What Does Akhnaton Mean to Christianity?

Public seminar hosted by Cybek, Inc. oI New York

March 21, 1999
Following paper based on the lecture given by:
Charles N. Pope
JudeoRoots, Inc.
Orlando, FL
http://members.aol.com/judeoroots
posted March 25, 1999
last revised April 11, 1999
Copyright 1999
Mother of Moses, Mother of Gods!
Abstract
A previously unnoticed correspondence between the name oI Moses' mother in the Bible
and that oI the mother oI King Oedipus in Greek traditions leads to a convincing new
prooI that both women were one and the same as historical Queen Tiye, mother oI the
sensational and mysterious Egyptian 18
th
Dynasty Pharaoh Akhenaten. The mother oI
Moses is named in the Bible as Jochebed ("nobility oI Jo/Yah"). The Hebrew name
Jochebed is identical to that oI Oedipus' mother, which is given in the Sophocles plays as
Jocaste. Jocaste also translates Irom the Greek as "nobility oI Jo/Yah." The mother oI
Akhenaten has been established by archaeology as the Queen Tiye. Tiye was in turn the
daughter oI the Prime Minister "Ya" (Vizier Yuya) who governed Egypt during the reigns
oI Pharaohs Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III. Ahmed Osman has previously established
the relationship between Yuya and the Biblcal Joseph. Both names, Yuya and
Joseph/Yuseph, derive Irom the deity Yahweh/Jehovah. ThereIore, Tiye as the real liIe
mother oI Akhenaten, was quite literally oI the "nobility oI Ya" as well!
This triple correspondence is entirely reasonable. However, the controversy involves the
emphatic assertion by Sophocles and other Greek writers that Oedipus also sired heirs
through a dynastic marriage with his mother. Surprisingly, a Iresh investigation oI
relevant passages in the Bible and the Talmud also indicates that Zipporah, the wiIe oI
Moses and mother oI his two sons, was also considered by ancient Jews to be Moses' own
mother. Pseudonyms were used to separate the two roles oI Tiye. As mother oI Akhenaten
she is Jochebed, and as his wiIe Zipporah. Moreover, there is strong circumstantial
archaeological evidence attesting to a dynastic marriage between Akhenaten and his
mother Tiye. This does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that Akhenaten
(Moses/Oedipus) actually did produce royal heirs by his mother Tiye (Jochebed/Jocaste).
It does lead to the conclusion that, right or wrong, this is what reliable and independent
textual sources are explicitly and implicitly telling us. DNA testing oI 18
th
Dynasty
royals, which is presently underway at Brigham Young University may help resolve this
emotionally charged issue.
Introduction
In the modern era, Sigmund Freud was the Iirst to explore an association between
Akhenaten and Moses. His study was published in 1939 under the title "Moses and
Monotheism." However, Freud rejected the suggestion oI his protege Karl Abraham that
Akhenaten was also reIlected in the Greek traditions oI Oedipus memorialized by
Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus. The connection between Akhenaten and Oedipus
was not seriously pursued again until Immanuel Velikovsky published "Oedipus and
Akhenaten" in 1960. This work is still extremely valuable, and presents archaeological
evidence that is not Iound elsewhere in the published literature. UnIortunately,
Velikovsky's bizarre chronology led him to reject the possibility that Akhenaten and
Moses could also have been contemporaries and potentially coincident.
It was not until Ahmed Osman's 1990 title "Moses: Pharaoh oI Egypt" that the
correspondence between Akhenaten and Moses was brought once again under scholarly
consideration. However, by this time Velikovsky's research had Iallen into obscurity
along with the largely discredited main corpus oI his work. The third generation Freudian
Psychoanalyst William Theaux has revived Velikovsky's unique investigation oI Oedipus
and has called Ior a new synthesis oI Oedipus with Moses, and with the archaeology oI
Akhenaten. Furthermore, Dr. Theaux has identiIied the need to integrate the separate
traditions oI Hermes Trismegistus, which embody attempts Irom previous centuries to
perIorm this very same synthesis oI Akhenaten, Moses and Oedipus.
Proof that Biblical Zipporah was Both Mother and Wife of Moses.
