Feb.4] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY. [189a
andfragmentaryaccountsof occurrences of differentperiodsbrought
together, perhaps longafterwards, for the purpose of connecting
them with the Exodus, and annoyingthe Jews of a later age by
representingtheirancestorsas lepers.
Theperiodof thirteen yearsseemsto me to connect this tale with
a personage namedChebrosor Chebron, whoappearsin Manetho's
listsas reigning for thirteen yearsbetweenAahmesand AmenhotepI,
whilethesesame yearsalso seem to be assigned by monumental
evidence to Amenhotep I, conjointly with his mother Aahmes
Nefertari,and I therefore suggest,firstly,thatthe rebellious priest
Osarsiphandthe interloping rulerChebroswereone and the same ;
and,secondly,thatthis Osarsiph Chebros,or Chebron Osarsiph,was
no other than ourold friend the viceroy Joseph,who had been
appointedto that positionby Aahmes.
In suggesting this,it is not necessary to inferthat the virtue which
was proof againstthe temptations of a first master'swife,failedwhen
exposedto the temptations of a second master'skingdom. Joseph(if
he it were) maynot have exceededthe limits of his original commis
sion; he and the Queen Mother may have been appointed by
Aahmes as guardians of or co-regents with Amenhotep I, and
Amenhotep,disapprovingof this, mayhavegonesouthof his own
accord; there maythenhavebeen a contest betweenAmenhotep,
supported by the southern Egyptians and Ethiopians on the one
hand, and Joseph, supported by the Queen Mother and her
party, andby his own kindred, and the Hyksos populationwhich
remained in or returned to the Delta, on the other hand.* In
this case it is probable thatthe Semitic wingof this alliancewould
sooneror later outragethe susceptibilities of their Egyptianfriends,
and drivethemintojoininghandswithAmenhotepandhis party,
withthe result thatthe king was recalled, andthe Semites repressed.
Somesuchtransactionsas these maywellhaveformed the basis of
the leper story, intowhich other namesand circumstanceswere
probablyimportedat a later date.
If these conjectures be correct, Joseph andJacob must have
enteredEgyptin the reign of Aahmes, andsoonafterthe downfall
of the Hyksos, when the detestation of the Shepherds by the
* The Rev.H. G. Tomkins considersthattracesof the Hyksos population
maystill be found in the Delta ("Journal,AnthropologicalInstitute,"Vol.XIX,
P- 195)-
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