Top 20 Facts about Moses in the Bible

Philippe de Champaigne – Moses Presenting the Tablets of the Law – c. 1648.jpg Photo by Philippe de Champaigne – Wikimedia Commons

Top 20 Facts about Moses in the Bible

Through each generation, Moses has been considered the most important prophet in Judaism and among the essential prophets in Christianity, Islam, and other Abrahamic religions. According to the Bible, Moses was the leader of the Israelites and lawgiver to whom the authorship of the Torah which is the first five books of the Bible.

According to the book of Exodus, Moses was born at a time when the Israelites were an enslaved minority in Egypt. At the time, the Eygptian Pharaoh worried that the Israelites were increasing in popularity and they might ally themselves with Egypt’s enemies. His mother secretly hid him when Pharaoh ordered all newborn Hebrew bots to be killed as a way to reduce the population of the Israelites.

The child was later found and adopted as a foundling from the Nile and grew up with the Egyptian royal family. After he killed an Egyptian slave master who was beating a Hebrew, Moses fled across the Red Sea to Midian. During his journey, he encountered the Angel of the Lord who spoke to him through a burning bush on Mount Horeb, which he regarded as the Mountain of God.

Through the Angel, God sent a message to Moses for him to go back to Egypt to demand the release of the Israelites from slavery. Moses said that he could not speak eloquently, so God allowed Aaron who was Moses’ elder brother to become his spokesperson. 

After the Ten Plagues put Egypt on a terror rush, Moses was able to free the Israelites and lead them out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, this was the historical moment where he split the sea in two and every Egyptian soldier who followed them was swallowed by the water.

The Israelites based themselves on Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments. God told him that he shall not see the promised land, which is Canaan. To confirm God’s word, Moses wandered in the desert for 40 years and died at Mount Nebo at the age of 120 years overlooking the promised land.

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1. Moses The Deliverer of Israel

Guido Reni – Moses with the Tables of the Law – WGA19289.jpg Photo by Guido Reni – Wikimedia Commons

At the time of Jacob and Joseph, the Israelites had settled in the Land of Goshen. However, the new Pharaoh arose who oppressed the children of Israel. During this time, he was born to his father Amram, son of Kehath the Levite, who entered Egypt with Jacob’s household. Moses had one older sister Miriam, and one older brother Aaron.

Moses was one of the newborns who were to be killed, but his mother gained the courage to hide him in an ark and concealed the ark in the bulrushes by the riverbank, where the baby was discovered and adopted by Pharoah’s daughter. During adulthood, he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew, in order to escape Pharoah’s death penalty, he fled to Midian where he married Zipporah.

There on Mount Horeb was he given the command to go back to Egypt and save the Israelites and lead them to the Promised Land. During the Journey, God tried to kill Moses, but Zipporah saved his life. Moses returned to carry out God’s command, but God caused Pharoah to refuse.

Only after God had subjected Egypt to ten plagues did Pharaoh relent. Moses led the Israelites to the border of Egypt, but God hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more so him and his army at the Red Sea Crossing as a sign of his power to Israel and the nations.

After the Israelites defeated the Amalekites in Rephidim, Moses led the Israelites to Mount Sinai, where he was given the Ten Commandments from God. By the power of God’s hand, the Ten Commandments were written on stone tablets that were used to teach the Israelites. However, Moses came down to the foot of the mountain, and the Israelites made a statue of a golden calf and worshipped it, thus disobeying and angering God and Moses. Out of anger, Moses broke the tablets and ordered everyone who worshipped the statue to be eliminated. 

Moses later wrote the Ten Commandments on a new set of tablets and delivered the laws of God to Israel he instituted the priesthood under the sons of Moses’ brother Aaron and destroyed those Israelites who fell away from his worship. 

During Moses’ final act at Sinai, God gave Moses instructions for the Tabernacle which was the mobile shrine by which he would travel with Israel to the Promised Land.  

