Bible Studies

Moses was likely not a considered a Prince of Egypt

by lee thriepland
08/07/18
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Moses was likely not a considered a Prince of Egypt.

So the story of Moses early life growing up in the Egyptian Palace as the adopted son of the daughter of Pharaoh the “grandson” of Pharaoh (sometimes this is adopted son of the wife of Pharaoh and so “son” of Pharaoh. He grew up as a “Prince” of Egypt in the palace often depicted as having a bitter rivalry with Pharaohs real son Ramsees.

The Hebrew Israelites even use this story to show that Moses was Black. Moses being accepted as the son or grandson of the Pharaoh. This would only have been possible if Moses looked like an Egyptian.

They will point to the fact that he was called an Egyptian in Midian when he helps some women, one who later became his wife, draw some water from a well.

Exodus 2- 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.

Obviously this presupposes that the Egyptians were black and that Moses was presumed to be actual grandson or son of the Pharaoh.

It also says nothing regarding calling an Egyptian based on his skin colour. I am from England and I am white. Not all white people are from England and not all English people are White.

So it is simply supposed that Moses was called an Egyptian based on his skin colour. We must also point out that other nations were also black so how did they distinguish Moses as an Egyptian through skin colour? It is just as likely that Moses was wearing clothes of an Egyptian seeing that he was living in Egypt. Maybe he even spoke the dialect or had the accent. We simply don’t know and any guess…is exactly that.

The biblical narrative, which is actually not very detailed, is quite different from the commonly told story.

Moses was born of a Levite man and Levite woman

Exodus 2-1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

This was during a time where the Hebrews were being severely persecuted by the Egyptian Pharaoh. He had ordered Hebrew midwives to kill all male babies born to the Hebrews in order to try and stem their numbers. Which we are told of back in Exodus 1

Exodus 1- 15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

This was because they had grown plentify and the Pharaoh was worried that they would join with the enemies of Egypt

Exodus 1- 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land

So when Moses was born his mother hid him

Exodus 2-1 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

Now notice that Moses was hidden for 3 MONTHS before his mother put him in the basket on the river Moses although a baby was not by this time a new born baby.

Exodus 2- . 3And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink

Now the Bible very clearly states that it was the Pharaoh’s daughter and not wife that found Moses.

Exodus 2- 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.

The pharaoh’s daughter knew straight away that this was a Hebrew child. She had no doubts or thoughts it might be an egyptian. If him being called an Egyptian is proof that he did not stand out from the Egyptians then this can be used as counter proof that in fact he did stand out from Egyptians.

Unlike what is commonly believed Moses was not taken straight to the palace where he grew up as the “son” of the Egyptian princess and therefore was an Egyptian Prince or as the Hebrew Israelites think that he was mistaken for an Egyptian (which proves he was Black) . Do they really think that the princess just come home one day and unbeknown to the pharaoh she had a 3 month old baby and he just presumed it was hers? Was Moses really considered the actual son of Pharaoh’s daughter unknown to the Pharaoh himself that he wasn’t?

Again this obviously also pre supposes that the Egyptians were black and in order for Moses to have passed as the legitimate son of the princess.
The biblical narrative then states the the SISTER of Moses, who would have been a Hebrew asked the Egyptian Princess if she should get a Hebrew nurse to nurse the baby.

Exodus 2-7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

The Princess replies for her to do so and she brings Moses’ Mother.

Exodus 2- 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.

Moses’ mother takes the child and nurses him, while being paid to do so by the Princess

Exodus 2- 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.

Before he is brought back (after he GREW) to the Princess. It is only then when Moses was not being nurses, which means he was now weaned does he become the son of the Princess. Weaning under Jewish law can be anywhere from 18 months to 5 years……..

Exodus 2- 10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

Now in the biblical story there is no pretense. Pharaoh doesn’t think Moses is the real son of his daughter, as we have seen it is most definitely not Pharaohs own wife who takes in Moses so he is certainly not considered Pharaoh’s son. There is no mention of any rivalry between Moses and Ramses the real son of Pharaoh. There is no mention of Moses being considered a Prince of Egypt. In fact the biblical story is not detailed at all. We have to go beyond the Bible in order to add any further context to the early life of Moses.

When Moses is 40 years old he kills an Egyptian who was smiting one of his brethren.

Exodus 2- 11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

Notice that Moses was looking at the burdens of his brethren. Moses knew he was a Hebrew there was no surprise to discover he was a Hebrew.

The fact that Moses was looking at the burdens of his brethren would indicate he was not a partaker in the burdens which in itself indicates that Moses was living a different lifestyle, which could mean he was living with his Egyptian Princess “Mother”. Even if he was which is likely we still have no narrative that he was seen as or treated as a Prince.

Notice as well that after he killed the Egyptian the ONLY response we see from the Pharoah, his adopted “Grandfather” was to seek his death.

Exodus 2- 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

This is hardly the response of a man that was entreating Moses as his Grandson (or even son as some stories have it)

There is no seeking to ascertain the reason for the actions of Moses just a simple desire to have him killed.

So Moses leaves for 40 years before being called by God to return to Egypt to free the Hebrews from their slavery.

He is told that he will be helped by his BROTHER Aaron, after Moses claims he is not a good speaker.

Exodus 4- 14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother?

So again Moses KNEW that Aaron was his Brother. Further highlighting the fact that Moses being a Hebrew was not a surprise to him. He didn’t believe that he was an Egyptian.

By this time the Pharaoh had died

Exodus 2- 23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

A new Pharaoh (the real son of the previous Pharaoh) was now in rule of Egypt.

Moses is sent to Pharoah by God.

Again unlike in many films or stories about Moses, this Pharaoh that Moses returned to was NOT his “Grandfather” or “father” and in fact it was not his supposed Brother and rival.

When Moses first goes to see Pharoah there is no recognition. No resumed bitter rivalry between 2 brothers. In fact there is NO mention at all that they even knew each other

Exodus 5- 1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

Just simply Moses doing as he had been instructed by God to do.

Just before this Moses demonstrates to the Hebrews that he was sent from God to them. There is NO mention of the Hebrews understanding that Moses was an Egyptian Prince.

Moses being a Prince of Egypt is simply not biblical. Moses being mistaken as being the grandson (or son) of the Pharaoh is not biblical. Moses having a rivalry with Pharaoh’s son Ramses is not biblical. While it is very likely that Moses had some kind of “privileged” life separate from the rest of the Hebrews Moses was aware he was a Hebrew and no pretence was made otherwise.