2.6 - Solutions
The Gardens
The time of the winter solstice was drawing near when they returned to The Residence. Here they found that the reduced staff were behind in managing the flood waters, now in retreat.
Senen’s expertise in the matter salvaged much of what had nearly been lost as the water in the Nile, as well as its canal to the temple and The Residence, returned to its lowest level. The workers helped the fields to maintain their water for some weeks longer, the last bit funneled from the highest to the lowest fields as the winter (if one could call it that) in Egypt drew to a close.
Planting had begun in the fall as soon as the flood began its retreat. Joseph felt fortunate to remain in the work of maintaining water in the fields as long as possible, escaping the taxing work of planting seeds. With irrigation work becoming less and less, Joseph foresaw a dim future in the fields again.
Senen greeted Joseph at dawn one morning, although “accosted” might be a more accurate term.
Joseph was yawning as he sat on the mat on his bed. This time of year, sleeping in his room was preferable, the nights too cool as he had acclimated to the warmer Egyptian climate.
Senen addressed Joseph specifically as he began. “Since you were so observant of the faults in the gardens when you came to The Residence, you will restore them to the image that you imagined.”
Turning toward Shabaka, still reclined on his bed, he continued, “You have had some experience with where the resources for this project can be found. Assist our young friend in his struggle for perfection.”
A momentary pause allowed both young men to acknowledge the command. Then Senen was gone as quietly and as quickly as he had come.
“You may have had better fortune if you had been put with another roommate.”
Shabaka shook his head. “No, the specifics may have been different, but working for Senen is never easy for anyone. He is unhappy with his lot, and he will share that unhappiness.”
“But I hear that he was different when he worked on managing the flood waters. He was stern and all business, yes, but he was more relaxed and was much easier on all who worked for him. His orders were clear and specific, and he actually got carried away and gave a few compliments!”
“I suppose you are right,” smiled Shabaka. “Perhaps we could suggest that this become his full time job.”
No, the idea did not seem far-fetched. “Why not?”
They prepared for the day with a splash of water followed by a shave. This process always seemed difficult to Joseph, but he preferred to blend with the Egyptians rather than be referred to as a filthy barbarian, the common view of the unshaven male.
He did draw the line at shaving the top of his head, however. Since the Egyptians who chose baldness wore wigs of human or artificial hair, this “filthy habit’ of maintaining scalp hair was not so obvious.
Joseph and Shabaka worked to provide care and water for the gardens, and indeed for the next few weeks they developed a rhythm for the tasks.
Working on the gardens inside and outside of The Residence, they watched a parade of nobles, state officials, and foreign dignitaries come and go.
And they frequently saw the queen and Potiphar’s wife, sometimes alone with their own female companions, at other times together.
But for all the people who came and went, the two slaves were invisible, even less noticeable than the flowering plants and shrubbery trimmed to perfection.
Joseph looked for an opportunity to talk alone with Senen In order to confirm his superior’s interest in canals and irrigation.
That opportunity came a week later when Senen was late coming from his morning meal. He sat alone with his fruit, apparently in no rush to launch into yet another day of managing plants and people. Joseph could see that the man was bored with his tasks, for they were not his calling.
“I hear that you were in charge of clearing the canal and extending irrigation ditches.”
Senen looked up and saw it was only Joseph. He started to rise and then relaxed again.
“Yes. That was hard work, but a great accomplishment! We had many hundreds of men to work on the project. The rise in the level of the lake made much more land available for farming, and the greater access to water has brought abundance to the king’s lands in the Fayum and around The Residence.”
“There must have been a great number of challenges in such a project!”
“Yes, yes,” agreed Senen, who then proceeded for some 15 to 20 minutes to talk of some of the greater obstacles that they had worked to overcome.
For the first time, Joseph felt that he had Senen’s full attention as the man talked of his true passion. Now he needed to help the man realize that calling.
“When Shabaka and I worked in the Fayum near the lake, we worked with many different men. We not only harvested, but did a lot of work on the canal and the irrigation ditches to the king’s land. Men spoke of how much more productive their crops would be when the irrigation ditches are extended to their own lands. Where the canal is still higher than the lake provides a lot of potential for water flow into dry areas.”
“Yes, but that requires men, and they require food every day. And then the ditches, like the canal itself, require men to come and keep them free of the silt that will block the flow and cause a flood where we do not want water.
“We were fortunate that the king saw the benefit of the work we did and was willing to pay for it. I don’t think he will do so again.”
There was strong disappointment in his final statement of fact.
“What if the king did not have to pay for the irrigation? What if someone else built one irrigation ditch at their own expense? Would the king allow it?”
Senen sat up straighter. “And who would do that?”
“These men that I mentioned see value in such irrigation. They merely need the permission to get water to their crops. Carrying the water is not only slow and burdensome, it does not provide as much as a ditch could carry effortlessly.
“Of course, they would need someone to direct their work, to create a flow of water that maximized the crops they could grow.”
Senen relaxed back again, his weight resting against the wall behind him. “I do not think the king would give them water, even if they did their own work.”
“Perhaps,” agreed Joseph.
The momentary thaw in his manner gone, Senen growled, “You should be working instead of talking dreams. Get back to the garden and get to work.”
“Think about it. This would increase the king’s revenues – more crops yield more taxes. Just think about it.”
Thoughts of Teyma kept Joseph’s mind pursuing the idea as he got up and went to join Shabaka in drawing the first load of water for the garden before the day became hot. With the canal and ditches so near, they had not far to go.
The region of the temple and The Residence had experienced one rain shower that lasted less than an hour in late December. Joseph had been surprised to learn this was about the normal annual rainfall. Sometimes there would be multiple showers, but the total was negligible compared to Canaan.
“Winter” merely indicated the three months after the winter solstice. Many of these days of winter were almost pleasant, the nights almost cool, by Joseph’s Canaanite standards. He did not feel any longing to return, except for his father’s sake.
Joseph thought of the priest of the Temple of Ptah, Meri’s father. And this brought to mind his own father, Israel. He prayed his father was well, but nothing else in Canaan called to him. And how could he send a message, and yet not go himself?
If his father thought him dead, nothing more could be done.
But if his father thought Joseph to be alive, Israel would make every effort to bring him home.
But Canaan could not be home again for Joseph. No, there was no future in the familiarity of Canaan. The irony that the unpredictable future of an alien land called to him far more was not lost on young Joseph.
Counsel to the Captain
The king and the army normally stationed near Itj-tawy returned soon after Captain Potiphar, well before the spring harvest began. There had been significant gains in territory south of Thebes, and a new fort had been established.
With the return of both the king and Captain Potiphar, there was a definite change in atmosphere on the grounds of The Residence, a sense of the restoration of order. Appearances became more important, and the substance of jobs taken more seriously. Joseph observed this and recognized yet another failing due to the presence of Senen and Meri in positions for which they lacked enthusiasm.