The mother oI Moses is named in the Bible as Jochebed, which means "nobility oI
Jo/Yah." This Hebrew name has an identical meaning to the Greek name oI Oedipus'
mother, which is given in the Sophocles plays as Jocaste (also "nobility oI Jo"). The
mother oI the historical Akhenaten is conIirmed by archaeology to be Tiye. Tiye was the
daughter oI the Prime Minister "Ya" (Vizier Yuya oI 18
th
Dynasty Egypt, see Note 1 at
bottom). ThereIore, the historical mother oI Akhenaten, Tiye, was literally oI the "nobility
oI Jo/Yah" as well.
Yuya is regaled by numerous titles in his tomb. Surprisingly, a large percentage oI these
titles emphasize personal "Iriendship" with the King and with God. Included among these
are, "Great Friend," "Sole Friend," "First oI Friends," "ConIidant oI the Good God,"
"ConIidant oI the King," and "First Among the King's Companions."
The Iirst name given Ior Moses's Iather-in-law is Reuel. Reuel is also named explicitly as
the Iather oI Zipporah, Moses' wiIe. Amazingly, this name Reuel literally means "Friend
oI God." Based on these stunning associations alone, the subject prooI could logically
end at this very point. That is Yuya (as Biblical Joseph/Reuel) was the Iather oI Tiye (as
Zipporah-Jochebed/Jocaste) who was the mother and wiIe oI Akhenaten (as
Moses/Oedipus).
Nevertheless, to quote Sophocles, "Judgments Iormed too quickly are dangerous." This is
a delicate matter and certainly oI critical importance to Theology and the personal Iaith oI
millions oI people worldwide, thereIore additional background material will be
respectIully explored.
In Exodus Chapter 2, Reuel is named as the Iather-in-law oI Moses. Starting abruptly
with Chapter 3, the Iather-in-law is named as Jethro. Although, Jethro is not named as the
Iather oI Zipporah, he is commonly presumed to be one and the same as Reuel. But is he?
One Iorm oI the name Jethro (Heb. Yithrow/Yether) is given in the Hebrew as "Ithra."
This Iorm is obviously Egyptian in origin, and literally translates as "increase oI Ra." In
the Oedipus play, the brother oI Jocaste and uncle/brother-in-law oI Oedipus is named as
Creon. This name can be literally translated as "increase oI On." OI course, On
(Heliopolis in Egypt) was the cult center oI the sun god Ra. Jethro and Creon are
thereIore equivalent names, and correspond to the historical person oI Aye, the brother oI
Tiye. Aye Iollowed in his Iather Yuya's Iootsteps and became a leading vizier in Egypt.
He later became Pharaoh in his own right upon the death oI Tutankhumun. The
characterization oI Creon is very strong in the three Oedipus plays and conIirms that he
correspond's to Tiye's brother Aye.
Archaeology has identiIied three children oI Yuya. They are Tiye, Aye and Aanen.
Incidently, another son oI Reuel is mentioned in the Bible in Numbers 10:29. His name is
Hobab, which means "to hide." Hobab is possibly related linguistically to Aanen, who
was appointed to the highly inIluential post oI second priest oI Amun. Amun was the
"hidden God" oI Egypt, and the source oI the ending to Christian, Muslim and Jewish
prayers, i.e., "Amen." Sophocles records that Oedipus (Akhenaten) was hidden in the
hills oI Kith-Airon |Aanen| as a child. As a son oI Reuel, Hobab (Aanen) would also be
the brother oI Zipporah (Yiye) and Jethro (Aye). The Bible also states in Judges 4:11 that
Hobab is the brother-in-law oI Moses. This Iurther establishes Akhenaten's dynastic
marriage to his mother Tiye.
Whether one is prepared at this point to accept the exact relationships proposed, there can
be little doubt that we have identiIied the historical Iamily oI Moses, that oI Akhenaten.
The Bible states that the Iather oI Moses was not Joseph, but Amram. However,
Akhenaten acknowledged "Imram" to be his divine Iather (See Note 1). ThereIore,
Amram, which is equivalent to Imram and a close variant oI Abram, may have been an
alias which represented the deiIied Yuya/Joseph. The hands oI Yuya's mummy were
posed in an unusual manner, and indicate that he himselI was the intended object oI
worship. The Bible also states that Joseph ruled Egypt as Pharaoh's "double," was
subordinate to Pharaoh only in the throne, and that Egyptian subjects were commanded to
"bow the knee" beIore him. In Oedipus, Yuya corresponds to the character oI Laius, who
is said to be a deceased ruler. The name Laius and his characterization can indicate a high
"oIIicial," i.e., a prime minister, one who ruled in a civilian capacity. ThereIore, the
textual and archaeological sources are telling us that Akhenaten was not the son oI
Amenhotep III (and he never claims to have been), but the son oI Yuya (Imram/Amram).
