Page:Judaism and Islam, a prize essay - Geiger - 1898.pdf/144

 126. JUDAISM AND

Levi was exempt from hard labour." Pharaoh himself was also a magician, and this he claims, according to my opinion, in his address to the other magicians. 1 This is in accord with the Babbinical statement 2 that the Pharaoh who lived in the days of Moses was a great magician, In other passages of the Quran, 3 Pharaoh claims for himself divinity, which assumption no doubt is intended to be accepted by the people. This trait is also developed in Jewish legend/* where we read : " Pharaoh said to them : 'From the first have ye spoken an untruth, for lord of the world am I 4 I created myself and the Nile; as it is written : 5 my river is mine own and I have made it for myself.'" In another passage 6 Muhammad puts the following words into Pharaoh's mouth: "Is not the kingdom of Egypt mine and these rivers which flow beneath me?" Blpherar, with others/ remarks on the words " beneath me," that they mean " by my command." A quite new but .charming fiction is that of a pious Egyptian, who warned his countrymen not to despise the teaching of Moses and not to persecute him. 8 Certain features of this story sound familiar. For instance, the words in verse 29: "If he be a liar, on him will the punishment of his falsehood light; but if he speaketh the truth, some of those judgments with which he threateneth you will fall upon you," bear a resemblance to the words of

1 Suras XX. T4, XXYI. 48. s Midr. Yalkut, chapter 182,

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3 Stoas XXVI. 28, XXVIII. 38. 4 Midr. Rabb. on Exodus, para. 5.

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5 Ezekiel, xxix. 3. 6 gfaa XLIII. 60.

7 t^fk ($~*si$\ J^> " Al Hasaa says by my command."

8 Sura XL, 29 ff,