By: Emil G. Hirsch, W. Max Muller
Region of Egypt which the Israelites inhabited during their sojourn in that country. It is described as situated on the eastern frontier of Lower Egypt (Gen. xlvi. 28, 29; Ex. xiii. 17; I Chron. vii. 21), forming an outpost of it (Gen. xlvi. 34); apparently not at all (or scantily) inhabited by Egyptians (ib.), but, in the estimation of shepherds, evidently "the best of the land" (ib. xlvii. 6,11), since Pharaoh's cattle grazed there (6). According to verse 11 "the land of Rameses" (P?) is synonymous with "the land of Goshen." "Goshen" alone (without the addition "land of") is used only in xlvi. 28, 29. In these two verses it may designate a city, as the LXX. understands it, which here renders "Goshen" by "Heroonpolis," adding in verse 28 to "unto Goshen" the words "into the land of Ramesses"; in xlv. 10 the LXX. transliterates "Gesem of Arabia." This name "Arabia" means, in Egyptian usage, either, generally, all land east of the Nile or, as a special district, the "nome Arabia," the 20th of Lower Egypt. Heroonpolis or Heropolis (according to the excavations of Naville, modern Tell al-Mas-Khuṭa) was, however, the capital of the 8th or Heroopolitan nome, east of the Arabian. Nevertheless, the name "Arabia" seems to be used by the LXX. in the special sense, for in the reign of Ptolemy II. the Greek administration seems to have treated the neighboring 8th and 20th nomes as one district (comp. the "Revenue Laws of Ptolemy Philadelphus," ed. Grenfell, 1896, p. l.). Later, the two districts seem to have been separated again (comp., e.g., Ptolemy, "Geographia," iv. 5, 53).
The name "Goshen" (Egyptian, "Ḳsm," sometimes abbreviated into "Ḳs"), occurring first in a papyrus of dynasty 12 (Griffith, "Kahun Papyri," 2, 14), designated, however, the 8th or so-called "Arabian" nome, i.e., the land west of the Bubastide nome, between the Pelusiac branch of the Nile and the canal now branching off at Belbeis. It touched the entrance to the desert valley, now called Wadi al-Ṭumilat, where a fortification, erected in dynasty 12, protected the easiest entrance to Egypt. It is likely that the capital P(er)-sopd(u) (Pisaptu of the Assyrians), situated near modern Safṭ al-Ḥannah, had as profane name the same name as the region, because the classical writers speak of a city Phacus(s)a on that spot (Ptolemy, l.c.; less distinct are Stephen of Byzantium, the "Tabula Peutingerina," Geographus Ravennatu, and Strabo, who may have confounded with Goshen a city with a similar name, modern Faḳus, northeast of Bubastus). If so, the Biblical pronunciation of the name is authenticated as against the "Ges(s)em" of the LXX. and the dependent versions.
"Land of Rameses."
The synonymous designation, "land of Rameses," has not yet been found on the monuments, but seems to refer to the region bordering eastward on the land of Goshen, the 8th or Hero(on)politan nome, which is known to have been colonized by the famous pharaoh Rameses II. The LXX. certainly errs in identifying Heroonpolis with Goshen, but is otherwise correct in seeking the Israelitish settlements in that region (which contained the towns of Pithom and Succoth Ex. i, 11, xii. 37, etc.), the narrow valley Wadi al-Ṭumilat of modern time, between the Crocodile Lake and the old land of Goshen. This part of the country answers perfectly to the description of Goshen in the Bible. It was reached only irregularly by the yearly inundation of the Nile, and therefore was less suited for agriculture. It is necessary only to assume that with the Semites or in popular Egyptian usage the name of "Ḳosem" (Goshen) was extended beyond the limits of the old country and its frontier fortifications. Unfortunately, little is known of the whole region before Rameses II. It might also be assumed that the Israelites settled, in Joseph's time, in the old land of Goshen, and spread in the subsequent period overthe newly colonized district; but this agrees less with the Biblical data. No Egyptian etymology for the name "Goshen" (Ḳosem) has been found, which seems to be of Semitic origin; this would indicate Semitic settlers already c. 2000 or earlier. In Judith i. 9 ("the land of Gesem [R. V. "Goshen"] until thou comest above Tanis and Memphis") the name seems to be used without precise knowledge as to the location of the place.
