I believe we can get at what probably took place in Egypt over three millennia ago. That would be a lot. But we have much more. We have evidence that without the historical anchor of the exodus, we would not have had the rise of the idea of monotheism. And without the experience of that returning group from Egypt, we might not have had the ethic of caring for the stranger. Monotheism and loving others as ourselves—two radical developments, major developments, in human consciousness became embodied in the heart of Western religion.
Chapter from: The Exodus (HarperOne, 2017).
By Richard Elliott Friedman
Ann & Jay Davis Professor of Jewish Studies
University of Georgia
September 2017
Click here for article.
Comments (1)
If you examine the 603,550 men counted in a census you will see that eleven of the twelve tribal numbers ended in a double zero as if they were multiplied by one hundred. It was revealing therefore where Joeb told King David that the tribes had been multiplied by one hundred. Challenging the notion of those numbers having been a census is part of any investigation into the validity of the exodus.
#1 - Michael Hearns - 09/16/2017 - 09:38