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Apis
APIS ā’ pĭs (conjecture חַ֣ף, LXX ̓Άπις). A fertility god in the form of a living bull, worshiped by the ancient Egyptians, in Memphis. There Apis was associated with Ptah, a creator god. Apis was also linked with Osiris, god of the dead. The combination Osiris-Apis (Egyp. Ws’ir Ḫp) was Grecianized as Serapis, who was worshiped in Egypt under the Ptolemies as well as in other countries.
Many scholars read: “Why has Apis fled?” (
Some have suggested that the Apis bull inspired the golden calf which the Israelites made at Mt. Sinai (
Bibliography
E. Otto, Beiträge zur Geschichte der Stierkulte in Aegypten (1938), 11-34; S. A. B. Mercer, The Religion of Ancient Egypt (1949), 233, 234; J. Vandier, La religion égyptienne (1949), 233-236; H. Bonnet, Reallexicon der ägyptischen Religionsgeschichte (1952), 46-51.