Joseph understood by now that this sense of order was an illusory state, the calm was superficial and the waters beneath were a swirling darkness. Indeed, everyone knew it, but each seemed to prefer the appearance rather than the reality.
Between Joseph’s assignments away from the king’s estate and Potiphar’s absence after joining the king in Nubia, he and the captain had scarcely even seen one another except for briefly that one evening in the garden.
As it happened, Joseph chose to walk in the garden after dinner on this particular evening. And again, in the dusk that was almost night, he saw the captain walking.
Joseph called out, “Good evening, sir!”
The captain no doubt recognized Joseph’s voice, the slight accent of an easterner still present, but he walked closer before acknowledging.
“Ah, good evening, Joseph. How have you fared in your new home? Although it is not really new anymore, is it?”
“I have been treated well and have found rewarding work.”
“Tell me, what work has seemed most fitting for a shepherd from the east?”
Joseph was aware that the question implied a positive response, and he framed his answer accordingly.
His birth in Canaan had shown how circumstances established his work. In Egypt, his owner was allowing his work to establish his circumstances. If the idea was to put Joseph to work where he was most productive, Joseph must be sure to show the captain the greatest return from the work that Joseph most desired.
He had thought through this dilemma already as to what he most desired to do while yet a slave. The answer had come from Teyma: “Where you best serve your master’s interest, there you will be best served, also.”
Where Joseph could serve best was in improving Captain Potiphar’s service to the king. Every responsibility under the captain revolved around that one goal.
There was only a second’s delay before Joseph’s response.
“Seeing how the people work in the fields to accomplish their tasks has shown how much they have to offer in the service of their king. There seems no limit to what is possible for them.
“Every person who has the vision of a goal beyond himself stands ready to make his sacrifice toward that goal. They just need the encouragement, the assurance of their needs being met as they strive for achievement, and then the guidance as to what must be done.”
“You speak glowing words of the workers, young Joseph.” There was some element of disbelief in the captain’s voice, and the inflection in his voice emphasized Joseph’s youth. Was this a subtle warning sign?
“Each one assigned to the task of his heart will fulfill your expectations.”
Joseph paused for a moment before adding to that statement, whether for effect or his own uncertainty even he could not say.
“Look at Senen-set, for example, and the masterful work he does with managing the flood waters! I was told that he managed much of the irrigation construction. Did he not show his mastery in this work?
“And how much benefit has there been for the king’s land as a result?”
Surprised at Joseph’s positive appraisal of a man with whom everyone, even Potiphar himself, found relationship difficult, the captain answered Joseph’s question without hesitation.
“Yes, he has shown himself very adept at managing men for the construction of the irrigation ditches. But that work is done!”
“Is it?” Joseph countered. “What if the land beyond the king’s land was irrigated, also?
“What return might there be to the king in taxes if the poor of the land carried barley instead of hauling water, if they raised flax instead of dust?
“What if the water that floods the Nile and raises the boats of both the rich and the poor also flooded the valleys and raised the crops of both the rich and the poor?”
The captain momentarily was too stunned at the proposal of this slave to speak, so Joseph took the half second pause and continued.
“Senen-set could use the labor of the men who would benefit. The height of the flood lasts how long - two months or so each year? Think how much the king could accomplish if all men were harnessed to pursue such a project!
“And because the men saw their benefit from this labor, they could hardly protest.
“The king might lower the reserves of his granaries somewhat to feed them for their work, just as he does now for their labor in the harvest, but how much more would he receive year after year in taxes from these short seasons of labor?”
Joseph’s emotions had overtaken him, so he retreated back into the safety of his low position.
“Forgive me, please, for my frank speech, sir. I am sure I tell you what you already know. The possibilities for the future are limited only by the vision of the people involved, and perhaps the political motivations of those outside the king’s counsellors who would hold the king captive in his present circumstances.”
This last was meant as a reference to the priesthood, perhaps veiled enough to escape notice unless the sentiment was shared by Potiphar.
“You speak passionately in your praise of Senen-set and hope for the poor. He is your immediate master. Are these his thoughts that he has encouraged you to speak?”
A note of discord in the captain’s words warned Joseph to caution.
“No, sir, he has not urged me of what has been said here. I have seen the passion and joy when he spoke of his work in enlarging the canal to the Fayum, and I have seen firsthand how he has managed the waters of the retreating flood. His capabilities are great in such endeavors.”
“You are saying that his talents do not lie in his present position.”
“He has even greater talents that lie elsewhere is the message my words mean to convey.”
The captain saw Joseph stepping close to a precipice and pushed him a little to see if he would fall.
“Since you are speaking honestly and openly, tell me your view of the present state of affairs at The Residence and its lands.”
Potiphar dropped the arms that had been folded across his chest. His eyes remained fixed quite firmly on Joseph’s eyes, his expression as inscrutable as weathered stone.
Joseph had come this far, and he stepped into the question in the hope of finding solid land beneath his foot.
“Everything here runs like the Nile at flood. The surface is smooth with only the ripples of the daily wind and the movement of workman maneuvering their boats on the river’s course.”
He paused, weighing how much to divulge before continuing.
“All is ma’at that is visible to the eye. Everything shows itself as the order and balance that creates the harmony of life.
“But beneath the surface, the waters are muddy with strong currents running deep. The turbulence below may one day disrupt the ma’at above.”
His master pressed for detail. “And what are those things that are not visible to the eye, Joseph? What will destroy the ma’at?”
“I tell you nothing new when I say that Ruia cannot rule over the two sons of powerful priests. They butt heads like bulls before a herd of cows.
“Put Senen-set where he can serve the interests of the king by using the talents he desires to use. Senen-set is a grown man who will decide his own future if given a chance. His father will have no power over the king while Senen-set fulfills his father’s bargain that his son be powerful in the king’s service.”
Joseph retreated a step from his owner and bowed his head.
“I have spoken beyond my position and ask that you show mercy.”
Potiphar’s immediate reaction had been defensiveness with a growing undercurrent of anger, the sense that he was under attack. But the arguments of Joseph did give him pause to think. The last statement resulted in completely disarming him.
“You offer many suggestions for us to change considering that you have been in Egypt just barely a year, young Joseph.”
Again, the tone of the captain’s voice was difficult to interpret. Although a statement, Joseph understood it as a thinly veiled accusation.
Before Joseph could speak, Potiphar added, “And were you going to mention nothing about Senen-set using my men for the temple’s fields?”
“First, I beg your forgiveness. I have much to learn here and mean no disrespect. My words were idle observations offered for you to accept in part or reject in total as your wisdom dictates.
”As for Senen-set, his work on the king’s estate in managing the flood water accomplished all that the king could wish. Had he worked for weeks longer, could he have accomplished more? Has Senen-set not performed your tasks well?”
Potiphar turned and paced, his head bowed and his hands clasped behind him as he considered a response to what he had heard.
“I will ignore Senen-set’s work on the temple’s fields. And the words you speak are hardly ‘idle observations,’ Joseph. They are a thoughtful assessment based on your knowledge. I will consider what you say.
