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Moses

Person c. 1570 BC – 1450 BC Chronological estimate ⓘ Open in tree

led Israel out of Egypt in the Exodus (EXO 13:3)

Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Abraham › Isaac › Jacob › Levi › Kohath › Amram › Moses

Names
  • en Moses
    taken out; drawn forth
  • en Moses · Also called · H4872 G3475 · EXO 2:10
    draw out
  • en Manasseh · Also called
  • en My servant Moses · Title · H5650, H4872 G2324, G1473, G3475 · NUM 12:7
    servant [of mine] Moses
  • en man of G-d · Title · H376, H430 G444, G3588, G2316 · DEU 33:1
    man [of] G-d
  • en the servant of the LORD · Title · H5650, H3068 G3610, G2962 · DEU 34:5
    servant of the LORD
  • en the servant of G-d · Title · H5647, H430 G3816, G3588, G2316 · 1CH 6:49
    servant of G-d
  • he מֹשֶׁ֔ה mosheh · H4872 · EXO 2:10
    draw out
  • he מֹשֶׁה · H4872
  • he מְנַשֶּׁה · H4519K
  • he עַבְדִּי מֹשֶׁה avədiy mosheh · Title · H5650, H4872 · NUM 12:7
    servant [of mine] Moses
  • he אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים iysh haelohiym · Title · H376, H430 · DEU 33:1
    man [of] G-d
  • he עֶבֶד־יְהוָה eved y-h-v-h · Title · H5650, H3068 · DEU 34:5
    servant of the LORD
  • he עֶבֶד הָאֱלֹהִֽים eved haelohiym · Title · H5647, H430 · 1CH 6:49
    servant of G-d
  • el Μωϋσῆς Mōüsē͂s · G3475 · EXO 2:10
  • el Μωϋσῆς, Μωσῆς · G3475
  • el θεράπων μου Μωυσῆς therápōn mou Mōysē̂s · Title · G2324, G1473, G3475 · NUM 12:7
    servant [attendant?] [of me] Moses
  • el ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ ánthrōpos toû theoû · Title · G444, G3588, G2316 · DEU 33:1
    man of G-d
  • el οἰκέτης κυρίου oi̓kétēs kuríou · Title · G3610, G2962 · DEU 34:5
    servant [of the] lord
  • el παῖς τοῦ θεοῦ paîs toû theoû · Title · G3816, G3588, G2316 · 1CH 6:49
    servant of G-d
  • bg Моисей
Birth
Exod 7:7
Death
Deut 34:7
Mentioned in (793)
Exod 2:10 Exod 2:11 Exod 2:14 Exod 2:15 Exod 2:17 Exod 2:21 Exod 3:1 Exod 3:3 Exod 3:4 Exod 3:6 Exod 3:11 Exod 3:13 Exod 3:14 Exod 3:15 Exod 4:1 Exod 4:3 Exod 4:4 Exod 4:10 Exod 4:14 Exod 4:18 Exod 4:19 Exod 4:20 Exod 4:21 Exod 4:25 Exod 4:27 Exod 4:28 Exod 4:29 Exod 4:30 Exod 5:1 Exod 5:4 Exod 5:20 Exod 5:22 Exod 6:1 Exod 6:2 Exod 6:9 Exod 6:10 Exod 6:12 Exod 6:13 Exod 6:20 Exod 6:26 Exod 6:27 Exod 6:28 Exod 6:29 Exod 6:30 Exod 7:1 Exod 7:6 Exod 7:7 Exod 7:8 Exod 7:10 Exod 7:14 Exod 7:19 Exod 7:20 Exod 8:1 Exod 8:5 