God Khnemu: Selections from “Legends of the Gods” of Egypt, Part 1 of 2

Today, we are pleased to present “A Legend of the God Khnemu and of a Seven Years’ Famine,” from the book “Legends of the Gods” translated from Egyptian Texts by E. A. Wallis Budge.

The god Khnemu, also known as Khnum, is one of Egypt’s most ancient gods and is regarded as the Creator of Life. He is directly connected to the fertility and bounty of the River Nile, the center of ancient Egyptian civilization. In this legend, King Tcheser, also known as King Djoser, learns how crucial Khnemu is to the wellbeing of His people. Let us now explore this remarkable account.

A LEGEND OF THE GOD KHNEMU AND OF A SEVEN YEARS’ FAMINE.

“[…] My heart is grievously afflicted by reason of the exceedingly great evil [which has happened] because Hapi (the Nile) has not come forth in my time to the [proper] height for seven years. Grain is very scarce, vegetables are lacking altogether, every kind of thing which men eat for their food has ceased, and every man [now] plunders his neighbor. […]”

“Then [Matar] set out on his journey, and he returned to me straightway. He gave me instruction concerning the increase of Hapi, and told me all things which men had written concerning it, and he revealed to me the secret doors […] whereto my ancestors had betaken themselves quickly, the like of which has never been, to [any] king since the time of Ra […]. And he said unto me: ‘There is a city in the middle of the stream where from Hapi [the Nile] makes his appearance; “Abu” was its name in the beginning; it is the City of the Beginning, and it is the Nome [province] of the City of the Beginning. [It reaches] to Uaua, which is the beginning of the land. There is too a flight of steps, which rears itself to a great height, and is the support of Ra, when he makes his calculation to prolong life to everyone; “Netchemtchem Ankh” is the name of its abode. The two Qerti’ is the name of the water, and they are the two breasts from which every good thing come forth […].

Here is the bed of Hapi (the Nile), wherein he renews his youth [in his season], wherein he causes the flooding of the land.[…] He rises to the height of twenty-eight cubits [at Abu], and he drops at Sma-Behutet to seven cubits. The union […] there is that of the god Khnemu in [Abu. He smites the ground] with his sandals, and [its] fulness becomes abundant; he opens the bolt of the door with his hand, and he throws open the double door of the opening through which the water comes. […]’”