Topical Bible: Commerce: Egyptians

◄ Commerce: Egyptians ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The ancient Egyptians were among the earliest civilizations to engage in organized commerce, playing a significant role in the economic landscape of the ancient Near East. Their strategic location along the Nile River and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea facilitated trade and interaction with neighboring regions, including Canaan, Mesopotamia, and the broader Mediterranean world.

Biblical Context

In the Bible, Egypt is frequently mentioned as a place of wealth and abundance, often serving as a refuge or a place of provision during times of famine. The account of Joseph, as recounted in the Book of Genesis, highlights Egypt's role as a center of commerce and resource management. Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, eventually rises to become the second most powerful man in Egypt, overseeing the storage and distribution of grain during a severe famine (Genesis 41:41-57). This narrative underscores Egypt's capacity for large-scale agricultural production and trade.

Trade and Goods

The Egyptians engaged in extensive trade networks, exporting goods such as grain, linen, papyrus, and gold. In exchange, they imported items like cedar from Lebanon, incense and myrrh from Punt, and various luxury goods from the Aegean and beyond. The Bible references the wealth of Egypt in several passages, illustrating its economic power. For instance, in Ezekiel 27:7, Egypt's fine linen is mentioned as a valuable commodity: "Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, serving as your banner; blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was your awning" .

Cultural and Economic Influence

Egypt's influence extended beyond mere trade; it also impacted the cultural and economic practices of neighboring regions. The Israelites, during their sojourn in Egypt, would have been exposed to Egyptian methods of agriculture, administration, and commerce. This exposure is evident in the biblical narrative, where Egyptian practices occasionally surface in Israelite society.

Prophetic Writings

The prophets often used Egypt as a symbol of worldly wealth and power, sometimes warning against reliance on Egyptian strength instead of trusting in God. Isaiah 31:1 cautions, "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the abundance of chariots and in the multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD" . This reflects a broader biblical theme that emphasizes reliance on divine provision over human alliances and material wealth.

Historical Interactions

Throughout the biblical narrative, Egypt's interactions with Israel and other nations are complex and multifaceted. The Exodus account, where God delivers the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, is a foundational account that highlights both the might and the eventual downfall of Egypt's oppressive regime. This event is pivotal in Israel's history and serves as a recurring motif of God's deliverance and judgment.

In summary, the Egyptians were a formidable force in ancient commerce, with their economic practices and wealth frequently referenced in the Bible. Their interactions with the Israelites and other nations provide a backdrop for many biblical events and teachings, illustrating the interplay between divine providence and human enterprise.

Nave's Topical Index

Genesis 42:2-34
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from there; that we may live, and not die.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Volume ii. , Part B. The Memphite Empire
... and the romance about their advent"The relations of the Delta to the peoples of
the North: the shipping and maritime commerce of the Egyptians"Nubia and ...
/.../volume ii part b the.htm

From the Flood to Abraham
... and Moses the world had made great advancement in culture, commerce, law and ... tell
which of two great nations, the Chaldeans and the Egyptians, first attained ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter iii from the flood.htm

Introduction
... of Egypt and took its place as a great centre both of commerce and of ... There were
first the native Egyptians, whom he describes as intelligent and civilised ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/conybeare/a grammar of septuagint greek/introduction.htm

The Judges Said: if You have any Clearer Statement yet to Make...
... But if you wish to be fully instructed as to that commerce which took place at ... 38,
tell us how the Egyptians marked the pure victim by wrapping it round the ...
/.../the acts of the disputation with the heresiarch manes/14 the judges said if.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... Peace followed the double victory of the Egyptians, and commerce on the Mediterranean
resumed once more its wonted ways, but only in those regions where the ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

On the Government of God
... Aetna, 210. Africa, 179n; commerce and wealth of, 208; interest of Salvian in, 8;
Vandal conquest of, 106, 178, 205 ff.; wickedness of, 207 ff. ... Egyptians, 56. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/index 2.htm

"He Hardened his Heart"
... Her commerce had stagnated because she had no goods to barter; her society ceased
to revel, for her people ... I went to pray for that which all Egyptians crave at ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxx he hardened his.htm

Introduction
... Atlantic; and just as the Atlantic is the highroad of commerce and trade ... In a later
age Assyrians, Babylonians, and Egyptians again contended for the mastery ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/introduction.htm

An Anonymous Sermon, Commonly Called Clement's Second Letter to ...
... to give the righteous their reward at once, our training would straightway be in
commerce and not ... [565] Source unknown, possibly the Gospel of the Egyptians. ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/an anonymous sermon commonly called 2.htm

Bunsen's Biblical Researches.
... records, is extended by our author's reasonings on the development of commerce and
government ... or of Japhet and Shem) but unknown to the Egyptians and Mongolians ...
/.../essays and reviews the education of the world/bunsens biblical researches.htm