Exod 8:8 Exod 8:9 Exod 8:12 Exod 8:13 Exod 8:16 Exod 8:20 Exod 8:25 Exod 8:26 Exod 8:29 Exod 8:30 Exod 8:31 Exod 9:1 Exod 9:8 Exod 9:10 Exod 9:11 Exod 9:12 Exod 9:13 Exod 9:22 Exod 9:23 Exod 9:27 Exod 9:29 Exod 9:33 Exod 9:35 Exod 10:1 Exod 10:3 Exod 10:8 Exod 10:9 Exod 10:12 Exod 10:13 Exod 10:16 Exod 10:21 Exod 10:22 Exod 10:24 Exod 10:25 Exod 10:29 Exod 11:1 Exod 11:3 Exod 11:4 Exod 11:9 Exod 11:10 Exod 12:1 Exod 12:21 Exod 12:28 Exod 12:31 Exod 12:35 Exod 12:43 Exod 12:50 Exod 13:1 Exod 13:3 Exod 13:19 Exod 14:1 Exod 14:11 Exod 14:13 Exod 14:15 Exod 14:21 Exod 14:26 Exod 14:27 Exod 14:31 Exod 15:1 Exod 15:22 Exod 15:24 Exod 16:2 Exod 16:4 Exod 16:6 Exod 16:8 Exod 16:9 Exod 16:11 Exod 16:15 Exod 16:19 Exod 16:20 Exod 16:22 Exod 16:24 Exod 16:25 Exod 16:28 Exod 16:32 Exod 16:33 Exod 16:34 Exod 17:2 Exod 17:3 Exod 17:4 Exod 17:5 Exod 17:6 Exod 17:9 Exod 17:10 Exod 17:11 Exod 17:12 Exod 17:14 Exod 17:15 Exod 18:1 Exod 18:2 Exod 18:3 Exod 18:5 Exod 18:6 Exod 18:7 Exod 18:8 Exod 18:12 Exod 18:13 Exod 18:14 Exod 18:15 Exod 18:17 Exod 18:24 Exod 18:25 Exod 18:26 Exod 18:27 Exod 19:3 Exod 19:7 Exod 19:8 Exod 19:9 Exod 19:10 Exod 19:14 Exod 19:17 Exod 19:19 Exod 19:20 Exod 19:21 Exod 19:23 Exod 19:25 Exod 20:19 Exod 20:20 Exod 20:21 Exod 20:22 Exod 24:1 Exod 24:2 Exod 24:3 Exod 24:4 Exod 24:6 Exod 24:8 Exod 24:9 Exod 24:12 Exod 24:13 Exod 24:15 Exod 24:16 Exod 24:18 Exod 25:1 Exod 30:11 Exod 30:17 Exod 30:22 Exod 30:34 Exod 31:1 Exod 31:12 Exod 31:18 Exod 32:1 Exod 32:3 Exod 32:7 Exod 32:9 Exod 32:11 Exod 32:15 Exod 32:17 Exod 32:19 Exod 32:21 Exod 32:23 Exod 32:25 Exod 32:26 Exod 32:28 Exod 32:29 Exod 32:30 Exod 32:31 Exod 32:33 Exod 33:1 Exod 33:5 Exod 33:7 Exod 33:8 Exod 33:9 Exod 33:11 Exod 33:12 Exod 33:17 Exod 33:18 Exod 34:1 Exod 34:4 Exod 34:8 Exod 34:27 Exod 34:29 Exod 34:30 Exod 34:31 Exod 34:33 Exod 34:34 Exod 34:35 Exod 35:1 Exod 35:4 Exod 35:20 Exod 35:29 Exod 35:30 Exod 36:2 Exod 36:3 Exod 36:5 Exod 36:6 Exod 38:21 Exod 38:22 Exod 39:1 Exod 39:5 Exod 39:7 Exod 39:21 Exod 39:26 Exod 39:29 Exod 39:31 Exod 39:32 Exod 39:33 Exod 39:42 Exod 39:43 Exod 40:1 Exod 40:15 Exod 40:16 Exod 40:18 Exod 40:19 Exod 40:21 Exod 40:23 Exod 40:25 Exod 40:27 Exod 40:29 Exod 40:31 Exod 40:32 Exod 40:33 Exod 40:35 Lev 1:1 Lev 4:1 Lev 5:14 Lev 6:1 Lev 6:8 Lev 6:19 Lev 6:24 Lev 7:22 Lev 7:28 Lev 7:38 Lev 8:1 Lev 8:4 Lev 8:5 Lev 8:6 Lev 8:9 Lev 8:10 Lev 8:13 Lev 8:15 Lev 8:16 Lev 8:17 Lev 8:19 Lev 8:20 Lev 8:21 Lev 