What important event occurred during the ancient Hebrews' exodus from Egypt?

Answer 1

According to the Book of Exodus, Moses received the Ten Commandments during the Exodus from Egypt. At Mount Sinai, the Hebrew people built the golden calf, the people rebelled against Moses. However, this was overcome and the people accepted their chosen-ness and became loyal to God. The Chosen People were led by fire at night and a cloud by day, receiving Manna from heaven every day (except the Sabbath). Eventually, Moses struck a rock twice when God had said to speak to the rock to issue water. This failure to follow instructions led to God denying Moses' arrival to the Promised Land.

However, the respected Israeli archaeologist, Israel Finkelstein, reports that over ninety per cent of scholars do not believe that there was ever an Exodus from Egypt, as described in The Bible. If there was no Exodus, Moses did not receive the Ten Commandments from God. The archaeologists claim that the Israelites were just another group of Canaanites who migrated from the coast to the inner highlands and were never in Egypt at all.

Answer 2

According to The Old Testament, several important events took place during the Exodus, many of them by direct divine intervention. These include the parting of the ocean by God to allow the Israelites safe escape from the persuing Egyptian Army, and the closing of the waters again over Pharoah's charioteers once the Israelites had passed through; the feeding of the multitude by mannah from Heaven when they were starving in the Sinai Desert; and the revealing of the Ten Commandments to Moses by God on Mount Sinai inscribed upon two stone tablets.

However, in reality there is little archaeological evidence that the Israelites ever lived in ancient Egypt, and the historical accounts given in The Bible do not tally with modern evidence. It is now widely thought that there might be some factual basis for the story dating back to the 8th Century BCE, but that the account given in The Old Testament was shaped mainly by a series of post-Exilic prophets. Much of what is told in the Biblical Book of Exodus may well have been meant to have a metaphorical rather than an actual, physical meaning. The Wikipedia page on The Exodus gives a lengthy explanation as to how modern archaeological and Biblical research indicates how the account given in The Old Testament could not have been accurate.

Answer 3

One important event described in the Book of Exodus is the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. Another event, that Christians would say was the most important event that happened during the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt, was Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God . Some Jews might consider the construction of the Ark of the Covenant as being of at least equal importance.

Ze'ev Herzog (Ha'aretz Magazine, 29 October, 1999) says that what archaeologists have learned from their excavations in the Land of Israel is that the Israelites were never in Egypt, did not wander in the desert, did not conquer the land in a military campaign and did not pass it on to the twelve tribes of Israel. On this view, the Exodus was no more than a legend in which no historically important event occurred.

For more information, please visit:
http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-exodus

http://christianity.answers.com/theology/moses-in-history-and-tradition

Answer 4

One important event described in the Book of Exodus is the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. Another event, that Christians would say was the most important event that happened during the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt, was Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God . Some Jews might consider the construction of the Ark of the Covenant as being of at least equal importance.

Ze'ev Herzog (Ha'aretz Magazine, 29 October, 1999) says that what archaeologists have learned from their excavations in the Land of Israel is that the Israelites were never in Egypt, did not wander in the desert, did not conquer the land in a military campaign and did not pass it on to the twelve tribes of Israel. On this view, the Exodus was no more than a legend in which no historically important event occurred.

For more information, please visit:

http://christianity.answers.com/bible/the-book-of-exodushttp://christianity.answers.com/theology/moses-in-history-and-tradition

Answer 5

According to the Book of Exodus, Moses received the Ten Commandments during the Exodus from Egypt. At Mount Sinai, the Hebrew people built the golden calf, the people rebelled against Moses. However, this was overcome and the people accepted their chosenness and became loyal to God. The Chosen People were led by fire at night and a cloud by day, receiving Manna from heaven every day (except the Sabbath). Eventually, Moses struck a rock twice when God had said to speak to the rock to issue water. This failure to follow instructions led to God denying Moses' arrival to the Promised Land.

However, the respected Israeli archaeologist, Israel Finkelstein, reports that over ninety per cent of scholars do not believe that there was ever an Exodus from Egypt, as described in the Bible. If there was no Exodus, Moses did not receive the Ten Commandments from God. The archaeologists claim that the Israelites were just another group of Canaanites who migrated from the coast to the inner highlands and were never in Egypt at all.

Answer 6

1) The splitting of the Sea of Reeds 2) The subduing of the Egyptians

3) The Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai (shortly afterthe Exodus).

After the Israelite Exodus, Egypt was in turmoil for decades, as we may understand from the Ipuwer papyri ("Pestilence is throughout the land....the river is blood")(Professor John van Seters, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology no. 50). This (and more) may be seen here:

Evidence of the Exodus

The plagues

And the wider picture, archaeology in general:

Archaeology

The plagues were also described by ancient historians, including Herodotus and Diodorus. The Exodus is mentioned by Strabo, Berosus, Artapanus, Numenius, Justin, and Tacitus.

Ipuwer's papyrus was a private document. The unwillingness of the Egyptians to record the events of the Exodus publicly shouldn't come as a shock. Few nations are ever content to record embarrassing setbacks honestly. Even today, British and American textbooks describe the American Revolution in very different ways.

An example of the above principle:

The destruction of Sennacherib's army at the walls of Jerusalem was denied by secular theorists, because the Assyrians made no mention of it. But then it was found that Berosus and Herodotus both state that Sennacherib's military campaign in Judea ended in plague and defeat. It should not surprise us that the Assyrians themselves didn't record their own losses.

It is only the Hebrew Bible, because of its Divine origin, that exposes the faults of its own people and even magnifies them.

In no other religious text can one find such openness. None of the Israelites were immune to strong criticism: Abraham (Genesis 16:5), Reuben (Gen.ch.35), Simeon and Levi (Gen.ch.34 and 49), Judah (Gen.ch.38), Joseph's brothers (Gen.ch.37), Moses (Numbers ch.20), Aaron (Exodus 32:2-4), Samson (Judges 14:1-3), Eli's sons (1 Samuel 2:12), Samuel's sons (1 Samuel 8:1-3), Saul (1 Samuel ch.15), David (2 Samuel ch.11-12), Solomon (1 Kings ch.11), and many others.

Answer 7

The most important part of the events of the Exodus was the lesson of strong belief in God. Again and again it was stated that "they shall serve Me;" "they shall know that I am God."See also the Related Link.

The Exodus

Answer 8

1) The parting of the Sea of Reeds (Exodus ch.14).
2) The death of the Egyptian firstborn (Exodus ch.12).

Answer 9

The most important part of the events of the Exodus was the lesson of strong belief in God.

Answer 10

When God gave us the Torah.