Moses & the Israelites
Many Biblical skeptics, liberal theologians, and journalists propound that the Moses story including Israelite slavery and the Exodus, portrayed in the Biblical account of Genesis, is nothing more than a myth or embellishment of the Jewish people. The main reason they criticize the biblical account is due to a supposed lack of evidence.
The reason for the supposed lack of evidence is because they are often focused at the wrong dynasties because of the inaccuracy of the manufactured chronology.
The Israelite Exodus from Egypt is usually ascribed to the 18th Dynasty in the Standard Chronology. The 18th Dynasty, by Standard Chronology, is the time Thutmoses III reigned who is considered the greatest Pharaoh ever to have ruled Egypt.(2)
Thutmoses III was the son of Queen/ Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Thutmoses III was crowned king after his father's death but was too young to rule so his mother ruled instead until she died.(2) Some have suggested Moses was adopted by Hatshepsut. There is no room for Moses here as potential successor to the throne.
Often, in movies and cartoons about the story of Moses the Pharaoh chosen to be the one who 'will not let the people go' is Ramesses The Great (Ramesses II) of Dynasty 19. However, Ramesses II's son Merneptah succeeded his father Ramesses II as king. It is recorded on the Merneptah Stela the name of 'Israel'. It states "Israel is laid waste", referring to military campaigns against various peoples to the north of Egypt.(2) This does not fit well with the Biblical account of Moses or the Exodus because during Merneptah's time Israel was already an established community in the north. There is no time here for Moses or the wandering in the wilderness and conquering of the land of Canaan by Israel. They had already done those exploits by this time. Also we have the Pharaoh Merneptah alive when, if he is supposed to be the king of the Exodus should have been drowned in the Red Sea prior to the Israelites having crossed the Red Sea and set up a community.
The reason for the supposed lack of evidence is because they are often focused at the wrong dynasties because of the inaccuracy of the manufactured chronology.
The Israelite Exodus from Egypt is usually ascribed to the 18th Dynasty in the Standard Chronology. The 18th Dynasty, by Standard Chronology, is the time Thutmoses III reigned who is considered the greatest Pharaoh ever to have ruled Egypt.(2)
Thutmoses III was the son of Queen/ Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Thutmoses III was crowned king after his father's death but was too young to rule so his mother ruled instead until she died.(2) Some have suggested Moses was adopted by Hatshepsut. There is no room for Moses here as potential successor to the throne.
Often, in movies and cartoons about the story of Moses the Pharaoh chosen to be the one who 'will not let the people go' is Ramesses The Great (Ramesses II) of Dynasty 19. However, Ramesses II's son Merneptah succeeded his father Ramesses II as king. It is recorded on the Merneptah Stela the name of 'Israel'. It states "Israel is laid waste", referring to military campaigns against various peoples to the north of Egypt.(2) This does not fit well with the Biblical account of Moses or the Exodus because during Merneptah's time Israel was already an established community in the north. There is no time here for Moses or the wandering in the wilderness and conquering of the land of Canaan by Israel. They had already done those exploits by this time. Also we have the Pharaoh Merneptah alive when, if he is supposed to be the king of the Exodus should have been drowned in the Red Sea prior to the Israelites having crossed the Red Sea and set up a community.
A Revised Chronology
The Biblical Chronology, which has been proposed as a Revised Chronology puts the Exodus at about 1445 BC. Therefore Dynasty 13 would be at this date. Of course this is in contrast to the Standard Chronology, commonly accepted, placing the end of Dynasty 13 at approximately 1640 BC. (2) Below is a basic chart contrasting the Standard Chronology with a Revised Chronology. D and a numeral represents a dynasty.