8:23 Lev 8:24 Lev 8:28 Lev 8:29 Lev 8:30 Lev 8:31 Lev 8:36 Lev 9:1 Lev 9:5 Lev 9:6 Lev 9:7 Lev 9:10 Lev 9:21 Lev 9:23 Lev 10:3 Lev 10:4 Lev 10:5 Lev 10:6 Lev 10:7 Lev 10:11 Lev 10:12 Lev 10:16 Lev 10:19 Lev 10:20 Lev 11:1 Lev 12:1 Lev 13:1 Lev 14:1 Lev 14:33 Lev 15:1 Lev 16:1 Lev 16:2 Lev 16:34 Lev 17:1 Lev 18:1 Lev 19:1 Lev 20:1 Lev 21:1 Lev 21:16 Lev 21:24 Lev 22:1 Lev 22:17 Lev 22:26 Lev 23:1 Lev 23:9 Lev 23:23 Lev 23:26 Lev 23:33 Lev 23:44 Lev 24:1 Lev 24:11 Lev 24:13 Lev 24:23 Lev 25:1 Lev 26:46 Lev 27:1 Lev 27:34 Num 1:1 Num 1:2 Num 1:17 Num 1:19 Num 1:44 Num 1:48 Num 1:54 Num 2:1 Num 2:33 Num 2:34 Num 3:1 Num 3:5 Num 3:11 Num 3:14 Num 3:16 Num 3:38 Num 3:39 Num 3:40 Num 3:42 Num 3:44 Num 3:49 Num 3:51 Num 4:1 Num 4:17 Num 4:21 Num 4:34 Num 4:37 Num 4:41 Num 4:45 Num 4:46 Num 4:49 Num 5:1 Num 5:4 Num 5:5 Num 5:11 Num 6:1 Num 6:22 Num 7:1 Num 7:4 Num 7:6 Num 7:11 Num 7:89 Num 8:1 Num 8:3 Num 8:4 Num 8:5 Num 8:20 Num 8:22 Num 8:23 Num 9:1 Num 9:4 Num 9:5 Num 9:6 Num 9:8 Num 9:9 Num 9:23 Num 10:1 Num 10:13 Num 10:29 Num 10:35 Num 11:2 Num 11:10 Num 11:11 Num 11:16 Num 11:21 Num 11:23 Num 11:24 Num 11:27 Num 11:28 Num 11:29 Num 11:30 Num 12:1 Num 12:2 Num 12:3 Num 12:4 Num 12:7 Num 12:8 Num 12:11 Num 12:13 Num 12:14 Num 13:1 Num 13:3 Num 13:16 Num 13:17 Num 13:26 Num 13:30 Num 14:2 Num 14:5 Num 14:11 Num 14:13 Num 14:26 Num 14:36 Num 14:39 Num 14:41 Num 14:44 Num 15:1 Num 15:17 Num 15:22 Num 15:23 Num 15:33 Num 15:35 Num 15:36 Num 15:37 Num 16:2 Num 16:3 Num 16:4 Num 16:8 Num 16:12 Num 16:15 Num 16:16 Num 16:18 Num 16:20 Num 16:23 Num 16:25 Num 16:28 Num 16:36 Num 16:40 Num 16:41 Num 16:42 Num 16:43 Num 16:44 Num 16:46 Num 16:47 Num 16:50 Num 17:1 Num 17:6 Num 17:7 Num 17:8 Num 17:9 Num 17:10 Num 17:11 Num 17:12 Num 18:25 Num 19:1 Num 20:2 Num 20:3 Num 20:6 Num 20:7 Num 20:9 Num 20:10 Num 20:11 Num 20:12 Num 20:14 Num 20:23 Num 20:27 Num 20:28 Num 21:5 Num 21:7 Num 21:8 Num 21:9 Num 21:16 Num 21:32 Num 21:34 Num 25:4 Num 25:5 Num 25:6 Num 25:10 Num 25:16 Num 26:1 Num 26:3 Num 26:4 Num 26:9 Num 26:52 Num 26:59 Num 26:63 Num 26:64 Num 27:2 Num 27:5 Num 27:6 Num 27:11 Num 27:12 Num 27:15 Num 27:18 Num 27:22 Num 27:23 Num 28:1 Num 29:40 Num 30:1 Num 30:16 Num 31:1 Num 31:3 Num 31:6 Num 31:7 Num 31:12 Num 31:13 Num 31:14 Num 31:15 Num 31:21 Num 31:25 Num 31:31 Num 31:41 Num 31:42 Num 31:47 Num 31:48 Num 31:49 Num 31:51 Num 31:54 Num 32:2 Num 32:6 Num 32:20 Num 32:25 Num 32:28 Num 32:29 Num 32:33 Num 32:40 