 Chronology
Immanuel Velikovsky
One of the first to try to show that all was not well with dating in ancient history was Immanuel Velikovsky. His work has fallen into disrepute in some areas because of misrepresentation, lack of understanding and over zealous acceptance.
Some argued hotly with Velikovsky, often defending entrenched positions and frequently attacking the man rather than his ideas.
Others accepted his ideas uncritically and went on to reach conclusions he did not envisage. Some of these excesses are remarkable.
Despite these problems, there is a considerable body of people who take his work seriously, at least as a starting point for further research.
Velikovsky's work was pioneering and valuable. He tells in his introduction to Ages in Chaos, how in the spring of 1940
' I realized that the Exodus had occurred in the midst of a natural upheaval and that this catastrophe might prove to be the connecting link between the Israelite and Egyptian histories, if ancient Egyptian texts were found to contain references to a similar event.'
His search of the Egyptian literature led him to the Ipuwer papyrus. Discovered in Memphis in lower Egypt, the papyrus found its way to the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.
It has often been regarded as a collection of axioms or admonitions, but Sir Alan Gardiner argued that the internal evidence of the text pointed to a historical situation.
'It is no local disturbance that is here described, but a great and overwhelming national disaster.'
It describes a great catastrophe. Velikovsky saw this catastrophe as the events surrounding the Exodus. He quotes the papyrus to demonstrate this.
2:8 Forsooth, the land turns round as does a potter's wheel.
2:11 The towns are destroyed. Upper Egypt has become dry.
3:13 All is ruin.
7:14 The residence is overturned in a minute.
There is a clear picture of destruction. Velikovsky shows that many of the events specifically recorded in the Exodus also appear in the papyrus. Both refer to blood being everywhere.
Ipuwer 2:10 The river is blood
Exodus 7:20 all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
Both speak of destruction of crops and trees, destruction by fire, harm among the animals and unnatural darkness. The similarities are remarkable.
Velikovsky discusses a number of other factors, such as the death of the first-born, events relating to the crossing of the Red Sea and the wilderness wanderings, and continues to find similarities between the Bible and other ancient records.
He then turns to the Hyksos, Asiatics who ruled Egypt in place of Egyptian born kings immediately before the setting up of the New Kingdom. These people are described by Manetho, as quoted by Josephus:
'A people of ignoble origin from the east, whose coming was unforeseen, had the audacity to invade the country, which they mastered by main force without difficulty or even a battle.'
The scriptures do not tell of events in Egypt following the Exodus, but the Ipuwer papyrus speaks of invaders who 'vexed and tormented the land of Egypt'.
The Scriptures do tell of encounters with the Amalekites during the time in the desert. Israel fought Amalek even before they reached Mount Sinai.
The destruction of Egypt by the plagues left a vacuum waiting to be filled. Here was the opportunity for the Amalekites to enter the country Israel had just left.
Velikovsky points out that some ancient Arabian documents refer to the invasion of Egypt by the Amalekites.
'The Amalekites entered Egypt, destroyed many monuments and objects of art.... The Amalekites invaded Egypt, the frontier of which they had already crossed, and started to ravage the country ... to smash the objects of art, to ruin the monuments.'
He also refers to Queen Hatshepsut's Speos Artemidos inscription where she tells of her building works, and where she refers to the Hyksos as the Amu.
'I have restored that which was ruins, I have raised up that which was unfinished since the Amu were in the midst of Avaris of the Northland, and the barbarians were in the midst of them, overthrowing that which was made, while they ruled in ignorance of Re.'
This introduction to Velikovsky is brief. His work concerning the Ancient World spans six volumes. Not all is to do with history, for much is said about astronomy and catastrophy.
What matters here is that he found a six hundred year discrepancy between the traditional history of Egypt and that of the Bible. He says
"If the fault lies in Egyptian history, the only possibility is that events of that history are described twice, and six hundred years are repeated." Ages in Chaos. p 115
Much of the content of the volumes following Ages in Chaos is a presentation of synchronisms between the histories of the nations of the Ancient World. The six hundred year discrepancy recurs time and again.
While few today accept all he said, Velikovsky's ideas were a catalyst for others who sought a new chronology.
One of the many Web sites which discuss the man Immanuel Velikovsky, and his ideas
The
Velikovskian, A Journal of Myth, History and Science give many more links to follow.
Links to other chronology pages in this site
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