Above is a comparison between the Standard Egyptian Dynastic Chronology and the Revised Biblical Chronology. D stands for Dynasty. Flood refers to the Biblical Flood of Genesis. This has been adapted from Biblical Events & References section, Ashton J & Down D, Unwrapping The Pharaohs - How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical Timeline.(2)
Exodus 1: 6 “And Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them. Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply and in the event of war, they also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us, and depart from the land.” So they set task masters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses.” 1:14 “and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field…” (1)
Slavery in Egypt
In the Revised Chronology the Pharaoh's of the Israelite oppression are(2):
“…I am one who speaks and acts. My heart’s intentions are carried out by my arm. I am one who is aggressive in order to seize, impatient to succeed, and one who does not allow a matter to lie in his heart …Aggression is valor while retreat is cowardice.”(2)
Sir Flinders Petrie records after excavations at Kahun:
“It is apparent that the Asiatics were present in the town in some numbers, and this may reflect the situation elsewhere in Egypt.”(2)
Flavius Josephus says there were 600,000 slaves in Egypt.(3)
E.g. The Papyrus belonging to Senebtisi records 77 entries of which 29 are Egyptian slaves and 48 are Asiatic slaves.(2)
Egyptologist Rosalie David mentions slaves building Bubastis, Tanis, Quantir (Pithom, Raamses).(2)
One of the two pyramids of Amenemhet III, located at Hawarra in the Faiyyum, is constructed of mud bricks and these mud bricks are made with straw embedded in them.(2)
- Sesostris III (Senwosret III) of the 12th Dynasty.
- Amenemhet III of the 12th Dynasty. He ruled for 46 years.
- Nepherhotep I (Khasekemre-Nepherhotep I) of the 13th Dynasty
“…I am one who speaks and acts. My heart’s intentions are carried out by my arm. I am one who is aggressive in order to seize, impatient to succeed, and one who does not allow a matter to lie in his heart …Aggression is valor while retreat is cowardice.”(2)
Sir Flinders Petrie records after excavations at Kahun:
“It is apparent that the Asiatics were present in the town in some numbers, and this may reflect the situation elsewhere in Egypt.”(2)
Flavius Josephus says there were 600,000 slaves in Egypt.(3)
E.g. The Papyrus belonging to Senebtisi records 77 entries of which 29 are Egyptian slaves and 48 are Asiatic slaves.(2)
Egyptologist Rosalie David mentions slaves building Bubastis, Tanis, Quantir (Pithom, Raamses).(2)
One of the two pyramids of Amenemhet III, located at Hawarra in the Faiyyum, is constructed of mud bricks and these mud bricks are made with straw embedded in them.(2)
Death to the male babies - Moses is saved and raised to be Pharaoh
Flavius Josephus 2.9.2 “One of those sacred scribes, who were very sagacious in foretelling future events truly, told the king, that about this time there would be a child born to the Israelites; that he would excel all men in virtue, and obtain glory that would be remembered through all ages. Which thing was so feared by the king that, according to this man's opinion, he commanded that they should cast every male child … into the river.”(3)
Exodus 1:16 “…if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter she shall live.” 1:22 “Then Pharaoh commanded all his people saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”(1)
Sir Flinders Petrie excavating at Kahun discovered many wooden boxes underneath the floors of houses and inside them were the skeletons of babies, sometimes up to three in a box.(2)
Exodus 2:2-3 “And the woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful she hid him for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus reeds basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it, and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.”(1)
Amenemhet III had two daughters.
Queen Sobekneferu (Thermuthis, Skemiophris) is likely the daughter who adopted Moses as a baby, a gift from the river god Hapi.(2)
Flavius Josephus 2.9.5 “Now Moses’s understanding became superior to his age, nay, far beyond that standard; and when he was taught, he discovered greater quickness of apprehension than was usual at his age; and his actions at that time promised greater, when he should come to the age of a man. God did also give him that tallness, when he was but three years old, as was wonderful; and as for his beauty, there was nobody so unpolite as, when they saw Moses, they were not greatly surprised at the beauty of his countenance; nay, it happened frequently, that those that met him as he was carried along the road, were obliged to turn again upon seeing the child; that they left what they were about, and stood still a great while to look on him; for the beauty of the child was so remarkable and natural to him on many accounts that it detained the spectators..”(3)
Exodus 1:16 “…if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter she shall live.” 1:22 “Then Pharaoh commanded all his people saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”(1)
Sir Flinders Petrie excavating at Kahun discovered many wooden boxes underneath the floors of houses and inside them were the skeletons of babies, sometimes up to three in a box.(2)
Exodus 2:2-3 “And the woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful she hid him for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus reeds basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it, and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.”(1)
Amenemhet III had two daughters.