Num 33:1 Num 33:2 Num 33:50 Num 34:1 Num 34:13 Num 34:16 Num 35:1 Num 35:9 Num 36:1 Num 36:5 Num 36:10 Num 36:13 Deut 1:1 Deut 1:3 Deut 1:5 Deut 4:41 Deut 4:44 Deut 4:45 Deut 4:46 Deut 5:1 Deut 27:1 Deut 27:9 Deut 27:11 Deut 29:1 Deut 29:2 Deut 31:1 Deut 31:7 Deut 31:9 Deut 31:10 Deut 31:14 Deut 31:16 Deut 31:22 Deut 31:24 Deut 31:25 Deut 31:30 Deut 32:44 Deut 32:45 Deut 32:48 Deut 33:1 Deut 33:4 Deut 34:1 Deut 34:5 Deut 34:7 Deut 34:8 Deut 34:9 Deut 34:10 Deut 34:12 Josh 1:1 Josh 1:2 Josh 1:3 Josh 1:5 Josh 1:7 Josh 1:13 Josh 1:14 Josh 1:15 Josh 1:17 Josh 3:7 Josh 4:10 Josh 4:12 Josh 4:14 Josh 8:31 Josh 8:32 Josh 8:33 Josh 8:35 Josh 9:24 Josh 11:12 Josh 11:15 Josh 11:20 Josh 11:23 Josh 12:6 Josh 13:8 Josh 13:12 Josh 13:15 Josh 13:21 Josh 13:24 Josh 13:29 Josh 13:32 Josh 13:33 Josh 14:2 Josh 14:3 Josh 14:5 Josh 14:6 Josh 14:7 Josh 14:9 Josh 14:10 Josh 14:11 Josh 17:4 Josh 18:7 Josh 20:2 Josh 21:2 Josh 21:8 Josh 22:2 Josh 22:4 Josh 22:5 Josh 22:7 Josh 22:9 Josh 23:6 Josh 24:5 Judg 1:16 Judg 1:20 Judg 3:4 Judg 4:11 Judg 18:30 1 Sam 12:6 1 Sam 12:8 1 Kgs 2:3 1 Kgs 8:9 1 Kgs 8:53 1 Kgs 8:56 2 Kgs 14:6 2 Kgs 18:4 2 Kgs 18:6 2 Kgs 18:12 2 Kgs 21:8 2 Kgs 23:25 1 Chr 6:3 1 Chr 6:49 1 Chr 15:15 1 Chr 21:29 1 Chr 22:13 1 Chr 23:13 1 Chr 23:14 1 Chr 23:15 1 Chr 26:24 2 Chr 1:3 2 Chr 5:10 2 Chr 8:13 2 Chr 23:18 2 Chr 24:6 2 Chr 24:9 2 Chr 25:4 2 Chr 30:16 2 Chr 33:8 2 Chr 34:14 2 Chr 35:6 2 Chr 35:12 Ezra 3:2 Ezra 6:18 Ezra 7:6 Neh 1:7 Neh 1:8 Neh 8:1 Neh 8:14 Neh 9:14 Neh 10:29 Neh 13:1 Ps 77:20 Ps 90:0 Ps 90:1 Ps 99:6 Ps 103:7 Ps 105:26 Ps 106:16 Ps 106:23 Ps 106:32 Isa 63:11 Isa 63:12 Jer 15:1 Dan 9:11 Dan 9:13 Mic 6:4 Mal 4:4 Matt 8:4 Matt 17:3 Matt 17:4 Matt 19:7 Matt 19:8 Matt 22:24 Matt 23:2 Mark 1:44 Mark 7:10 Mark 9:4 Mark 9:5 Mark 10:3 Mark 10:4 Mark 12:19 Mark 12:26 Luke 2:22 Luke 5:14 Luke 9:30 Luke 9:33 Luke 16:29 Luke 16:31 Luke 20:28 Luke 20:37 Luke 24:27 Luke 24:44 John 1:17 John 1:45 John 3:14 John 5:45 John 5:46 John 6:32 John 7:19 John 7:22 John 7:23 John 8:5 John 9:28 John 9:29 Acts 3:22 Acts 6:11 Acts 6:14 Acts 7:20 Acts 7:22 Acts 7:29 Acts 7:31 Acts 7:32 Acts 7:35 Acts 7:37 Acts 7:40 Acts 7:44 Acts 13:38 Acts 13:39 Acts 15:1 Acts 15:5 Acts 15:21 Acts 21:21 Acts 26:22 Acts 28:23 Rom 5:14 Rom 9:15 Rom 10:5 Rom 10:19 1 Cor 9:9 1 Cor 10:2 2 Cor 3:7 2 Cor 3:13 2 Cor 3:15 2 Tim 3:8 Heb 3:2 Heb 3:3 Heb 3:5 Heb 3:16 Heb 7:14 Heb 8:5 Heb 9:19 Heb 10:28 Heb 11:23 Heb 11:24 Heb 12:21 Jude 1:9 Rev 15:3