2. Journey From Sinai To Promised Land

Landscape with Moses and the Burning Bush MET DT10296.jpg Photo by Domenichino – Wikimedia Commons

Moses led the Israelites to the Desert of Paran on the border of Canaan. From there he sent twelve spies were sent into the land. The spies returned with samples of the land’s fertility. the only problem with that land was that it was inhabited by giants. This discouraged the Israelites and some went as far as to rebel against Moses and against God.

God punished the Israelites with forty years of wandering in the wilderness and the generation that refused to enter Canaan would have died and their children would possess the Promised Land. When forty years had passed, Moses led the Israelites east around the Dead Sea to the territories of Edom and Moab. 

Moses was twice given notice that he would die before entry to the Promised Land in Numbers 27:13 once he had seen the Promised Land from a viewpoint on Mount Abarim, and again in Numbers 31:1 once the battle with the Midianites had been won.

Moses assembled the tribes and after recalling their wanderings he delivered God’s; way by which they must live in the land. They sang a song of praise and pronounced a blessing on the people and passed his authority to Joshua. Moses then went up Mount Nebo, looked over the Promised Land one last time and he died at the age of 120.

Read more about Miracles, Signs and wonders in the bible here.

3. Law of Moses

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Among Jews today, Moses is honored as the Lawgiver of Israel and he delivers several sets of laws in the course of the four books. The first is the Covenant Code where the terms of the covenant which God offers to the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

They were embedded in the covenant are the Decalogue which is also known as the Ten Commandments. The entire book of Leviticus constitutes a second body of law, the book of Numbers begins with yet another set and the book of Deuteronomy.

4. Moses’ History Through Scholars

Contrary to biblical history, scholars hold different opinions on the status of Moses in scholarship. William G. Dever thinks that Moses is largely mythical while also holding that a Moses-like figure may have existed somewhere in southern Transjordan in the mid-late 13th century B.C. 

Solomon Nigosian believes that there are actually three prevailing views among biblical scholars: one is that Moses is not a historical figure but yet another mythic hero and the central figure in Hebrew mythology. Oxford Biblical Studies states that although few modern scholars are willing to support the traditional view that Moses himself wrote the five books of the Torah.

Scholars believe that Moses’s story most likely had substantial oral prehistory and his name is very ancient, as the tradition found in Exodus no longer understands its original meaning. The name King Mesha of Moab has been linked to that of Moses. Mesha has also been associated with narratives of an exodus and a conquest.

5. Non-biblical Writings About Moses

Over the years, there have been non-biblical writings about Jews with references to the role Moses played. The beginning of the Hellenistic period was from 323 BCE to 146 BCE. In addition to Judeo-Hellenic historians Artapanus, Eupolemus, and even Hecataeus of Abdera who was a non-Jewish historian make reference to Moses. His name also appears in other religious texts like Mishnah.

Osarseph in Hellenistic historiography is a renegade Egyptian priest who leads an army of lepers against Pharaoh. He changes his name to Moses after the victory.

6. Earlier Reference to Moses

Moses MET DT1497.jpg Photo by Lorenzo Monaco – Wikimedia Commons

Moses’ earliest reference occurs in the Egyptian history of Hecataeus of Abdera which was in the 4th century BCE. Historian Arthur Droge describes Moses as a wise and courageous leader who led the Israelites out of Egypt and helped them colonize Judaea. 

Hecataeus described Moses as a spiritually motivated leader who founded cities and established a temple, and religious cult. He also issued laws that governed the Israelites.

7. Jewish Historian

Artapanus of Alexandria portrayed Moses as a cultural hero, alien to the Pharaonic court. Theologian John Barclay believes Moses of Artapanus bore the destiny of the Jews, and his personal, cultural, and military splendor brought credit to the whole Jewish people.

Artapanus relates how Moses returns to Egypt with Aaron and is imprisoned but miraculously escapes in order to lead the Exodus.  He further testifies that all Egyptian temples of Isis contained a rod, which was in remembrance of Moses’s miracles. 

Some historians point out the nature of much of Artapanus’ work to be apologetic. He references the non-Jewish Jethro who expresses admiration for Moses’s gallantry in helping his daughters and chooses to adopt Moses as his son.

