Moses — the lawgiver
The prophet who led Israel out of slavery in Egypt, received the Law at Mount Sinai, and led the people forty years in the wilderness toward the Promised Land.
What we know — and how we know it
𐰇𐱅𐰚𐰤 — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologyThe Egyptian Merneptah Stele (c. 1208 BC) is the earliest known mention of 'Israel' as a people in Canaan — evidence for Israel's presence in the era after the Exodus.
Scan by NYPL — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient writersGreek and Egyptian writers — Manetho, Strabo and Diodorus — preserve varied, often garbled traditions of a lawgiver named Moses who led a people out of Egypt.
Where in scripture
ExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyThe child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
Exodus 2:10
Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
Exodus 3:10 — Called at the burning bush
Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”
Exodus 5:1
Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
Exodus 7:1
Yahweh said to Moses, “Yet one plague more will I bring on Pharaoh, and on Egypt; afterwards he will let you go. When he lets you go, he will surely thrust you out altogether.
Exodus 11:1
Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
Exodus 12:1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Exodus 13:1
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Exodus 14:21 — Parts the Red Sea
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
Family
In their own words — 239 recorded sayings
“And he went out the day after and saw two of the Hebrews fighting: and he said to him who was in the wrong, Why are you fighting your brother?” — Exodus 2:13
“And he said, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? are you going to put me to death as you did the Egyptian? And Moses was in fear, and said, It is clear that the thing has come to light.” — Exodus 2:14
“And she gave birth to a son, to whom he gave the name Gershom: for he said, I have been living in a strange land.” — Exodus 2:22
“And Moses said, I will go and see this strange thing, why the tree is not burned up,” — Exodus 3:3
“And when the Lord saw him turning to one side to see, God said his name out of the tree, crying, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.” — Exodus 3:4
“And Moses said to God, Who am I to go to Pharaoh and take the children of Israel out of Egypt?” — Exodus 3:11
“And Moses said to God, When I come to the children of Israel and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you: and they say to me, What is his name? what am I to say to them?” — Exodus 3:13
“And Moses, answering, said, It is certain that they will not have faith in me or give ear to my voice; for they will say, You have not seen the Lord.” — Exodus 4:1
…and 231 more recorded sayings.
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
Journeys
The Exodus
Moses led Israel out of slavery in Egypt, through the sea and the wilderness to the edge of the Promised Land.
- Rameses · Year 1, Nisan — Israel leaves Egypt in the Exodus
- Red Sea · Year 1, month 1 — The sea is parted; Pharaoh's army drowned
- Mount Sinai · Year 1, month 3 — The Law is given amid fire and cloud
- Kadesh · Years 2–40 — The twelve spies; forty years of wandering
- Mount Nebo · Year 40 — Moses views the land he may not enter, and dies
Events
- The Birth of Moses
- The Burning Bush
- The Crossing of the Red Sea
- The Exodus from Egypt
- The First Passover
- The Giving of the Law at Sinai
- The Ten Plagues of Egypt
- The Golden Calf
- The Twelve Spies and the Forty Years
- Korah's Rebellion
- The Death of Moses on Mount Nebo
Places in their life
Photo: KennyOMG — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Photo: Leon petrosyan — CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Photo: Berthold Werner — CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
In art
