exist?

 

and with Amenhotep son of Hapu:

 

Hebrew influence upon Amenhotep son of Hapu

 

(3) Hebrew influence upon Amenhotep son of Hapu

 

Dietrich Wildung wrote a book on this latter pair, Egyptian Saints: Deification in Pharaonic Egypt (NYUP, 1977).

 

Ahikar, nephew of Tobit, too, was later greatly revered – perhaps he more than any of the others – including in his Assyrian guise as Aba-enlil-dari, and in his Babylonian guise as Esagil-kinni-ubba. On this, see my article:

 

Melting down the fake Golden Age of Islamic intellectualism

 

Melting down the fake Golden Age of Islamic intellectualism | Faith and Education

 

A lot of this glorification of past greats came about during the later Ptolemaïc era.

 

Unveiling the Mysteries of Kagemni: The Egyptian God - 🌿 Of One Tree

 

Unveiling the Mysteries of Kagemni: The Egyptian God

 

Feb 1, 2024

—

by

Spencer Lanoue

in Egyptian Gods

 

In the sprawling pantheon of Egyptian deities, there are some who remain shrouded in mystery. Among them is Kagemni, a god whose very existence has captivated scholars and historians for centuries. Who was Kagemni and what role did he play in ancient Egyptian society? This article seeks to unravel the enigma surrounding this enigmatic deity, shedding light on his historical context, mythology, worship, and enduring influence.

 

Understanding the Historical Context of Kagemni

 

The era in which Kagemni flourished was a pivotal moment in ancient Egyptian history. In order to fully comprehend his significance, we must examine the historical backdrop against which he emerged. It was a time of great upheaval and transformation, when dynasties rose and fell, and cultural exchange with neighboring regions thrived.

 

Ancient Egypt, during the time of Kagemni, was a land of political intrigue and power struggles. The Late Period, which spanned from the 16th century BCE, was characterized by a series of foreign invasions and occupations. The Egyptians found themselves at the mercy of various foreign powers, including the Hyksos and the Nubians. These invasions brought about a sense of uncertainty and instability, as the Egyptian throne constantly changed hands.

 

Amidst this chaos, Kagemni emerged as a beacon of hope for the Egyptian people. His divine presence offered solace and reassurance in a time of great uncertainty. The Egyptians turned to him for guidance and protection, believing that his favor could bring stability and prosperity to their lives.

 

The Era of Kagemni: A Brief Overview

 

Kagemni stepped onto the divine stage during the Late Period of ancient Egypt, around the 16th century BCE [sic]. This was a period marked by political instability, as foreign powers vied for control over the Egyptian throne. Against this backdrop, Kagemni’s presence took on added significance, offering solace to a society desperately in need of divine intervention.

 

As the political landscape shifted, Kagemni’s influence grew. He became not only a symbol of divinity but also a unifying force for the Egyptian people. His teachings and wisdom provided a moral compass in a time of moral ambiguity. People sought his guidance in matters of justice and righteousness, looking to him as a source of inspiration and guidance.

 

Despite the chaos of the times, Kagemni managed to carve out his own place in the spiritual realm, becoming a revered figure in the pantheon of gods. His temples and shrines dotted the Egyptian landscape, serving as places of worship and pilgrimage for the faithful. The people flocked to these sacred sites, seeking Kagemni’s blessings and divine intervention in their lives.

 

The Role of Gods in Ancient Egyptian Society

 

Ancient Egyptians viewed their gods as essential to the functioning of society. The deities, including Kagemni, were believed to govern various aspects of life, from fertility and agriculture to warfare and the afterlife. Understanding the role of gods in ancient Egyptian society is key to comprehending Kagemni’s impact on the daily lives of the people.

 

Kagemni, as the god of abundance and prosperity, held a special place in the hearts of the Egyptian people. They saw him as the provider of their daily needs, ensuring bountiful harvests and economic prosperity. Farmers would offer prayers and sacrifices to Kagemni, seeking his favor for fertile lands and abundant crops. His blessings were seen as crucial for the survival and well-being of the community.

 

Furthermore, Kagemni played a significant role in the afterlife beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. He was believed to guide the souls of the deceased through the perilous journey to the afterlife, ensuring their safe passage and eternal happiness. Egyptians would invoke his name and offer prayers to secure a favorable judgment in the afterlife, believing that Kagemni’s intercession would grant them eternal bliss.