“Tell me how you have come to these observations.”
Joseph spoke what seemed relevant of his experiences in the Fayum and then in the work concerning the irrigation around The Residence and its properties. He did not mention the Medjays or anything more of the temple work, and was careful not to cast blame or to go into needless detail.
The captain asked a few questions but the conversation was not long and was mostly Joseph.
As Joseph concluded, the captain looked up at the stars and then brought their conversation to a conclusion.
“The hour is late. As I said, I will give consideration to your words. I bid you good night, young Joseph.”
“Good night, sir.”
Joseph gave a bow and turned to leave. As an afterthought, Potiphar added a final question.
“No doubt you have comments on Meri-ptah. Shall we discuss those at another time, or do you have something to say now?”
Joseph turned to face the captain again. “He spends a lot of time with the men of your guard here. His fighting skills are well-known, and his strength is unsurpassed.
“Perhaps there is a need for temple security. I have heard that the priests might establish their own guard. Perhaps the king will find his advantage in assuming the role of protector of the priests as he has done as protector of the people by establishing his own temple guard.
“You know Meri’s interests and strengths better than I. Perhaps he is a man naturally skilled in the arts of a soldier. What better trainer, perhaps even leader, will you find, particularly for command of a national temple guard?
“Where his heart lies, there you will find his service to the king.”
“You tell me little that I have not known, young Joseph, but you have rearranged the old in a new way.”
After a moment’s silence, Joseph again said, “Good night, sir.” He added, “May the dreams of your sleep be but the flow of blessings upon your heart.”
Joseph bowed again and departed. He had remained calm on the outside, but his heart raced and he realized that his head had begun to ache.
He at first had taken offense at the references to his youth, but he felt God tell him that no one had the right to take offense. What was true was for Joseph to correct, what was untrue would be revealed, and what was merely the viewpoint of another person must be resolved within them.
He said a silent prayer, one that he had prayed often in this last year: “Oh, God, please let my heart be as Your heart, let my words be Your words, and may the ears that hear them be open.”
A Vision for the Future
The summer solstice approached, and with it the anticipation of the annual flood and the festivals associated with it.
The Egyptian people hardly seemed to have any relationship with gods in their daily lives other than these festivals. Many lasted for days, the people honoring specific gods by indulging in food and drink. The government contributed handsomely in this regard, and the people accepted eagerly.
Joseph had no interest in the gods of Egypt. Many of the Asiatics adopted the gods of their new homeland, just as they adopted speech, food, and customs. But Joseph remained at the compound – or wherever he was stationed – while everyone went to celebrations on the Nile or in Memphis or some even to Thebes.
Of late, Senen had been, what would he call it? – calmer, or less easily offended? He had even spoken civilly to Joseph, advising that they would be going to the Fayum after the celebration and work on the canal, shoring up some walls before the flood.
Such work was hard, but Joseph liked the idea of it, the spreading of life giving water into a dead dry land.
Being absent from the celebration which drew everyone else to Memphis, Joseph missed the announcement of changes at The Residence.
The king, with Captain Potiphar at his side and a segment of his guard in full battle gear for effect, made a proclamation in the public setting of the festival. The implications of the extensive irrigation work – that the poorer farmers would finally benefit more directly from the gift of the Nile – must be made known in as large a setting as possible. And such a festival provided both a large and a receptive audience.
Senen-set would head a massive upgrade of the irrigation canal to the Fayum. The goal was for every farmer to have water for his crops. Contributions of labor during construction and the maintenance were the costs; increased crop yields with less labor were the benefits.
Because of his scribal abilities and knowledge of the farming system, Irsu would take Senen-set’s position over the king’s farming. The scribal training would give more order to a system that demands order.
Meri-ptah would become training officer for the king’s army, which would assume new duties regarding the temples of Egypt, guaranteeing their security.
The concept of a temple guard was presented as if it were a concession by the king, an increased cost to the royal treasury. The priests’ interpretation was no doubt less generous, but the people saw this as the king’s affirmation of the gods of Egypt, and that he and Egypt would be rewarded.
And Ruia’s position would be eliminated as he replaced Meri-ptah as overseer of the king’s livestock.
No mention was made of Joseph, of course, but the young slave was pleased that Potiphar had accepted the suggestions and had them approved by the young king. Perhaps the timing had been good because the new king desired to establish new policies and directions that were his own rather than to simply continue the course of his father. In the realities of political power, a request that also improved the leader’s image was already half-granted.
The changes were met with approval by the public at large. And in the gossip of the compound in Itj-tawy, a renewed spirit of unity and confidence quickly emerged.
Within hours of his return, Senen had come to Joseph and said that he intended Joseph to go with him to work on shoring up the canal.
Increasing the irrigation ditches flowing outside of the king’s land was the second priority. This would require a much larger crew and Joseph was to help in managing that effort under Senen’s direction.
Joseph felt that the future now looked brighter than any time since Judah had thrown the rope to him at the bottom of the well.
Senen led Joseph and a contingent of workers from the compound two days later.
Their destination was the hills near the Nile through which the canal to the Fayum had been built. Their goal was to shore up the walls in those hills where the water was undermining their stability. Minor collapses had occurred and been repaired already. A major collapse would shut off the flow of water completely.
Senen’s mood, his entire character, was much improved once he had been given charge of irrigation as his sole responsibility. He was renewed with energy and a sense of organizing the people around him to achieve a greatly improved land.
Joseph knew that Potiphar had told Senen at least some of what Joseph had spoken to the captain. Senen was not only easier to work with, he treated Joseph more as a partner than a slave.
Senen’s plan was to oversee the restoration of the canal through the hills, averting the inevitable crisis of collapse and the blockage of all water flow to the Fayum.
While this was accomplished, the second goal, a series of irrigation ditches from Lake Fayum into the privately held lands would be initiated. Although beginning with a small number of offshoots from the lake, digging additional ditches from the canal would begin when the maintenance on this waterway had been completed.
A third goal was to reconstruct the mechanical pumps for moving water as had been used in the construction of the great pyramids at Giza. This knowledge had been lost during the chaos following the collapse of the Old Kingdom several centuries earlier.
The glorious examples of past construction was exemplified in the Great Pyramid at Giza and the nearby Sphinx. Nothing comparable had been built since those ages long ago, perhaps many hundreds of years. That such magnificent structures might be built again was intoxicating!
In the immediate future, these mechanical pumps would revolutionize Egyptian agriculture, eliminating much of the manual labor in the movement of the water that transformed the desert into a garden. This work would begin last.
The excitement with which Senen expressed his thoughts and desires was contagious. And it was not just Joseph, but all those around Senen could feel the energy and imagine the possibilities for a new future.
The seasonal flood was beginning already, but Senen had water diverted from the canal while restoration of the walls was accomplished. Within weeks, the flow was restored to normal and water surged toward Lake Fayum.