See additional detail in the Note 1 Iollowing the essay.
There are two leading women in the liIe oI Biblical Moses. One is his wiIe Zipporah who
is the mother oI his two sons. The other is his sister Miriam. Miriam corresponds Iar
more closely to Akhenaten's sister-wiIe NeIertiti. (Meryre/Merit was the generic name in
Egypt Ior the royal heiress.) NeIertiti had initial status, as did Biblical Miriam, but was
later disgraced. Biblical Miriam was stricken with leprosy Ior objecting to Moses' Cushite
wiIe (see discussion below), and according to the Biblical account was not even mourned
by the Israelites upon her death. This was in spite oI her inspirational role in leading the
Israelites in celebration aIter their escape through the sea.
NeIertiti Ieatures prominently in all oI Akhenaten's temples, both in Thebes and at Akhet-
aten. However, upon the death oI Amenhotep III in Year 12 oI Akhenaten's coregency,
NeIertiti is subordinated to Tiye - so much so that some Egyptologists have concluded
that she may have even died at that very same time. Nevertheless, she is identiIied in a
mural depicting the Iuneral her daughter Mekataten in Akhenaten's year 14. In the Bible,
Miriam is still very much alive aIter the Exodus and aIter the departure Irom Mt. Sinai.
There is some agreement among Egyptologists that Aye was the Iather oI NeIertiti, and
thereIore the Iather-in-law oI Akhenaten by virtue oI his marriage to NeIertiti. The Bible
would conIirm this by naming Jethro as (a second) Iather-in-law to Moses. The historical
NeIertiti corresponds closely to the Biblical Miriam, the "sister" oI Moses, and not to
Zipporah. Moreover, when we superimpose the textual accounts onto the historical
genealogy oI Akhenaten, it is clear that Reuel and Jethro are two diIIerent persons. Reuel
(Yuya) is the Iather oI Zipporah (Tiye), and Jethro (Aye) is the Iather oI Miriam
(NeIertiti). Jethro (Aye) is also the brother oI Zipporah (Tiye).
The Bible states that Jochebed bore Miriam, Moses and Aaron "FOR" Amram. According
to Israelite custom, they were not necessarily all sired BY Amram. Miriam (NeIertiti)
may have been produced by Jethro (Aye) on Amram's behalI. The Biblical requirement
Ior a male relative to "produce oIIspring Ior a dead brother" must be understood in order
to Iully appreciate the subtlety oI the Bible's wording. In the royal court, this protocol
extended to living "brothers" who were not able to produce both male and Iemale heirs
through their sister-wiIe, because they too closely related. These "sterile" or "barren"
couples certainly could produce children through unrelated partners, but not always
through each other.
The wiIe oI Aye had the same name as Tiye, and may very well have been Tiye herselI.
Egyptologists spell her name as Tey to avoid "conIusion" with Tiye, however there is no
diIIerence in the Egyptian Iorms oI their names. The polyandrous role oI Tiye in the royal
court oI that time has not been the least bit suspected. ThereIore, it is the Egyptologists
who have been conIused by the sterile archaeological data. Without the cultural context,
it is not possible to correctly interpret inscriptions that served primarily as propaganda,
i.e., to dispel rumors, etc. Egyptologists are prone to take inscriptions at Iace value, and
assume that the Iamily relationships oI the 18
th
Dynasty were conventional. They were Iar
Irom it.
Family relationships are rarely ever provided on public or even in private inscriptions. In
those cases in which they were made public, we should be highly suspicious. For
example, Thutmose III is stated in an inscription to have been the son oI Thutmose II,
however we know that it was necessary Ior him to have been "adopted" at the temple oI
Amun beIore gaining kingship. The phrase that a person was a "king's son oI his own
body" should be taken more seriously. However, it reveals that a king's designated heir
was not necessarily his own natural son, but oIten that oI a close male relative. Compare
the Biblical account oI Abram (Gen. 15: 4) in which "the Lord" promises Abram that "a
son coming Irom your own body will be your heir."
