Moses

Moses (13 th century bc), Israelite leader.

The story of Moses is told in the Bible.

In his time, the tribes of Israel were held as slaves in Egypt, probably by Pharaoh Rameses II.

In about 1280 bc Moses led the Israelites to freedom across the Red Sea and, for years afterwards, they wandered in the Sinai Desert.

Then they went on to the 'Promised Land' of Canaan (present-day Israel).

According to the Bible, God called Moses to climb Mount Sinai and there gave him two tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments. This mountain was probably Jebel Musa, 7,500 feet (2,286 meters) high. But Moses did not enter Canaan. He died after seeing the 'Promised Land' in the distance.