The main image on the Offering card depicts a kneeling figure with her hands on the floor as she raises her head. She is barefoot, wearing a long robe, and her wig is bound with a uraeus serpent. Next to her is a platform on which rests an enthroned human figure. Kaplan identifies him as the Theban god Amen, one of ancient Egypt’s primordial deities. He wears an unusual crown, has a pharaonic beard, holds a royal staff and an ankh with a unique tail, and is seated on a cubical throne. The title of the card suggests that she has made her offering to this god in his temple.
There are three symbols in the upper portion of the card. The magical letter may represent the power of communication, emphasizing the importance of intention in prayer or petition. The hieroglyph of a lion symbolizes strength and courage, qualities one may need when facing hardship. The Hebrew letter Lamed (ל), shaped like a shepherd’s staff, represents guidance and learning. Here it may signify the search for direction during difficult times.
At the bottom of the card is a seated mummy, wrapped in gold, with his bearded head facing backward. The mummy represents preservation of the soul and the eternal journey. The backward-facing head, like an owl, may symbolize reflection, learning from past trials, and enduring through periods of hardship.
The title field of the card includes the symbol for the moon, the Latin letter Q, and the Arabic numeral 2. These may emphasize themes of uncertainty and vulnerability in moments when one stands between despair and hope.
When viewed through the lens of the Five of Pentacles, this scene takes on a sense not of gratitude, but of petition. Upright, the Five of Pentacles signifies loss, financial worries, feeling out in the cold, ostracism, and loneliness. The kneeling figure may be seeking relief. Her posture suggests humility, vulnerability, and possibly desperation. Barefoot and bowed, she appears exposed and dependent upon divine mercy. The enthroned god, elevated above her, emphasizes the imbalance between mortal need and divine power. The card may reflect moments in life when we fear we have been left outside the temple doors.
Stuart Kaplan suggests that Offering can signify dedication, devotion, seeking support from powerful or influential figures, and a commitment to higher ideals. Through the Five of Pentacles lens, this devotion may arise not from prosperity and gratitude, but from need. In times of hardship, we often turn toward faith, community, or higher principles for sustenance and strength.
Reversed, the Five of Pentacles brings renewed hope, survival, spiritual comfort, recovery, pulling oneself up by the bootstraps, and rediscovering belonging through community support. In this context, the offering may represent the turning point — the act of reaching out rather than withdrawing. The temple becomes not a symbol of exclusion, but of refuge.
This card reflects vulnerability and resilience. It asks: What do you do when you feel unsupported? Where do you turn when resources are scarce? Do you isolate yourself or seek connection?
The lion above the scene reminds us that courage is required during periods of scarcity. The Lamed suggests that hardship can become a teacher. The mummy below reminds us that endurance preserves the soul.
Like the Five of Pentacles, this card reminds us that even when we feel out in the cold, we are not necessarily abandoned. Support may be closer than we realize. It can be found in faith, community, or the resilience of our own spirit.
Card Imagery and Symbolism
In the central portion of the Advice card, one man kneels before another. The kneeling man, bare-chested and wearing a long belted skirt, lifts his hands in a gesture of reverence. The standing figure, dressed elaborately in a green over-robe that folds into an apron, a yellow underskirt, and a scarf bearing insignia, holds a scroll with an unusually long left arm while referring to the text on the scroll with a pointer in his right hand. Both men are barefoot; one wears a wig, and the other is bald. According to Kaplan in the deck's accompanying pamphlet, the standing figure is Imhotep, advisor to King Zoser, designer of the first pyramid, a sage, and a physician. The title of the card, Advice, suggests the kneeling man seeks guidance from the scribe.
Other Symbolic Elements
Upper Portion: Contains the Hebrew letter kaf (כ), an angelic letter with a curved line ending in two circles, and a hieroglyph resembling a shallow bowl with a handle (perhaps an offering bowl), identified by Kaplan as a knife. Additionally, there is a cartouche containing three hieroglyphs: a crowned figure with a feather and serpent, a half-circle suggesting a rising sun, and a feather. The Hebrew letter kaf and hieroglyphs reinforce the supplicant's desire to accomplish good works and seek the truth.
Lower Portion: Features another cartouche with the silhouette of a jackal, symbolizing the god Anubis.
Title Field: Includes the symbol for Venus, the Latin letter U, and the Arabic number 6.
Interpretations
Kaplan assigns the following meanings to the upright card: a person in the medical field, sagacity, wisdom applied to practical ends, ideas manifested in words, healing through relaxation, end of pain, recovery from illness. For the reversed card, he suggests: lingering illness, impracticality, unwanted advice, imprudent counsel, insomnia.
The title and imagery lead me to think that the supplicant is seeking personal guidance, asking to understand who he is, what goals he can reasonably strive for, and what role he can play in society. Anubis, an underworld god, reminds him that life is finite, and he wishes to spend his remaining time usefully and meaningfully. He seeks the regenerative powers of Anubis to restore significance to his life. The Hebrew letter kaf, meaning "hand," suggests that his hands can do good work in the world. The three-hieroglyph cartouche shows him crowned, facing a new sunrise, and pursuing truth. He has turned to someone who has explored the boundaries of knowledge to find out the rules, his options, and his potential.
Comparison with RWS King of Swords
The RWS King of Swords is clear-headed wise judge and seeing the card, we feel as if we are approaching King Solomon, holding his sword at an angle tilted toward mercy, with a compassionate and understanding heart, rather than interpreting the law literally. He is a truth-seeker and rational thinker.
Meanings for the RWS King of Swords include: a fair judge, clarity of thought, creation of appropriate boundaries, a good communicator, and determination. Reversed, it can mean: stubbornness, tyranny, or bullying.
Summary
The Advice card in the Egipcios Kier Tarot may represent the act of seeking guidance or the presence of someone who can offer helpful and wise counsel. This card encourages us to look for mentors or advisors who can help us understand our path and potential. By embracing wisdom and clarity, one can navigate life's challenges with a sense of purpose and direction.