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8. Strabo, the Greek Historian

Strabo was not only a Greek historian, but also a geographer, and philosopher.  He wrote in detail about Moses whom he considered an Egyptian who deplored the situation in his homeland. He writes that Moses opposed the picturing of the deity in the form of man.

In his writings, he describes various stages in its development from the first stage to the last stage. His portrayal of Moses is said to be similar ti the writing of Hecataeus who described Moses as wise and courageous.

9. Tacitus’ View On Moses

Tacitus was a Roman historian who refers to Moses by noting that the Jewish religion was monotheistic. Tacitus describes Jewish philosophy. According to 18th Century translator and Irish dramatist Arthur Murphy. 

Tacitus talks about the Pharaoh Bocchoris, who suffered from a plague, and banished the Jews in response to an oracle of the god Zeus. In this version, Moses and the Israelites wander through the desert for only six days after which they captured the Holy Land on the seventh day.

10. The Greek Version of the Hebrew Bible

The Septuagint impressed the pagan author who was a famous classical book of literary criticism. It is unknown when the composition was written but it is commonly assigned to the late 1st century C.E.  The writer presents the book of Genesis with the nature of the deity in a suitable manner.

Aside from a reference to Cicero, Moses is the only non-Greek writer quoted in the work, he is described as a person with more admiration than even Greek writers who treated Moses with respect. These writers are inclusive of Hecataeus and Strabo.

11. Josephus’ Antiquities of The Jews

In his book, he mentioned Moses throughout. He describes Solomon’s Temple which is also known as the First Temple as the time the Ark of the Covenant was first moved. Josephus attaches particular significance to Moses’s courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom. 

He expresses the willingness Moses had to undergo toil and his careful avoidance of bribery. He uses the example of Plato’s philosopher-king who sees Moses as an educator.

12. Numenius, the Greek Philospher

Numenius was a native of Apamea in Syria. He wrote the latter half of the 2nd Century CE. Numenius is known for completely studying Moses, the prophets, and the life of Jesus. He is described as a man who wasn’t limited to Greek and Egyptian mysteries, he talked about the myths of Brahmins and Magi.

Numenius referred to Moses as the prophet. This brings the question of which Moses he was talking about because at the time Plato was described as a Greek Moses.

13. Christian Saint

Moses and burning bush.jpeg Photo by Dura Europos – Wikimedia Commons

Justin Martyr was a Christian saint and religious philosopher who was from the CE century. According to research, he drew the same conclusion as Numenius. Paul Blackham, a Theologian, notes that Justin considered Moses to be trustworthy, profound, and truthful due to his age compared to the Greek Philosophers.

Justin quotes Moses as the first prophet and lawgiver. He labels Moses as one of the oldest poets, historians, and philosophers and is also the first religious teacher.

14. Judaism History

Everything known about Moses comes from the Bible specifically from the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The majority of scholars consider the compilation of these books goes back to 538-332 BCE. The books are based on earlier written and oral traditions. 

The Miradash includes Moses as one of the seven biblical personalities who were called by various names. Some of Moses’s other names include Heber, Jered, Jehuthiel, Avi Zanoah, and Avi Gedor. All of these names were gifted to him by people close to him by blood or familiarity. Moses has also attributed the name Toviah as his first name and Levi as his last name.

Jewish historians attributed Moses the feat of having taught the Phoenicians their alphabet which is similar to the legends of Thoth.  Artapanus of Alexandria identified Moses not only with Thoth but also with the Greek figure Musaeus.

Moses is considered to be the greatest prophet who ever lived. Of course, this title is given to him through Jewish Tradition. Judaism insists that Moses was a human being and therefore shouldn’t be worshipped. Only God is worthy of worship in Judaism.

15. Moses In Christianity

 Moses is mentioned more in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. Christians use Moses as a symbol of God’s Law as expounded on in the teachings of Jesus. The New Testament is often compared in Jesus’s words and deeds with Moses’s to explain Jesus’s mission.

The rejection of Moses by the Jews is likened to the rejection of Jesus by the Jews that continued in traditional Judaism. When he met the Pharisee Nicodemus at night in the third chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus compared it to Moses’s lifting up to his own lifting up after his death.

