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Then the LORD said to Moses,
"Go to Pharaoh and say to him,
'This is what the LORD says: Let my people go,
so that they may worship Me.'" (Exodus 8:1)

In ancient Egypt (approximately 1500 BC to 345 BC), before the appearances of Christianity and Islam, the most powerfully feared person was the reigning Pharaoh, or king. He was the highest religious and royal leader of all. In fact, he was often known as "High Priest of Every Temple" and "Lord of Both Lands" (referring upper and lower Egypt).

As high priest, the Pharaoh was regarded as the earthly stand-in for the Egyptian gods. He built temples and monuments to them and performed sacrifices and elaborate rites to appease them.

According to ancient Egyptian lore, the Pharaoh was the reincarnated son of Horus, the ancient Egyptian sun god. Horus was the offspring of Isis and Osiris. In statuaries, he was represented as a man-god with the head of a falcon or hawk. The ancient Egyptians believed that the Pharaoh was ordained by the gods to rule and keep order, while serving as intermediary between the people and the gods.

Technically, the Pharaoh owned all land in Egypt. At his whim, he created laws, levied taxes, and waged war against his enemies. With each victory, he claimed slaves and devotees, as well as all the riches of the lands his armies conquered.

The word "Pharaoh" actually means "great house," referring to the palace of the king. The palace was also known as the "Sublime Porte." In the 15th Century BC, the term "Pharaoh" became synonymous with the ruler himself.

The Pharaoh would wear an ornate double-ringed crown to symbolize his divine and earthly dominion over upper and lower Egypt. The crown was believed to carry magic powers.

Once crowned, a Pharaoh would rule for life. At death, he would hope to pass the throne to his son, although violent conflicts among royal family lines often supplanted this.

The ancient Egyptians believed strongly in reincarnation. Because of this, when a Pharaoh would die, they would bury him in a giant pyramid with his servants, his animals, and all his worldly goods. Archaeologists have discovered ornate artifacts in some of these sites, such as the treasures of King Tut (Tutankamen).

The Bible's Old Testament mentions 9-10 different Egyptian Pharaohs representing several different family dynasties.

Sources:
http://lexic orient.com/e.o/pharaoh.htm
http ://scriptures.lds.org/en/bd/p/ 29
http://www.bibletexts.com/gl ossary/pharaoh.htm
http://www.c arlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/EGYPT/ pharaoh.html
http://www.livius. org/pha-phd/pharaoh/pharaoh.ht m
www.ancientegypt.co.uk/pharao h/home.html
www.touregypt.net/k ings.htm

Learn more about this author, Linda Ann Nickerson.
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