Passover Saga - Myth Or History? (5) 2000AD, UCLA Study Group - Moses and Pharaoh Dudimose

Professor Barrett began the session with greetings,These include the well-known Pharaoh Merenptah's
then Lawrence took over, citing historical data aboutboast, 'Israel is laid waste', dated at 1210 BC, which
Asiatic slaves dwelling in Egypt, and about a "Moses"confirms the presence of Israelites in lands north-east
referred to by Egyptian historians Eusebies andof Egypt."
Artapanus, who lived a thousand years after him, in- "And in direct conformity with the Bible - regarding
the 300 BC era, "Most records," said Lawrence, "arethe killing of male Hebrew babies - the saving of
from the library at Alexandria - that there was anbaby Moses," Lawrence continued, " was the
Egyptian prince Mouses who led a military campaigndiscovery of unusual demographic burial data at
against Ethiopia. There is also much archaeologicalTel-ed-Daba - 65% of the graves were of babies
data about a slave Semitic people," he continued,less than 18 months old, compared to a normal
using the desired power point format:percentage of 20-30%. Appropriately, there were far
- "An Austrian dig of dwellings and tombs atmore graves of adult females than of males, which
Tel-ed-Daba, Egypt, in 1989, found ancient cities nearconforms to male babies being killed at birth. Then,
Goshen. Data from 800 drill cores gave evidence of athe story of baby Moses, floating on the Nile and
large number of Asian, non-Egyptian slaves; elevensaved by an Egyptian princess - Egyptian data tell of
levels at the site indicate there were manyan adult Moses."
generations - during the 12th to the 13th Egyptian- "There is also the record of slaves building
dynasties, which are compatible in length and timemonuments in Egypt - Papyrus, Leiden #348,
period to the Biblical history of the Hebrew sojourn,'Distribute grain to the Habirus, or Hebrews, who
and as slaves in Egypt)."carry stones to the great pylon of Rameses,'"
- "There's also a 1966 Austrian Archaeological- "Regarding the military leaderm Mouses," said
research dig at Tel-ed-Daba which confirms theLawrence, "the Roman historian, Josephus, as well as
existence of a people with 'distinctly Israelite origins'a stela fragment in the British Museum, also indicate
between the 14th and 12th centuries BC, whichsuch a leader during Pharaoh Khenepres-Sobekhotep's
match the period of the Hebrew Exodus andreign. Also supporting Mouses' military campaign, is a
conquest of Canaan."statue of Sobekhotep, found on the island of Argo,
- "Then there's the Brooklyn Papyrus 35.1446, whichestablishing that Egyptian conquest and authority
tells of the reign of Pharaoh Sobekhoten; it containsextended at least 200 kilometers from Egypt.
over 95 names of slaves - more than half areEgyptian historians wrote that Mouses' fame caused
Semitic, and seven are actual Biblical names. ReallySobekhotep to target him, and forcing Moses to flee
remarkable is the fact that one of the two midwivesto Midian - just as in the Bible story, however, the
named in the Bible - 'Shiphrah' is included."Bible and Passover Haggadah say the cause was
- "Then there is archaeological evidence ofMoses killing an Egyptian slave- driver."
Asiatic-type, clearly non- Egyptian, culture, including- "Finally," said Lawrence, "The Pharaoh of the
Hebrew-type houses."Exodus is identified as King Dudimose, 36th ruler of
- "There's also an 18th dynasty mural painting of non-the 13th Dynasty. In the Bible he is described as,
Egyptian-Asian slaves having semitic features, actually'Pharaoh who knew not Joseph'"
building mud-bricks from straw."The subject for the next session was decided on -
- "Also. cuneiform tablet-letters have been found inthe Ten Plagues of the Exodus, Ranah to be
archaeological digs such as at Tel Amarna in Egypt,Presenter.
discoveries of the 14th to the 12th century BC.