by
Damien F. Mackey
“[Wisdom] entered the soul of a servant of the Lord,
and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs”.
Wisdom 10:16
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Important Note: Previously, I have been adamant that Moses was not a king (Pharaoh), having recently written: “… another legend that has Moses as “a king” is misleading. Though great, Moses was definitely subservient to the two pharaohs who had the power of life and death over him. Indeed, “Chenephres” will even seek the life of Moses …” (Exodus 2:15; cf. 4:19).
Moses, “… mighty in his words and deeds” (Acts 7:22), was the Vizier and Chief Judge in Egypt (cf. Exodus 2:14: ‘… Who made you ruler and judge over us?’), and we have found him exercising this twin office of enormous significance both as Weni (Uni) of Egypt’s Sixth Dynasty, and as Mentuhotep (also Sinuhe, Iny?), of Egypt’s Twelfth Dynasty.
However, in recent weeks I have stumbled across a handful of new identifications for Moses all within my revised context – Djedefhor/Djedefre (Fourth Dynasty); Kagemni (Fourth-Sixth dynasties); Ptahhotep (Fifth Dynasty); Userkare (Sixth Dynasty). On these, see e.g. my articles:
Moses in Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty
(5) Moses in Egypt's Fourth Dynasty
Vizier Kagemni another vital link for connecting Egypt’s Fourth and Sixth dynasties
(5) Vizier Kagemni another vital link for connecting Egypt's Fourth and Sixth dynasties
Moses in Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty
(5) Moses in Egypt's Fifth Dynasty
Was Moses indeed a King of Egypt - albeit briefly?
(5) Was Moses indeed a King of Egypt - albeit briefly?
These largely tell of Moses as having been a wise sage who wrote down Instructions, or Maxims (Proverbs).
But they also indicate that Moses had actually been designated as Crown Prince, and had even served as Pharaoh for a brief period before abdicating (the only one ever to have done so?) – a likeness to the Buddha.
This would support what Saint Paul wrote about him (Hebrews 11:24-27):
By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
There is also that pious tradition that has baby Moses, not so much spitting the dummy, but throwing the royal crown out of his cot.
So, slightly (but importantly) re-ordering our main players, we have:
1. The dynastic founding, oppressive “new king” (Exodus 1:8): Khufu (Cheops)/Teti/Amenemhet.
His daughter,
2. “Merris” (Eusebius via Artapanus): Meresankh/Ankhesenmerire.
3. Moses, as pharaoh Djedefre (the sage Djedefhor)/Userkare.
4. “Chenephres” (Artapanus): Chephren/Pepi Neferkare/Sesostris.
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Reconsidering Moses through a Sixth Dynasty lens
We read this of the briefly-reigning Userkare, my Moses:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Userkare
Userkare (also Woserkare, meaning "Powerful is the soul of Ra"; died c. 2332 BC) [sic] was the second king of the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt, reigning briefly, 1 to 5 years …. Userkare's relation to his predecessor Teti and successor Pepi I is unknown and his reign remains enigmatic.
Although he is attested in some historical sources, Userkare is completely absent from the tomb of the Egyptian officials who lived during his reign and usually report the names of the kings whom they served. Furthermore, the figures of some high officials of the period have been deliberately chiselled out in their tombs and their titles altered, for instance the word "king" being replaced by that of "desert".
My comment: Moses had ceased to live in Egypt and had gone of necessity into exile in the “desert” of Midian, near the Paran desert.
Egyptologists thus suspect a possible Damnatio memoriae on Pepi…'s behalf against Userkare.
My comment: This would make sense if Pepi (Neferkare) was the same as the “Chenephres” (Kanefere), who was so envious of Moses.
In addition, the Egyptian priest Manetho who wrote an history of Egypt in the 3rd century BC states that Userkare's predecessor Teti was murdered but is otherwise silent concerning Userkare.
My comment: Likewise, Teti’s alter ego, Amenemhet (Merenre?), was murdered.
Consequently, Userkare is often considered to have been a short-lived usurper to the throne, possibly a descendant of a cadet branch of the preceding Fifth Dynasty. Alternatively, he may have been a legitimate short-lived ruler or a regent who ruled during Teti's son Pepi…'s childhood before his accession to the throne.
My comment: That last remark comes closer to the truth: “Alternatively, he may have been a legitimate short-lived ruler or a regent who ruled during Teti's son Pepi…'s childhood before his accession to the throne”.
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