Rikayon
In the ancient land of Shinar, a wise and beautiful man named Rikayon struggled with poverty. Determined to change his fate, he journeyed to Egypt to seek the favor of King Oswiris. Upon arrival, he learned that the king only appeared once a year, dashing his hopes. Desperate, Rikayon attempted to sell vegetables but was mocked and robbed. Undeterred, he devised a daring plan, recruiting strong men to enforce a burial tax. Within eight months, he amassed great wealth and a loyal following, setting the stage for a bold confrontation.
As the king emerged to hear the peopleâs grievances, Rikayon presented himself with a lavish procession and extraordinary gifts. The kingâs initial fury transformed into admiration for Rikayonâs wisdom and ingenuity. Renaming him Pharaoh, the king elevated Rikayon to Prefect, and he quickly won the love and respect of all Egypt. In his new role, Rikayon cleverly consolidated power, ensuring his lasting legacy. The people decreed that all future rulers would bear the title âPharaoh,â cementing Rikayonâs name in history as the archetype of cunning and brilliance.
Major Characters
Minor Characters
Insignificant Characters
Watch an explainer video for the Rikayon chapter:
Jasher
100%
Exposition
Jubilee: 42
Year: 2025
Introduction of Rikayon
Jasher 14:1
Rising Action
Rikayon tries to sell vegetables for income
Jasher 14:2-12
Rikayon invokes a death tax
Jasher 14:13-15
Climax
Rikayon meets with the king
Jasher 14:16-25
Falling Action
Rikayon becomes Pharoah
Jasher 14:26-29
Resolution
Rikayon reigns over Egypt
Jasher 14:30-33
Jubilee: 42
Year: 2025
Introduction of Rikayon
Jasher 14:1
1 In those days there was in the land of Shinar a wise man who had understanding in all wisdom, and of a beautiful appearance, but he was poor and indigent; his name was Rikayon and he was hard set to support himself.
Rikayon tries to sell vegetables for income
Jasher 14:2-12
2 And he resolved to go to Egypt, to Oswiris the son of Anom king of Egypt, to show the king his wisdom; for perhaps he might find grace in his sight, to raise him up and give him maintenance; and Rikayon did so.
3 And when Rikayon came to Egypt he asked the inhabitants of Egypt concerning the king, and the inhabitants of Egypt told him the custom of the king of Egypt, for it was then the custom of the king of Egypt that he went from his royal palace and was seen abroad only one day in the year, and after that the king would return to his palace to remain there.
4 And on the day when the king went forth he passed judgment in the land, and every one having a suit came before the king that day to obtain his request.
5 And when Rikayon heard of the custom in Egypt and that he could not come into the presence of the king, he grieved greatly and was very sorrowful.
6 And in the evening Rikayon went out and found a house in ruins, formerly a bake house in Egypt, and he abode there all night in bitterness of soul and pinched with hunger, and sleep was removed from his eyes.
7 And Rikayon considered within himself what he should do in the town until the king made his appearance, and how he might maintain himself there.
8 And he rose in the morning and walked about, and met in his way those who sold vegetables and various sorts of seed with which they supplied the inhabitants.
9 And Rikayon wished to do the same in order to get a maintenance in the city, but he was unacquainted with the custom of the people, and he was like a blind man among them.
10 And he went and obtained vegetables to sell them for his support, and the rabble assembled about him and ridiculed him, and took his vegetables from him and left him nothing.
11 And he rose up from there in bitterness of soul, and went sighing to the bake house in which he had remained all the night before, and he slept there the second night.
12 And on that night again he reasoned within himself how he could save himself from starvation, and he devised a scheme how to act.
Rikayon invokes a death tax
Jasher 14:13-15
13 And he rose up in the morning and acted ingeniously, and went and hired thirty strong men of the rabble, carrying their war instruments in their hands, and he led them to the top of the Egyptian sepulchre, and he placed them there.
14 And he commanded them, saying, Thus saith the king, Strengthen yourselves and be valiant men, and let no man be buried here until two hundred pieces of silver be given, and then he may be buried; and those men did according to the order of Rikayon to the people of Egypt the whole of that year.
