Moses facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Moses
Moses with the Ten Commandments by Philippe de Champaigne.
Born	Goshen (Lower Egypt), Ancient Egypt
Died	Mount Nebo, Moab
Nationality	Israelite
Known for	Prophet
Spouse(s)	Zipporah Cushite woman
Children	Gershom Eliezer
Parent(s)	Amram (father) Jochebed (mother)
Relatives	Aaron (brother) Miriam (sister) Ramses II (step brother)

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Judaism

Moses' Early Life

Moses was born into the Levi tribe. A new Pharaoh was afraid of the growing Israelite population. He ordered all newborn Hebrew boys to be thrown into the Nile River. Only girls were allowed to live. Moses' mother, Jochebed, gave birth and kept him hidden for three months.

When she could no longer hide him, she made a special basket. It was lined with tar and pitch. She placed baby Moses in the reeds along the riverbank. His sister, Miriam, watched from a distance.

One of the Pharaoh's daughters came to the Nile to bathe. She found the crying baby and saw he was a Hebrew child. Moses' sister offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby. The princess agreed. Moses' real mother became his wet nurse and was paid for it. When Moses grew older, his mother took him to the princess. The princess named him Moses. She said, "I drew him out of the water."

Moses grew up as a privileged member of the royal court. He received a good education. He was taught hand-to-hand combat and leadership skills.

As an adult, he saw an Egyptian guard beating a Hebrew slave. Moses killed the guard. Because of this, he had to leave Egypt. The Pharaoh wanted to kill him.

The Burning Bush

Moses fled to Midian. There, he married Jethro's daughter, Zipporah. Zipporah had two sons. The old Pharaoh died, and the Israelites cried out to God. God heard their cries.

One day, Moses was tending Jethro's sheep. He came to Mount Horeb. God's angel made a bush burn with fire. But the bush did not burn up. When Moses came closer, God spoke to him. God told him to remove his shoes because he was on holy ground.

God commanded Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. At first, Moses did not want to do it. He said he was not good with words. But God insisted. God said that Aaron, Moses' brother, would speak for him. Moses then returned to Egypt and told the elders what had happened.

Moses and the Pharaoh

Moses went to the Pharaoh and asked him to let the Israelites go. But the Pharaoh refused. God then sent ten plagues upon the Egyptians. After the last plague, the killing of all first-born, the Pharaoh finally agreed.

To save the Israelites from the last plague, God told them to mark their doors with lamb's blood. This way, the angel would "pass over" their houses.

The Pharaoh finally let the Israelites leave Egypt. They left in large numbers. But the Pharaoh soon changed his mind. He followed Moses and his people with his army. He wanted to attack them. But Moses made the Red Sea part. This created a path for the Israelites to cross safely. The Pharaoh's army was destroyed when the waters returned.

Journey in the Wilderness

Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness. God provided them with manna and quails to eat. He also gave them water from rocks to drink. God helped them win a battle against the Amalekites.

When Moses reached Mount Sinai, he went up the mountain. He received the Ten Commandments and other laws from God. God wrote the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets. God also gave him instructions for the priests' duties. Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

While Moses was on the mountain, the people waited. They did not find him. So, they asked Aaron to make a calf out of gold. They began to worship it. God warned Moses about this. When Moses came down and saw what they had done, he was very angry. The tablets fell and smashed into pieces. The people of the Levi tribe were told to deal with those who worshipped the calf.

Later, Moses asked God to forgive the people. God wrote two more tablets for Moses. These were placed in the Ark. Moses also asked craftsmen to build the Tabernacle, as God had commanded. Moses is seen as a founder of legal ideas, like having fair judges and separate powers in government.

Moses' Later Life

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness. During this time, God spoke to Moses. However, the people often complained about their hardships. God told Moses to send twelve spies to explore the land God was giving them. Some of the spies became afraid. They said the people living there were stronger. They told the others not to go. Only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh reported the truth, as God wanted.

Because of the people's fear, God decided something. The Israelites would wander for forty years in the wilderness. Everyone from that generation, except Joshua and Caleb, would die. They would not see the promised land.

God gave many laws to the Israelites through Moses. Before he died, Moses made Joshua his successor.

Moses died before he reached Canaan. This was the land God was leading his people to. He was 120 years old when he died.

Today, Jews around the world follow the laws of the Ten Commandments and the Torah. These were given to them by God through Moses. Muslims also believe Moses was a prophet.

The Historical Moses

The Bible, the Torah, and the Quran all mention a person named Moses. The name might be slightly different in each. Other ancient writers like Tacitus and Strabo also wrote about Moses. We don't know how much they learned from older stories that are now lost.

One old record is the Ipuwer Papyrus. It describes events similar to the Ten Plagues.

However, no other written records from ancient Egypt or Assyria have been found. These records would be from before about 850 BCE. They would tell about the Bible's stories or its main characters. Also, there is no physical evidence like pottery or stone tablets to prove Moses really existed. Pharaohs sometimes destroyed records that made them look bad. Some carvings on monuments were also destroyed over time in Ancient Egypt.

It seems the story of Moses in the Bible might have come from two different sources. Two groups of people told the story separately. Later, these two stories were combined into the version we read today. As stories are passed down, small changes or mistakes can happen. Some people might have added things or left things out.

Ten Commandments

Images for kids

The Finding of Moses, painting by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1904
Moses before the Pharaoh, a 6th-century miniature from the Syriac Bible of Paris
Victory O Lord!, 1871 painting by John Everett Millais, depicts Moses holding his staff, assisted by Aaron and Hur, holding up his arms during the battle against Amalek.
Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law by Rembrandt, 1659
Memorial of Moses, Mount Nebo, Jordan
Depiction of Moses on the Knesset Menorah raising his arms during the battle against the Amalekites
Moses lifts up the brass serpent, curing the Israelites from poisonous snake bites in a painting by Benjamin West.
Moses, to the left of Jesus, at the Transfiguration of Jesus, by Giovanni Bellini, c. 1480
Maqam El-Nabi Musa, Jericho
The Women of Midian Led Captive by the Hebrews, James Tissot c.1900