Études et Travaux XXXI (2018), 27–65 Divine Wrath in Ancient Egypt A J Abstract: This article aims at examining the theme of divine wrath according to Egyptian religious beliefs, in connection with deities and worshippers. It is a matter of theological concern to examine the theme of divine wrath in various texts describing the rage of deities. The paper thoroughly discusses the theme of divine wrath, its addressees, eff ects, purposes, provocations, and the possibility of avoidance and pacifi cation, as well as the linguistic expressions of wrath. It discusses the notion of wrath, its perceived consequences and infl iction on the deities, living humans and the deceased. It also examines divine wrath in relation to the experience of suff ering and affl iction as well as that of protection and welfare. The analysis provides information on the core of the Egyptian religion investigated from the perspective of wrath. Keywords: ancient Egypt, divine wrath, religion, mythology Amgad Joseph, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Helwan University, Cairo;
[email protected] The theme of divine wrath has been neglected in scholarly work on the theology of the Egyptian deities. It is not fully examined despite its prevalence in various Egyptian texts and its association with other crucial doctrines, and notably the nature of deities. Thus, divine wrath should be given particular attention as a distinctive theological matter to reveal its character and purpose. The subject of the present paper, namely divine wrath in Egyptian (dynastic and Graeco- Roman) sources, is inspired by two remarks made by Henri Frankfort and Val Hinckley Sederholm, in 1948 and 2006, respectively.