By superimposing archaeology, the Bible, and the Greek traditions the Iollowing scenario
is proposed in which Tiye was provided with as many as Iive or more consorts, viz.,
Amenhotep III, Aanen, Aye, Yuya, and Akhenaten. As a child she was married to
Amenhotep III upon his coronation as Pharaoh. When Amenhotep III was unable to
produce a set oI heirs through Tiye, her brothers Aanen (the eldest) and Aye in turn sired
Meryre/Merayu (Biblical Aaron, see Note 2, below) and NeIertiti (Miriam) through her.
The eldest royal son Thutmose V did not survive to adulthood.
AIter Tiye and her brothers were not successIul in producing additional heirs, Tiye's own
Iather Yuya sired Amenhotep IV (later renamed as Akhenaten). Finally, Tiye (as
archetype oI Athene and center oI her universe), became the vessel oI honor used Ior a
daring religious practice (see Archaeological Evidence, below) undertaken to saIeguard
Egypt in a time oI devastating plague. This was a dynastic liaison between Tiye and her
son Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten). Regardless oI how shocking this may sound, the DNA
analysis oI the royal mummies may prove or at least point to this relationship. ThereIore,
we are wise to prepare ourselves Ior that possibility despite the repugnance that it evokes
today.
The subject plague is known Irom archaeology to have ravaged the entire Near East, and
had struck Egypt especially hard. Recovering Irom its destruction was the main
preoccupation oI the Iinal Iour Pharaohs oI the 18
th
Dynasty. In order to protect Egypt
Irom the growing evil that may have claimed the heir Thutmose V, the youthIul mother
Tiye was compelled (by Yuya and possibly other Iamily members) to become the consort
oI her own son. As the plague raged on they produced two sons, Semenkhare and
Tutankhamun, and possibly a daughter Beketaten. The plague did not abate. Ironically,
Yuya, Tiye and particularly Akhenaten were ultimately blamed Ior bringing on its
"judgment" as a result oI the very same sacriIicial measures they employed to end it. (See
additional notes below under the Archaeological Proof.)
NeIertiti and Akhenaten are known to have had at least three daughters. Miriam is not
presented as Moses's wiIe in the Bible, because she did not bear any male heirs Ior him,
and was thoroughly dominated by Zipporah who had. In a historical sense, this was
entirely unIair due to the Iact that two oI NeIertiti's daughters did become the Royal
Wives oI the three Pharaohs who Iollowed Akhenaten. Nevertheless, the Biblical and
Egyptian custom was to reIer to minor wives and concubines (regardless oI their nobility)
as maidservants and slave women, and sometimes not as wives at all. Such was the case
Ior Abraham's wiIe Hagar.
It was in Year 12 oI his coregency that Akhenaten's predecessor Amenhotep III died. At
this time there is a sudden demotion oI NeIertiti and a corresponding elevation oI Tiye to
the status oI Great WiIe oI Akhenaten. Had Semenkhare and Tutankhamun been
NeIertiti's sons, Tiye would have been relegated to the status oI Queen Mother upon the
death oI her husband. Had Amenhotep III been the Iather, it would not have been
necessary Ior Tiye to be identiIied as the consort oI Akhenaten.
Akhenaten clearly wanted sons through NeIertiti. AIter the IateIul Year 12 oI his co-
regency with Amenhotep III, he continued his desperate attempts to produce a son
through the daughters oI NeIertiti. The death oI the second eldest daughter Mekataten in
Year 14 is generally considered to have been caused by the delivery oI a daughter born to
Akhenaten.
Evidence from the Talmud
The Talmud relates that Moses traveled to Ethiopia and came to the assistance oI a Queen
"Aten-it" whose husband had died. Moses vanquished the Queen's enemies, and reigned
along side her. Later, Moses was compelled to abdicate in Iavor oI one oI the Queen's
sons by the previous king. Egyptologist Ahmed Osman states that the term "Ethiopia"
does not reIer exclusively to AIrica, but is also used to indicate Upper Egypt, i.e., "the
South," which included Thebes. Moreover, the name Aten-it (Athene) Iurther conIirms
the time period oI Moses to that oI Amarna in the 18
th
Dynasty. ThereIore, this account in
the Talmud corresponds closely to the return oI Akhenaten to Thebes upon the death oI
his predecessor Amenhotep III. Tiye assured Akhenaten's succession, and he reigned
beside her as sole king until his year 17. NeIertiti enters into almost complete obscurity
during this period. Now we can understand that Miriam's objections to the "Cushite
woman" reIers to Moses' marriage to Zipporah (Tiye)!
