OK — let us consider Moses as a real life human being, and leader.

Why Moses?

To understand Judaism, the trend towards this one god myth, or monotheistic trend is best to be seen from the perspective as Moses as taking his people and followers and searching for the “promised land”. Moses as the first “Jesus messiah” figure?

Historicity of Moses

The historicity of Moses, a central figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, has been a subject of debate among scholars, historians, and archaeologists for many years. While Moses is a foundational figure, seen as a lawgiver, prophet, and leader who delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and received the Ten Commandments from God, historical evidence outside of religious texts is sparse.

From Religious Texts:

• The primary sources about Moses’ life and deeds are found within religious texts, such as the Torah in Judaism (particularly the first five books of the Hebrew Bible), the Bible in Christianity, and mentions in the Quran in Islam.
• These texts provide detailed narratives of Moses’ life, including his birth, early life in Egypt, leading the Israelites out of Egypt (the Exodus), and receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Historical and Archaeological Perspectives:

• Archaeological evidence for the existence of Moses or the events described in the biblical narrative of the Exodus is limited and remains a contentious area of research.
• Some scholars argue that the lack of direct archaeological evidence and historical records outside the biblical narrative makes it difficult to confirm the existence of Moses as a historical figure. The Egyptian records from the time when Moses is supposed to have lived do not mention him or the plagues and events described in the Exodus story.
• Other scholars and theologians argue that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence and maintain that the stories of Moses and the Exodus have a basis in historical events, albeit possibly embellished over centuries of oral tradition before being written down.
• The debate often centers on the timing of the Exodus, with various proposed dates ranging within the late Bronze Age (around 1550-1200 BCE). However, these proposals often rely on correlating biblical chronologies with archaeological and historical evidence, which is itself subject to interpretation and debate.

Scholarly Consensus:

• There is no scholarly consensus on the historicity of Moses. While some view him as a historical figure who was later mythologized, others see him as a symbolic or mythical figure who embodies the experiences and aspirations of the Israelite people.
• The quest for archaeological evidence continues, and interpretations of existing evidence remain varied and often influenced by the scholars’ perspectives.

In summary, the historicity of Moses remains a complex and debated topic, with positions varying widely among scholars, archaeologists, and theologians. The lack of contemporary, external evidence makes it challenging to reach a definitive conclusion about his historical existence.