I once heard a Coptologist saying, a bit tongue-in-cheek of course, something to effect that this is basically what Christianity is.
WI/AHC: A Jewish Pharoah leads to a Jewish Egypt?
- Thread starter The Admiral Hook
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I once heard a Coptologist saying, a bit tongue-in-cheek of course, something to effect that this is basically what Christianity is.
I think we're trying too hard on the faith thing.
Honestly, if a dynastic marriage occured and an alliance between Judea and Egypt was solidified, I find it hard to believe that anything other than time would be needed for the two religions to mix and eventually evolve into something alien to OTL.
Just having YHWH accepted into the pantheon of Egypt and vice versa would have massive effects on faith long term. It would only take a third generation or so Pharaoh to unite the faiths by divine edict and there you have it.
Pharaohs are Prophet-Kings, descended from Amun-YHWH, created in his image, possessed by his divinity, and his beloved servant, infallible through his grace.
My previous attempts at full fledged TLs arenated into lack of time/concentration/focus, so I would be hesitant to start another, especially one that would require daunting amounts of research. NikoZnate is way more knowledgeable than I am about these topics (not to mention a better writer), but I suppose he's busy enough with his current excellent TL, one that, by the way, features a monotheist Ancient Egypt that, in all likelyhood, seems on the path of messing with Arabia at some point in the TLs future. While it is entirely unrelated to the scenario discussed here, I take the occasion to recommend it strongly.
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She.
It was an exaggeration on many regards, of course, but there's a point there.
Now I feel like an asshole. Thanks. Haha
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out...
Maybe a brief TL, say a TLIAM with you, him, and maybe a little consultant idea guy work from me might be in order...
I like the idea of a Hyksos pharoah converting to 'Judaism', as far the most likely of any pharoah to do so. Of course, this simply would mean that his personal God was named El Shaddai, El, or Adonai, and that he had a Jewish priest around for sacrifices. It wouldnt stop him from patronizing any of the Egyptian gods, or gods of his homeland, since as pointed out, Judaism was henotheistic then.
Not only would this not lead to a 'Jewish' Egypt, but it might be very bad for the Jews when the Hyksos are expelled.
Not only would this not lead to a 'Jewish' Egypt, but it might be very bad for the Jews when the Hyksos are expelled.
I don't think that you could consider whatever religion the Hyksos, or the Canaanites, had at the time, close enough to warrant the use of "Judaism" as a meaningful word. The first unequivocal testimony about the existence of "Israel" is about three centuries after the expulsion of the Hyksos, and it is an uncomfortably isolated attestation (although one would think that whatever "Israel" meant at the time, it was easily something quite far off the radar of contemporary written documents, so that's not incredibly troubling). Of course, some sort of continuum or connection with peoples that participated in the Hyksos movement into Egypt and the far ancestors of the Jews is very plausible, but I really doubt that their religion was even henoteistic at that point. "Habiru" are attested then (and even before) but that was a social concept at that point with no documented religious or ethnic significance.
As an aside, I am realy struggling with time now, but I am not opposed to the TLIAM concept.
I would not be opposed to a short collaborative TLIAD/TLIAM involving Saite Egypt and Judaism, but towards the end of the month would be a better time to start on writing for me.