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| Rule | 19th Dynasty: 1213-1203 BC, |
| Predecessor | Father Ramses II |
| Mother | Istnofret I |
| Nomen | Birth name: Merenptah: The beloved of Ptah |
| Praenomen | Throne name: Baenre Mery-netjeru: The soul or Ra, beloved of the Gods |
| Consorts | First wife Istnofret II, mother of Seti II
Merenptah's second wife was his sister Takhat, and the mother of Amenmesse (Moses)
Amenmesse (Moses) was the product of an incestuous marriage.
The bible also states the same fact in Exodus 6 : 6:20 And Amram
(Merenptah) took him Jochebed (Takhat) his father's (Ramses II) sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses
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| Capital city | Memphis |
| Reign |
In Ramses' II year 40, Merenptah was made commander of the Army
Become the heir to the throne during Ramses' II 55th regnal year
He carried successful campaigns against the Libyans and Canaan
He moved the administrative center of Egypt from Avaris (Pi-Ramesse) his fathers capital, back to Memphis
He Built a palace in Memphis next to temple of Ptah
He also built a mortuary temple that lies behind the Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank at Luxor.
Much of it was built with stone robbed from the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III
He built a mortuary temple at Thebes south of The Ramesseum
The Israel Stela: Exodus 1
The mortuary temple glorifies his campaign against the Libu and Meshwesh Libyans was on the Merenptah Stele also known as the "Israel Stele", which makes reference to the destruction of Israel.
the line referring to Israel reads: Israel is wasted, bare of seed
This is the first written record of the existence of the Ancient Israelites in this region, however the stela does make clear that Israel at this stage, refers to nomadic people since the hieroglyphic determinative for "country" is not present
While the other defeated Egyptian enemies listed besides Israel in this document such as Ashkelon, Gezer and Yanoam were given the determinative for a city-state
Because of this Stela, Merenptah has often been thought to be the Pharaoh of the Exodus, but the historical events prior and after this
pharaoh discredit this claim and places Setnakhte as the most obvious Pharaoh of Exodus
The Exodus Pharaoh was not able to cross the Red Sea and carry a successful campaign there along with other Nations, his only accomplish from the Egyptian perspective was to expel the Asiatics from the Nile valley, which is exactly what Setnakhte did
Furthermore his mummy reveals that he suffered from old age diseases and died of natural causes
Israel is wasted, bare of seed: what does the
destruction of nomadic people who have no land, and their seed mean?
If the Stela is taken literally, how can the seeds be destroyed? It's more practical to destroy the plants and vegetation not the seeds
Obviously their "seed" is their "Male Offspring", thus bringing a destruction to their future!, while benefiting from the slave labor in the near future
The bible has also recorded this event in Exodus 1:
1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
However Merenptah was unaware that inside his household his son (step son) Amenmesse (Moses) was growing to become the future
savior of the Israeli people
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| Burial | Valley of Kings - KV 8
Reburied in Amenhotep II tomb - KV 35 cache |
| Successor | After he died both his two sons Amenmesse (Moses) out of Takhat, and Seti II contended for the throne |
| Wikipedia | Merenptah |
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