The Theology Behind The Admonitions of Ipuwer

Divine Upheaval: Rebellion, Cosmic Balance, and the Apiru in the Collapse of Egyptian Order

Laborers and Slaves in ancient Egypt (Haaretz)

The “Admonitions of Ipuwer” describes a time of great upheaval, where society was in disarray, and there was a dramatic reversal of the social order. The text recounts the fall of Egypt’s elite and the rise of disorder, as even the natural world seems to reflect the collapse of the established order. The royal authority, which traditionally commanded obedience and order, is now depicted as weakened or ineffective.

Figure 1: The Admonitions of Ipuwer

One of the striking features of the “Admonitions of Ipuwer” is the frequent mention of the Apiru, who are portrayed as a disruptive force during this period of societal collapse. In Ipuwer’s lament, the Apiru are seen as part of a larger narrative of chaos and rebellion. In one of the more famous passages, Ipuwer observes that “the Apiru are in the streets,” suggesting that they may be engaged in acts of protest or rebellion against the established authority. The text depicts the Apiru as a threat to the established order, alongside other social unrest and the breakdown of political control. Translated portions from the Ipuwer Papyrus are below, with similarities to Exodus from the Old Testament:

• “The Apiru are in the city and there is no one to restrain them.”
• “The Apiru are at the gates of the palace.”
• “Indeed, the plunderer [. . .] everywhere, and the servant takes what he finds.
• “Indeed, the Nile overflows, yet none plough for it. Everyone says: “We do not know what will happen throughout the land.””
• “Indeed, the river is blood, yet men drink of it. Men shrink from human beings and thirst after water.”

Habiru (Apiru), or as written in Hieroglyphics, 𓂝𓊪𓂋𓅱𓀀𓏥, are described here as revolting servants in a world turned upside-down. River becomes blood, the Nile overflows, and returning to order is one massive question with no simple resolve.

Figure 2: The First Plage; River of Blood

The “Admonitions of Ipuwer” portrays a society where law and order are no longer upheld, with officials unable to maintain control over these marginalized groups. This would have disrupted the royal family’s ability to exercise effective governance, undermining the Pharaoh’s power and potentially weakening Egypt’s position both internally and in relation to its neighbors. The Egyptian monarchy was not only political but also spiritual, with the pharaoh being considered the earthly representative of the G-ds. If the Apiru represented a force of rebellion or chaos, they would have been seen as a challenge not only to the political and social order but also to the divine right of the Pharaoh. This would have had significant ramifications for royal authority, as it would indicate a breakdown in the divine protection and legitimacy that the king depended upon.

At least, however, that is one way to look at it. What if, and hear me out, the chaos was the divine right of the Apiru? Apiru were the epitome of opposer, revolter, and, as regularly eluded, outcasts. And, if order was one of the highest priorities for the kingship, and Ma’at, Goddess of justice and cosmic balance, one of the most worshiped, the Apiru may very well have been the intervention made to realign a teetering cosmic balance. If laid on a scale, would the monoarchy’s heart weigh more than that of the peacock feather sitting atop Ma’at’s crown? If the answer to that is unknown or even a ‘yes’, the revolting of the Apiru may have very well been the cosmic remedy to an imbalanced scale.

Figure 3: Goddess Ma’at; Deity of Justice and Cosmic Order

Figure 4: The Weighing of The Heart and Peacock Feather for fate of afterlife

While Ma’at is one theological theory for the story behind The Admonitions of Ipuwer, what if monotheism, rather multitheism, played a part in this play of divinity? What if one G-d set forth the events caused in The Admonitions of Ipuwer, which then became one of the most recognized and studied stories in human history? Exodus.

We may never know, but beyond Ma’at, or potentially with the support of her divine intervention, the story of chaos and revolution may go deeper than many of our esteemed scholars and historians believe. Within this text you read my theory on Ma’at’s, and maybe even the monotheistic G-d’s, intervention but in the subsurface lies more connectivity than one may expect. And we do not even need a GPR (Ground-Penetrating Radar) to survey it!

Author’s resources and academic background:

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