- MOSERA a bond, one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness
(Deuteronomy 10:6), at the foot of Mount Hor. (Comp. Numbers 33:37,
38). It has been identified with el-Tayibeh, a small fountain at the bottom
of the pass leading to the ascent of Mount Hor. - MOSEROTH bonds, one of the stations in the wilderness (Numbers
33:30, 31), probably the same as Mosera. - MOSES drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On
the invitation of Pharaoh (Genesis 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went
down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years
before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been
conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought
into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob
and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in
Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best
of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd”
king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all
probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).
Thus favoured, the Israelites began to “multiply exceedingly” (Genesis
47:27), and extended to the west and south. At length the supremacy of
the Hyksos came to an end. The descendants of Jacob were allowed to
retain their possession of Goshen undisturbed, but after the death of
Joseph their position was not so favourable. The Egyptians began to
despise them, and the period of their “affliction” (Genesis 15:13)
commenced. They were sorely oppressed. They continued, however, to
increase in numbers, and “the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7). The
native Egyptians regarded them with suspicion, so that they felt all the
hardship of a struggle for existence.
In process of time “a king [probably Seti I.] arose who knew not Joseph”
(Exodus 1:8). (See PHARAOH.) The circumstances of the country were
such that this king thought it necessary to weaken his Israelite subjects by
oppressing them, and by degrees reducing their number. They were
accordingly made public slaves, and were employed in connection with his
numerous buildings, especially in the erection of store-cities, temples, and
palaces. The children of Israel were made to serve with rigour. Their lives
were made bitter with hard bondage, and “all their service, wherein they
made them serve, was with rigour” (Exodus 1:13, 14). But this cruel