MOSES

The name of the illustrious prophet and legislator of the Hebrews, who led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Having been originally imposed by a native Egyptian princess, the word is no doubt Egyptian in its origin, and Josephus gives its true derivation—from the two Egyptian words, MO, water, and USE, saved. With this accords the Septuagint form, MOUSES. The Hebrews by a slight change accommodated it to their own language, as they did also in the case of some other foreign words; calling it MOSHIE, from the verb MASHA, to draw. See Ex 2:10. Moses was born about 15.71 B. C., the son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, and the younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. His history is too extensive to permit insertion here, and in general too well known to need it. It is enough simply to remark, that it is divided into three periods, each of forty years. The first extends from his infancy, when he was exposed in the Nile, and found and adopted y the daughter of Pharaoh, to his flight to Midian. During this time he lived at the Egyptian court, and "was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was nightly in words and in deeds," Ac 7:22. This is no unmeaning praise; the "wisdom" of the Egyptians, and especially of their priests, was then the profoundest in the world. The second period was from his flight till his return to Egypt, Ac 7:30, during the whole of which interval he appears to have lived in Midian, it may be much after the manner of the Bedaween sheikhs of the present day. Here he married Zipporah, daughter of the wise and pious Jethro, and became familiar with life in the desert. What a contrast between the former period, spent amid the splendors and learning of a court, and this lonely nomadic life. Still it was in this way that God prepared him to be the instrument of deliverance to His people during the third period of his life, which extends from the exodus out of Egypt to his death on mount Nebo. In this interval how much did he accomplish, as the immediate agent of the Most High. The life and institutions of Moses present one of the finest subjects for the pen of a Christian historian, who is at the same time a competent biblical antiquary. His institutions breathe a spirit of freedom, purity, intelligence, justice, and humanity, elsewhere unknown; and above all, of supreme love, honor, and obedience to God. They molded the character of the Hebrews, and transformed them from a nation of shepherds into a people of fixed residence and agricultural habits. Through that people, and through the Bible, the influence of these institutions has been extended over the world; and often where the letter has not been observed, the spirit of them has been adopted. Thus it was in the laws established by the pilgrim fathers of New England; and no small part of what is of most value in the institutions which they founded, is to be ascribed to the influence of the Hebrew legislator. The name of this servant of God occurs repeatedly in Greek and Latin writings, and still more frequently in those of the Arabs and the rabbinical Jews. Many of their statements, however, are mere legends without foundation, or else distortions of the Scripture narrative. By the Jews he has always been especially honored, as the most illustrious personage in all their annals, and as the founder of their whole system of laws and institutions. Numerous passages both in the Old and New Testament show how exalted a position they gave him, Ps 103:7 105:26 106:16 Isa 63:12 Jer 15:1 Da 9:11 Mt 8:4 Joh 5:45 9:28 Ac 7:20,37 Ro 10:5,19 Heb 3:1-19 11:23. In all that he wrought and taught, he was but the agent of the Most High; and yet in all his own character stands honorably revealed. Though naturally liable to anger and impatience, he so far subdued himself as to be termed the meekest of men, Nu 12:3; and his piety, humility, and forbearance, the wisdom and vigor of his administration, his unfailing zeal and faith in God, and his disinterested patriotism are worthy of all imitation. Many features of his character and life furnish admirable illustrations of the work of Christ—as the deliver, ruler, and guide of his people, bearing them on his heart, interceding for them, rescuing, teaching, and nourishing them even to the promised land. All the religious institutions of Moses pointed to Christ; and he himself, on the mount, two thousand years after his death, paid his homage to the Prophet he had foretold, De 18:15-19, beheld "that goodly mountain and Lebanon," De 3:25, and was admitted to commune with the Savior on the most glorious of themes, the death He should accomplish at Jerusalem, Lu 9:31. Moses was the author of the Pentateuch, as it is called, or the first five books of the Bible. In the composition of them he was probably assisted by Aaron, who kept a register of public transactions, Ex 17:14 24:4,7 34:27 Nu 33:1,2 De 31:24, etc. Some things were added by a later inspired hand; as for example, De 34:1-12 Ps 90:1-17 also is ascribed to him; and its noble and devout sentiments acquire a new significance, if received as from his pen near the close of his pilgrimage.