15 And in eight months time Rikayon and his men gathered great riches of silver and gold, and Rikayon took a great quantity of horses and other animals, and he hired more men, and he gave them horses and they remained with him.
Rikayon meets with the king
Jasher 14:16-25
16 And when the year came round, at the time the king went forth into the town, all the inhabitants of Egypt assembled together to speak to him concerning the work of Rikayon and his men.
17 And the king went forth on the appointed day, and all the Egyptians came before him and cried unto him, saying,
18 May the king live forever. What is this thing thou doest in the town to thy servants, not to suffer a dead body to be buried until so much silver and gold be given? Was there ever the like unto this done in the whole earth, from the days of former kings yea even from the days of Adam, unto this day, that the dead should not be buried only for a set price?
19 We know it to be the custom of kings to take a yearly tax from the living, but thou dost not only do this, but from the dead also thou exactest a tax day by day.
20 Now, O king, we can no more bear this, for the whole city is ruined on this account, and dost thou not know it?
21 And when the king heard all that they had spoken he was very wroth, and his anger burned within him at this affair, for he had known nothing of it.
22 And the king said, Who and where is he that dares to do this wicked thing in my land without my command? Surely you will tell me.
23 And they told him all the works of Rikayon and his men, and the kingâs anger was aroused, and he ordered Rikayon and his men to be brought before him.
24 And Rikayon took about a thousand children, sons and daughters, and clothed them in silk and embroidery, and he set them upon horses and sent them to the king by means of his men, and he also took a great quantity of silver and gold and precious stones, and a strong and beautiful horse, as a present for the king, with which he came before the king and bowed down to the earth before him; and the king, his servants and all the inhabitants of Egypt wondered at the work of Rikayon, and they saw his riches and the present that he had brought to the king.
25 And it greatly pleased the king and he wondered at it; and when Rikayon sat before him the king asked him concerning all his works, and Rikayon spoke all his words wisely before the king, his servants and all the inhabitants of Egypt.
Rikayon becomes Pharoah
Jasher 14:26-29
26 And when the king heard the words of Rikayon and his wisdom, Rikayon found grace in his sight, and he met with grace and kindness from all the servants of the king and from all the inhabitants of Egypt, on account of his wisdom and excellent speeches, and from that time they loved him exceedingly.
27 And the king answered and said to Rikayon, Thy name shall no more be called Rikayon but Pharaoh shall be thy name, since thou didst exact a tax from the dead; and he called his name Pharaoh.
28 And the king and his subjects loved Rikayon for his wisdom, and they consulted with all the inhabitants of Egypt to make him prefect under the king.
29 And all the inhabitants of Egypt and its wise men did so, and it was made a law in Egypt.
Rikayon reigns over Egypt
Jasher 14:30-33
30 And they made Rikayon Pharaoh prefect under Oswiris king of Egypt, and Rikayon Pharaoh governed over Egypt, daily administering justice to the whole city, but Oswiris the king would judge the people of the land one day in the year, when he went out to make his appearance.
31 And Rikayon Pharaoh cunningly usurped the government of Egypt, and he exacted a tax from all the inhabitants of Egypt.
32 And all the inhabitants of Egypt greatly loved Rikayon Pharaoh, and they made a decree to call every king that should reign over them and their seed in Egypt, Pharaoh.
33 Therefore all the kings that reigned in Egypt from that time forward were called Pharaoh unto this day.
Notes
No notes.
Exposition
Jubilee: 42
Year: 2025
Introduction of Rikayon
Jasher 14:1
During that time, in the land of Shinar, there was a wise man who understood all kinds of wisdom and was also very handsome, but he was poor and struggling to survive. His name was Rikayon, and he found it very difficult to support himself.
Rising Action
Rikayon tries to sell vegetables for income
Jasher 14:2-12
He decided to travel to Egypt, to Oswiris, the son of Anom, king of Egypt, hoping to demonstrate his wisdom to the king. Maybe he would find favor and receive support. So Rikayon went to Egypt.
When he arrived, he asked the locals about the king. They explained the custom in Egypt: the king only left his royal palace and appeared in public one day each year. On that day, he would judge cases in the land, and everyone with a legal matter would come before him to present their requests. When Rikayon heard this and realized he wouldnât be able to meet the king, he was deeply upset and very discouraged.
