[160] This is the rendering of Birch. Ebers has looked for an explanation of this gloss, in the rite of circumcision (_Ægypten u. d. Bücher Mose’s_, p. 284 f.); but the primary reference to the “arm” of the god, and to the union secured through the interflowing blood, point to the blood-covenant as the employed figure of speech; although circumcision, as will be seen presently, was likewise a symbol of the blood-covenant--for one’s self and for one’s seed. Brugsch also sees a similar meaning, to that suggested by Ebers, in this reference to the blood. His rendering of the original text is: “Reach me your hands. I have become that which ye are” (_Religion u. Mythol. d. alt. Ægypt._, I., 219). Le Page Renouf, looking for the symbolisms of _material_ nature in all these statements, would find here “the crimson of a sunset” in the “blood which flows from the Sun-god Rā, as he hastens to his suicide” (_Trans. of Soc. of Bib. Arch._, Vol. VIII., Part 2, p. 211). This, however, does not conflict with the _spiritual_ symbolism of oneness of nature through oneness of blood. And no one of these last three suggested meanings accounts for the oneness with the gods through blood, which the deceased claims, unless the symbolism of blood-covenanting be recognized in the terminology. That symbolism being recognized, the precise source of the flowing blood becomes a minor matter. [161] See Wilkinson’s _Anc. Egypt._, III., 473; Renouf’s _Relig. of Anc. Egypt_, pp. 191-193; Lenormant’s _Chaldean Magic_, p. 88. [162] See _Todtenbuch_, chap. LXVIII.; _Egypt’s Place_, V., 211. [163] See Pierret’s _Vocabulaire Hiéroglyphique_, p. 721 f.; also, Birch’s “Dict. of Hierog.” in _Egypt’s Place_, V., 519. [164] See page 65 f., _supra_. [165] See _Todtenbuch_, chap. CLVI.; _Egypt’s Place_, V., 315; _Trans. of Soc. of Bib. Arch._, VIII., 2, 211. This amulet is also called _tet_; a word of the same phonetic force as _tet_, the “arm,” or the “bracelet,” but of different letters. This word ([Illustration]) seems to have the root-idea of “word;” as if it were applied to the text of the blood-covenant. The amulet as constructed for the mummy, was stained with the water or liquid of the tree called _ankh am_ ([Illustration]). The amulet itself, according to Brugsch, was also called _ankh merer_ ([Illustration]). But _ankh_ ([Illustration]) means either to _live_ (the ordinary meaning), or to _swear_, to _make oath_ (more rarely), and _merer_ ([Illustration]) is a reduplicated form of _mer_ ([Illustration]) _to love_, _love_, _friendship_. The meaning of _ankh merer_, as applied to the blood-amulet may be, oath, or covenant, or pledge of love or friendship. The word _merer_, in the compound _ankh merer_, is followed with the determinative of the flying scarabæus ([Illustration]) which was commonly placed (_Anc. Egypt._, III., 346) upon the breast, in lieu of the heart of the dead (_Ibid._, III., 486). See page 100, _infra_.