Bibliography:
- The fullest discussion of the Egyptian data will be found in Naville. The Shrine of Saft el-Henneh and the Land of Goshen, in the 5th Memoir of the Egypt Explor. Fund, 1885, p. 74;
- comp. also his Pithom (1st Memoir). Ebers, Durch Gosen zum Sinai, 1872. is antiquated, like the theories pronounced repeatedly by Brugsch (L'Exode et les Monuments, etc.).
FAQs
Yahweh, name for the God of the Israelites, representing the biblical pronunciation of “YHWH,” the Hebrew name revealed to Moses in the book of Exodus.
How many Israelites left Egypt? ›
According to tradition, this harrowing ritual was repeated annually for forty years, until the original 600,000 Israelites who left Egypt—those who doubted that they could attain the Promised Land—finally died off.
What do Jews believe about Genesis? ›
Orthodox and Ultra- Orthodox Jews believe that the Genesis story of creation is the literal truth and happened around 6,000 years ago. Other Jews accept the theory of evolution but still believe that God made everything happen. It took God 6 days to create everything and on the 7th day he rested.
Who is Cohen Gadol in Hebrew? ›
In Judaism, the High Priest of Israel (Hebrew: כהן גדול, romanized: Kohen Gadol, lit. 'great priest'; Aramaic: Kahana Rabba) was the head of the Israelite priesthood.
Are Yahweh and Allah the same? ›
We also find that the Bible portrays Yahweh in contrast to Allah. For example, Allah is considered to be too holy to have personal relationships with man, but Yahweh is often described as a loving God interested in our personal struggles.
Are Yahweh and Jehovah the same? ›
Jehovah is the Hebrew name for God in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. He is introduced in the book of Genesis, or beginnings, as creator of the universe and everything in it. The name Yahweh comes from the Hebrew word for "I am," which was eventually translated as "Jehovah."
Is there any evidence of Israelites in Egypt? ›
There is no indication that the Israelites ever lived in Ancient Egypt, and the Sinai Peninsula shows almost no sign of any occupation for the entire 2nd millennium BCE (even Kadesh-Barnea, where the Israelites are said to have spent 38 years, was uninhabited prior to the early 12th century BCE).
What is the promised land called today? ›
The Land of Israel (Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, Modern: ʾEreṣ Yīsraʾel, Tiberian: ʾEreṣ Yīsrāʾēl) is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine.
What happened to the Israelites after they left Egypt? ›
The Israelites will have to remain in the wilderness for forty years, and Yahweh kills the spies through a plague except for the righteous Joshua and Caleb, who will be allowed to enter the promised land (Numbers 13:36-38).
What is the difference between the Torah and the book of Genesis? ›
The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Torah. It is divisible into two parts, the Primeval history (chapters 1–11) and the Ancestral history (chapters 12–50).
Jews believe that there is a single God who not only created the universe, but with whom every Jew can have an individual and personal relationship. They believe that God continues to work in the world, affecting everything that people do. The Jewish relationship with God is a covenant relationship.
What do Jews call the Book of Genesis? ›
The Book of Genesis (known in Hebrew as Beresh*t) begins with the creation of the world by God, from tohu v'bohu, chaos and nothingness.
Who is the father of the Hebrew race? ›
Abraham is regarded by Jews as the founder of the Hebrew people. The twelve tribes of Israel were direct descendants of Abraham.
What is a Hebrew priest called? ›
Jewish priest. Also known as: cohanim, kohanim, kohen. Written and fact-checked by. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.
How is Cohen related to Moses? ›
Y-chromosomal Aaron is the name given to the hypothesized most recent common ancestor of the patrilineal Jewish priestly caste known as Kohanim (singular "Kohen", also spelled "Cohen"). According to the traditional understanding of the Hebrew Bible, this ancestor was Aaron, the brother of Moses.
What God does Israel pray to? ›
6:7 Yahweh says: "I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God"- a form of expression which implies that Yahweh first became the God of Israel in con- sequence of the revelation to Moses.
What God did the Israelites worship? ›
The ancient Israelites worshiped Yahweh, the anthropomorphic god, who revealed himself to the prophet Moses. However, they also probably worshiped the deities Ba'al, a Canaanite storm god, and Asherah, a mother goddess figure of the sea.
What kind of God was the God of Israel? ›
Yahweh was an ancient Levantine deity, and national god of the Israelite kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
Who is the God of Israel country? ›
Yahweh, the national god of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Tetragrammaton, the four Hebrew letters YHWH as the name of God, and various pronunciations given to them.
