posted by Philip Nice

Moses, in 300 words or less!

Moses: general, judge, writer and spiritual leader. Born approximately 1400 B.C. in Egypt of the Israelite tribe of Levi, he escaped a death warrant from the Egyptian pharaoh issued against male Hebrew babies when his mother placed him in a waterproof basket in the Nile River, where he was later discovered by the pharaoh’s daughter.

Subsequently, the young Hebrew was raised as part of the royal family of the nation of Egypt: the most powerful military and strongest cultural influence of the period. He also became a proficient general in the Egyptian army. In about 1360 B.C., at age 40, Moses killed an Egyptian for attacking a Hebrew slave. He then fled Egypt and became a shepherd in Midian.

In 1320, however, when Moses was 80, God called him to return to Egypt and lead Israel out of slavery. Moses was the herald of 10 health- and weather-related plagues God brought on Egypt after the pharaoh’s refusal to release the nation. When the ruler finally ordered the release of the slaves, the Hebrew prince-turned-shepherd led approximately 3 million Israelites as they evacuated the broken state.

The pharaoh soon rescinded his command, and in the ensuing pursuit trapped Israel between the Red Sea and the mountains of Migdol. Israel was delivered when the former slaves passed through a corridor cut through the sea by God Himself, and the water then collapsed on the pursuing ranks, destroying Pharaoh’s escort, 600 special forces chariots and an estimated 50,000 troops. Moses continued to lead the newly liberated nation for four decades, during which they wandered the Sinai peninsula for failing to obey God. He died in Moab overlooking the Jordan River just before the nation he guided entered Canaan, located in modern-day Israel.

Illustration provided by Benjamin Arnfield. If you would like to submit a piece of artwork, e-mail philip@trueeducation.org.