1. Exodus History and Literature

2. 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

3. 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

4. “Moses” • An Egyptian name derived from the same root as pharaohs Thutmose and Ahmose

5. Theocracy • A Society ruled directly by God

6. 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

7. 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

8. Freedom • Given for the purpose of worshipping and obeying Yahweh

9. 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

10. 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

11. Merneptah’s Stele • Earliest reference to Israel’s existence • 1212-1202 BCE • King Tut = 1332 BCE • Moses circa 1300 • Rameses II 1290-1224