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Age · 120

Explicitly stated · Age explicitly stated in the Bible text.

DEU 34:7

Source calculation and assumptions

The year of Moses_1's birth is the year of the Exodus (2515) - his age when he spoke with Pharaoh before the Exodus (80) = 2435

The year of Moses_1's death is the year he was born (2435) + his age at death (120) = 2555

Moses was 80 when they spoke with Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus so Moses was born 80 years before the Exodus.

Dates and sources (15)

Absolute years are conditional chronological estimates. A biblical passage may state an age or event, but does not by itself establish a BCE year. Different calendar systems are preserved separately.

Family of origin
Family with Zipporah
Took part in (10)
Was born in (2)
Belonged to (1)
Died in (1)
Brother-in-law (1)
Brother-in-law (1)
Masters and mistresses (1)
An illustration of the accounts about Moses.
An illustration of the accounts about Moses. · Gustave Doré (1832–1883) · Public domain · Official source · AI-assisted caption
An illustration of the accounts about Moses.
An illustration of the accounts about Moses. · Gustave Doré · Public domain · Official source · AI-assisted caption
An illustration of the accounts about Moses.
An illustration of the accounts about Moses. · Gustave Doré · Public domain · Official source · AI-assisted caption
Moses strikes the rock at Horeb.
Moses strikes the rock at Horeb. · Gustave Doré · Public domain · Official source · AI-assisted caption
Moses Summary STEPBible TIPNR

Moses was a prophet whom God used to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt and give them the law.

Moses Article STEPBible TIPNR

Moses was born to Amram and Jochebed, Levites in Egypt, at a time when Pharaoh had commanded that all Hebrew male infants be killed (Exo 2:1-2). His mother hid him for three months, then placed him in a basket on the Nile where Pharaoh's daughter found and adopted him (Exo 2:3-10). As an adult, Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew and fled to Midian (Exo 2:11-15). There he married Zipporah and worked as a shepherd for his father-in-law Jethro (Exo 2:16-22).

God appeared to Moses in a burning bush and called him to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3-4). Moses, along with his brother Aaron, went to Pharaoh demanding that he let Israel go (Exo 5:1). Through a series of ten plagues, God compelled Pharaoh to release the Israelites (Exodus 7-12). Moses led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and to Mount Sinai (Exodus 13-19). There God gave Moses the law and instructions for the tabernacle (Exodus 20-31).

