1881.1 ^-^ [Lesley. 



If Egyptologists be now inclined to reject the APURU=OBRIM (He- 

 brew) theory, they can hardly have reason to reject an APURU=APRIM 

 (Ephraim) theory, if it were suggested; and the object of these notes is to 

 suggest it, with the grounds for its consideration ; not, however, on the 

 side of Egyptian philology, but on the side of Hebrew history. 



A recent anonymous work on "The Hebrew Migration from Egypt" 

 (London, 1879), draws attention to the fact that the account of the Exodus 

 collates two distinct stories from different sources, in one of which the term 

 Israelites only, and in the other the term Hebrews only, is applied to the 

 emigrating people; and that one of these stories speaks also of a "mixed 

 multitude " forming a separate part of the emigration.* 



Jacob represents the Hebrew race in the traditions of Judah and the 

 south ; Joseph represents the Hebrew race in Egypt ; Ephraim in the his- 

 tory of the northern division; and Reuben in that of the transjordanic prov- 

 inces. The distinction between the Beni-judah and Bcni-israel pervades 

 Palestinian literature from first to last. It is plain to see that some stirpal 

 barrier divided the northern from the southern parts of the country, and 

 that they were never united except during the short dynasty of David and 

 Solomon. Judah was not Israel, and never had been. Ephraim alone was 

 Israel. " To your tents Oh, Israel ; what part have we in David . . . 

 so Israel departed unto their tents. But over the Beni-Israel, who lived in 

 the cities of Judah, Rehoboam continued to reign." His own people were 

 not Beni-israel, but "men of Judah." 



If the children of Israel then were Hebrews and not Jews, and if 

 Ephraim was practically Israel, f the exclusive and specific use of the term 

 Hebrews in the story of the Exodus practically confines the history of the 

 exodus to the Beni-joseph, the descendants of Ephraim and Manassah. 



But the name Manassah is not a Hebrew but an Egyptian word ; while 

 the name Ephraim is par excellence a Hebrew word. There is a strong 

 probability then that while Ephraim meant the Hebrew division of the 

 emigration, Manassah meant the "mixed multitude," partly Egyptian and 

 partly perhaps Kenite, Midianite, or what not. 



The word Manassah reappears in Hebrew history, after the lapse of 500 

 years, as the name of a king of Judah (not of Israel) ; and evidently not as 

 a survival of what had been a common personal or family name, but as an 

 Egyptian name ; for, it comes to view in company with other Egyptian 

 names, and in consequence of the alliance of Solomon with a reigning 

 Pharaoh, whose daughter he made his queen, or first lady of the harem. 

 His other wives were princesses of surrounding Shemitic tribes. Their 

 children were baptized with Shemitic names ; but her children probably 

 received Egyptian names. 



*A short resume of the whole book is given in the loth or last chapter. What- 

 ever the author might think of the suggested connection of Hebraim and 

 Ephraim, cannot be said. It certainly fits into his exegesis. 



fThe rest of the tribes (except Levi) play a curiously subordinate r61e in the 

 whole story ; are dropped out of it early, and are scarcely even incidentally 

 mentioned afterwards. 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XIX. 108. 2z. PRINTED JUNE 1, 1881. 