That evening, Rikayon found an old ruined house, which had once been a bakehouse, and spent the night there, full of sorrow and hunger, unable to sleep. He thought hard about what he could do in the city until the king appeared, and how he might sustain himself. The next morning, he walked around the city and came across people selling vegetables and different types of seeds to the local residents. Rikayon wanted to try doing the same to earn a living, but he didnât know the customs of the people and felt like a blind man among them.
He went and got some vegetables to sell, hoping to make a living, but a mob gathered around him, mocked him, stole his vegetables, and left him with nothing. Heartbroken, he left and returned to the ruined bakehouse where he had stayed the night before, and he spent a second night there. Again that night, he tried to figure out a way to avoid starving and came up with a plan for what to do.
Rikayon invokes a death tax
Jasher 14:13-15
The next morning, he cleverly carried out his idea. He hired 30 strong men from the local rabble, each armed with weapons, and took them to the top of the Egyptian burial place. There he gave them orders: âThis is what the king says, âBe strong and brave men. No one is to be buried here unless 200 pieces of silver are paid.â Only then may a body be buried.â The men did exactly as Rikayon commanded for the rest of that year.
Over the course of 8 months, Rikayon and his men accumulated a huge amount of silver and gold. Rikayon also acquired many horses and other animals, hired more men, gave them horses, and they stayed with him.
Climax
Rikayon meets with the king
Jasher 14:16-26
When the year came full circle and the time arrived for the king to make his annual public appearance, all the people of Egypt gathered to speak with him about what Rikayon and his men were doing. On the appointed day, the king went out, and all the Egyptians approached him, crying out, âMay the king live forever! What is this youâve allowed to happen to your peopleâthat no one can bury their dead unless a large sum of silver and gold is paid? Has anything like this ever been done before, since the days of the early kings, or even since the time of Adam? Itâs normal for kings to tax the living once a year, but youâre now taking a tax from the dead, every single day! We canât take this anymoreâthis whole city is being ruined because of it. Arenât you aware?â
When the king heard everything they said, he was furious. His anger burned over the matter, because he hadnât known anything about it. He said, âWho is this person who dares to do such an evil thing in my land without my permission? You will tell me at once!â
They told him everything Rikayon and his men had done. The king became even angrier and ordered that Rikayon and his men be brought to him. Rikayon then gathered around 1,000 children, both boys and girls, dressed them in silk and fine embroidery, and placed them on horses. He sent them to the king along with some of his men. He also prepared a great gift of silver, gold, precious stones, and a powerful and beautiful horse, and brought it with him to present to the king. Rikayon then bowed to the ground before the king. The king, his officials, and all the people of Egypt were amazed at what Rikayon had done. When they saw his wealth and the gifts he brought for the king, they were very impressed.
The king was pleased, and when Rikayon sat down before him, the king asked him to explain everything he had done. Rikayon spoke wisely to the king, his servants, and all the people of Egypt.
Falling Action
Rikayon becomes Pharoah
Jasher 14:26-29
When the king heard Rikayonâs explanation and saw his wisdom, Rikayon gained favor with him. The kingâs servants and all the people of Egypt also admired him greatly for his wise and thoughtful words, and from that moment they loved him deeply. The king said to Rikayon, âYour name will no longer be Rikayon. From now on, your name will be Pharaoh, because youâve imposed a tax on the dead.â So the king renamed him Pharaoh.
The king and his people continued to admire Rikayon for his wisdom. They consulted with all the inhabitants of Egypt and decided to make him Prefect under the king. All the wise men and citizens of Egypt agreed, and this decision became law.
Resolution
Rikayon reigns over Egypt
Jasher 14:30-33
Rikayon was made Pharaoh, the Prefect under Oswiris, king of Egypt. Rikayon ruled over Egypt, handling justice in the city every day. Oswiris, however, only judged the people once a year when he made his public appearance.
Rikayon Pharaoh skillfully took control of the government of Egypt and imposed taxes on all the inhabitants.
The people of Egypt came to love Rikayon Pharaoh deeply, and they made a decree that every king who would rule over them and their descendants in Egypt would be called Pharaoh. Thatâs why, from that time on, every king who reigned in Egypt was known by the title Pharaohâeven to this day.