New Kingdom of Egypt (1550-1075 BC) Moses and the Exodus

The book of Genesis ends with the death of Joseph, his mummification and the promise to return his remains to the land of promise. 83 years had passed since his arrival. It was now the first part of the second intermediate period. 130 years later the foreigners called the Hyksos began to reign, the first non Egyptian kings. (A “a new king who did not know about Joseph” Exodus 1:8). What followed was slavery for the Hebrews.

Into this picture generations later comes the birth of Moses (Exodus 2:1-4) A very recent order came down that all boy Hebrews were to be thrown into the Nile after the failure of having mid-wives kill the all the Hebrew boys. His sister, Mariam the oldest had been spared Pharaoh’s death order as a female, Aaron, spared by the midwifes, was three years older than Moses and was at home. Moses is kept at home until he is 3 months old then placed into a basket into the Nile delta near Goshen.

Enter Pharaoh’s daughter. Bible scholars may disagree about who this is, but the majority believe this is the strong willed daughter of Thutmosis I, Hatshepsut.

Not only Pharaoh’s daughter, but later married to her much younger half brother, Thutmosis II, to give him authority to be Pharaoh, and then the aunt, stepmother and co-regent of Thutmosis III who was about 2 when he became Pharaoh.

Hatshepsut was possibly the real “power behind throne”: first during the reign of her husband, Thutmosis II, next as co-regent for 2-year-old Thutmosis III finally becoming Pharaoh all by herself until her death in 1459 BC when Thutmosis III took over with a vengeance. (Attempting to destroy Hatshepsut’s legacy)

Moses gives little of his first 40 years in Egypt in the book of Exodus. He was with his birth family in Goshen for 2 to 4 years of age then became the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter and the adopted grandson of Pharaoh.

Royal family members were well educated and living in the capital Thebes, Moses would have attended school at the temples of Karnak and Luxor.

At the time of the Exodus, who was Pharaoh? Lots of speculation. Only time and archeological exploration may tell us. Still it is exciting to be able to make the Old Testament live in my mind as I see what the Lord has left for us to see in Egypt.

However, Thutmosis III reigned for 54 years (co-reigned with Hatshepsut until 1459 BC) until 1427 BC and his first born son, crown prince Amenemhat died before his father and his brother, Amenhotep II was the next Pharaoh. If the exodus was in 1449 BC, it makes you wonder.