The Hyksos, Kings of Egypt and the land of Edom

"If thou has run with the footmen, and they have wearied the then how canst thou contend with horses?" Jer. 12:5.

It has been suggested by some that one important reason for the astonishing success of the Hyksos invasion of Egypt, was the use of horses in warfare by the invaders. It is also generally conceded that horses were either unknown, or practically unknown in Egypt before that period in which the Hyksos invasion took place. Many believe it was the Hyksos who introduced the horse into Egypt. (8)

Nevertheless, it is true that the assumption that horses were unknown in Egypt prior to the Hyksos invasion rests upon wholly negative evidence. The evidence is only the entire absence of any reference to horses in the monuments and records of Egypt as we know them, from the times before the Hyksos Dynasties.

While we believe that the foregoing is very close to the truth, yet we are going to suggest that horses were introduced into Egypt a good while before the Hyksos invasion, but that the Egyptians were very conservative and did not take to the use of horses much, until, as they learned the hard way through the Hyksos invasion as to what great military advantages the war-horse gave in battle. For horses give rapid transportation, maneuverability, and elevation above soldiers on foot. (See Appendix 1)

One thing we are very sure of: the Hyksos had horses in abundance, and used them extensively in warfare. Tradition so states. The monuments of Egypt record the use of horses after the Hyksos age. Hyksos graves in Tell el-Dab'a as well as those in south-west Palestine are found to contain the skeletons of horses which were buried with their fond masters. Everything points to the Hyksos as being great horsemen.

No Horses in Edom?
Let us turn now to the Bible again. If the Edomite King-List in Genesis chapter 36 gives us the origin of the Hyksos kings, it will be wholly in order to find some reference to horses, and to their use in warfare. Indeed, it might almost seem to be necessary.

"Aha!" we can hear the critics exclaiming. "Your theory hits a rock there and flounders hopelessly, for the entire chapter gives not even one solitary mention of a horse."

But hold on a minute. We believe we can show just the very evidence that is needed.

In the genealogy of the Horites, who preceded the Edomites and were subdued and absorbed by them, we read of one man named Anah:

"This was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeoh his father." Gen.36:24.

(Note. Some authorities would translate this passage, "that found the warm springs." However Hebrew scholars for generations appear to universally hold to "mules" as the correct meaning. We see no reason to question the historically accepted meaning. "Warm springs" is from a similar word that has been substituted by those who have dificulty accepting the accuracy of the word "mule" as it seems trivial. However, accepting the words "warm springs" would make Anah and Zibeon to be ignorant of the natural, geographical features of their own homeland- certainly not very likely.")

As mules are a cross between ass and horse, our argument for the presence of horses is complete. You cannot have mules without horses being around. Thus a group of stubborn mules blocks entirely the contention of no horses in chapter 36 of Genesis. From this first identification in Scripture of horses in the near east, we may conclude some important points.

First. The Horites of Sier were commonly users of asses or donkeys, as were both the Egyptians and the Babylonians at that early date; for Anah was feeding "the asses of Zibeon his father."

(Note that this Zibeon, a Horite, is not to be confused with Zibeon, a Hivite, mentioned in an earlier chapter.) Second. Horses were evidently running wild in Arabia at this time. These wild horses and evidently mingled with asses, (perhaps wild asses,) and some crosses had occurred, resulting in the mules which Anah discovered. The presence of these mules, strange and utterly new creatures to Anah, astonished him greatly, as well as the others to whom he showed the mules. This was such a unique and exciting event, that thereafter Anah became known as the one who "found the mules." The event was so noteworthy that it was especially referred to in the genealogies.)

Third. We can surmise that horses were relatively new in this part of the world. Probably herds of wild horses were wandering into Northern Arabia from the north and east, and were beginning to become numerous in Arabia. If horses had been known for very long in the territory of these Horites, it seems unlikely that mules would be unknown altogether. Horses the Horites had evidently seen, but not mules: so the advent of horses in that region can be pushed back at least a generation or two before the time of Anah.

It does seem significant, that the very first indication of horses in the Scripture record should be with those people (the Horites) who, amalgamating with the descendants of Esau, became, as we believe, the Hyksos people who loved and used horses so much, and used them in warfare.

The Horse Domesticated
In his book, "Archaeology and the Bible," George A. Barton states, "The Hittites were the first of the peoples of western Asia to use the horse" (IVth Edition, p.79). As the Hittites and the Horites or "Hurri" as we noted before, were related peoples, it helps us in our theory to find the Bible, through this reference to "mules," indicating the presence of horses for the very first time in connection with the Horites, long before other peoples around had domestic horses. The Bible and the clay tablets unite in testifying that the Hittites/Horites were the first, or nearly the first, to domesticate the horse in western Asia.

Again, the clay tablets speak of a people called "Manda" who came from Mitanni-land by the River Euphrates north of Carchemish.(26) Barton tells us the Manda were "horse trainers and dealers." While these tablets come from a period several generations later than Anah, who found the mules, yet this statement helps to confirm the fact that the Hittites, the Horites, the Mitanni and the Manda, all closely related or intermingled peoples, were noted for early use of the horse. Some scholars have gone so far as to suggest that the Hyksos people were the Hittites of Asia Minor, or were led by Hittites, largely on the basis that both had horses.