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Moses. Moses
Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Thus favoured, the Israelites began to “multiply exceedingly” (Gen. 47:27), and extended to the west and south. At length the supremacy of the Hyksos came to an end. The descendants of Jacob were allowed to retain their possession of Goshen undisturbed, but after the death of Joseph their position was not so favourable. The Egyptians began to despise them, and the period of their “affliction” (Gen. 15:13) commenced. They were sorely oppressed. They continued, however, to increase in numbers, and “the land was filled with them” (Ex. 1:7). The native Egyptians regarded them with suspicion, so that they felt all the hardship of a struggle for existence.

In process of time “a king [probably Seti I.] arose who knew not Joseph” (Ex. 1:8). (See PHARAOH.) The circumstances of the country were such that this king thought it necessary to weaken his Israelite subjects by oppressing them, and by degrees reducing their number. They were accordingly made public slaves, and were employed in connection with his numerous buildings, especially in the erection of store-cities, temples, and palaces. The children of Israel were made to serve with rigour. Their lives were made bitter with hard bondage, and “all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour” (Ex. 1:13, 14). But this cruel oppression had not the result expected of reducing their number. On the contrary, “the more the Egyptians afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew” (Ex. 1:12).

The king next tried, through a compact secretly made with the guild of midwives, to bring about the destruction of all the Hebrew male children that might be born. But the king’s wish was not rigorously enforced; the male children were spared by the midwives, so that “the people multiplied” more than ever. Thus baffled, the king issued a public proclamation calling on the people to put to death all the Hebrew male children by casting them into the river (Ex. 1:22). But neither by this edict was the king’s purpose effected.

One of the Hebrew households into which this cruel edict of the king brought great alarm was that of Amram, of the family of the Kohathites (Ex. 6:16-20), who with his wife Jochebed and two children, Miriam, a girl of perhaps fifteen years of age, and Aaron, a boy of three years, resided in or near Memphis, the capital city of that time. In this quiet home a male child was born (B.C. 1571). His mother concealed him in the house for three months from the knowledge of the civic authorities. But when the task of concealment became difficult, Jochebed contrived to bring her child under the notice of the daughter of the king by constructing for him an ark of bulrushes, which she laid among the flags which grew on the edge of the river at the spot where the princess was wont to come down and bathe. Her plan was successful. The king’s daughter “saw the child; and behold the child wept.” The princess (see PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER [1]) sent Miriam, who was standing by, to fetch a nurse. She went and brought the mother of the child, to whom the princess said, “Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.” Thus Jochebed’s child, whom the princess called “Moses”, i.e., “Saved from the water” (Ex. 2:10), was ultimately restored to her.

As soon as the natural time for weaning the child had come, he was transferred from the humble abode of his father to the royal palace, where he was brought up as the adopted son of the princess, his mother probably accompanying him and caring still for him. He grew up amid all the grandeur and excitement of the Egyptian court, maintaining, however, probably a constant fellowship with his mother, which was of the highest importance as to his religious belief and his interest in his “brethren.” His education would doubtless be carefully attended to, and he would enjoy all the advantages of training both as to his body and his mind. He at length became “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22). Egypt had then two chief seats of learning, or universities, at one of which, probably that of Heliopolis, his education was completed. Moses, being now about twenty years of age, spent over twenty more before he came into prominence in Bible history. These twenty years were probably spent in military service. There is a tradition recorded by Josephus that he took a lead in the war which was then waged between Egypt and Ethiopia, in which he gained renown as a skilful general, and became “mighty in deeds” (Acts 7:22).

After the termination of the war in Ethiopia, Moses returned to the Egyptian court, where he might reasonably have expected to be loaded with honours and enriched with wealth. But “beneath the smooth current of his life hitherto, a life of alternate luxury at the court and comparative hardness in the camp and in the discharge of his military duties, there had lurked from childhood to youth, and from youth to manhood, a secret discontent, perhaps a secret ambition. Moses, amid all his Egyptian surroundings, had never forgotten, had never wished to forget, that he was a Hebrew.” He now resolved to make himself acquainted with the condition of his countrymen, and “went out unto his brethren, and looked upon their burdens” (Ex. 2:11). This tour of inspection revealed to him the cruel oppression and bondage under which they everywhere groaned, and could not fail to press on him the serious consideration of his duty regarding them. The time had arrived for his making common cause with them, that he might thereby help to break their yoke of bondage. He made his choice accordingly (Heb. 11:25-27), assured that God would bless his resolution for the welfare of his people. He now left the palace of the king and took up his abode, probably in his father’s house, as one of the Hebrew people who had for forty years been suffering cruel wrong at the hands of the Egyptians.

