New Insights About Moses Prince of Egypt
Moses Prince of Egypt is a story familiar to Christians, Muslims, and Jews. The book of Exodus in the Bible tells his story. Because Pharaoh ordered the death of all Hebrew baby boys, Moses’ mother placed him in a basket in the Nile River. (Exodus 2:3)
Pharaoh’s daughter saw the basket and sent her maid to fetch it. The child was crying, and she had compassion for him. Although Moses was a Hebrew, Pharaoh raised him as his adopted grandson. “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and deeds.” (Acts 7:22)
Have you ever wondered about those ‘mighty deeds? This post will tell you about some of them that are not in the Bible.
Antiquities of The Jews
Moses’s story really comes to life when we can add what ancient historians tell us about him. Flavius Josephus is a well-respected historian.
Josephus was with Titus’s army in 70 A.D. when Titus conquered Jerusalem. He was allowed to take the sacred library from the Jewish temple before the Romans destroyed it. Later, Josephus compiled the history of the Jews using those sacred scrolls. Josephus wrote Antiquities of the Jews.
Moses as a Child
According to Josephus, Moses was an exceptionally beautiful baby. People would often stand for long periods, gazing at him because of his remarkable attractiveness. Josephus also observed that Moses exhibited superior understanding compared to others his age, demonstrating a great quickness of mind.
Josephus writes that the shrewd and powerful priests of Egypt watched this new development with jealousy and anger. In desperation, they tried to get the Pharaoh to kill Moses. The possibility of a Hebrew becoming Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was unthinkable.
However, Pharaoh’s love for his daughter, a fierce, protective warmth in his heart, prevailed despite the priest’s shrill, insistent protests echoing in the sun-drenched palace. Moses became the pharaoh’s heir apparent.
Moses Prince of Egypt, Becomes a Famous General
Ethiopia was Egypt’s neighbor to the south. The Ethiopians waged war on Egypt. They subdued every city all the way to Memphis, the capital city. The peril so frightened the Egyptians that they asked their priests to obtain divine guidance. Drawing on the temple documents, Josephus shares the priest’s plan to get rid of Moses. They suggested Moses lead the Egyptian army against the Ethiopians, hoping the Ethiopians would kill him.
The Ethiopians expected Moses to travel up the Nile River. Instead, Moses planned an overland attack. Moses knew there was a stretch of desert infested with snakes and anticipated his soldiers would be too frightened to pass over it.
Moses carried massive, ornately crafted cages to house the revered Egyptian ibis, a striking bird known for its elegant, long legs and distinctive curved beak. These magnificent creatures were famed not only for their beauty but also for their remarkable ability to kill snakes. Ready for action, the ibises inspired awe, their legendary serpent-slaying feats echoing through Moses’ ranks.
As soon as Moses arrived in the land known for its serpents, he released the Ibis, which drove away the snakes.(Antiquities 10:2)
By this means, Moses cut off the Ethiopian army.
Moses Prince of Egypt, Gets Married
The Ethiopians retreated to their capital city, Cambyses. Because three rivers surrounded the city, it would be difficult to capture. The city’s sturdy walls and great ramparts also made it nearly impossible to attack.
Moses’s strategy was to lay siege to the city. No one could have guessed, not even Moses. What would happen next?
The king’s daughter, Tarbis, saw Moses outside the wall. She instantly fell in love with him and sent messengers to ask if he would marry her.
Josephus says Moses, “Thereupon accepted the offer, on condition she would procure the delivering of the city; and gave her the assurance by oath to take her to his wife.”
“Duty” marriages were a common practice in ancient times. Royal families considered marriage the best guarantee of peace between the two nations.
Numbers chapter 12 contains the only biblical reference to this marriage. Miriam and Aaron ridiculed Moses and “spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married.”
Conclusion
This closes a little-known segment of history. As a young man, Moses, Prince of Egypt, became a national hero and married an Ethiopian princess.
This additional information explains why Moses, Prince of Egypt, feared for his life after he killed the Egyptian taskmaster. Moses knew the priests wanted him dead.
Find out why the Israelites were Enslaved in Egypt
Watch this video about Moses
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