However, we believe that it was the Horites of Seir who developed the use of the horse along with the Edomites, and that while the Hyksos peoples had many Horites in their composition the Edomites rather than Hittites were the leading faction.

As we pointed out before, the family of Esau was already related to the Hittites even before the move into Seir, and, after the move, intermingled with the Horites. Thus through both the Hittites and the Horites, the Edomites would soon become familiar with horses and horse raising and training. But before going on to study the use of horses by the Edomites, let us look at another reference to horses.

Horses in Egypt
The next reference to horses in the Bible is in Genesis 47:17, where we find Joseph, the ruler of Egypt, accepting horses from certain people in exchange for bread during the great famine. This would be some good while before the Hyksos invasion. The wording of the story seems quite significant.

"Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine" (Gen.47:13).

The people finally ran out of money in both lands with which to purchase bread. Then the peop1e of Egypt, (it does not say of Canaan,) besought Joseph for food (vs.14-15). He was their ru1er, and they sought a solution to their need in the face of lack of funds. Joseph thereupon instituted a different system of exchange to what they had been using.

"And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle if money fail." Gen.47:l6.

Joseph asked the Egyptian people for cattle and so commenced the exchange of livestock for food. Be it noted, that all countries were at this time seeking Egypt for food (Gen.4l:57), and foreigners coming into Egypt in their dire need would take advantage of the new exchange system. Thus we read; "And they brought their cattle unto Joseph." The Egyptians responded with cattle, but the exchanging did not stop with cattle on1y,"and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses, and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year." (vs .17)

Now, if horses were just coming into use amongst the Horites, in the times of Esau, of Jacob and of Joseph, then it would be natural enough for these Horites to bring their horses into Egypt to exchange them for food. This seems to be the very first appearance of horses in Egypt, introduced by trade, ~before the Hyksos invasion. Horses seem to be listed quite high in this reference, too, as if of great value. (See Appendix II)

Horses for Riding and for Chariots
Jacob later mentions the horse used for riding, in the blessing of his sons:

"Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward." Gen.49:17.

After this, we find "horsemen" under Joseph at Jacob's very great funeral procession (Gen.50:9) This reference is in sharpest contrast to the earlier passage, when Joseph so lavishly in tender respect for his aging father from whom he had been cruelly parted for years, sent wagons and many laden asses for bringing his father into Egypt. (Gen.45:9 - 46:6). Horses and horsemen are searched for in vain at this earlier event; indeed, we might say they conspicuous by their complete absence on such an occasion. At the time of Jacob's entry into Egypt, asses and asses only, are referred to as for riding on, and evidently for drawing the wagons too. But when we come down to Jacob's funeral, horses leap to the forefront and the lowly donkey is entirely eclipsed. The very obvious inference is that the horse had been introduced in the interval. Brought in by exchange, Joseph, a man acquainted with nomadic life in the east saw in the horse its tremendous possibilities, and quickly developed corps of horsemen and chariots.

Horses in Warfare
Next, let us look reference immediately rivets our attention with a superb, picturesque, and dramatic description of its use in battle. God speaks to Job saying:

"What time she (the ostrich) lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
"Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
"Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible.
"He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
"He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
"The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
"He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and' rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
"He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting."
Job 39:18-25.

These stirring words vividly describe the horse, evidently but little removed from its fearless wild state, being used by mounted men in fierce and headlong battle. We can sense how the first use of horses in warfare gave the riders great courage and advantage, so that the tide of battle swung in favor of the horsemen and the best horses.

If we are right in identifying Job with Jobab, king of Edom, (and we are quite sure we are,) then the earliest kings of Edom were already making skillful and successful use of horses in warfare.

The horse in war at that time was the equivalent of atomic warfare of today - there was no answer to it! The nation which was first in raising, training, and using war horses extensively, and was the most advanced in this "new power," would be well nigh undefeatable. No wonder "the Edomite/Hyksos Empire grew so greatly!

Egypt's Defeat
We have mentioned how Joseph appears to have introduced the horse into Egypt under his exchange policy, and quickly developed corps of horsemen and chariots. But Egypt was a conservative country; it had never suffered invasion; Joseph was a foreigner who had to eat at a separate table from Egyptians (Gen.43:32) only accepted because of his astute wisdom and favor with the reigning Pharaoh, but looked upon as a foreigner' non-the-less. After Joseph was gone, his policies and his forward-looking and realistic preparation for war with horses would scarcely be carried on by the native Egyptians. The development and training in the horse industry, introduced by a stranger, lagged or was entirely discarded and dropped. Egypt would naturally relapse into her old ways and methods. But meanwhile, not far to the east, by its use of trained and beloved horses, the new Edomite-Hyksos power expanded and grew under Jobab and the kings which followed after him.

Presently, Egypt paid the price for lack of vigilance. Without horses and horsemen she found herself' unable to hold back these mounted Arabian soldiers swarming over her eastern frontier. She yielded to the inevitable, and, as Josephus says, quoting; from Manetho, the strangers overran the country of Lower Egypt without a battle. For the first time in her history, Egypt lay prostrate under a foreign power.

Did the Edomites have horses? Well, after reading that most brilliant description of horses in warfare in the Book of Job, who lived in the land of Uz, where Edom was situated, we can say Yes, undoubted. All this information fits precisely with our point No. 4 The Hyksos had Horses in Chapter One.

End of Chapter Six