Moses in Egypt’s Twelfth Dynasty

by Damien F. Mackey Moses was the Twelfth Dynasty’s Vizier and Chief Judge, Mentuhotep (also Sinuhe, and, perhaps, Iny). Recently I wrote that: Egypt’s Twelfth Dynasty oppressed Israel (2) Egypt's Twelfth Dynasty oppressed Israel That, though, is only part of the story, because, with the necessary folding of the so-called ‘Middle’ Kingdom into the Old Kingdom (suggested by Dr. Donovan Courville, The Exodus Problem and its Ramifications, 1971), the oppressing Twelfth Dynasty must have also its Old Kingdom manifestations: as the Fourth, the Fifth, and the Sixth dynasties. The first Oppressor Pharaoh, the dynastic founding “new king” of Exodus 1:8, was, all at once: Snofru-Khufu (Cheops) – Fourth Dynasty; Djedkare Isesi – Fifth Dynasty; Teti (Merenre) – Sixth Dynasty; Amenemhet – Twelfth Dynasty. The second Oppressor Pharaoh, the one who “tried to kill Moses” (Exodus 2:15), was all at once: “Chenephres” (Eusebius-Artapanus); Khafra (Chephren) – Fourth Dynasty; Unas – Fifth Dynasty; Pepi Neferkare – Sixth Dynasty; Sesostris – Twelfth Dynasty. The Egyptian foster-mother of Moses, “pharaoh’s daughter” (Exodus 2:5-6), was, all at once: “Merris” (Eusebius-Artapanus); Meresankh, wife of Khafra (Chephren) – Fourth Dynasty; Meresankh so-called IV – Fifth Dynasty; Ankhesenmerire – Sixth Dynasty. Moses himself was, all at once: Djedefre-Djedefhor-Djedefptah, Kagemni – Fourth Dynasty; Ptahhotep – Fifth Dynasty; Userkare, Weni (Uni), Vizier and Chief Judge, Kagemni, Chief Justice and Vizier – Sixth Dynasty; Mentuhotep, Vizier and Chief Judge (Sinuhe, Iny) – Twelfth Dynasty.