Egyptian Papyrus Reveals Israelite Psalms
Jewish community on Elephantine, Egypt
Papyrus Amherst 63, as it came to be known, has attracted scholarly curiosity since its discovery in Egypt more than a century ago. When it was recently finally deciphered and translated, it revealed Israelite Psalms. Photo: Courtesy of Oriental Institute Museum Archives, Box 009.
Since its publication in the 1980s, there has been general agreement that the Egyptian Papyrus Amherst 63 contains a composition strikingly similar to the Biblical Psalm 20 and that it might have originated with the Jewish community on Elephantine. But these are not the only fascinating facts about the Egyptian papyrus, which was reportedly discovered in the late 19th century at Luxor, Egypt.
Containing about 35 literary texts in Aramaic that date to the seventh and sixth centuries B.C.E., Papyrus Amherst 63 is written in a cursive Egyptian script known as Demotic. This unusual combination of the Aramaic language and the Demotic script was among the main reasons why the decipherment took more than 120 years.
In the FREE eBook Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus, top scholars discuss the historical Israelites in Egypt and archaeological evidence for and against the historicity of the Exodus.
Karel van der Toorn (University of Amsterdam), who recently published a new edition and translation of Papyrus Amherst 63, argues that besides the forerunner of Psalm 20, the Egyptian papyrus contains two other Israelite psalms. In the article “Egyptian Papyrus Sheds New Light on Jewish History” in the July/August 2018 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Professor van der Toorn explains: “The two other psalms of the Amherst papyrus are not in the Bible. That does not make them any less valuable from a historical and literary point of view. These were songs the Israelites chanted before their religion turned monotheistic.” And he adds: “The three psalms clearly belong together: They were evidently composed originally in Hebrew; they celebrate Yaho (an alternate form of the name Yahweh) as king of the gods; and they are part of the liturgy of the New Year’s festival as celebrated by an Aramaic-speaking community.”
The island of Elephantine at the southern Egyptian border was once home to an Aramaic-speaking Jewish community. Photo: YuliaLim, licensed under CC BY-SA-4.0.
As if this were not enough, the story of Papyrus Amherst 63 and the Jewish community on Elephantine gets even more intriguing. Van der Toorn contends that even though the Egyptian papyrus was penned in the fourth century B.C.E. and was found in Egypt, its contents are several centuries older and must have originated not in the land of pharaohs, but in Palmyra in modern-day Syria.
This papyrus document, dated to December 402 B.C.E., is a receipt for a grain loan. Ananiah, who was a Jewish temple official on Elephantine, certifies that he borrowed two monthly rations of grain from Pakhnum son of Besa. Composed in Aramaic and written with ink on a papyrus sheet, the manuscript belongs to a group of documents that allow a unique glimpse into the lives of the Jewish community on Elephantine that in the fifth century B.C.E. shared the island with native Egyptians and the occupying power—Persians. Photo: Courtesy of Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of Theodora Wilbour.
To learn more about the fascinating story of the Jewish community on Elephantine, their likely ancestors, and the three Israelite psalms of Papyrus Amherst 63, read “Egyptian Papyrus Sheds New Light on Jewish History” by Karel van der Toorn in the July/August 2018 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.
Subscribers: Read the full article “Egyptian Papyrus Sheds New Light on Jewish History” by Karel van der Toorn in the July/August 2018 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.
Not a subscriber yet? Join today.
Read Van der Toorn’s translation of the Israelite psalms from Papyrus Amherst 63 >>
Related Posts
Sep 28
Who Were the Phoenicians?
Must-Read Free eBooks
Want more Bible history?
Sign up to receive our email newsletter and never miss an update.
All-Access Membership
All-Access Membership
Dig into the illuminating world of the Bible with a BAS All-Access Membership. Get your print subscription to BAR and your online access to the BAS Library—as well as FREE online talks and Travel/Study discounts. Start your journey into the biblical past today!
Jeff, what I think Percy is saying is that Solomon did in fact leave the proper worship of YHWH and worship ‘gods’. Your statement ““Some” weren’t monotheistic? If the king wasn’t, who would be?” shows that maybe you should read the rest of the Torah more carefully. The vast majority of the Kings (and the one Queen) did NOT serve as good role models of Israelite faith. This hardly means that we should follow their examples or treat their behaviour as exemplary.
A careful reading of the description of worship in the Jerusalem Temple in the OT does not suggest that the Hebrew religion was always monotheistic.
How could this document, written in the 7th or 6th century BC be “the forerunner of Psalm 20”? Psalm 20 is a Psalm of David, who, lived in the 10th century BC.
Worship of Yehovah (or Yahweh) has always been monotheistic. The nature of this religion is not changed by the fact that some Jews practiced other religions,
I will
Like to know more Am very interested in Africans history experience Egypt
You and i both often use loose approximations as we quote God’s Word. This is no different insofar as this text is concerned. As a matter of fact though, and this text originating from the elephantine area, from mid 4th century BC to mid 5th century BC, I would tend to believe that any scripture quoted would, of necessity be from memory rather than having written texts available to check with.
Agreed. Readers should remember that the Hebrew faith was always monotheistic. There is still much to be gained from the info, if we can filter out the pre-judged bias of the authors.
Your organization has been a God send to our family. As the Almighty Said “knowledge will increase in the end of days.” And so it is.