While Moses was on the mountain, Israel made and worshiped a golden calf (Exodus 32). Moses interceded for the people and God relented from destroying them (Exodus 32-34). Moses oversaw the construction of the tabernacle (Exodus 35-40). He led Israel for forty years in the wilderness, mediating between them and God (Numbers, Deuteronomy). God prohibited Moses from entering Canaan because of his disobedience at Meribah (Num 20:1-13). Before his death, Moses viewed the promised land from Mount Nebo (Deu 34:1-4). He died at 120 years old and was buried by God (Deu 34:5-8).

The New Testament refers to Moses as the giver of the law (Jhn 1:17), a type of Christ (Jhn 3:14), and the greatest prophet of the old covenant (Act 3:22-23).

He is named "Manasseh" in several manuscripts of Judges 18.30 to save shaming his name when his grandson set up an idol.

Moses Dictionary Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)

Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Thus favoured, the Israelites began to “multiply exceedingly” (Gen. 47:27), and extended to the west and south. At length the supremacy of the Hyksos came to an end. The descendants of Jacob were allowed to retain their possession of Goshen undisturbed, but after the death of Joseph their position was not so favourable. The Egyptians began to despise them, and the period of their “affliction” (Gen. 15:13) commenced. They were sorely oppressed. They continued, however, to increase in numbers, and “the land was filled with them” (Ex. 1:7). The native Egyptians regarded them with suspicion, so that they felt all the hardship of a struggle for existence.

In process of time “a king [probably Seti I.] arose who knew not Joseph” (Ex. 1:8). The circumstances of the country were such that this king thought it necessary to weaken his Israelite subjects by oppressing them, and by degrees reducing their number. They were accordingly made public slaves, and were employed in connection with his numerous buildings, especially in the erection of store-cities, temples, and palaces. The children of Israel were made to serve with rigour. Their lives were made bitter with hard bondage, and “all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour” (Ex. 1:13, 14). But this cruel oppression had not the result expected of reducing their number. On the contrary, “the more the Egyptians afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew” (Ex. 1:12).

The king next tried, through a compact secretly made with the guild of midwives, to bring about the destruction of all the Hebrew male children that might be born. But the king’s wish was not rigorously enforced; the male children were spared by the midwives, so that “the people multiplied” more than ever. Thus baffled, the king issued a public proclamation calling on the people to put to death all the Hebrew male children by casting them into the river (Ex. 1:22). But neither by this edict was the king’s purpose effected.

One of the Hebrew households into which this cruel edict of the king brought great alarm was that of Amram, of the family of the Kohathites (Ex. 6:16-20), who with his wife Jochebed and two children, Miriam, a girl of perhaps fifteen years of age, and Aaron, a boy of three years, resided in or near Memphis, the capital city of that time. In this quiet home a male child was born (B.C. 1571). His mother concealed him in the house for three months from the knowledge of the civic authorities. But when the task of concealment became difficult, Jochebed contrived to bring her child under the notice of the daughter of the king by constructing for him an ark of bulrushes, which she laid among the flags which grew on the edge of the river at the spot where the princess was wont to come down and bathe. Her plan was successful. The king’s daughter “saw the child; and behold the child wept.” The princess (see PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER [1]) sent Miriam, who was standing by, to fetch a nurse. She went and brought the mother of the child, to whom the princess said, “Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.” Thus Jochebed’s child, whom the princess called “Moses”, i.e., “Saved from the water” (Ex. 2:10), was ultimately restored to her.

As soon as the natural time for weaning the child had come, he was transferred from the humble abode of his father to the royal palace, where he was brought up as the adopted son of the princess, his mother probably accompanying him and caring still for him. He grew up amid all the grandeur and excitement of the Egyptian court, maintaining, however, probably a constant fellowship with his mother, which was of the highest importance as to his religious belief and his interest in his “brethren.” His education would doubtless be carefully attended to, and he would enjoy all the advantages of training both as to his body and his mind. He at length became “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22). Egypt had then two chief seats of learning, or universities, at one of which, probably that of Heliopolis, his education was completed. Moses, being now about twenty years of age, spent over twenty more before he came into prominence in Bible history. These twenty years were probably spent in military service. There is a tradition recorded by Josephus that he took a lead in the war which was then waged between Egypt and Ethiopia, in which he gained renown as a skilful general, and became “mighty in deeds” (Acts 7:22).

