Moses

2007-03-20T17:15:26Z

Satenza:

'''Moses''' was, according to an account in the [[Bible|Biblical]] book of [[Exodus]], the leader of the Israelites who led them out of [[Egypt]] to [[Israel]] as [[God]] commanded. Moses is viewed as the greatest prophet of Judaism and as a major prophet in Christianity and Islam.

== Childhood ==

Moses was the son of [[Amram]] of the tribe of [[Levi]] and his wife [[Jochebed]]. After the reigning pharaoh had ordered all the Hebrew male babies to be drowned in the [[Nile]], Jochebed gave birth to Moses and kept him concealed. After a few months it was no longer practical to conceal Moses and so set him adrift in a small ark on the Nile. While [[Miriam]], Moses's sister watched from afar, one of the pharaoh's daughter's came to the river and seeing the child took him from the river and brought him to be raised in the pharoah's house.

== Life ==

=== Adolescence and Flight ===

At some point, Moses learned that he was an Israelite. Later, when defending an Israelite slave, Moses killed an Egyptian and was forced to flee Egypt to [[Midian]], where he met and later married [[Zipporah]]. Later, God appeared to Moses in a bush that burned but was not consumed and commanded Moses to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery.

== Exodus ==

Moses confronted Pharaoh and demanded that he release the Israelite slaves. Pharaoh refused and, consequently, God brought about [[Ten Plagues]] on the Egyptians. Finally, Pharaoh let the Israelites go. However, shortly thereafter, Pharaoh changed his mind and chased the Israelites to the sea. In the ensuing confrontation, God split the sea and the Israelites walked through on dry land. After they had crossed, the Egyptian army attempted to follow but were drowned in the returning waters.

=== Sinai ===

After these events, Moses brought the Israelites to [[Mount Sinai]] where they experienced a [[national theophany]]--where God spoke to the entire nation. God then gave his commandments to the Israelites, along with 10 of them written out on stone tablets.

=== Later events and death ===

During the battle commanded by God against the Midianites, Moses and his followers burned down their towns. When Moses came to see the outcome he said "Why have you let all the women live? These are the very ones who followed Balaam's advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the LORD at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the LORD's people. Now kill all the boys and all the women who have slept with a man. Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves". It is clear the Moses was very close to God, and under his instruction he advised his men to rape all the virgins that were left, and murder the rest of the women and children. - Numbers 31:7-18 NLT

Shortly after the giving of the Ten Commandments, the incident of the [[Golden Calf]] occurred. Moses then smashed the tablets and, aided by the [[Levites]] slaughtered those who had worshiped the calf. Moses then convinced God not to destroy the people and to give another set of commandments. As a result of these events, the Israelites spent forty years in the desert and had to wait a generation before entering Israel. Moses himself was not allowed to enter Israel for other reasons.

[[Category:Bible character]]

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Moses