The Talmud account indicates that upon the abdication oI Akhenaten in his Year 17, the
throne was occupied by a son oI Tiye and Amenhotep III. However, the phrase "previous
king" may be a later interpolation, or simply a subtle way oI indicating Akhenaten
became the previous king upon his abdication, and the sons were his through Tiye.
Back to the Bible
The Bible indicates that the successors Semenkhare and Tutankhamun were the sons oI
Akhenaten and Tiye. Semenkhare is related linguistically to the son oI Zipporah and
Moses named Eliezer. The roots Semen and Elie (Etio) are equivalent, with "zer/zar"
being a corruption or intentional adaptation oI "khare." Gershom, meaning "Ioreigner"
corresponds to Tutankhamun born to Akhenaten in exile at the city oI Akhet-aten.
CareIul study oI the Biblical passage reveals that Eliezer is the elder son, and Gershom is
actually the younger. Gershom (meaning "Ioreigner") is born aIter the exile. This
corresponds to the birth oI Tutankhamun in year 9 oI Akhenaten. Beginning with his year
5, Akhenaten lived in exile in Middle Egypt (Biblical "Midian"). His exile is evident by
the boundary markers at Akhet-aten that establish it as a "city oI reIuge." Akhenaten
vowed to never leave the city. Upon Moses' return to Egypt (Akhenaten's return to
Thebes aIter the death oI Amenhotep III, the Pharaoh that sought to kill him?), the Bible
states that Moses and Zipporah have two sons. The naming oI Eliezer reIlects that he was
born beIore Gershom during the time oI Moses' trouble in Egypt. II this is the case,
Eliezer would have been circumcised according to Egyptian tradition beIore Moses had
killed "an Egyptian" and was required to Ilee, because "Pharaoh sought to kill him."
Like so many Biblical brothers, the younger achieved greater renown than the elder. As
with Ephraim and Manasseh, the younger Gershom is always listed beIore his elder
brother Eliezer. This is not diIIicult to appreciate when one recognizes that Gershom
represents the younger son Tutankhamen, and Eliezer the elder but more Ileeting
Semenkhare.
On his return to Egypt, Moses is conIronted by "the Lord" because he has Iailed to
circumcise his young son. This is a clear indication that the exile did not last a literal
Iorty years, but lasted only about Iour additional years aIter the birth oI Tutankhamun, or
a total oI seven or eight years all together. This is Iar more reasonable in human terms.
The Biblical passage would not make sense iI Gershom and Eliezer were middle aged
men oI 40. In ancient times 40 years would have represented a rather advanced age.
When Lord Laius attempts to kill Oedipus, he retaliates and kills Laius. The response oI
Moses to the Lord's attempt on his liIe is not included in the Biblical account. However,
Zipporah's reaction is telling. She remarks, "What a bloody husband you are to me!" Her
insolence is disturbing, and indicates that more blood than that associated with
circumcision may have been shed in this encounter. It also reIlects that Tiye had seniority
over Akhenaten, and had herselI come to resent the dynastic marriage to him. At a
minimum, Akhenaten had reIused or neglected to have Tutankhamun circumcised. It
became necessary Ior Tiye to have it done to comply with Egyptian tradition and as an
attempt to make the marriage more acceptable to her Egyptian subjects.
What follows next is an entirely Biblical proof that Zipporah was the mother of
Moses.
Besides Gershom and Eliezer, there is only one other person in the Bible who is said to
be the son oI Zippor(ah). This other son oI Zippor(ah) is Balak. The name Balak means
"to waste, destroy, consume."
The strange encounter oI Balaam and Balak is strategically inserted into the account oI
Moses, not only to discretely preserve the controversial Iamily relationship, but also the
unpopular politics oI the Exodus. AIter Akhenaten abdicated in Iavor oI Semenkhare and
Iled the country, a covenant was made between them. However, the tablets were broken,
indicating that Semenkhare was killed at Mt. Sinai or in Egypt upon his return Irom Mt.
Sinai. Archaeology indicates that Semenkhare only survived a short time (Iar less than a
year) upon the end oI Akhenaten's reign. Semenkhare was, in turn, succeeded by
Tutankhamun. However, this succession did not occur without concessions Irom the
Atenists (Aten is the Biblical Adon/Adonai). One such stipulation is known to have been
the required change oI Tutankhamun's name Irom Tutankhaten.