Queen Sobekneferu (Thermuthis, Skemiophris) is likely the daughter who adopted Moses as a baby, a gift from the river god Hapi.(2)
Flavius Josephus 2.9.5 “Now Moses’s understanding became superior to his age, nay, far beyond that standard; and when he was taught, he discovered greater quickness of apprehension than was usual at his age; and his actions at that time promised greater, when he should come to the age of a man. God did also give him that tallness, when he was but three years old, as was wonderful; and as for his beauty, there was nobody so unpolite as, when they saw Moses, they were not greatly surprised at the beauty of his countenance; nay, it happened frequently, that those that met him as he was carried along the road, were obliged to turn again upon seeing the child; that they left what they were about, and stood still a great while to look on him; for the beauty of the child was so remarkable and natural to him on many accounts that it detained the spectators..”(3)
Amenemhet IV is Moses
Acts 7:20-22 “And it was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God; and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. And after he had been exposed, Pharaohs daughter took him away, and nurtured him as her own son. And Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and in deeds.”(1)
Amenemhet IV (Moses) shared a 9 year co-regency with Amenemhet III.(2)
Amenemhet IV (Moses) shared a 9 year co-regency with Amenemhet III.(2)
War with the Ethiopians
Flavius Josephus records that Egypt was at war with the Cushites (Ethiopians) to the south and that Pharaoh and his wise men, in a political move, prompted Moses to lead the Army of Egypt against them. Josephus 2.10.2 “…Moses was to be their General…but Moses prevented the enemies, and took and led his army before those enemies were appraised of attacking them; for he did not march by the river but by land, where he gave a wonderful demonstration of his sagacity; for when the ground was difficult to pass over, because of the multitude of serpents…some of which ascend out of the ground unseen, and also fly in the air,…Moses invented a wonderful stratagem to preserve the army safe…”(3)
Moses had the army put ibis in baskets and carry those baskets of ibis as they marched through the desert areas. This kept the serpents away. Horodotus also speaks about serpents in Arabia and Egypt:
Horodotus (5th century BC) “There is a place in Arabia more or less opposite the city of Buto, where I went to try to get information about the flying snakes. On my arrival I saw their skeletons in incalculable numbers; they were piled in heaps, some of which were big, others small, others – the most numerous – smaller still. The place where these bones lie is a narrow mountain pass leading to a broad plain which joins on to the plain of Egypt, and it is said that when the winged snakes fly to Egypt from Arabia in Spring, the ibises meet them at the entrance of the pass and do not let them through but kill them. According to the Arabians, this service is the reason for the great reverence with which the ibis is regarded in Egypt. … the winged snakes resemble water snakes; their wings are not feathered, but are like a bat’s.” Here we also have a description of what might be pterodactyls.
This seems to correlate well with the story of the serpents encountered by the Israelites as the Journeyed in the Wilderness. Numbers 21:6 “And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many of the people of Israel died.”(1)
Moses had the army put ibis in baskets and carry those baskets of ibis as they marched through the desert areas. This kept the serpents away. Horodotus also speaks about serpents in Arabia and Egypt:
Horodotus (5th century BC) “There is a place in Arabia more or less opposite the city of Buto, where I went to try to get information about the flying snakes. On my arrival I saw their skeletons in incalculable numbers; they were piled in heaps, some of which were big, others small, others – the most numerous – smaller still. The place where these bones lie is a narrow mountain pass leading to a broad plain which joins on to the plain of Egypt, and it is said that when the winged snakes fly to Egypt from Arabia in Spring, the ibises meet them at the entrance of the pass and do not let them through but kill them. According to the Arabians, this service is the reason for the great reverence with which the ibis is regarded in Egypt. … the winged snakes resemble water snakes; their wings are not feathered, but are like a bat’s.” Here we also have a description of what might be pterodactyls.