The smaller ditches drawing water away from the canal into the dry lands now could be built without disturbing the normal flow of the canal. The ditches were dug from the far end, connecting to the canal only as the final step.
Joseph began his work on irrigation from Lake Fayum. He used some of the overseers of the harvest, but his best work would come from the men with whom he had worked personally, men who had a willingness to accomplish goals and a positive spirit.
With water soon to flow into their own plots of land, the workers were more than conscripted labor. They gave the effort of enlightened self-interest, aware of the personal benefit of their labor in the service of the king for the first time in their lives.
As the flood season entered its maximum phase in the fall, attention had to be given to management of the water for maximum benefit as they had done each year. This meant that throughout the lands of The Residence and the Fayum, as well as in the land along the Nile and in the delta, effort was made to save water in certain areas, parceling it out to other areas that had lost their water and begun to dry.
The whole process had a continuing effect on Joseph, building on what he had seen in his first flood season and adding the possibilities envisioned by Senen for the future. This vision would have impressed even Balo, the Medjay, who had foreseen some, but not all, of what was possible.
The Mechanics of Change
Senen often discussed his plans for the following year, building on what had been accomplished and then beginning the experiment with mechanical pumps.
As Joseph had seen, bringing an irrigation ditch into an area provided a thin stream of water. Dispersing that over a larger area, stretching that watered area as far as possible, was very labor intensive. The mechanical pump envisioned by Senen would extend this area almost effortlessly.
As son of a high priest, Senen had had access to the Great Pyramid at Giza from early childhood. Although the site was closed and secured in order to preserve the integrity of all that had been buried within, he had discovered a way in and out without observation. He had explored the inner chambers, seen their wonders, and marveled at the intricacy, the very specific nature of their construction.
The ability to mount huge stones weighing thousands of pounds each was a mystery to the people of Egypt at this point, many centuries after construction. But Senen was sure that he had figured out the process.
The workers had built retaining walls around the pyramid and filled them with water. Even huge stones would rise if they were on floating structures on a rising lake. The secret was how to raise the water level around a pyramid in the middle of the desert. This was the lock.
The mechanical pump that Senen imagined was the key.
Bringing water to the site was as easy as the channel from the Nile to the Fayum. Water was brought to the pyramid in the same manner.
To use the power of water itself required that the source level of water be above a chamber below. Water would fall into this compression chamber, and a certain level of force would be created depending on the height of the fall of the water.
The water flows into the compression chamber freely because it can move out through a safety valve just as easily. When the safety valve has a certain pressure against it indicating maximum flow, the valve suddenly closes.
Because the water has been falling down toward the valve with the force of gravity, the water in the column is suddenly compressed. The result when the water hits the closed cap is a shock wave going back up the pipe to the source, then bouncing back down through the pipe.
The smaller output pipe has been inactive because there was not enough force to move the water through it. When the shock wave comes back through, it bypasses the closed safety valve and exerts its force on the water in the narrow output line.
The result is a surge of water through the output pipe. Water flows through the output pipe and into the outside air at a rate based on the output pipe size and the energy of the shock wave.
As this surge releases the compression force in the system, the safety valve opens. At this point, the mechanism has returned to its starting position automatically. The water falling from the source exerts its effect on the safety valve, automatically initiating the process once again.
In this way, a lake rose around the enclosed pyramid. A below-ground chamber of the pyramid served as the compression chamber, and the water filled the moat within the walls around the pyramid above. The heavy construction blocks loaded onto floating rafts were raised upward with the water level.
In the same manner, water could be spread beyond the irrigation ditches far into the nearby fields without manual effort.
Although Joseph had difficulty imagining the specifics, he could see the general principle in action.
The seasons of this second year came and went along with the gradual implementation of the first two steps of Senen’s plans.
The efficiencies and effectiveness of the crews increased over time. Those with the natural talent for the work were selected for new crew as the work progressed.
Any newly implemented plan must be evaluated to determine whether to pursue the investment of manpower and resources. The harvest was the time for grading the new system, not only as pass or fail, but as to how much beyond the costs did it yield.
The level of the flood was good, and the expanded agricultural areas yielded produce above previous years. The system passed the first test.
The quantification by Irsu and the scribes in areas where additional land was watered, whether by the canal or by the lake, showed the great yield increases from land that previously had contributed only marginally to the overall food supply.
Looking at the additional manpower for maintaining the new ditches, there was still a net gain to be realized year after year from the work done in this one season. Even the second test was passed in the first year.
This evidence ensured continued support from the king, and Senen’s reputation was greatly enhanced.
And so they proceeded into Joseph’s third year, the second season of Senen’s plan, with the goal of the initial installation of some of the mechanical pumps in select locations. Senen and his select crew began construction of the first pump.
Joseph oversaw the routine work. Experienced crews from the previous year would work on maintenance of existing networks. They would also perform construction of new branch irrigation lines in accordance with Senen’s plan for expanding the irrigation program into more private lands.
And so history may have recorded the next several years: Senen constructing a series of pumps while Joseph handled the routine work of managing the flood waters.
But work done beneath the surface of the ground is inherently risky. With all of Senen’s knowledge, he did not foresee the effect of time and chance.
The initial pump was to be installed in a section of the canal where a retaining wall held back a slope of dirt and granite that was perhaps a bit too steep. A great weight pushed against the wall, much of that weight deflected down toward the base of the wall as it leaned into the hillside.
And the effect of digging a compression chamber into the floor of the canal near the footing of this wall had the effect of removing some of its support. The weight of the hill overcame the strength of the wall.
The result was the collapse of the wall above where Senen and his crew were digging the compression chamber. Men nearby were unable to dig down to the area of the men in time to keep them from suffocating beneath the rubble. All lives were lost.
The loss of Senen was the loss of the primary champion for the plan for increased irrigation to the small private landholders and renters of the Fayum.
Captain Potiphar had no hesitation in naming Joseph as Senen’s heir to the task. And Joseph determined he would not let the vision that he had shared with Senen die.
The hope of mechanical pumps gradually did perish. Continued problems with the buildup of silt and of debris blocking the flow created continual maintenance problems.
Although mechanical pumps were used only on a limited basis, Joseph oversaw the successful implementation of the other two parts of the water plan: annual maintenance and extension of the irrigation ditches.
Indeed, over the course of the next few years, as they evolved and adjusted to meet new realities, the project became known as Joseph’s plan. And the canal is still known to this day as the Bahr Yusuf, “the waterway of Joseph.”
Joseph’s successes, and particularly his accurate assessment of people and of priorities, kept him before Captain Potiphar like a shining star on a dark night. Joseph became the person on whom the captain most relied for advice and then implementation of needed policies.
Joseph’s reputation rose. He was ascendant. He was the focus for many.
But we must all remember that a reputation is what is seen in the eyes of men. The perspective of the beholder is often a greater factor than the reality of the man. And enemies can destroy a reputation by influencing what others see.
A man’s reputation may be destroyed by anyone, but only he can destroy his character.
