Topical Bible: Egypt: The Country of: Irrigation Employed In

◄ Egypt: The Country of: Irrigation Employed In ►

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Egypt, a significant nation in biblical history, is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures as a land of great agricultural productivity, largely due to its advanced irrigation techniques. The Nile River, the lifeblood of Egypt, provided the necessary water resources to transform the arid landscape into fertile land, supporting a thriving civilization.

In the Bible, Egypt is often depicted as a place of refuge and sustenance, as seen in the account of Abraham. During a time of famine, Abraham went down to Egypt to sojourn there, as the famine was severe in the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:10). This narrative underscores Egypt's reputation as a land capable of sustaining life even during times of scarcity, thanks to its irrigation systems.

The Israelites' sojourn in Egypt, as described in the book of Genesis, further highlights the importance of Egyptian agriculture. Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, rose to prominence in Egypt and was instrumental in managing the country's resources during a severe famine. Pharaoh's dream, interpreted by Joseph, led to the storage of surplus grain during seven years of plenty, which was made possible by the fertile lands irrigated by the Nile (Genesis 41:29-30).

Deuteronomy 11:10 contrasts the agricultural practices of Egypt with those of the Promised Land: "For the land you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it by hand as in a vegetable garden." This verse highlights the manual irrigation methods employed in Egypt, where water was drawn from the Nile and distributed to fields through a network of canals and ditches.

The reliance on the Nile for irrigation is also evident in the plagues that struck Egypt during the time of Moses. The first plague, turning the waters of the Nile into blood, would have had a devastating impact on the irrigation systems and, consequently, on the agricultural output of the land (Exodus 7:20-21).

Egypt's advanced irrigation techniques allowed it to become a powerful and wealthy nation, often serving as a backdrop for significant biblical events. The country's ability to harness the waters of the Nile for agricultural purposes is a testament to its ingenuity and resourcefulness, as well as a reflection of the divine providence that allowed Egypt to play a pivotal role in the biblical narrative.

Nave's Topical Index

Deuteronomy 11:10
For the land, where you go in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from from where you came out, where you sowed your seed, and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs:
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... in other parts of the world, it is true, have rivalled Babylon in magnificence and
power: Egypt could boast ... The irrigation of the country demanded constant ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Political Constitution of Egypt
... The boats employed for this ... what took place regularly throughout the whole of Egypt,
down to ... probably still occurs in those parts of the country where European ...
/.../chapter ithe political constitution of.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... while a host of shadufs placed along their banks facilitated irrigation in the ... to
the essences common to both Syria and Egypt, the country produced cedrats ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

The Close of the Theban Empire
... of the Divine Lands "from the innumerable products of Egypt; and these ... near Aina
to provide a store of water for the irrigation of the neighbouring country. ...
/.../chapter iiithe close of the.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... to that of the warriors which we find in Egypt, who were paid ... at court, in the town,
in the country, in the ... We may well ask whether he ever employed papyrus or ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

The First Theban Empire
... from them, nor how questions of irrigation could be ... Nubian gold which was brought
into Egypt by nomad ... who would triumphantly scour the country, obliging young ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

What Carey did for Science --Founder of the Agricultural and ...
... conclude that if the flies in Egypt were mosquitoes ... farming utensils," the cattle,
the primitive irrigation alluded to ... to the happiness of the country as they ...
/.../smith/the life of william carey/chapter xii what carey did.htm

The Memphite Empire
... as in their own houses, the workmen employed stone tools ... Petrie, Ten Years' Digging
in Egypt, p.141. ... or picked up in an expedition through an enemy's country. ...
/.../chapter iithe memphite empire.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... soil, though less fertile than that of Chaldaea or of Egypt, was by ... Where artificial
irrigation has been introduced, the fertility of the country is quite ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... Egypt appeared too strong to be openly attacked by a ... had devastated the whole of
the country lying between ... remodel and complete the system of irrigation in the ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm