the advantages of training both as to his body and his mind. He at length
became “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22). Egypt
had then two chief seats of learning, or universities, at one of which,
probably that of Heliopolis, his education was completed. Moses, being
now about twenty years of age, spent over twenty more before he came
into prominence in Bible history. These twenty years were probably
spent in military service. There is a tradition recorded by Josephus that he
took a lead in the war which was then waged between Egypt and Ethiopia,
in which he gained renown as a skilful general, and became “mighty in
deeds” (Acts 7:22).
After the termination of the war in Ethiopia, Moses returned to the
Egyptian court, where he might reasonably have expected to be loaded
with honours and enriched with wealth. But “beneath the smooth current
of his life hitherto, a life of alternate luxury at the court and comparative
hardness in the camp and in the discharge of his military duties, there had
lurked from childhood to youth, and from youth to manhood, a secret
discontent, perhaps a secret ambition. Moses, amid all his Egyptian
surroundings, had never forgotten, had never wished to forget, that he was
a Hebrew.” He now resolved to make himself acquainted with the
condition of his countrymen, and “went out unto his brethren, and looked
upon their burdens” (Exodus 2:11). This tour of inspection revealed to him
the cruel oppression and bondage under which they everywhere groaned,
and could not fail to press on him the serious consideration of his duty
regarding them. The time had arrived for his making common cause with
them, that he might thereby help to break their yoke of bondage. He made
his choice accordingly (Hebrews 11:25-27), assured that God would bless
his resolution for the welfare of his people. He now left the palace of the
king and took up his abode, probably in his father’s house, as one of the
Hebrew people who had for forty years been suffering cruel wrong at the
hands of the Egyptians.
He could not remain indifferent to the state of things around him, and going
out one day among the people, his indignation was roused against an
Egyptian who was maltreating a Hebrew. He rashly lifted up his hand and
slew the Egyptian, and hid his body in the sand. Next day he went out
again and found two Hebrews striving together. He speedily found that the
deed of the previous day was known. It reached the ears of Pharaoh (the
“great Rameses,” Rameses II.), who “sought to slay Moses” (Exodus