Pharaoh (Book of Abraham)
Encyclopedia
In Latter-day Saint theology, Pharaoh is the proper name
of the first king of Egypt
, as found in the Book of Abraham
in the Pearl of Great Price
.
According to the Mormon
text, Pharaoh is the son of Egyptus
, daughter of Ham, son of Noah
, who rules Egypt righteously during his entire reign. However, he does not have the "fullness of the gospel
," and Egypt gradually degenerates to idol worship after his death. His father has been assumed to have been either Mizraim
or Canaan
, both brothers to Egyptus
and sons to Ham, son of Noah
.
Though Pharaoh was Egypt's first King, Egypt would likely have been separated into two Egypts before the birth of Mizraim
, because his name means "two lands". This would mean Egyptus founded Egypt, and before the birth of her brother (Mizraim) the land became divided. Pharaoh possibly then became king of one of these lands before Mizraim (presumably) reunited these lands to form one Egypt. However it is also possible that Pharaoh reunited the country and later the land became divided again. In either situation Mizraim is bound to have done something of greater importance than his nephew (and/or son), in order for the land to end up bearing his name. There is no doubt however that Pharaoh (and his mother) were great rulers, as the term Pharaoh is named after him.
Proper name
"A proper name [is] a word that answers the purpose of showing what thing it is that we are talking about" writes John Stuart Mill in A System of Logic , "but not of telling anything about it"...
of the first king of Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, as found in the Book of Abraham
Book of Abraham
The Book of Abraham is a 1835 work by Joseph Smith, Jr. that he said was based on Egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. According to Smith, the book was "a translation of some ancient records....purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the Book...
in the Pearl of Great Price
Pearl of Great Price (Mormonism)
The Pearl of Great Price is part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some other Latter Day Saint denominations....
.
According to the Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
text, Pharaoh is the son of Egyptus
Egyptus
In Latter-day Saint theology , Egyptus is the name of two women in the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. One is the wife of Ham, son of Noah, who bears his children. The other is their daughter, who discovers Egypt while "it was under water"...
, daughter of Ham, son of Noah
Ham, son of Noah
Ham , according to the Table of Nations in the Book of Genesis, was a son of Noah and the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut and Canaan.- Hebrew Bible :The story of Ham is related in , King James Version:...
, who rules Egypt righteously during his entire reign. However, he does not have the "fullness of the gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
," and Egypt gradually degenerates to idol worship after his death. His father has been assumed to have been either Mizraim
Mizraim
Mizraim is the Hebrew name for the land of Egypt, with the dual suffix -āyim, perhaps referring to the "two Egypts": Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt....
or Canaan
Canaan
Canaan is a historical region roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan...
, both brothers to Egyptus
Egyptus
In Latter-day Saint theology , Egyptus is the name of two women in the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. One is the wife of Ham, son of Noah, who bears his children. The other is their daughter, who discovers Egypt while "it was under water"...
and sons to Ham, son of Noah
Ham, son of Noah
Ham , according to the Table of Nations in the Book of Genesis, was a son of Noah and the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut and Canaan.- Hebrew Bible :The story of Ham is related in , King James Version:...
.
Though Pharaoh was Egypt's first King, Egypt would likely have been separated into two Egypts before the birth of Mizraim
Mizraim
Mizraim is the Hebrew name for the land of Egypt, with the dual suffix -āyim, perhaps referring to the "two Egypts": Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt....
, because his name means "two lands". This would mean Egyptus founded Egypt, and before the birth of her brother (Mizraim) the land became divided. Pharaoh possibly then became king of one of these lands before Mizraim (presumably) reunited these lands to form one Egypt. However it is also possible that Pharaoh reunited the country and later the land became divided again. In either situation Mizraim is bound to have done something of greater importance than his nephew (and/or son), in order for the land to end up bearing his name. There is no doubt however that Pharaoh (and his mother) were great rulers, as the term Pharaoh is named after him.