In the sixth chapter, Jesus responded to the claim that Moses provided the manna in the wilderness, he responded by saying that it wasn’t Moses but God who provided.

Moses and Elijah are presented as meeting with Jesus in all three Synoptic Gospels of the Transfiguration of Jesus in Mathew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9. Jesus refers to the scribes and the Pharisees as having themselves seated on the chair of Moses. He is considered a saint by several churches and is commemorated as a prophet in the respective Calendars of Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Lutheran churches on September 4.

In Eastern Orthodox, Moses is commemorated as the Holy Prophet and God-seer Moses on Mount Nebo. The Orthodox Church also commemorates Moses on the Sunday of the Forefathers, two Sundays before the Nativity. The Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates him as one of the Holy Forefathers in their Calendar of Saints on July 30.

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16. Similatities between Moses and Jesus Christ

Moses041.jpg Photo by Jusepe de Ribera –Wikimedia Commons

Justus Knecht notes that through Moses, God instituted the Old Law which he called the mediator of the Old Law. He also describes Moses as a striking type of Jesus Christ who instituted the New Law. 

Justus states that Moses prepared himself in the desert for his vacation, freed his people from slavery, and proved his divine mission through great miracles. Moses was an advocate of his people and to many similarities, Jesus was also our advocate with His Father on the cross.

However, Jesus Christ is the supreme law-giver and only announced God’s word making him more supreme than Moses who only shared what God told him with the Israelites.

17. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Members of the church generally view Moses in the same way Christians do. In addition to accepting the biblical account of Moses, they include a selection from the Book of Moses as part of their scriptural canon. Some believe that the book is translated writing of Moses and is included in the Pearl of Great Price.

Latter-day Saints believe that Moses was taken to heaven without having to die. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery stated that Moses appeared to them in the Kirtland Temple. They said he appeared in a glorified, immortal, and physical form. 

18. Moses In Islam

In the Quran, Moses is mentioned more than any other individual. His life is narrated and recounted more than that of any other Islamic prophet. Moses is described in ways that are parallel to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Moses is defined in the Quran as both prophet and messenger. 

He is mentioned 502 times in the Quran, and almost all of the key events in Moses’s life are narrated in the Bible. However, in the Quran, his story is dispersed through the different chapters. In this version, there is a story of him meeting Khidr which is not found in the bible.

In the Quran, Jochebed is commanded by God to place Moses in an ark and cast him on the waters of the Nile thus abandoning him completely to God’s protection. In this version, Moses was found by Pharaoh’s wife Asiya which differs from the Bible because he was found by Pharaoh’s daughter. His wife later convinced him to keep Moses as their son because they were not blessed with any children.

The Quran’s version emphasizes Moses’s mission which was to invite Pharaoh to accept God’s divine message as well as to give salvation to the Israelites. Moses encourages the Israelites to enter Canaan but they fear certain defeat, he then pleads with Allah that he and his brother Aaron be separated from the rebellious Israelites. Which resulted in the Israelites wandering for 40 years.

19. Manifestation of God

Moses Shown the Promised Land MET ap69.73.jpg Photo by Benjamin West – Wikimedia Commons

Moses is the most important of God’s messengers in the Baha’i Faith. In the scriptures is the One who conversed with God. According to the Baha’i Faith, Baha’u’llah who is the founder of the faith is the one who spoke to Moses from the burning bush.

Abdu’l-Baha highlighted that Moses, like Abraham had none of the makings of a great man of history. He is described as having been a shepherd in the wilderness, even though he had a stammer and was hated and detested by Pharaoh. Moses is said to have been raised in an oppressive household in Egypt.

To read more about the connection between Moses and Baha’i Faith here. 

20. Moses’s Legacy in Law

In the Christian tradition, Moses is referred to as the leader who delivered his people from a terrible situation. Some of the Presidents of the United States have been known for being called Moses, they include Harry S. Truman, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. 

The Ten Commandments are linked with the formation of early democracy. Pope Francis even noted that the figure of Moses leads us directly to God, this was at the United States Congress in 2015.

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