When Akhenaten (Moses) and the Israelites leIt Mt. Sinai early in the second year aIter
the Exodus, Akhenaten's son Tutankhamun (Gershom/Balaam) was the reigning Pharaoh.
It was to Tutankhamun that Akhenaten appealed Ior support in discharging his obligation
to dispose oI the diseased among the Hebrews and Israelites. (Not all Israelites were
diseased and participated in this Exodus.) Nevertheless, Tut neither helps Akhenaten or
the Israelites in their Iinal crisis. Three times Balak solicits Balaam to curse Israel, and
three times Balaam blesses them. However, his blessing is as the one denounced in the
New Testament, "Be warm, and Iilled." Without providing physical assistance, the
blessing was worthless. As a result, the Israelites are slaughtered by the Midianites.
Balaam had sold them out, and Balak had Iinished them oII.
The name Balaam has the identical meaning as Gershom, i.e., "Ioreigner." The name oI
Balaam's Iather is given as Beor. The name Beor carries the identical meaning as Balak.
ThereIore, the Bible is using a little indirection to encode that Balaam (Gershom) was in
Iact the son oI Balak (Moses), and that both were the sons oI Zippor(ah), i.e., Tiye. The
name Balak/Beor reIlects the destructive plagues that Moses had called down upon
Egypt.
The authors oI the Bible were motivated to protect the integrity oI Akhenaten/Moses,
even as we are today. A political decision had been made that "none oI the Israelites who
leIt Egypt" with Akhenaten/Moses would be allowed to enter the "Promised Land." AIter
a series oI "plagues," they were at last delivered over to the Midianites. Immediately aIter
this Iinal slaughter, a census is taken and it is declared that no one oI that generation were
any longer living. No doubt, this expedient IulIillment oI "prophesy" was later criticized,
and perceived as deceitIulness. Rather than attribute this act explicitly to
Akhenaten/Moses and his son, pseudonyms were introduced into the account. However, a
key was provided in order Ior "Iamily" to understand the true identities oI Balaam and
Balak.
The Bible states that Balaam had come Irom and returned to his home near "the river."
The river intended is not the Euphrates or the Jordan, but the Nile. A mural in the tomb oI
the Egyptian noble May depicts Tutankhamun and his "Cabinet members" The six men
who stand behind Tut in the mural include the Iour generals who would Iollow him on the
throne. They are his uncle Aye, Horemheb, Ramses and Seti (type oI Biblical Satan). All
Iour oI these generals ultimately turned against Akhenaten. The persecution oI the
Hebrews oI the Egyptian Delta by Ramses occurred before Ramses became Pharaoh,
although at a time when he was very much a powerIul leader and the mayor oI the city
Zarw (Pa-Rameses) in the Biblical land oI Goshen.
Sophocles makes it clear that Aye demanded Akhenaten's abdication. Horemheb
(Choragos oI the Oedipus plays) also urges Akhenaten to "take the Iall" Ior the good oI
the country. Nevertheless, the Biblical record oI Jethro visiting Moses in the wilderness
indicates that Aye was providing at least nominal support aIter the Exodus. Any oI the
Iour generals could have been the "Pharaoh" that chased Moses/Akhenaten to the border
oI Egypt. A compromise ("covenant") was negotiated between these Iour generals, who
were to be Iuture Pharaohs. Each oI these Iour men were very closely related not only to
each other, but to Akhenaten and his sons who succeeded him. The striIe associated with
the Exodus, and which ultimately brought down the Egyptian 18
th
Dynasty was largely an
overblown Iamily Ieud.
The phrase in the Bible that a new king came to power that "knew not Joseph" simply
means that this Pharaoh did not revere Joseph (Yuya) or honor his wishes. It does not
indicate that Joseph was even dead. Joseph did ultimately die as do all, but not until the
events oI Exodus 1-4 had transpired. Starting with verse 8 oI Exodus Chapter 1, the
narrative is taking us back in time to reveal how it happened that Joseph came to be
disrespected and met his end. This provides the missing biography oI Joseph between the
death oI his Iather Jacob and his own death recorded at the end oI the book oI Genesis.
