Who was Moses?
Led Israel out of Egypt and received the law from God at Sinai.
The story of Moses
Moses is the Levite prophet through whom God led Israel out of Egypt and gave the law. He is the son of Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20). His parents hid him for three months in defiance of the king's command (Hebrews 11:23), and he was then raised by Pharaoh's daughter, who named him because she drew him out of the water (Exodus 2:10).
As a grown man he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew and fled to Midian (Exodus 2:11-15). There he married Zipporah and kept the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian (Exodus 2:21; Exodus 3:1). At Horeb God called him from a burning bush and revealed his name, I AM THAT I AM (Exodus 3:2-14).
When Moses protested that he was slow of speech, God appointed his brother Aaron to speak for him (Exodus 4:10-14). Moses was eighty when he and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7). After the plagues Israel left Egypt, and Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and the waters divided (Exodus 14:21).
At Mount Sinai he received the two tables of stone written with the finger of God (Exodus 31:18). He broke them when the people worshipped the golden calf (Exodus 32:19) and hewed a second pair (Exodus 34:1). He made the tabernacle after the pattern shown him on the mount (Hebrews 8:5).
Numbers calls him very meek, above all men on earth (Numbers 12:3). Because he struck the rock at Meribah instead of speaking to it, God told him he would not bring Israel into the land (Numbers 20:8-12). He set Joshua before the congregation as his successor (Numbers 27:22-23) and wrote the law and delivered it to the priests (Deuteronomy 31:9).
He died in Moab at 120 after viewing the land from Mount Nebo, and no one knows where his grave is (Deuteronomy 34:1-7). Scripture says no prophet arose in Israel like him, whom the LORD knew face to face (Deuteronomy 34:10). In the New Testament he appears with Elijah at the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:3).
Tradition credits him with the five books of the law, though those books do not name their author.
- Name meaning
- Drawn out
- Role
- Prophet and leader of Israel
- First mention
- Exodus 2:10
- Appearances in the Bible
- 784 mentions
Moses in the Bible
Chapters that mention Moses
Coloring pages with Moses
Questions about Moses
Who was Moses in the Bible?
Moses is the Levite prophet through whom God led Israel out of Egypt and gave the law. He is the son of Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20). His parents hid him for three months in defiance of the king's command (Hebrews 11:23), and he was then raised by Pharaoh's daughter, who named him because she drew him out of the water (Exodus 2:10). As a grown man he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew and fled to Midian (Exodus 2:11-15). There he married Zipporah and kept the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian (Exodus 2:21; Exodus 3:1). At Horeb God called him from a burning bush and revealed his name, I AM THAT I AM (Exodus 3:2-14). When Moses protested that he was slow of speech, God appointed his brother Aaron to speak for him (Exodus 4:10-14). Moses was eighty when he and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7). After the plagues Israel left Egypt, and Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and the waters divided (Exodus 14:21). At Mount Sinai he received the two tables of stone written with the finger of God (Exodus 31:18). He broke them when the people worshipped the golden calf (Exodus 32:19) and hewed a second pair (Exodus 34:1). He made the tabernacle after the pattern shown him on the mount (Hebrews 8:5). Numbers calls him very meek, above all men on earth (Numbers 12:3). Because he struck the rock at Meribah instead of speaking to it, God told him he would not bring Israel into the land (Numbers 20:8-12). He set Joshua before the congregation as his successor (Numbers 27:22-23) and wrote the law and delivered it to the priests (Deuteronomy 31:9). He died in Moab at 120 after viewing the land from Mount Nebo, and no one knows where his grave is (Deuteronomy 34:1-7). Scripture says no prophet arose in Israel like him, whom the LORD knew face to face (Deuteronomy 34:10). In the New Testament he appears with Elijah at the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:3). Tradition credits him with the five books of the law, though those books do not name their author.
What does the name Moses mean?
The name Moses means “Drawn out”.
Where is Moses first mentioned in the Bible?
Moses is first mentioned in Exodus 2:10.
How many times is Moses mentioned in the Bible?
Number of mentions in the Bible: 784.
Who was the spouse of Moses?
Spouse: Zipporah.
Who were the children of Moses?
Children: Gershom and Eliezer.
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