Biblical Hebrew Forum

[kwrandolph <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

Dear David:

>  Many writers have, like yourself, assoicated the Isrealites
>  with the Hyksos.

Yes, I know. However, Joseph was taken to Egypt before the Hyksos 
arrived, and was stationed in Memphis. Even as grand vizier, he did 
not often visit the delta, so he did not introduce his sons to his 
father until some time after Jacob moved to Goshen.  Yes, his family 
was closer physically to him, but that was a relative term: they were 
within pharaoh's realm so he could go and visit them, whereas his job 
may have made it very difficult to impossible to visit Jacob outside 
of Egypt.

The "king who did not know Joseph" was the Hyksos. They had their 
capital right in the land of Goshen, so Moses could travel quickly, 
even the same day, between Israel's elders and pharaoh. That's just 
one of the clues that makes me think that Moses dealt with a Hyksos 
pharaoh.

Karl W. Randolph.