Velikovsky cites a hymn that was a popular practice exercise Ior scribes in training during
the reigns oI Tutankhamun and Aye. It reads,
The sun oI him |Akhenaten| that knew thee not hath set, O Amun.
But he that knoweth thee, he shineth.
The Iorecourt |eye| oI him that assailed thee is in darkness,
while the whole earth is in sunlight.
Whoso putteth thee in his heart, O Amun,
lo, his sun hath risen.
(A. Erman, The Literature oI the Ancient Egyptians (1927), pp 309-310.)
|parentheticals mine|
Akhenaten knew Amun all too well. He ordered the very name to be expunged
throughout the entire country. What is meant by "knew" is thereIore revere, honor,
worship, etc. Likewise, the Pharaoh that "knew not Joseph" was a younger contemporary
oI Joseph.
The accounts oI the Bible were intended to be a "Iamily" or "national" history. The
Israelite elite were not ashamed oI Akhenaten, or the sexual liaisons oI the royal court.
Neither, did they consider it wise to make explicit certain matters that would be
unappreciated and belittled by outsiders. The recording oI their heritage was oI
paramount importance. The traditions were preserved Ior themselves and their children,
and not Ior a cruel and uncaring world. UnIortunately, over time the ability to interpret
the subtle indirection in the Biblical accounts was lost even to the Jews. The events
recorded in the Bible were not "done in a corner." At the time oI their occurrence, the
dynastic marriage oI Akhenaten and Tiye was very widely published. The parochial
names given to the Biblical actors actually represented individuals who were renowned
the world over. Many were revered as living gods. The identities oI these royals as well
as their relationships and other actions can now be recovered, because there are suIIicient
archaeology Iindings to reestablish the original historical context.
Akhenaten would have been no more sexually attracted to his mother than you or I. The
account oI Sophocles makes it clear that his marriage to his mother was not Ior love or
pleasure, but a "service to the state." Right or wrong, royalty reserved Ior themselves the
exclusive right oI human breeding Ior the purpose oI establishing their superiority over
commoners, and Iurthering the pursuit oI the elusive divine Iorm.
We may as well just lose our selI-righteous indignation. A Iar more beautiIul bride oI
genetic manipulation now lays on the bed beIore mankind, and the most blushing
attempts oI any royal court pale in comparison with what scientists will soon be able to
produce through her. It is time to "gird up the loins oI our minds" and to "provide things
honest in the sight oI all men." A "childish" understanding oI the Bible is not going to
protect us Irom the evils that lie in wait Ior us in the near Iuture. We had better wake up
Irom this deception soon beIore it is too late, and our ability to provide a saIe world Ior
our own natural children is lost Iorever.
Archaelogical Proof that Historical Tiye was both the Wife and Mother of
Akhenaten
The main points made by Velikovsky are:
1) In one oI the Amarna archive letters, the Babylonian (Kassite) King Burnaburiash
reIerred to Tiye as Akhenaten's "mistress."
2) The role oI NeIertiti was entirely subverted by Tiye upon the death oI Amenhotep III.
3) Indications Irom the tomb oI Tiye's steward Huya depict Tiye and Akhenaten in a
marriage relationship.
a) Tiye is reIerred to as "Mistress oI South and North, the great wiIe oI the king, whom
he loves."
b) Akhenaten leads Tiye by the hand with a daughter Bekataten trailing.
c) Akhenaten is shown dining intimately with two separate Iamilies. One is that oI
NeIertiti and her daughters. The other is Tiye and her daughter. Tiye's daughter is reIerred
to as "the king's daughter oI his body, beloved by him, Bekataten." Tiye's insignia are
superior to those oI NeIertiti.
d) Huya's title oI "Superintendent oI the Harem oI the Great Royal WiIe, Tiye" is stated
as an active and not a Iormer post. Likewise, Tiye is described as "King's Mother and
Great Royal WiIe."
e) Tiye is described as "sweet in her love, who Iills the palace with her beauty, the regent,
the Mistress oI South and North, the great wiIe oI the king who loves him, the Lady oI
both lands, Tiye."
Amenhotep III is deceased when the above inscriptions were made, thereIore Akhenaten
must be the intended husband oI Tiye, and Iather oI Bekataten and oI the heirs
Semenkhare and Tutankhamun.
Velikovsky documented in "Oedipus and Akhenaten" (1960) that a child born Irom a son
and a mother was considered particularly holy in certain royal courts oI the Near East, but
may not have been acceptable in Egypt.
