rameses Summary and Overview

"the land of" (Gen. 47:11), was probably "the land of Goshen" (q.v.) 45:10. After the Hebrews had built Rameses, one of the "treasure cities," it came to be known as the "land" in which that city was built. The city bearing this name (Ex. 12:37) was probably identical with Zoan, which Rameses II. ("son of the sun") rebuilt. It became his special residence, and ranked next in importance and magnificance to Thebes. Huge masses of bricks, made of Nile mud, sun-dried, some of them mixed with stubble, possibly moulded by Jewish hands, still mark the site of Rameses. This was the general rendezvous of the Israelites before they began their march out of Egypt. Called also Raamses (Ex. 1:11).

RAME'SES (son of the sun), a province and city in Egvpt; called also Raamses. If a city, Rameses was in the valley which extends from the Pelusiac branch of the Nile to the Red Sea or the Bitter Lakes of Suez, and was probably the capital of Goshen. See Gen 45:10. Its precise location has not been determined.

There is mentioned in Egyptian monuments RHMSS, son of Aahmes I (Lepsius); the new Pharaoh "that knew not Joseph." The Pharaohs of the 19th dynasty of Rama (Rameses II was the great conqueror) two centuries later have a final -u, Ramessu. In Genesis 47:11 Rama is the name of a district. In Exodus 1:11 Raamses is the city which already existed, but which the Israelites now strengthened as a treasure city. Rameses II fortified and enlarged it long after. Septuagint make Rama the Heroopolis of later times. It and Pithom were on the canal dug under Osirtasin of the 12th dynasty. Derived from Ra-mes, "child of Ra" the sun god. The Egyptians called themselves "children of Ra" front the earliest times, even "Mizraim" may be from Mis-ra. The name Rama would fitly apply to Goshen which was especially associated with sun worship. Aahmes I built cities in the Delta, especially on the eastern quarter from whence the invading shepherds had come, and was likely as restorer of the sun (Ra) worship to have given the name Rama to the treasure city which Israel fortified there, as he gave it also to his son. Besides Pi ("city") should appear before Rama if it were the Egyptian designation from the name of king Rameses. When Rameses II enlarged it its name was Rama Meiamon, not Rama simply. Moreover, when enlarged by him it was the center of a large Egyptian festive population, whereas in Exodus 1:11 it is in the midst of oppressed Israelites. Lepsius makes Aboo Kesheyd to be on the site.