ABSTRACT
The following is part of King Mernepta~'s song of triumph, and it is a particularly interesting passage, as it contains the earliest mention of Israel that we know of, and the only mention of that people in an Egyptian text:
In the hymn celebrating the heroism of Ramesses I I. when he fought against the Hittites, we get the nearest approach in all Egyptian literature to epic poetry.'*' 'Ve are told how the foe covered the hills like grasshoppers. and all the subsequent events, the rout of a division of the Egyptian army (the division of Re'). their rush for safety to Ramesses' camp. the panic that seized on all the troops round about the Pharaoh.-all are made to lead up to the supreme moment when Ramesses found himself alone in the midst of the foe:
The poet represents him as calling on his father Amlin for aid:
Ramesses, having first enumerated all the gifts he has bestowed on Amo.n, draws the god's attention to his own desperate need, and asserts that he trusts in him alone : Have I not madefor thee very many monuments, A nd filled thy temple with my captives' I have built for thee my temple of millions of yea", And given thee my goods for (thy) possession. All lands together do I present unto thee, In order to furnish thine offering with victuals. I cause to be offered to thee tens of thousands of oxen, With all sweet-smelling plants. No good thing leave I undone in thy temple. I build for thee pylons and myself erect their .flag-staffs. I bring for thee obelisks from Elephantine, And I it is that bring the stones. I cause galleys to voyage for thee upon the sea, In order to fetch for thee the tribute of the lands. jl:lischief shall befall him who thwarts thy purposes, But well he fares who understands <') thee.