Velikovsky also notes (p. 62) that the god Amun (Amen) was revered as the "King oI the
Gods" in Egypt, and elsewhere in ancient times as Jupiter. Other names oI this god were
Zeus in Greece, Marduk in Babylon, and Mazda in Persia.
The historian "Catullus stated that a magus (a Mazda priest) is the Iruit oI incestuous
relations between mother and son (Catullus, xc. 3)."
"Observance oI it |incest, especially between son and mother| is one oI the surest signs oI
piety in the coming days oI evil it expatiates mortal sin and Iorms the one insuperable
barrier to the attacks oI Aeshm, the incarnation oI Fury (Sayast la Sayast, VIII. 18; XVIII,
3I.)"
The liaison between Tiye and Akhenaten was not necessary to ensure kingly succession.
The heirs Akhenaten and NeIertiti were still young and capable oI carrying on the line.
Amenhotep III had set up over 700 statues oI Sekhmet the goddess oI pestilence in order
to ward oII a mounting plague. The marriage oI Tiye and Akhenaten was evidently
ordained Ior that exact same purpose. Both sons would ultimately undertake ministries oI
restoration and reconciliation in a divided and "plague and pyre" ravaged Egypt. Their
tragic deaths, and especially that oI the younger Tutankhamun, were later considered to
have the power to expatiate the sins oI the world.
The royal court likely got the idea Irom the cult oI Amun, however a later tradition
circulated that a competing oracle had Iorewarned against it. It had been "prophesied"
that the child would kill the king and take his throne. This may reIlect a later "prophe-lie"
promulgated by the cult oI Amun or Re to distance themselves Irom the scapegoat
Akhenaten, and claim that they had not ordained Akhenaten's "aIIairs."
Note 1: "Ya" is an abreviated Iorm oI Yuya's name, which was inscribed on his coIIin in
his Valley oI the Kings tomb, and points to his patron god, Yahweh/Jehovah. In Ahmed
Osman's 1987 book "Stranger in the Valley oI the Kings" this highest ranking oIIicial in
Egypt, Yuya, is strongly associated with the Biblical Joseph. In the Bible, the story oI
Moses immediately Iollows that oI Joseph. However, it is commonly believed that there
was a lengthy time period between Joseph and Moses. Archaeology now indicates that
there was not a gap between Joseph and Moses, and that Moses was actually the son oI
Joseph or oI a close contemporary. II Joseph (Yuya) is Iollowed directly by Moses
(Akhenaten), then this conIirms that Moses was in the Iourth generation Irom Abraham
(i.e., Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses), during which the Exodus is said to have taken place.
For an explanation oI the dual Biblical record (contained in the same passage, Genesis
15: 13-16) oI a 430 year Sojourn AND a Iour generation Sojourn, see Osman's "Moses:
Pharaoh oI Egypt." Osman also points out in this same title that Akhenaten acknowledged
"Imram" in the cartouche oI his god and Iather the Aten (Heb. Adonai). Biblical Moses is
said to be the son oI "Amram," the Hebrew equivalent. In this case the Iour generation
sequence oI Levi, Kohath, Amram, Moses reIers to a lineage that is parallel with that oI
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses. The Levi oI this lineage would then not be the third son oI
Jacob as commonly presumed, but an earlier namesake. This Levi (meaning "attached")
may in Iact be one and the same as Isaac who was the "adopted" son oI Abram and object
oI the second covenant with Abram (Gen. 17). Ishmael was the promised son oI Abram's
own body and object oI the Iirst covenant (Gen. 12 & 15). (That these were two distinct
covenants will be demonstrated in a Iuture essay.) Kohath (meaning "alliance")
corresponds to Jacob who preIerred to manipulate rather than Iight. The correspondence
between Amram and Joseph/Yuya was discussed above.
Note 2: One oI three individuals in Akhenaten's court may have been the Biblical Aaron.
Meryre I was High Priest oI Aten, Meryre II was Overseer oI the Royal Harem, and a
Merayu was lector-priest (orator) and steward. There is also a Biblical Merari, who was a
contemporary oI Moses. The son oI Aanen by the name oI Meryre may have used the
nickname Aaron to avoid conIusion with the other prominent Meryre. This nickname also
relates him strongly to Aanen. The name Merayu would appear to relate more closely to
Yuya.