The last comprehensive work on Egypt and the Joseph story was written from an Egyptological perspective about forty years ago. In Old Testament scholarship, particular emphasis is placed on highlighting the various layers and their possible dating. This book focuses on the following questions: Does the Old Testament Joseph represent a historical figure that can be assigned to a specific era? Does the story of Joseph reflect the Judaism of Egypt, which legitimizes the presence of Jews under Persian rule? Does the story of Joseph embody a liberal Judaism that can live its faith in JHWH even in the diaspora?

After a general introduction to the issue of the relationship between Egyptians and Asians, the subsequent chapters are each divided into three parts. A (deliberately as literal as possible) translation of the respective section is followed by a text presentation from a theological perspective and a commentary from an Egyptological viewpoint. The conclusion consists of a summary.

This book is written not only for the specialist but also for a non-specialized, yet theologically interested audience. It aims to demonstrate which texts and thoughts from Egypt underlie the biblical narrative or could have served as inspiration.