This seems to correlate well with the story of the serpents encountered by the Israelites as the Journeyed in the Wilderness. Numbers 21:6 “And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many of the people of Israel died.”(1)
Moses marries an Ethiopian Princess and wins the war
Flavius Josephus 2.10.2 “Tharbis was the daughter of the king of the Ethiopians: she happened to see Moses as he led the army near the walls, and fought with great courage; and admired the subtlety of his undertakings, and believing him to be an author of the Egyptians success, …she fell deeply in love with him; and upon the prevalence of the passion, sent to him the most faithful of her servants to discourse with him about their marriage. He thereupon accepted the offer, on condition she would procure the delivering up of the city; and gave her the assurance of an oath to take her to his wife.”(3)
Interestingly, there is a biblical reference to this marriage, often missed by Biblical readers:
Numbers 12:1“Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman); and they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well? And the Lord heard it. (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they both had come forward, He said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. “Not so with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all my household; “With him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?” So the anger of the Lord burned against them and He departed. But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold she was leprous. Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us,…”(1)
Interestingly, there is a biblical reference to this marriage, often missed by Biblical readers:
Numbers 12:1“Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman); and they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well? And the Lord heard it. (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they both had come forward, He said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. “Not so with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all my household; “With him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?” So the anger of the Lord burned against them and He departed. But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold she was leprous. Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us,…”(1)
Moses Runs for his Life
Acts 7:23-24 “But when he was approaching the age of of fourty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian…"(1)
Exodus 2:11-15 “Now it came about in those days, that when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And he went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were fighting with each other: and he said to the offender, “Why are you striking your companion?” [Acts 7:27 “..pushed him away..”] But he said “Who made you a prince or a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said “Surely the matter has become known”. When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses, But Moses fled …”.(1)
Flavius Josephus 2.11.1 “…he went away privately; and because the public roads were watched, he took his flights through the deserts and where his enemies could not suspect he would travel; and although he was destitute of food, he went on and despised the difficulty courageously…”(3)
Exodus 2:11-15 “Now it came about in those days, that when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And he went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were fighting with each other: and he said to the offender, “Why are you striking your companion?” [Acts 7:27 “..pushed him away..”] But he said “Who made you a prince or a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said “Surely the matter has become known”. When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses, But Moses fled …”.(1)
Flavius Josephus 2.11.1 “…he went away privately; and because the public roads were watched, he took his flights through the deserts and where his enemies could not suspect he would travel; and although he was destitute of food, he went on and despised the difficulty courageously…”(3)
The Burning Bush and Plagues of Egypt
The Biblical account states that Moses fled to the land of Midian and re-married and had children. He became a shepherd and spent 40yrs in the wilderness looking after sheep, until one day he was on a mountain and saw a bush in flames but not being burned up and God spoke to him and commissioned him to return to Egypt and show signs and wonders to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Genesis 4:19 "And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead."(1)
Ipuwer Papyrus 19th Dynasty copy of earlier event states(2):
“Nay but the heart is violent. Plague stalks through the land and blood is everywhere…..Nay, but the river is blood. Does a man drink from it? As a human he rejects it. He thirsts for water…Nay, but gates, columns and walls are consumed with fire …. Nay but men are few. He that lays his brother in the ground is everywhere…..Nay but the son of the highborn man is no longer to be recognized….the stranger people from outside are coming into Egypt …..Nay but corn has perished everywhere. People are stripped of clothing, perfume, and oil. Everyone says “there is no more.” The storehouse is bare….It has come to this. The king has been taken away by poor men.”
The Israelites left Egypt in a hurry. Egyptologist Rosalie David records excavations at Kahun, "The quantity, range, and types of articles of everyday use which were left behind in the houses may suggest that the departure was sudden and unpremeditated."(2)
Ipuwer Papyrus 19th Dynasty copy of earlier event states(2):
“Nay but the heart is violent. Plague stalks through the land and blood is everywhere…..Nay, but the river is blood. Does a man drink from it? As a human he rejects it. He thirsts for water…Nay, but gates, columns and walls are consumed with fire …. Nay but men are few. He that lays his brother in the ground is everywhere…..Nay but the son of the highborn man is no longer to be recognized….the stranger people from outside are coming into Egypt …..Nay but corn has perished everywhere. People are stripped of clothing, perfume, and oil. Everyone says “there is no more.” The storehouse is bare….It has come to this. The king has been taken away by poor men.”