He could not remain indifferent to the state of things around him, and going out one day among the people, his indignation was roused against an Egyptian who was maltreating a Hebrew. He rashly lifted up his hand and slew the Egyptian, and hid his body in the sand. Next day he went out again and found two Hebrews striving together. He speedily found that the deed of the previous day was known. It reached the ears of Pharaoh (the “great Rameses,” Rameses II.), who “sought to slay Moses” (Ex. 2:15). Moved by fear, Moses fled from Egypt, and betook himself to the land of Midian, the southern part of the peninsula of Sinai, probably by much the same route as that by which, forty years afterwards, he led the Israelites to Sinai. He was providentially led to find a new home with the family of Reuel, where he remained for forty years (Acts 7:30), under training unconsciously for his great life’s work.

Suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush (Ex. 3), and commissioned him to go down to Egypt and “bring forth the children of Israel” out of bondage. He was at first unwilling to go, but at length he was obedient to the heavenly vision, and left the land of Midian (4:18-26). On the way he was met by Aaron (q.v.) and the elders of Israel (27-31). He and Aaron had a hard task before them; but the Lord was with them (ch. 7-12), and the ransomed host went forth in triumph. (See EXODUS.) After an eventful journey to and fro in the wilderness, we see them at length encamped in the plains of Moab, ready to cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. There Moses addressed the assembled elders (Deut. 1:1-4; 5:1-26:19; 27:11-30:20), and gives the people his last counsels, and then rehearses the great song (Deut. 32), clothing in fitting words the deep emotions of his heart at such a time, and in review of such a marvellous history as that in which he had acted so conspicious a part. Then, after blessing the tribes (33), he ascends to “the mountain of Nebo (q.v.), to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho” (34:1), and from thence he surveys the land. “Jehovah shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, and the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar” (Deut. 34:2-3), the magnificient inheritance of the tribes of whom he had been so long the leader; and there he died, being one hundred and twenty years old, according to the word of the Lord, and was buried by the Lord “in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor” (34:6). The people mourned for him during thirty days.

Thus died “Moses the man of God” (Deut. 33:1; Josh. 14:6). He was distinguished for his meekness and patience and firmness, and “he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” “There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, and in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel” (Deut. 34:10-12).

The name of Moses occurs frequently in the Psalms and Prophets as the chief of the prophets.

In the New Testament he is referred to as the representative of the law and as a type of Christ (John 1:17; 2 Cor. 3:13-18; Heb. 3:5, 6). Moses is the only character in the Old Testament to whom Christ likens himself (John 5:46; comp. Deut. 18:15, 18, 19; Acts 7:37). In Heb. 3:1-19 this likeness to Moses is set forth in various particulars.

In Jude 1:9 mention is made of a contention between Michael and the devil about the body of Moses. This dispute is supposed to have had reference to the concealment of the body of Moses so as to prevent idolatry.

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Moses. taken out; drawn forth

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MOSES. → A Levite and son of Amram Ex 2:1-4; 6:20; Ac 7:20; Heb 11:23 → Hidden in a small basket Ex 2:3 → Discovered and adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh Ex 2:5-10 → Learned in all the wisdom of Egypt Ac 7:22 → His loyalty to his race Heb 11:24-26 → Takes the life of an Egyptian taskmaster; flees from Egypt; finds refuge among the Midianites Ex 2:11-22; Ac 7:24-29 → Joins himself to Jethro, priest of Midian; marries his daughter Zipporah; has one son, Gershom Ex 2:15-22 → Is a herdsman for Jethro in the desert of Horeb Ex 3:1 → Has the vision of the burning bush Ex 3:2-6 → God reveals to him his purpose to deliver the Israelites and bring them into the land of Canaan Ex 3:7-10 → Commissioned as leader of the Israelites Ex 3:10-22; 6:13 → His rod miraculously turned into a serpent, and his hand was made leprous, and then restored Ex 4:1-9,28 → With his wife and sons, he leaves Jethro to perform his mission in Egypt Ex 4:18-20 → His controversy with his wife on account of circumcision Ex 4:20-26 → Meets Aaron in the wilderness Ex 4:27,28 → With Aaron assembles the leaders of Israel Ex 4:29-31 → Along with Aaron, Moses goes before Pharaoh and demands the liberties of his people in the name of Jehovah Ex 5:1 → Rejected by Pharaoh; hardships of the Israelites increased Ex 5 → People complain against Moses and Aaron Ex 5:20,21; 15:24; 16:2,3; 17:2,3; Nu 14:2-4; 16:41; 20:2-5; 21:4-6; De 1:12,26-28 → See ISRAEL → Receives comfort and assurance from the Lord Ex 6:1-8 → Unbelief of the people Ex 6:9 → Renews his appeal to Pharaoh Ex 6:11 → Under divine direction brings plagues upon the land of Egypt Ex 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12 → Secures the deliverance of the people and leads them out of Egypt Ex 13 → Crosses the Red Sea; Pharaoh and his army are destroyed Ex 14 → Composes a song for the people of Israel on their deliverance from Pharaoh Ex 15 → Joined by his family in the wilderness Ex 18:1-12 → Institutes a system of government Ex 18:13-26; Nu 11:16-30; De 1:9-18 → Receives the law and ordains various statutes → See LAW OF MOSES → Face of, transfigured Ex 34:29-35; 2Co 3:13 → Sets up the tabernacle -See TABERNACLE → Reproves Aaron for
* Making the golden calf Ex 32:22,23
* Irregularity in the offerings Le 10:16-20

