Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ishinan" <ishinan AT comcast.net>]

[OUN KWON] - I would appreciate very much for some ready reference sources
for the ancient practice or custom (Egyptian or other ANE) to explain
legality of adoption of Moses by a princess.

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[ISHINAN] - Dear Oun, adoption was a fairly common occurrence in Ancient
Egypt.  Though it differed widely among classes.  For the affluent, adoption
was effected through a legal procedure which required drawing up formal
papers known as  'myt-pr,  or a "house document" in front of witnesses. This
was to ensure the legal rights of adoptees in matters of bequeathing
inheritance.  As for the commoners, it was quite a different and much
simpler matter, as it required only a symbolic ceremony of pouring water
upon the prospective adopted child hands. This ceremony would usually take
place preferably among family members and/or neighbors.

Most of the textual and archaeological evidence on the subject matter of
adoption comes from various papyri dug up in Deir-el-Medina where some
traditional exhortation encouraged childless people to get for themselves
orphans to love and rear as their own.  However, this was not always done
for altruistic purposes, rather it aimed at caring for the would be adoptive
parents as they grew older.  The same applied to the rich, for a variety of
reasons.  For example, one papyrus tells us how a childless woman, who after
she inherited her husband's estate, raised the three illegitimate children
who were born to him and their female household slave. She then married the
eldest illegitimate step-daughter to her younger brother, whom she adopted
as her son, that they might receive the entire inheritance.

To my knowledge, orphans raised in the pharaoh's household could not be
legitimate heirs to the throne, but rather were destined to serve in high
places in the Royal administration.

If you are interested in more details on the subject matter, may I suggest
to you the following reference:  Getting Old in Ancient Egypt by Rosalind M.
and Jac. J. Janssen

http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Getting-Old-Ancient-Egypt/dp/0955025699

Ishinan Ishibashi