Biblical Hebrew Forum

[James Read <J.Read-2 AT sms.ed.ac.uk>]

Hi all,

for a few months now I've been exploring the question of who the  
Pharoah of the exodus was. I'm familiar with the usual theories about  
Ramases II but was never really convinced by them.

I think the major clues from Exodus seem to be:

i) A Pharaoh from the time when it was normal to be just called 'Pharoah'
ii) A Pharoah whose history has some embarrasing association with  
monotheism that Egyptian historians attempt to cover up in some way
iii) A firstborn son with an untimely death

The only Pharoah who fits all three clues is Akhenaten who seems  
coincidentally to have lived in the approximate time period of Moses.

Akhenaten:

1) Was a member of the 18th dynasty when the title Pharaoh began to be used
11) There is evidence of a historical cover up of this Pharaoh and the  
motives of the cover up are associated with monotheism and some kind  
of embarrassing episode to the nation's proud history
iii) We have physical evidence that his firstborn died an untimely death

Any thoughts?

James Christian



--
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.