Moses
The Levite who, in the Bible’s account, led Israel out of Egypt, received the law at Sinai and brought the people to the edge of Canaan. Jews and Christians name the first five books of the Bible after him.
Moses was born to Levite parents in Egypt and brought up by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:1–10). After killing an Egyptian he fled to Midian (Exodus 2:11–15), and at Horeb he was sent back to bring Israel out (Exodus 3:1–10). He stands at the centre of the events from the exodus to the edge of Canaan: the plagues and the crossing of the sea, the covenant and the law at Mount Sinai, the building of the tabernacle and the forty years in the wilderness. He died on Mount Nebo at the age of 120, in sight of the land he was not allowed to enter (Deuteronomy 34:1–7).
The Bible describes him as a prophet without equal, with whom God spoke “mouth to mouth” (Numbers 12:6–8) (Deuteronomy 34:10). The New Testament sets him beside Jesus: “the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Hebrews calls him a faithful servant in God’s house and Christ the Son over it (Hebrews 3:1–6). The Bible gives no date for his birth or death and names no pharaoh, and no source from the time outside it mentions him; when he lived depends on the disputed date of the Exodus from Egypt.
In the timeline
- c. 1447 or c. 1261 BC, traditional dateThe Call of Moses
In Exodus Moses, born under Pharaoh’s order to kill Hebrew boys and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, flees to Midian. At Horeb a voice from a burning bush reveals the divine name and sends him back to bring Israel out of Egypt.
- c. 1446 or c. 1260 BC, traditional dateThe Exodus from Egypt
Exodus tells how, after a series of plagues and the first Passover, Israel leaves Egypt under Moses and crosses the sea, in which Pharaoh’s pursuing army is drowned. The rest of the Bible looks back to this event constantly.
- c. 1446 or c. 1260 BC, traditional dateThe Covenant at Sinai
In Exodus Israel hears the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai and accepts a covenant sealed with blood. While Moses is on the mountain the people make a golden calf; after his intercession the tablets of the law are written again.
- c. 1445 or c. 1259 BC, traditional dateThe Tabernacle and the Priesthood
Following instructions given on Sinai, Israel builds a portable sanctuary to house the ark of the covenant. Aaron and his sons are ordained as its priests, and the yearly Day of Atonement is laid down.
- c. 1445–1406 or c. 1259–1220 BC, traditional dateForty Years in the Wilderness
At Kadesh-barnea the Israelites refuse to enter Canaan after their scouts report on it, and are sentenced to wander until that generation has died. Forty years after leaving Egypt their children camp opposite Jericho.
- c. 1406 or c. 1220 BC, traditional dateThe Farewell and Death of Moses
In the plains of Moab Moses renews the covenant with the generation born in the wilderness, writes down the law and hands the leadership to Joshua. He sees the promised land from Mount Nebo and dies there without entering it.