Continue to Chapter 3
The Gardens
The time of the winter solstice was drawing near when they returned to The Residence. Here they found that the reduced staff were behind in managing the flood waters, now in retreat.
Senen’s expertise in the matter salvaged much of what had nearly been lost as the water in the Nile, as well as its canal to the temple and The Residence, returned to its lowest level. The workers helped the fields to maintain their water for some weeks longer, the last bit funneled from the highest to the lowest fields as the winter (if one could call it that) in Egypt drew to a close.
Planting had begun in the fall as soon as the flood began its retreat. Joseph felt fortunate to remain in the work of maintaining water in the fields as long as possible, escaping the taxing work of planting seeds. With irrigation work becoming less and less, Joseph foresaw a dim future in the fields again.
Senen greeted Joseph at dawn one morning, although “accosted” might be a more accurate term.
Joseph was yawning as he sat on the mat on his bed. This time of year, sleeping in his room was preferable, the nights too cool as he had acclimated to the warmer Egyptian climate.
Senen addressed Joseph specifically as he began. “Since you were so observant of the faults in the gardens when you came to The Residence, you will restore them to the image that you imagined.”
Turning toward Shabaka, still reclined on his bed, he continued, “You have had some experience with where the resources for this project can be found. Assist our young friend in his struggle for perfection.”
A momentary pause allowed both young men to acknowledge the command. Then Senen was gone as quietly and as quickly as he had come.
“You may have had better fortune if you had been put with another roommate.”
Shabaka shook his head. “No, the specifics may have been different, but working for Senen is never easy for anyone. He is unhappy with his lot, and he will share that unhappiness.”
“But I hear that he was different when he worked on managing the flood waters. He was stern and all business, yes, but he was more relaxed and was much easier on all who worked for him. His orders were clear and specific, and he actually got carried away and gave a few compliments!”
“I suppose you are right,” smiled Shabaka. “Perhaps we could suggest that this become his full time job.”
No, the idea did not seem far-fetched. “Why not?”
They prepared for the day with a splash of water followed by a shave. This process always seemed difficult to Joseph, but he preferred to blend with the Egyptians rather than be referred to as a filthy barbarian, the common view of the unshaven male.
He did draw the line at shaving the top of his head, however. Since the Egyptians who chose baldness wore wigs of human or artificial hair, this “filthy habit’ of maintaining scalp hair was not so obvious.
Joseph and Shabaka worked to provide care and water for the gardens, and indeed for the next few weeks they developed a rhythm for the tasks.
Working on the gardens inside and outside of The Residence, they watched a parade of nobles, state officials, and foreign dignitaries come and go.
And they frequently saw the queen and Potiphar’s wife, sometimes alone with their own female companions, at other times together.
But for all the people who came and went, the two slaves were invisible, even less noticeable than the flowering plants and shrubbery trimmed to perfection.
Joseph looked for an opportunity to talk alone with Senen In order to confirm his superior’s interest in canals and irrigation.
That opportunity came a week later when Senen was late coming from his morning meal. He sat alone with his fruit, apparently in no rush to launch into yet another day of managing plants and people. Joseph could see that the man was bored with his tasks, for they were not his calling.
“I hear that you were in charge of clearing the canal and extending irrigation ditches.”
Senen looked up and saw it was only Joseph. He started to rise and then relaxed again.
“Yes. That was hard work, but a great accomplishment! We had many hundreds of men to work on the project. The rise in the level of the lake made much more land available for farming, and the greater access to water has brought abundance to the king’s lands in the Fayum and around The Residence.”
“There must have been a great number of challenges in such a project!”
“Yes, yes,” agreed Senen, who then proceeded for some 15 to 20 minutes to talk of some of the greater obstacles that they had worked to overcome.
For the first time, Joseph felt that he had Senen’s full attention as the man talked of his true passion. Now he needed to help the man realize that calling.
“When Shabaka and I worked in the Fayum near the lake, we worked with many different men. We not only harvested, but did a lot of work on the canal and the irrigation ditches to the king’s land. Men spoke of how much more productive their crops would be when the irrigation ditches are extended to their own lands. Where the canal is still higher than the lake provides a lot of potential for water flow into dry areas.”
“Yes, but that requires men, and they require food every day. And then the ditches, like the canal itself, require men to come and keep them free of the silt that will block the flow and cause a flood where we do not want water.
“We were fortunate that the king saw the benefit of the work we did and was willing to pay for it. I don’t think he will do so again.”
There was strong disappointment in his final statement of fact.
“What if the king did not have to pay for the irrigation? What if someone else built one irrigation ditch at their own expense? Would the king allow it?”
Senen sat up straighter. “And who would do that?”
“These men that I mentioned see value in such irrigation. They merely need the permission to get water to their crops. Carrying the water is not only slow and burdensome, it does not provide as much as a ditch could carry effortlessly.
“Of course, they would need someone to direct their work, to create a flow of water that maximized the crops they could grow.”
Senen relaxed back again, his weight resting against the wall behind him. “I do not think the king would give them water, even if they did their own work.”
“Perhaps,” agreed Joseph.
The momentary thaw in his manner gone, Senen growled, “You should be working instead of talking dreams. Get back to the garden and get to work.”
“Think about it. This would increase the king’s revenues – more crops yield more taxes. Just think about it.”
Thoughts of Teyma kept Joseph’s mind pursuing the idea as he got up and went to join Shabaka in drawing the first load of water for the garden before the day became hot. With the canal and ditches so near, they had not far to go.
The region of the temple and The Residence had experienced one rain shower that lasted less than an hour in late December. Joseph had been surprised to learn this was about the normal annual rainfall. Sometimes there would be multiple showers, but the total was negligible compared to Canaan.
“Winter” merely indicated the three months after the winter solstice. Many of these days of winter were almost pleasant, the nights almost cool, by Joseph’s Canaanite standards. He did not feel any longing to return, except for his father’s sake.
Joseph thought of the priest of the Temple of Ptah, Meri’s father. And this brought to mind his own father, Israel. He prayed his father was well, but nothing else in Canaan called to him. And how could he send a message, and yet not go himself?
If his father thought him dead, nothing more could be done.
But if his father thought Joseph to be alive, Israel would make every effort to bring him home.
But Canaan could not be home again for Joseph. No, there was no future in the familiarity of Canaan. The irony that the unpredictable future of an alien land called to him far more was not lost on young Joseph.
Counsel to the Captain
The king and the army normally stationed near Itj-tawy returned soon after Captain Potiphar, well before the spring harvest began. There had been significant gains in territory south of Thebes, and a new fort had been established.
With the return of both the king and Captain Potiphar, there was a definite change in atmosphere on the grounds of The Residence, a sense of the restoration of order. Appearances became more important, and the substance of jobs taken more seriously. Joseph observed this and recognized yet another failing due to the presence of Senen and Meri in positions for which they lacked enthusiasm.
