Exodus 1 -- According to the text, the Hebrew nation had stayed in Goshen 430 years (Exodus 12:40). During that time, as we saw in the last lesson, the Hyksos arrived and took over Egypt. We are assuming it is they who enslaved the Hebrews. Israel had become rather favored by the native Egyptians of the Old Kingdom. The nation of Israel had become large enough to present a military threat in the new seat of Hyksos power. The preventive measure was to subject them to harsh slavery in the great building projects typical of monarchies throughout history. While this slavery included a host of agricultural tasks, as well, the focus was on the brick making that dominated their workload. The Hebrew scribe calls the cities built from these bricks by the later names Pithom and Raamses. This latter was the site of the Hyksos capital, which they called Avaris (also known as Zoan or Tanis).
Typically, enslaved nations were assigned some task on the basis of a production quota. The management for this assignment was likely drawn from the subjugated native Egyptians. These royal works managers were held directly responsible for the quota, and were punished for falling short. They were thus, in turn, encouraged to punish their charges in like manner. Archaeology has revealed that these royal works projects could be extremely harsh. For example, the royal bakers spent their days in a smoke-filled oven-house, and probably died early from lung disease. The Hyksos sought to drive a wedge between the native Egyptian population and the Hebrews, to prevent these long-time allies from combining to overthrow the Asiatic invaders.
Never totally dominating the Southern or Upper Nile, there were several wars fought between the Hyksos and old native nobility based there. Eventually, an army led by a prince defeated them and drove them out, in about 1570 BC. He took the throne as Ahmosis I, and apparently continued the enslavement policy for the Hebrews. It seems he used them to destroy the old Hyksos cities, and to in turn rebuild the temples from the Old Kingdom destroyed by the Hyksos. Since there was no change in their treatment, there is little wonder that the text doesn't mention the change of regimes.
All this sad state of affairs for Israel was a clear fulfillment of the prophecy Jehovah hinted at in His Covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:17). The torch and oven was to show that while things would be incredibly harsh (the oven) it would bring about a starkly clear revelation (the torch) of God's new covenant with the nation of Israel.
Exodus 2 -- The Hebrews would have been careful to maintain a distinct national identity during their time in the East Nile Delta Region. The early necessity for the Egyptians to remain aloof from these wandering sheep herders encouraged the Hebrews to develop a distinctive culture around the devotion to Jehovah, handed down from the patriarchs. While their rituals would have been based on ancient Semitic customs, it would have become quite ingrained by that time. It no doubt included taking note of the patriarchal aversion to mixing with the pagans. Israel was not entirely free of pagan elements, as we learn from later biblical texts (Amos 5:25-26; Acts 7:39-43). Yet, they were clearly distinct and identifiable to the Hyksos.
The harsh oppression did not serve to reduce their population, as would be expected. It seems only to have accelerated their growth rate. There was no help for the rulers from the midwives, either. In exasperation, the new Pharaoh resorted to male infanticide. This created the circumstances which brought about Moses' unique upbringing. His parents couldn't bear to carry out the royal edict to toss him into the Nile as an offering to the pagan gods. After it was no longer possible to hide him, his mother half obeyed the command by setting him adrift on the Nile in a watertight wicker basket. His elder sister was set to watch his fate. Her offer of finding for the princess a wet-nurse among the Hebrews guaranteed he would know of his Hebrew heritage, indeed, his own family. Weaning would have been between the ages of three and five, and quite likely closer to the latter.
Thutmos I was on the throne at that time. Maintaining the old Nile-centered religion, his daughter Hathshepsut would have gone daily to the river as an act of worship. Though she recognized him as a Hebrew baby, she must have taken Moses as a gift from the Nile gods. The name Moses (Moshe) means "Son" in Egyptian, and "He draws them out" in Hebrew. Thus, Hathshepsut unknowingly prophesied his future. She was not the first, nor the last Egyptian princess to raise a foreigner in the royal household. As an adopted son of royalty, he would have been highly educated, and trained in warfare.
For a while, Moses' adoptive mother ruled Egypt. She was co-regent with her husband, then Queen-regent after he died, while her stepson was yet too young to rule. With the support of the nobility, she had herself declared Pharaoh, and donned a false beard in public to keep up the appearances of a male-dominated society. Her stepson, Thutmose III, who was titular ruler from 1504, never gained complete control until she died in 1482 BC.
The Bible states the reason for Moses' flight from Egypt as the murder of a low-ranking Egyptian official. That appears to have been merely the official reason. There is credible evidence that Moses had been the general in command of a large expedition to the south, into Ethiopia, to conquer an invading army that had already won one battle against the Egyptians. His success may have brought popular rumblings of making Moses the next Pharaoh. At the very least, as a presumed supporter of his adoptive mother's rule, He would have been an enemy to the supporters of Thutmose in his rival claim to the throne against Hathshepsut. The killing may also have represented an act of rebellion against the younger ruler, a signal of his intent to deliver the Hebrews according to the means of intrigue and warfare he had learned at court. It would seem Moses meant to give a signal to the Hebrew people, but to have kept it a secret from Thutmose.
This would have been the typical human approach, and not in itself especially sinful. However, this would have made Moses the hero, not God. Clearly, it is in all Creation's best interest for God to get the glory, not any created being. Therefore, God aborted this man-centered attempt. Moses had so very much to learn before he was ready to be God's man. Yet, when it was all done His way, it secured Moses' place in human history as nothing else could have done.
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Ed Hurst
revised 30 January 2004
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