After the termination of the war in Ethiopia, Moses returned to the Egyptian court, where he might reasonably have expected to be loaded with honours and enriched with wealth. But “beneath the smooth current of his life hitherto, a life of alternate luxury at the court and comparative hardness in the camp and in the discharge of his military duties, there had lurked from childhood to youth, and from youth to manhood, a secret discontent, perhaps a secret ambition. Moses, amid all his Egyptian surroundings, had never forgotten, had never wished to forget, that he was a Hebrew.” He now resolved to make himself acquainted with the condition of his countrymen, and “went out unto his brethren, and looked upon their burdens” (Ex. 2:11). This tour of inspection revealed to him the cruel oppression and bondage under which they everywhere groaned, and could not fail to press on him the serious consideration of his duty regarding them. The time had arrived for his making common cause with them, that he might thereby help to break their yoke of bondage. He made his choice accordingly (Heb. 11:25-27), assured that God would bless his resolution for the welfare of his people. He now left the palace of the king and took up his abode, probably in his father’s house, as one of the Hebrew people who had for forty years been suffering cruel wrong at the hands of the Egyptians.

He could not remain indifferent to the state of things around him, and going out one day among the people, his indignation was roused against an Egyptian who was maltreating a Hebrew. He rashly lifted up his hand and slew the Egyptian, and hid his body in the sand. Next day he went out again and found two Hebrews striving together. He speedily found that the deed of the previous day was known. It reached the ears of Pharaoh (the “great Rameses,” Rameses II.), who “sought to slay Moses” (Ex. 2:15). Moved by fear, Moses fled from Egypt, and betook himself to the land of Midian, the southern part of the peninsula of Sinai, probably by much the same route as that by which, forty years afterwards, he led the Israelites to Sinai. He was providentially led to find a new home with the family of Reuel, where he remained for forty years (Acts 7:30), under training unconsciously for his great life’s work.

Suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush (Ex. 3), and commissioned him to go down to Egypt and “bring forth the children of Israel” out of bondage. He was at first unwilling to go, but at length he was obedient to the heavenly vision, and left the land of Midian (4:18-26). On the way he was met by Aaron (q.v.) and the elders of Israel (27-31). He and Aaron had a hard task before them; but the Lord was with them (ch. 7-12), and the ransomed host went forth in triumph. After an eventful journey to and fro in the wilderness, we see them at length encamped in the plains of Moab, ready to cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. There Moses addressed the assembled elders (Deut. 1:1-4; 5:1-26:19; 27:11-30:20), and gives the people his last counsels, and then rehearses the great song (Deut. 32), clothing in fitting words the deep emotions of his heart at such a time, and in review of such a marvellous history as that in which he had acted so conspicious a part. Then, after blessing the tribes (33), he ascends to “the mountain of Nebo (q.v.), to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho” (34:1), and from thence he surveys the land. “Jehovah shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, and the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar” (Deut. 34:2-3), the magnificient inheritance of the tribes of whom he had been so long the leader; and there he died, being one hundred and twenty years old, according to the word of the Lord, and was buried by the Lord “in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor” (34:6). The people mourned for him during thirty days.

Thus died “Moses the man of God” (Deut. 33:1; Josh. 14:6). He was distinguished for his meekness and patience and firmness, and “he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” “There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, and in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel” (Deut. 34:10-12).

The name of Moses occurs frequently in the Psalms and Prophets as the chief of the prophets.

In the New Testament he is referred to as the representative of the law and as a type of Christ (John 1:17; 2 Cor. 3:13-18; Heb. 3:5, 6). Moses is the only character in the Old Testament to whom Christ likens himself (John 5:46; comp. Deut. 18:15, 18, 19; Acts 7:37). In Heb. 3:1-19 this likeness to Moses is set forth in various particulars.

In Jude 1:9 mention is made of a contention between Michael and the devil about the body of Moses. This dispute is supposed to have had reference to the concealment of the body of Moses so as to prevent idolatry.

Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Moses_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Moses@Exo.2.10-Rev) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, moses_2108)

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