Joseph understood by now that this sense of order was an illusory state, the calm was superficial and the waters beneath were a swirling darkness. Indeed, everyone knew it, but each seemed to prefer the appearance rather than the reality.
Between Joseph’s assignments away from the king’s estate and Potiphar’s absence after joining the king in Nubia, he and the captain had scarcely even seen one another except for briefly that one evening in the garden.
As it happened, Joseph chose to walk in the garden after dinner on this particular evening. And again, in the dusk that was almost night, he saw the captain walking.
Joseph called out, “Good evening, sir!”
The captain no doubt recognized Joseph’s voice, the slight accent of an easterner still present, but he walked closer before acknowledging.
“Ah, good evening, Joseph. How have you fared in your new home? Although it is not really new anymore, is it?”
“I have been treated well and have found rewarding work.”
“Tell me, what work has seemed most fitting for a shepherd from the east?”
Joseph was aware that the question implied a positive response, and he framed his answer accordingly.
His birth in Canaan had shown how circumstances established his work. In Egypt, his owner was allowing his work to establish his circumstances. If the idea was to put Joseph to work where he was most productive, Joseph must be sure to show the captain the greatest return from the work that Joseph most desired.
He had thought through this dilemma already as to what he most desired to do while yet a slave. The answer had come from Teyma: “Where you best serve your master’s interest, there you will be best served, also.”
Where Joseph could serve best was in improving Captain Potiphar’s service to the king. Every responsibility under the captain revolved around that one goal.
There was only a second’s delay before Joseph’s response.
“Seeing how the people work in the fields to accomplish their tasks has shown how much they have to offer in the service of their king. There seems no limit to what is possible for them.
“Every person who has the vision of a goal beyond himself stands ready to make his sacrifice toward that goal. They just need the encouragement, the assurance of their needs being met as they strive for achievement, and then the guidance as to what must be done.”
“You speak glowing words of the workers, young Joseph.” There was some element of disbelief in the captain’s voice, and the inflection in his voice emphasized Joseph’s youth. Was this a subtle warning sign?
“Each one assigned to the task of his heart will fulfill your expectations.”
Joseph paused for a moment before adding to that statement, whether for effect or his own uncertainty even he could not say.
“Look at Senen-set, for example, and the masterful work he does with managing the flood waters! I was told that he managed much of the irrigation construction. Did he not show his mastery in this work?
“And how much benefit has there been for the king’s land as a result?”
Surprised at Joseph’s positive appraisal of a man with whom everyone, even Potiphar himself, found relationship difficult, the captain answered Joseph’s question without hesitation.
“Yes, he has shown himself very adept at managing men for the construction of the irrigation ditches. But that work is done!”
“Is it?” Joseph countered. “What if the land beyond the king’s land was irrigated, also?
“What return might there be to the king in taxes if the poor of the land carried barley instead of hauling water, if they raised flax instead of dust?
“What if the water that floods the Nile and raises the boats of both the rich and the poor also flooded the valleys and raised the crops of both the rich and the poor?”
The captain momentarily was too stunned at the proposal of this slave to speak, so Joseph took the half second pause and continued.
“Senen-set could use the labor of the men who would benefit. The height of the flood lasts how long - two months or so each year? Think how much the king could accomplish if all men were harnessed to pursue such a project!
“And because the men saw their benefit from this labor, they could hardly protest.
“The king might lower the reserves of his granaries somewhat to feed them for their work, just as he does now for their labor in the harvest, but how much more would he receive year after year in taxes from these short seasons of labor?”
Joseph’s emotions had overtaken him, so he retreated back into the safety of his low position.
“Forgive me, please, for my frank speech, sir. I am sure I tell you what you already know. The possibilities for the future are limited only by the vision of the people involved, and perhaps the political motivations of those outside the king’s counsellors who would hold the king captive in his present circumstances.”
This last was meant as a reference to the priesthood, perhaps veiled enough to escape notice unless the sentiment was shared by Potiphar.
“You speak passionately in your praise of Senen-set and hope for the poor. He is your immediate master. Are these his thoughts that he has encouraged you to speak?”
A note of discord in the captain’s words warned Joseph to caution.
“No, sir, he has not urged me of what has been said here. I have seen the passion and joy when he spoke of his work in enlarging the canal to the Fayum, and I have seen firsthand how he has managed the waters of the retreating flood. His capabilities are great in such endeavors.”
“You are saying that his talents do not lie in his present position.”
“He has even greater talents that lie elsewhere is the message my words mean to convey.”
The captain saw Joseph stepping close to a precipice and pushed him a little to see if he would fall.
“Since you are speaking honestly and openly, tell me your view of the present state of affairs at The Residence and its lands.”
Potiphar dropped the arms that had been folded across his chest. His eyes remained fixed quite firmly on Joseph’s eyes, his expression as inscrutable as weathered stone.
Joseph had come this far, and he stepped into the question in the hope of finding solid land beneath his foot.
“Everything here runs like the Nile at flood. The surface is smooth with only the ripples of the daily wind and the movement of workman maneuvering their boats on the river’s course.”
He paused, weighing how much to divulge before continuing.
“All is ma’at that is visible to the eye. Everything shows itself as the order and balance that creates the harmony of life.
“But beneath the surface, the waters are muddy with strong currents running deep. The turbulence below may one day disrupt the ma’at above.”
His master pressed for detail. “And what are those things that are not visible to the eye, Joseph? What will destroy the ma’at?”
“I tell you nothing new when I say that Ruia cannot rule over the two sons of powerful priests. They butt heads like bulls before a herd of cows.
“Put Senen-set where he can serve the interests of the king by using the talents he desires to use. Senen-set is a grown man who will decide his own future if given a chance. His father will have no power over the king while Senen-set fulfills his father’s bargain that his son be powerful in the king’s service.”
Joseph retreated a step from his owner and bowed his head.
“I have spoken beyond my position and ask that you show mercy.”
Potiphar’s immediate reaction had been defensiveness with a growing undercurrent of anger, the sense that he was under attack. But the arguments of Joseph did give him pause to think. The last statement resulted in completely disarming him.
“You offer many suggestions for us to change considering that you have been in Egypt just barely a year, young Joseph.”
Again, the tone of the captain’s voice was difficult to interpret. Although a statement, Joseph understood it as a thinly veiled accusation.
Before Joseph could speak, Potiphar added, “And were you going to mention nothing about Senen-set using my men for the temple’s fields?”
“First, I beg your forgiveness. I have much to learn here and mean no disrespect. My words were idle observations offered for you to accept in part or reject in total as your wisdom dictates.
”As for Senen-set, his work on the king’s estate in managing the flood water accomplished all that the king could wish. Had he worked for weeks longer, could he have accomplished more? Has Senen-set not performed your tasks well?”
Potiphar turned and paced, his head bowed and his hands clasped behind him as he considered a response to what he had heard.
“I will ignore Senen-set’s work on the temple’s fields. And the words you speak are hardly ‘idle observations,’ Joseph. They are a thoughtful assessment based on your knowledge. I will consider what you say.