→ Jealousy of Aaron and Miriam toward Nu 12 → Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Nu 16 → Appoints Joshua as his successor Nu 27:22,23; De 31:7,8,14,23; 34:9 → Not permitted to enter Canaan, but views the land from atop Mount Pisgah Nu 27:12-14; De 1:37; 3:23-29; 32:48-52; 34:1-8 → Death and burial of Nu 31:2; De 32:50; 34:1-6 → Body of, disputed over Jude 1:9 → 120 Years old at death De 31:2 → Mourning for, thirty days in the plains of Moab De 34:8 → His virility De 31:2; 34:7 → Present with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration Mt 17:3,4; Mr 9:4; Lu 9:30 → A type of the Messiah De 18:15-18; Ac 3:22; 7:37 → BENEDICTIONS OF
* Upon the people Le 9:23; Nu 10:35,36; De 1:11
* Last benediction upon the twelve tribes De 33

→ CHARACTER OF
* Complainings of Ex 5:22,23; Nu 11:10-15
* Impatience of Ex 5:22,23; 6:12; 32:19; Nu 11:10-15; 16:15; 20:10; 31:14
* Respected and feared Ex 33:8
* Faith of Nu 10:29; De 9:1-3; Heb 11:23-28
* Called the man of God De 33:1
* God spoke to, as a man to his friend Ex 33:11
* Magnified of God Ex 19:9; Nu 14:12-20; De 9:13-29; with Ex 32:30
* Magnanimity of, toward Eldad and Medad Nu 11:29
* Meekness of Ex 14:13,14; 15:24,25; 16:2,3,7,8; Nu 12:3; 16:4-11
* Obedience of Ex 7:6; 40:16,19,21
* Unaspiring Nu 14:12-20; De 9:13-29; with Ex 32:30

→ INTERCESSORY PRAYERS OF
* See INTERCESSION, INSTANCES OF
* See SOLICITED, INSTANCES OF
* See ANSWERED, INSTANCES OF

→ MIRACLES OF
* See MIRACLES

→ PROPHECIES OF Ex 3:10; 4:5,11,12; 6:13; 7:2; 17:16; 19:3-9; 33:11; Nu 11:17; 12:7,8; 36:13; De 1:3; 5:31; 18:15,18; 34:10,12; Ho 12:13; Mr 7:9,10; Ac 7:37,38

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(Drawn out) son of Amram, of the tribe of Levi, the leader and lawgiver of Israel (1) General References to Ex 2:2,10,14; 3:3,11; 12:21; 14:21; 19:20; 33:11; 34:29 Nu 10:29; 12:3; 20:10; 31:3; De 33:1; 34:5 Mt 17:3; Ac 7:22; Heb 11:24 (2) Moses and Christ - a Parallel Both were preserved in childhood Ex 2:2-10; Mt 2:14,15 -- Contended with masters of evil Ex 7:11; Mt 4:1 -- Fasted forty days Ex 34:28; Mt 4:2 -- Controlled the sea Ex 14:21; Mt 8:26 -- Fed a multitude Ex 16:15; Mt 14:20,21 -- Had radiant faces Ex 34:35; Mt 17:2 -- Endured murmurings Ex 15:24; Mr 7:2 -- Discredited in the home Nu 12:1; Joh 7:5 -- Made intercessory prayers Ex 32:32; Joh 17:9 -- Spoke as oracles De 18:18 -- Had seventy helpers Nu 11:16,17; Lu 10:1 -- Established memorials Ex 12:14; Lu 22:19 -- Re-appeared after death Mt 17:3; Ac 1:3 MOSES' ROD SEE Rod, ROD OF MOSES

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Mo″ses (?), n. A large flatboat, used in the West Indies for taking freight from shore to ship.