Writing: The art of writing must have been known in the time of the early
Pharaohs. Moses is commanded "to write for a memorial in a book"
(Exodus 17:14) a record of the attack of Amalek. Frequent mention is
afterwards made of writing
(Exodus 28:11,21,29,36; 31:18; 32:15,16; 34:1,28)
(Exodus 39:6,14,30) The origin of this art is unknown, but there is
reason to conclude that in the age of Moses it was well known. The
inspired books of Moses are the most ancient extant writings, although
there are written monuments as old as about B.C. 2000 The words
expressive of "writing," "book," and "ink," are common to all the
branches or dialects of the Semitic language, and hence it has been
concluded that this art must have been known to the earliest Semites
before they separated into their various tribes, and nations, and
families. "The Old Testament and the discoveries of Oriental
archaeology alike tell us that the age of the Exodus was throughout
the world of Western Asia an age of literature and books, of readers
and writers, and that the cities of Palestine were stored with the
contemporaneous records of past events inscribed on imperishable clay.
They further tell us that the kinsfolk and neighbours of the
Israelites were already acquainted with alphabetic writing, that the
wanderers in the desert and the tribes of Edom were in contact with
the cultured scribes and traders of Ma'in [Southern Arabia], and that
the 'house of bondage' from which Israel had escaped was a land where
the art of writing was blazoned not only on the temples of the gods,
but also on the dwellings of the rich and powerful.", Sayce.
(See DEBIR)
(See PHOENICIA)
The "Book of the Dead" was a collection of prayers and formulae, by
the use of which the souls of the dead were supposed to attain to rest
and peace in the next world. It was composed at various periods from
the earliest time to the Persian conquest. It affords an interesting
glimpse into the religious life and system of belief among the ancient
Egyptians. We learn from it that they believed in the existence of one
Supreme Being, the immortality of the soul, judgement after death, and
the resurrection of the body. It shows, too, a high state of literary
activity in Egypt in the time of Moses. It refers to extensive
libraries then existing. That of Ramessium, in Thebes, e.g., built by
Rameses II., contained 20,000 books. When the Hebrews entered Canaan
it is evident that the art of writing was known to the original
inhabitants, as appears, e.g., from the name of the city Debir having
been at first Kirjath-sepher, i.e., the "city of the book," or the
"book town"
(Joshua 10:38; 15:15; Judges 1:11) The first mention of
letter-writing is in the time of David
(2 Samuel 11:14,15) Letters are
afterwards frequently spoken of
(1 Kings 21:8,9,11; 2 Kings 10:1,3,6,7; 19:14)
(2 Chronicles 21:12-15; 30:1,6-9) etc.