….

 

One of the most enduring myths surrounding Kagemni tells of his origins as the son of the primordial deity, Nu. According to legend, Kagemni was born from the very waters that gave life to the universe.

 

This divine lineage granted him immense power, endowing him with the ability to control the forces of nature and shape the destiny of the world.

 

As the legend goes, Kagemni’s birth heralded a new era of prosperity for Egypt, and his presence became a symbol of hope for the people.

….

 

 

Sixth and Twelfth Egyptian Dynasty links to Artapanus’ legend of Moses

 

by

 Damien F. Mackey

 

 

 

 

The first Oppressor Pharaoh

 

The dynastic founding Pharaoh who began the persecution of the Israelites in Egypt, the “new king” of Exodus 1:8, was Teti of the Sixth Dynasty, was Amenemes of the Twelfth Dynasty.

 

The Jewish-Hellenistic writer, Artapanus, called him “Palmanothes”, in which name can be discerned the element Amen, of Amenemes (Amenemhat), but, more especially, the element Othoes, for Teti (Manetho):

Egyptian Pharaohs : Old Kingdom : Dynasty 6 : Teti

 

Teti and Amenemes connect together nicely, sharing the throne name, Sehetepibre (‘He who satisfies the Heart of Re’) and the exact same Horus name, Sehetep-tawy (‘Horus, who pacifies the Two Lands’), as well as being the dynastic founder.

A further likely connection is that death came through assassination.

 

Artapanus tells, in his book Concerning the Jews, that “Palmanothes succeeded to the sovereignty. This king behaved badly to the Jews; and first he built Kessa, and founded the temple therein, and then built the temple in Heliopolis”.

 

What was this “Kessa”?

It is explained in an Exodus context as follows:

8. THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF MOSES

“By implication, he is identified by Artapanus as the oppressive Pharaoh of Exodus 1. 11. In the Bible this particular Pharaoh is said to have built, by Hebrew slave-labor, “Raamses,” i.e. Rameses, and Pithom. The Biblical Rameses corresponds to “Kessa” in Artapanus, which is said similarly to have been built by Palmanothes. “Kessa” and “Gesse” are alternative forms of the Biblical name Goshen. The “land of Goshen” and the “land of Rameses” are synonyms in Genesis (Gen. 47. 6 and 11). Faqus, near Tell el-Dab’a, the Greek Phakousa, according to an early church source c. AD 385, was the Biblical Goshen (Gesse) and the capital of the so-called “Arabian nome” (cf. Arabs = Hyksos in Manetho). The proximity of Faqus to Tell el-Dab’a (Avaris) tends to confirm the traditional identification. The names Goshen and Rameses are used in the Bible to designate the district inhabited by the Israelites …. That was the district whose capital at the time was Avaris”. 

 

Egyptian foster mother of Moses, “Merris”

 

Artapanus continues on, telling of “Palmanothes” that:

 

“He begat a daughter Merris, whom he betrothed to a certain Chenephres, king of the regions above Memphis … and she being barren took a supposititious child from one of the Jews, and called him … (Moses) ….

 

Fittingly, the name of the wife of the (Sixth) dynastic founding king’s successor, Pepi, was Ankhesenmerire, or Meresankh, Greek “Merris” (Meres-ankh).

 

{The pair, Meresankh and “Chenephres” (Khafre/Chephren), are also to be found in the Fourth Dynasty, but here we are keeping it simple by focussing upon the Sixth and Twelfth}.

 

The second Oppressor Pharaoh

 

It follows from this that Pepi, Neferkare, was the “Chenephres” of Artapanus.

Neferkare = Khaneferre (Greek “Chenephres”).

 

In terms of the Twelfth Dynasty, Pepi Neferkare was Sesostris Neferkare.

 

“[Sesostris I]. Having revived [sic] the Heliopolitan tradition of taking Neferkare as his coronation name …”. (N. Grimal, A History of Ancient Egypt, Blackwell 1994, p. 164).

 

As later with King Saul and David, there was a recurring tension between the envious “Chenephres” and the successful Moses.

Artapanus again, no doubt exaggerating the situation to some extent, tells:

 

“And this Moses … when grown up he taught mankind many useful things. For he was the inventor of ships, and machines for laying stones, and Egyptian arms, and engines for drawing water and for war, and invented philosophy. Further he divided the State into thirty-six Nomes, and. appointed the god to be worshipped by each Nome, and the sacred writing for the priests, and their gods were cats, and dogs, and ibises: he also apportioned an especial district for the priests.

 

“All these things he did for the sake of keeping the sovereignty firm and safe for Chenephres. For previously the multitudes, being under no order, now expelled and now set up kings, often the same persons, but sometimes others.

 

“For these reasons then Moses was beloved by the multitudes, and being deemed by the priests worthy to be honoured like a god, was named Hermes, because of his interpretation of the Hieroglyphics.

 

“But when Chenephres perceived the excellence of Moses he envied him, and sought to slay him on some plausible pretext. And so when the Aethiopians invaded Egypt, Chenephres supposed that he had found a convenient opportunity, and sent Moses in command of a force against them, and enrolled the body of husbandmen for him, supposing that through the weakness of his troops he would easily be destroyed by the enemy”. ….

 

Who, then, was Moses?

 

As I wrote in my article:

 

‘Chenephres’ drives Moses out of Egypt

 

(6) ‘Chenephres’ drives Moses out of Egypt

 

…. Between Teti, the “new king” of Exodus 1:8, and Pepi (“Chenephres”), we have pharaoh Userkare, who I believe was Moses.

Most interestingly, as an indication of the tension that existed between Moses (Userkare) and “Chenephres” (Pepi), pharaoh Userkare was most likely erased by Pepi in a damnatio memoriæ.

 

Of further interest, Pepi had the word “desert” (to where Moses fled) inserted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Userkare

 

Userkare (also Woserkare, meaning "Powerful is the soul of Ra"; died c. 2332 BC) [sic] was the second king of the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt, reigning briefly, 1 to 5 years …. Userkare's relation to his predecessor Teti and successor Pepi … is unknown and his reign remains enigmatic.

 

Although he is attested in some historical sources, Userkare is completely absent from the tomb of the Egyptian officials who lived during his reign and usually report the names of the kings whom they served. Furthermore, the figures of some high officials of the period have been deliberately chiselled out in their tombs and their titles altered, for instance the word "king" being replaced by that of "desert". Egyptologists thus suspect a possible Damnatio memoriae on Pepi I's behalf against Userkare. ….

 

This Userkare was the great Moses!

 

The famous Story of Sinuhe preserves a semi-mythological account of the flight of Moses from the Egyptian pharaoh Sesostris I (my “Chenephres”). In the name, Sinuhe (or Sanehat), we may perhaps find the Egyptian name “Moses”: Sa (Son) Nu (Water), “Son of the Water”, or “Water baby”. The average Egyptian would not have known about the origins of the name and, so, may have had trouble properly representing it.

 

Moses, having abdicated after a short reign as pharaoh Userkare, dutifully served Egypt in many brilliant facets, thereby underlining the lofty description of him as given by Artapanus.

 

For one, he was Egypt’s Vizier and Chief Judge.

Exodus 2:14: ‘Who made you ruler (Vizier) and (Chief) judge over us?’

These two offices were held in the Sixth Dynasty by the highly literate Weni, and in the Twelfth Dynasty, by the official of many titles, Mentuhotep – alter egos of Moses (my reconstructions).

 

Weni (var. Uni) may be a nickname. It recurs in various of my alter egos for Moses. Thus see my article:

 

Ini, Weni, Iny, Moses

 

(1)  Ini, Weni, Iny, Moses

 

Moses, also a successful general, was likely Nysumontu of the Twelfth Dynasty, a name that may combine the theophoric, Montu (Mentuhotep) with the name of Moses, Nysu (Sa Nu). 

 

Moses was also a man of literature and writer of Instructions.

As such, he was Kagemni-Memi, a philosopher, but also, like Weni and Mentuhotep, “Chief Justice and Vizier”:

The Mastaba Tomb Of Kagemni Also Known As Memi

“In … the reign of Teti, first king of the 6th Dynasty (c. 2321-2290 B.C.) [sic], an official named Kagemni-Memi was appointed to the rank of Chief Justice and Vizier, the highest post in the bureaucracy of Old Kingdom Egypt”.

 

Exodus 11:3:

 

“… the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people”.