EXODUS HISTORY AND LITERATURE

MAJOR COMPONENTS OF EXODUS Story of Moses Yahweh’s war against Pharaoh Passover Miraculous sea-crossing and desert journey Sinai “theophany” Golden Calf episode Ratification of Mosaic Covenant

HYKSOS An Egyptian term for “foreign princes” Infiltrated Egypt from Syria and/or Canaan May have shared social customs of the Israelites Egyptian leaders drove out the Hyksos in about 1550 BCE The presence of the Hyksos may account for the thriving of the Israelites in Egypt, the descendants of Joseph and his brothers

“MOSES” An Egyptian name derived from the same root as pharaohs Thutmose and Ahmose

THEOCRACY A Society ruled directly by God

THEOPHANY From the Greek, meaning an appearance of a god to a person i.e. When Jacob wrestled with El When Yahweh appeared to Moses

RELATIONSHIP Exodus explicitly defines the nature of Yahweh’s relationship to his chosen people. Unlike covenant with Abraham which made few demands, the Mosaic covenant is bilateral—there are things the Israelites must do

FREEDOM Given for the purpose of worshipping and obeying Yahweh

HISTORICITY What evidence have historians and archaeologists found to corroborate the story of Moses, the parting of the sea, or other events in Exodus? None

EVIDENCE? No known Egyptian records refer to the plagues that allegedly devastated Egypt, the flight of Hebrew slaves, or the drowning of an Egyptian army Egypt’s many archives make no mention of Moses

MERNEPTAH’S STELE Earliest reference to Israel’s existence  BCE  King Tut = 1332 BCE  Moses circa 1300  Rameses II