ABSTRACT

The Biblical narrative continues with an account of the deliverance of the Jews from Egyptian bondage. Exodus relates that a son had been born to Amram of the House of Levi and his wife Jochebed. When he was three months old, his parents concealed him among the reeds growing on the banks of the Nile to save him from Pharaoh’s decree. Pharaoh’s daughter found the child and adopted him as her son, Moses. When he became older, he was incensed and killed a taskmaster who was oppressing a Hebrew slave and fled into the desert. There he lived with Jethro, a priest of Midian, and married his daughter, Zipporah. Eventually God revealed himself to Moses, and commanded that he deliver the chosen people from bondage: ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob . . . I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings . . . Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt (Exodus 3:6-7, 10).