ABRECH (ab'rech), (Het), , bow the knee). This word occurs only in Gen. xli :43, where it is used in proclaiming the au thority of Joseph. Something similar happened in the case of Mordecai ; but then several words were employed (Esth. vi :1 t). If the word be Hebrew, it would then mean, as in our version, 'bow the knee!' We are indeed assured by Wilkinson (Anc. Egyptians, ii :24) that the word abrek is used to the present day by the Arabs, when requiring a camel to kneel and receive its load. But Luther and others suppose the word to be of Chaldee origin. It is, however, probably Egyptian, and Dr. Lee is inclined with De Rossi (Etym. Egypt. p. r) to repair to the Coptic, in which Aberek or Abrek means 'bow the head.' It is right to add, that Origen, a native of Egypt, and Jerome, both of whom knew the Semitic languages, concur in the opinion that Abrech means 'a native Egyptian ;' and when we con sider how important it was that Joseph should cease to be regarded as a foreigner (See ABOMI NATION), it has in this sense an importance and significance which no other interpretation con veys. It amounts to a proclamation of naturaliza
tion, which, among such a people as the Egyp tians, was essential to enable Joseph to work out the great plan he had undertaken. We believe, however, that it is not now possible to determine the significance of the word with certainty.
As an Egyptianized Semitic word, it was prob ably carried down into Egypt during the centu ries of Hyksos rule. This opinion receives sup port, too, from the evidence of the Tel el-Amarna tablets that there had been for many centuries before Joseph's day free international communi cation between Egypt and Asia. (Ira M. Price, Hastings' Bib. Diet.).