“Tell me how you have come to these observations.”
Joseph spoke what seemed relevant of his experiences in the Fayum and then in the work concerning the irrigation around The Residence and its properties. He did not mention the Medjays or anything more of the temple work, and was careful not to cast blame or to go into needless detail.
The captain asked a few questions but the conversation was not long and was mostly Joseph.
As Joseph concluded, the captain looked up at the stars and then brought their conversation to a conclusion.
“The hour is late. As I said, I will give consideration to your words. I bid you good night, young Joseph.”
“Good night, sir.”
Joseph gave a bow and turned to leave. As an afterthought, Potiphar added a final question.
“No doubt you have comments on Meri-ptah. Shall we discuss those at another time, or do you have something to say now?”
Joseph turned to face the captain again. “He spends a lot of time with the men of your guard here. His fighting skills are well-known, and his strength is unsurpassed.
“Perhaps there is a need for temple security. I have heard that the priests might establish their own guard. Perhaps the king will find his advantage in assuming the role of protector of the priests as he has done as protector of the people by establishing his own temple guard.
“You know Meri’s interests and strengths better than I. Perhaps he is a man naturally skilled in the arts of a soldier. What better trainer, perhaps even leader, will you find, particularly for command of a national temple guard?
“Where his heart lies, there you will find his service to the king.”
“You tell me little that I have not known, young Joseph, but you have rearranged the old in a new way.”
After a moment’s silence, Joseph again said, “Good night, sir.” He added, “May the dreams of your sleep be but the flow of blessings upon your heart.”
Joseph bowed again and departed. He had remained calm on the outside, but his heart raced and he realized that his head had begun to ache.
He at first had taken offense at the references to his youth, but he felt God tell him that no one had the right to take offense. What was true was for Joseph to correct, what was untrue would be revealed, and what was merely the viewpoint of another person must be resolved within them.
He said a silent prayer, one that he had prayed often in this last year: “Oh, God, please let my heart be as Your heart, let my words be Your words, and may the ears that hear them be open.”
A Vision for the Future
The summer solstice approached, and with it the anticipation of the annual flood and the festivals associated with it.
The Egyptian people hardly seemed to have any relationship with gods in their daily lives other than these festivals. Many lasted for days, the people honoring specific gods by indulging in food and drink. The government contributed handsomely in this regard, and the people accepted eagerly.
Joseph had no interest in the gods of Egypt. Many of the Asiatics adopted the gods of their new homeland, just as they adopted speech, food, and customs. But Joseph remained at the compound – or wherever he was stationed – while everyone went to celebrations on the Nile or in Memphis or some even to Thebes.
Of late, Senen had been, what would he call it? – calmer, or less easily offended? He had even spoken civilly to Joseph, advising that they would be going to the Fayum after the celebration and work on the canal, shoring up some walls before the flood.
Such work was hard, but Joseph liked the idea of it, the spreading of life giving water into a dead dry land.
Being absent from the celebration which drew everyone else to Memphis, Joseph missed the announcement of changes at The Residence.
The king, with Captain Potiphar at his side and a segment of his guard in full battle gear for effect, made a proclamation in the public setting of the festival. The implications of the extensive irrigation work – that the poorer farmers would finally benefit more directly from the gift of the Nile – must be made known in as large a setting as possible. And such a festival provided both a large and a receptive audience.
Senen-set would head a massive upgrade of the irrigation canal to the Fayum. The goal was for every farmer to have water for his crops. Contributions of labor during construction and the maintenance were the costs; increased crop yields with less labor were the benefits.
Because of his scribal abilities and knowledge of the farming system, Irsu would take Senen-set’s position over the king’s farming. The scribal training would give more order to a system that demands order.
Meri-ptah would become training officer for the king’s army, which would assume new duties regarding the temples of Egypt, guaranteeing their security.
The concept of a temple guard was presented as if it were a concession by the king, an increased cost to the royal treasury. The priests’ interpretation was no doubt less generous, but the people saw this as the king’s affirmation of the gods of Egypt, and that he and Egypt would be rewarded.
And Ruia’s position would be eliminated as he replaced Meri-ptah as overseer of the king’s livestock.
No mention was made of Joseph, of course, but the young slave was pleased that Potiphar had accepted the suggestions and had them approved by the young king. Perhaps the timing had been good because the new king desired to establish new policies and directions that were his own rather than to simply continue the course of his father. In the realities of political power, a request that also improved the leader’s image was already half-granted.
The changes were met with approval by the public at large. And in the gossip of the compound in Itj-tawy, a renewed spirit of unity and confidence quickly emerged.
Within hours of his return, Senen had come to Joseph and said that he intended Joseph to go with him to work on shoring up the canal.
Increasing the irrigation ditches flowing outside of the king’s land was the second priority. This would require a much larger crew and Joseph was to help in managing that effort under Senen’s direction.
Joseph felt that the future now looked brighter than any time since Judah had thrown the rope to him at the bottom of the well.
Senen led Joseph and a contingent of workers from the compound two days later.
Their destination was the hills near the Nile through which the canal to the Fayum had been built. Their goal was to shore up the walls in those hills where the water was undermining their stability. Minor collapses had occurred and been repaired already. A major collapse would shut off the flow of water completely.
Senen’s mood, his entire character, was much improved once he had been given charge of irrigation as his sole responsibility. He was renewed with energy and a sense of organizing the people around him to achieve a greatly improved land.
Joseph knew that Potiphar had told Senen at least some of what Joseph had spoken to the captain. Senen was not only easier to work with, he treated Joseph more as a partner than a slave.
Senen’s plan was to oversee the restoration of the canal through the hills, averting the inevitable crisis of collapse and the blockage of all water flow to the Fayum.
While this was accomplished, the second goal, a series of irrigation ditches from Lake Fayum into the privately held lands would be initiated. Although beginning with a small number of offshoots from the lake, digging additional ditches from the canal would begin when the maintenance on this waterway had been completed.
A third goal was to reconstruct the mechanical pumps for moving water as had been used in the construction of the great pyramids at Giza. This knowledge had been lost during the chaos following the collapse of the Old Kingdom several centuries earlier.
The glorious examples of past construction was exemplified in the Great Pyramid at Giza and the nearby Sphinx. Nothing comparable had been built since those ages long ago, perhaps many hundreds of years. That such magnificent structures might be built again was intoxicating!
In the immediate future, these mechanical pumps would revolutionize Egyptian agriculture, eliminating much of the manual labor in the movement of the water that transformed the desert into a garden. This work would begin last.
The excitement with which Senen expressed his thoughts and desires was contagious. And it was not just Joseph, but all those around Senen could feel the energy and imagine the possibilities for a new future.
The seasonal flood was beginning already, but Senen had water diverted from the canal while restoration of the walls was accomplished. Within weeks, the flow was restored to normal and water surged toward Lake Fayum.
