Why Egypt?
The story of how the people who would eventually be known as the Jews came to enter - and then leave - Egypt begins with a tale of family jealousy. Our hero, Joseph, was the favorite son of Jacob, and Jacob had no problem playing favorites. He gave his son a very expensive coat and generally treated him much better than he treated his brothers. This, understandably, made Joseph's brothers very jealous, so they decided that they needed to get rid of him. Joseph was soon kidnapped by his brothers and sold to slave traders headed to Egypt.
A Dream Explained
However, Joseph was a very wise man and soon had impressed his captors. Then, one day, the Pharaoh, the king of all of Egypt, was having a series of dreams that he could not understand. He saw seven full heads of grain, then seven diseased and withering heads of grain. No one in Pharaoh's court was able to explain his dream, and Pharaoh grew extremely worried. What was it that he could be missing?
The story of how the people who would eventually be known as the Jews came to enter - and then leave - Egypt begins with a tale of family jealousy. Our hero, Joseph, was the favorite son of Jacob, and Jacob had no problem playing favorites. He gave his son a very expensive coat and generally treated him much better than he treated his brothers. This, understandably, made Joseph's brothers very jealous, so they decided that they needed to get rid of him. Joseph was soon kidnapped by his brothers and sold to slave traders headed to Egypt.
A Dream Explained
However, Joseph was a very wise man and soon had impressed his captors. Then, one day, the Pharaoh, the king of all of Egypt, was having a series of dreams that he could not understand. He saw seven full heads of grain, then seven diseased and withering heads of grain. No one in Pharaoh's court was able to explain his dream, and Pharaoh grew extremely worried. What was it that he could be missing?
Joseph heard about the dream from one of his guards and managed to give his interpretation of Pharaoh's dream. Joseph said that the seven full heads of grain meant that Egypt was going to have seven incredibly good harvests, while the seven diseased heads of grain meant that the seven years following those harvests would be full of disease and famine. Joseph advised the Pharaoh to build storage for the grain during the first seven years so that he could not only feed his people, but sell the excess for a profit. Pharaoh was impressed and not only freed Joseph, but invited his whole family to come to Egypt to live as nobility.
Worsening Conditions
Within a few generations there were many of Joseph's descendants, known as Israelites, living in Egypt. This created tension with the native Egyptians. Soon, a new Pharaoh came to power and saw that the Israelites were a real threat to his power. After one of his priests said that an Israelite boy would lead the Israelites to their own country, the Pharaoh ordered all newborn Israelite boys to be killed. One, however, survived and was raised by none other than the Pharaoh's sister.
This boy was named Moses, and he would lead the Jews out of Egypt. He first encountered God in a burning bush and from there, challenged Pharaoh on the morality of treating the Jews so poorly. Soon, a series of mishaps, known as the plagues, descended upon Egypt. These plagues ranged from an infestation of frogs and locusts, to the Nile turning blood red, to the first born Egyptian sons dying. Needless to say, this all made it clear to the Pharaoh that it was in his best interest to let the Israelites go, but then he changed his mind again. Nevertheless, Moses and the Israelites were able to escape Egypt, with Moses parting the waters so that the Israelites could safely pass through while the Egyptians drowned. This journey out of Egypt is called the Exodus. From there, the Israelites would wander through the desert for 40 years.
Worsening Conditions
Within a few generations there were many of Joseph's descendants, known as Israelites, living in Egypt. This created tension with the native Egyptians. Soon, a new Pharaoh came to power and saw that the Israelites were a real threat to his power. After one of his priests said that an Israelite boy would lead the Israelites to their own country, the Pharaoh ordered all newborn Israelite boys to be killed. One, however, survived and was raised by none other than the Pharaoh's sister.
This boy was named Moses, and he would lead the Jews out of Egypt. He first encountered God in a burning bush and from there, challenged Pharaoh on the morality of treating the Jews so poorly. Soon, a series of mishaps, known as the plagues, descended upon Egypt. These plagues ranged from an infestation of frogs and locusts, to the Nile turning blood red, to the first born Egyptian sons dying. Needless to say, this all made it clear to the Pharaoh that it was in his best interest to let the Israelites go, but then he changed his mind again. Nevertheless, Moses and the Israelites were able to escape Egypt, with Moses parting the waters so that the Israelites could safely pass through while the Egyptians drowned. This journey out of Egypt is called the Exodus. From there, the Israelites would wander through the desert for 40 years.
