Indeed, magic spells are divulged smw- and shnw-spells are frustrated because they are remembered by men. As with the Bible, Ipuwer also mentioned the downfall of magicians. This they did to varying degrees of success, before they recognized their power as completely useless. Ipuwer laments the utter-and sudden-destruction of the land.Īs the Bible describes, for the initial plagues, the Egyptian magicians attempted to replicate the miracles. There was not a single house where someone had not died” New Living Translation.)Īll is ruin! … Indeed, that has perished which yesterday was seen …. (Exodus 12:30: “oud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. Indeed, laughter is perished and is made it is groaning that is throughout the land …. (Exodus 12:29: “t midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon ….”) Indeed, the children of princes are dashed against walls …. Indeed, every dead person is as a well-born man …. (Exodus 12:30: “here was not a house where there was not one dead.”) Indeed, men are few, and he who places his brother in the ground is everywhere …. (Exodus 10:22: “nd there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.”) (Exodus 9:31: “And the flax and the barley was smitten ….”)

Indeed, everywhere barley has perished ….

So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous ….”) (Exodus 9:23-24: “nd the fire ran along upon the ground …. Indeed, gates, columns and walls are burnt up …. … nd all the cattle of Egypt died.”)īehold, the fire has gone up on high, and its burning goes forth against the enemies of the land …. (Exodus 9:3, 6: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. Indeed, all animals, their hearts weep cattle moan because of the state of the land …. (Exodus 9:15: “hat I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence ….” Exodus 7:19: “hat there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt ….”) Indeed, are violent, pestilence is throughout the land, blood is everywhere, death is not lacking …. … he Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water ….”) (Exodus 7:20, 18: “nd all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. Men shrink from human beings and thirst after water …. Indeed, the river is blood, yet men drink of it. Dispersed all throughout Ipuwer’s text, the especially relevant examples have been grouped together below, beginning with a particularly startling parallel. Many references throughout the papyrus are strikingly similar to the biblical account of the 10 plagues-possible allusion can be found to at least six of the biblical plagues-as well as other elements of the Exodus account.īelow are key portions of the papyrus (italicized), compared with parallel biblical scriptures about the plagues that ravaged Egypt. He tells a lengthy story of absolute calamity befalling Egypt. The Ipuwer Papyrus was written by a royal Egyptian scribe of the same name. (the latter end of the spectrum more closely aligns with the biblical date for the Exodus). Dating is merely guesswork, generally ranging from the early 2000s to the 1500s b.c.e. It is known to be a copy of an earlier work however, when the original was written is a mystery. The Ipuwer Papyrus is a lengthy scroll written in heiratic text, dating to circa 13th century b.c.e. But what if it isn’t? What if there was an Egyptian eyewitness account of the divine punishment and suffering described in the Bible? To many, the biblical account of the 10 plagues and the Exodus is simply too fantastical to be believed-pure legend found only within the pages of the Bible, Israelite propaganda.

Ipuwer papyrus