The Israelites left Egypt in a hurry. Egyptologist Rosalie David records excavations at Kahun, "The quantity, range, and types of articles of everyday use which were left behind in the houses may suggest that the departure was sudden and unpremeditated."(2)
Egypt is left in Ruins - The HYCSOS take Egypt
After the reign of Nepherhotep I of the 13th Dynasty his son does not reign over Egypt. Instead of Nepherhotep I's son Wahnepherhotep, his brother Sobkhotep IV rules instead. Perhaps his son was the first born who died in the last plague of Egypt. Shortly after, while in pursuit of the escaping Israelite slaves, Nepherhotep I dies and disapears. His mummy has never been recovered. Could this be because it was at the bottom of the Red Sea.(2)
Josephus quotes Manetho: “There was a king of our whose name was Timaus. Under him it came to pass, I know not how, that God was adverse to us, and there came, after a surprising manner, men of ignoble birth out of the eastern parts, and had boldness enough to make an expedition into our country and with ease subdued it by force, yet without hazarding a battle with them. They afterwards burnt down our cities, demolished the temples of the gods, and used all the inhabitants after a most barbarous manner. Nay, some they slew and led their children and wives into slavery… this whole nation is styled Hycsos.”(3)
This brings to an end of the 13th Dynasty of Egypt. Sobkhotep IV onward the Pharaohs were puppet rulers of the HYCSOS. After this the HYCSOS invade Egypt and take control for the next 400-500yrs.
Josephus quotes Manetho: “There was a king of our whose name was Timaus. Under him it came to pass, I know not how, that God was adverse to us, and there came, after a surprising manner, men of ignoble birth out of the eastern parts, and had boldness enough to make an expedition into our country and with ease subdued it by force, yet without hazarding a battle with them. They afterwards burnt down our cities, demolished the temples of the gods, and used all the inhabitants after a most barbarous manner. Nay, some they slew and led their children and wives into slavery… this whole nation is styled Hycsos.”(3)
This brings to an end of the 13th Dynasty of Egypt. Sobkhotep IV onward the Pharaohs were puppet rulers of the HYCSOS. After this the HYCSOS invade Egypt and take control for the next 400-500yrs.
References
1. New American Standard Bible (1993), Chain Reference, compiled and edited by F.C. Thompson, B.B Kirkbridge Bible Co. Inc., USA.
2. Ashton J & Down D, (2006), Unwrapping The Pharaohs - How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical Timeline, Master Books, New Leaf Publishing Group, AR USA.
3. Flavius Josephus - The Complete Works, (1998) Nelson's Super Value Series, Translated by William Whiston, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville USA. Antiquities of the Jews, Flavius Josephus, (Circa 94 AD), Note: Underlined words are supplied.
4. Herodotus (5th Century BC) - The Histories by Herodotus, Penguin Classics, Tales from Herodotus, Book One, Penguin Books, Translated by Aubrey De Selincourt, pp 24-25.
1. New American Standard Bible (1993), Chain Reference, compiled and edited by F.C. Thompson, B.B Kirkbridge Bible Co. Inc., USA.
2. Ashton J & Down D, (2006), Unwrapping The Pharaohs - How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical Timeline, Master Books, New Leaf Publishing Group, AR USA.
3. Flavius Josephus - The Complete Works, (1998) Nelson's Super Value Series, Translated by William Whiston, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville USA. Antiquities of the Jews, Flavius Josephus, (Circa 94 AD), Note: Underlined words are supplied.
4. Herodotus (5th Century BC) - The Histories by Herodotus, Penguin Classics, Tales from Herodotus, Book One, Penguin Books, Translated by Aubrey De Selincourt, pp 24-25.