Overview
The Bible is an ancient religious book, which includes texts written by various authors over many centuries and is believed by many to have been divinely inspired. One of the most prolific claims associated with the Bible is whether it mentions the pyramids in Egypt. While there may be references to the pyramids in different books of the Bible, those references remain debated. Scholars have examined the historical, archeological, and biblical sources to uncover the truth about whether the Bible mentions the pyramids.
Defining the Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure that connects the ground with its apex and features a square base. In ancient Egypt, pyramids were built as the burial tombs of kings, queens, and other powerful figures and had a complicated system of interior passages, stairways, and rooms. The bible does not make a literal reference to the pyramid, only to architectural pyramids such as Ziggurat in Ezekiel’s vision.
References to Probable Pyramids in the Bible
The Bible does mention a temple that was built in the shape of a biblical pyramid in 1 Kings 7:21 and 2 Chronicles 4:1. The Bible mentions it being built for Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. Experts are unsure of the exact form of this structure and some suggest the use of the word “pyramid” is used anachronistically, as it was not a common word until posterior centuries. Also, the dimensions of this structure do not match up with a typical pyramid in ancient Egypt.
In the New Testament, there’s a reference in Luke 13:11-17 to a person who was miraculously healed by Jesus. The passage mentions a man who was bent over by a spirit, who Jesus healed by “straightening his body”. Some have suggested that this person may have been a slave in a pyramid-building project, who was permanently bent over while constructing the pyramid.
Scholars’ Perspectives
Most biblical scholars agree that the Bible makes no explicit mention of the pyramids. While some passages may be interpreted to make indirect allusions to pyramids, none of these are certain. Scholars who take a symbolic interpretation of the Bible note that other books in the Bible contain descriptions and allusions to architecture that are symbolic, so it may be possible that the references to the pyramids are also symbolic in nature.
Possible Symbolic Interpretations
Experts suggest that if there were references to the pyramids in the Bible, they could represent a metaphor for might and power, or as a symbol of sin and idolatry. The biblical narrative is filled with tales of the Egyptians being proud and wicked, so a reference to their impressive monuments could be seen as a representation of their hubris.
Analysis
Historians, archeologists, and religious scholars have all presented different interpretations of whether the Bible mentions the pyramids. The Bible does not make a literal reference to the pyramid, and any references to architecture in the Bible could be interpreted as mostly symbolic. That said, the exact meaning of these potential references remain open to interpretation and debate.
Conclusion
Ultimately, while there are potential references to the pyramids in the Bible, none are explicit, and the interpretation of these passages remains controversial and open to interpretation. Experts continue to search for interpretations of these passages to uncover whether the Bible mentions the pyramids.
