Moses

Prophet who, in Hebrew tradition, led his people out of Egypt.

Life

Court and exile

According to the Book of Exodus, Moses was born into a Hebrew family forced into hard labor for Pharaoh. Adopted by a princess, he grew up at the Egyptian court, but after killing an Egyptian overseer who was abusing Hebrew slaves he fled to Midian. There he saw the vision of the burning bush and was commanded to return to Egypt and lead his people out.

Exodus and the Ten Commandments

Legend says that after his repeated negotiations with Pharaoh failed, Yahweh sent the Ten Plagues to force Pharaoh to let them go. The Hebrews crossed the Red Sea and escaped their pursuers, then wandered in the wilderness of Sinai for 40 years. On Mount Sinai Moses received the Ten Commandments and the Law, and he finally died on the plains of Moab before entering Canaan, never seeing the Promised Land with his own eyes.

Debate over historicity

The Exodus has no independent record in contemporary Egyptian official documents, and its historicity is widely debated among scholars. Some argue that there was indeed one or more migrations of Hebrew groups out of Egypt, on a far smaller scale than the Bible describes; others believe the entire narrative is a legend systematically constructed after the Babylonian captivity to forge national identity. The historicity of Moses himself still cannot be independently confirmed by archaeology.

Legacy

In Judaism Moses is revered as the greatest prophet and lawgiver, and Christianity and Islam also honor him as a major prophet; Islam calls him Musa. The monotheism and moral law represented by the Ten Commandments have profoundly influenced Western legal and ethical traditions. Tradition holds that he wrote the Five Books of Moses, but most modern scholars believe these books were compiled from multiple sources over a long period. His historicity remains hard to verify.

Major works & achievements

• Said to have led the Hebrews out of Egypt
• Said to have received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai
• Traditionally regarded as the author of the Five Books of Moses

Did you know? In the Quran, Musa (Moses) is one of the most frequently mentioned prophets, commonly counted at more than 130 times.

Key dates

• 1300 BCESaid to have been born to a Hebrew family in Egypt
• 1250 BCESaid to have led the Hebrews out of Egypt
• 1250 BCESaid to have delivered the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai
• 1240 BCEWandering in the wilderness (tradition)
• 1210 BCESaid to have died on the plains of Moab