First appearance of the Jews in ancient Egypt

First appearance of the Jews in ancient Egypt

The first appearance of the jews in the old history was accompanied by the migration of Ibrahim the father of all the prophits from Kildan (Iraq) across the desert to the land of the Kanaan people who are the origin of the Finijians in Lebanon and the Palastinians in Palastine. That was around the year 1800 B.C
The first appearance of the Jews in Egypt was started by the migration of Jaccob and his 11 sons from palastine to Egypt seeking better life after there lands became dry. There they reunioned with there brother Josef who has became the secretary of treasury during the reign of the Heksus in Egypt.

Inspite of the great exsodus of the jews from Egypt with Moses that was mentioned in the Quraan and the Bible, the jews kept on returning individualy and in small groups seeking better life and they where also used in the army during the reign of the late kingdom which was a weak period in the Pharaons history where the kings prefered to hire non Egyptians in the army to avoid revolts.

On the 8th century B.C Ashor Banibal The Aserian strong king invaded Egypt chasing the Nubians out to the south behind the first cataract and building astrong Garisson against Aswan that was called the Island of the Elephants, known as (Elefantine). He brought a group of jews that were prisoned and deported from palastine to sattle in this Garisson.

The jews on the Elephentine island grew up and formed a community, practiced there religion freely and built them selves a temple. But it seemed that the locals were not happy with there religeouse practices especialy because the God Khnoum who is presented by the Ram head (Goat head) was the major god of the area. While the jews used to slaughter the goats, cook it on the fire and present it as a sacrifse to the temple.

This lasted till the Persians lead by Qambis invaded Egypt on 525 B.C.. The jews put them selves at the disposal of the new invadors. It is said that it was a pay back to Qambiz who his father Korush had liberated the jews from there prison in Babilon and returned them to Orshalim (Jerosalim) (after they were siezed by Bokhtanasser and expelled to Babilon).

On 410 B.C the Egyptians revolts against the Parsian occupation finally managed to get them out of the country the revolt was lead by a king from Sayes (San El Hagar) named Amon Herr. He formed the 28th Dynasty which consisted only of him. The jews in elephantine remained loyal to the persians hoping that they will come back to rule in Egypt. For there bad luck the 28th dynasty was followed by a stronger one based in Tel Mandis the center in which God Khnoum was worshiped. The priests of Khnum cult seazed the oportunity to venge from the jews and there attitute toward the symbol of there god.

The Destruction of the jewish tempel in Elephantine.

The priests of Khnoum played the major role on this perpose by offering money to the Persian ruler of the region of Elephantine before the Persians complete there withdrawal from Egypt. He him self (Named Wedrang) had a religiouse motive as the Persians worshiped fire and they didn't like that it was stained by cooking the sheap in it. So he destroyed the tempel of Elepantine. And it was never rebuilt again inspite of the attempt by the jews in Egypt which was faced by denyal from the Higher Priest in Jerosalim.

The destruction of the temple was a heavy strike to the exsistance of the jewish socity in Egypt who separated after that in the land and were forgotten by the history untill the beginning of the 20th century when some papyrus were found telling the story of the jews during the reign of the Persians in Egypt. and for 2 centuries.

By the invation of Alexander the great on Egypt on 332 B.C. the Jews rose up again and welcomed the new invador as per there ever lasting habit