Egypt, Israel, and the Levant: The Merneptah Stele's Role in Shaping Historical Narratives

Authors

Quincy Adams, Brigham Young University, Provo

Keywords

Merneptah Stele, Early Israel, Egyptian foreign policy, Egypt New Kingdom, Pharaonic propaganda, Pharaoh Merneptah

Abstract

This paper investigates the Merneptah Stele, an exceptional artifact from the reign of Pharaoh Merneptah during Egypt’s New Kingdom, to reassess the stele’s role in understanding early Israelite identity. The Merneptah Stele is among the earliest known references to “Israel,” and consequently has sparked discussion among scholars regarding this early group’s socio-political and cultural status during the late Bronze Age. By examining the stele in conjunction with the inscriptions of the Cour de la Cachette in the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, this study situates the Merneptah Stele within the broader historical and cultural framework of the New Kingdom to explore how these inscriptions reflect Egyptian foreign policy and military campaigns, offering valuable insights into Egypt’s interactions with neighboring regions, especially the Levant, during this period. As a result, this study shows how the Merneptah Stele serves as a historical record and a propagandist tool to enhance the persona of Merneptah as Pharaoh.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Adams, Quincy. "Egypt, Israel, and the Levant: The Merneptah Stele's Role in Shaping Historical Narratives." Studia Antiqua 24, no. 1 (2025). https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/studiaantiqua/vol24/iss1/2