The smaller ditches drawing water away from the canal into the dry lands now could be built without disturbing the normal flow of the canal. The ditches were dug from the far end, connecting to the canal only as the final step.
Joseph began his work on irrigation from Lake Fayum. He used some of the overseers of the harvest, but his best work would come from the men with whom he had worked personally, men who had a willingness to accomplish goals and a positive spirit.
With water soon to flow into their own plots of land, the workers were more than conscripted labor. They gave the effort of enlightened self-interest, aware of the personal benefit of their labor in the service of the king for the first time in their lives.
As the flood season entered its maximum phase in the fall, attention had to be given to management of the water for maximum benefit as they had done each year. This meant that throughout the lands of The Residence and the Fayum, as well as in the land along the Nile and in the delta, effort was made to save water in certain areas, parceling it out to other areas that had lost their water and begun to dry.
The whole process had a continuing effect on Joseph, building on what he had seen in his first flood season and adding the possibilities envisioned by Senen for the future. This vision would have impressed even Balo, the Medjay, who had foreseen some, but not all, of what was possible.
The Mechanics of Change
Senen often discussed his plans for the following year, building on what had been accomplished and then beginning the experiment with mechanical pumps.
As Joseph had seen, bringing an irrigation ditch into an area provided a thin stream of water. Dispersing that over a larger area, stretching that watered area as far as possible, was very labor intensive. The mechanical pump envisioned by Senen would extend this area almost effortlessly.
As son of a high priest, Senen had had access to the Great Pyramid at Giza from early childhood. Although the site was closed and secured in order to preserve the integrity of all that had been buried within, he had discovered a way in and out without observation. He had explored the inner chambers, seen their wonders, and marveled at the intricacy, the very specific nature of their construction.
The ability to mount huge stones weighing thousands of pounds each was a mystery to the people of Egypt at this point, many centuries after construction. But Senen was sure that he had figured out the process.
The workers had built retaining walls around the pyramid and filled them with water. Even huge stones would rise if they were on floating structures on a rising lake. The secret was how to raise the water level around a pyramid in the middle of the desert. This was the lock.
The mechanical pump that Senen imagined was the key.
Bringing water to the site was as easy as the channel from the Nile to the Fayum. Water was brought to the pyramid in the same manner.
To use the power of water itself required that the source level of water be above a chamber below. Water would fall into this compression chamber, and a certain level of force would be created depending on the height of the fall of the water.
The water flows into the compression chamber freely because it can move out through a safety valve just as easily. When the safety valve has a certain pressure against it indicating maximum flow, the valve suddenly closes.
Because the water has been falling down toward the valve with the force of gravity, the water in the column is suddenly compressed. The result when the water hits the closed cap is a shock wave going back up the pipe to the source, then bouncing back down through the pipe.
The smaller output pipe has been inactive because there was not enough force to move the water through it. When the shock wave comes back through, it bypasses the closed safety valve and exerts its force on the water in the narrow output line.
The result is a surge of water through the output pipe. Water flows through the output pipe and into the outside air at a rate based on the output pipe size and the energy of the shock wave.
As this surge releases the compression force in the system, the safety valve opens. At this point, the mechanism has returned to its starting position automatically. The water falling from the source exerts its effect on the safety valve, automatically initiating the process once again.
In this way, a lake rose around the enclosed pyramid. A below-ground chamber of the pyramid served as the compression chamber, and the water filled the moat within the walls around the pyramid above. The heavy construction blocks loaded onto floating rafts were raised upward with the water level.
In the same manner, water could be spread beyond the irrigation ditches far into the nearby fields without manual effort.
Although Joseph had difficulty imagining the specifics, he could see the general principle in action.
The seasons of this second year came and went along with the gradual implementation of the first two steps of Senen’s plans.
The efficiencies and effectiveness of the crews increased over time. Those with the natural talent for the work were selected for new crew as the work progressed.
Any newly implemented plan must be evaluated to determine whether to pursue the investment of manpower and resources. The harvest was the time for grading the new system, not only as pass or fail, but as to how much beyond the costs did it yield.
The level of the flood was good, and the expanded agricultural areas yielded produce above previous years. The system passed the first test.
The quantification by Irsu and the scribes in areas where additional land was watered, whether by the canal or by the lake, showed the great yield increases from land that previously had contributed only marginally to the overall food supply.
Looking at the additional manpower for maintaining the new ditches, there was still a net gain to be realized year after year from the work done in this one season. Even the second test was passed in the first year.
This evidence ensured continued support from the king, and Senen’s reputation was greatly enhanced.
And so they proceeded into Joseph’s third year, the second season of Senen’s plan, with the goal of the initial installation of some of the mechanical pumps in select locations. Senen and his select crew began construction of the first pump.
Joseph oversaw the routine work. Experienced crews from the previous year would work on maintenance of existing networks. They would also perform construction of new branch irrigation lines in accordance with Senen’s plan for expanding the irrigation program into more private lands.
And so history may have recorded the next several years: Senen constructing a series of pumps while Joseph handled the routine work of managing the flood waters.
But work done beneath the surface of the ground is inherently risky. With all of Senen’s knowledge, he did not foresee the effect of time and chance.
The initial pump was to be installed in a section of the canal where a retaining wall held back a slope of dirt and granite that was perhaps a bit too steep. A great weight pushed against the wall, much of that weight deflected down toward the base of the wall as it leaned into the hillside.
And the effect of digging a compression chamber into the floor of the canal near the footing of this wall had the effect of removing some of its support. The weight of the hill overcame the strength of the wall.
The result was the collapse of the wall above where Senen and his crew were digging the compression chamber. Men nearby were unable to dig down to the area of the men in time to keep them from suffocating beneath the rubble. All lives were lost.
The loss of Senen was the loss of the primary champion for the plan for increased irrigation to the small private landholders and renters of the Fayum.
Captain Potiphar had no hesitation in naming Joseph as Senen’s heir to the task. And Joseph determined he would not let the vision that he had shared with Senen die.
The hope of mechanical pumps gradually did perish. Continued problems with the buildup of silt and of debris blocking the flow created continual maintenance problems.
Although mechanical pumps were used only on a limited basis, Joseph oversaw the successful implementation of the other two parts of the water plan: annual maintenance and extension of the irrigation ditches.
Indeed, over the course of the next few years, as they evolved and adjusted to meet new realities, the project became known as Joseph’s plan. And the canal is still known to this day as the Bahr Yusuf, “the waterway of Joseph.”
Joseph’s successes, and particularly his accurate assessment of people and of priorities, kept him before Captain Potiphar like a shining star on a dark night. Joseph became the person on whom the captain most relied for advice and then implementation of needed policies.
Joseph’s reputation rose. He was ascendant. He was the focus for many.
But we must all remember that a reputation is what is seen in the eyes of men. The perspective of the beholder is often a greater factor than the reality of the man. And enemies can destroy a reputation by influencing what others see.
A man’s reputation may be destroyed by anyone, but only he can destroy his character.
Continue to Chapter 3
