Moses, (flourished 14th–13th century BCE), Prophet of Judaism. In the Judaic tradition, Moses is revered as the greatest prophet and teacher. According to the book of Exodus, he was born in Egypt to Hebrew parents, who set him afloat on the Nile in a reed basket to save him from an edict calling for the death of all newborn Hebrew males.

Found by the pharaoh’s daughter, he was reared in the Egyptian court. After killing a brutal Egyptian taskmaster, he fled to Midian, where Yahweh (God) revealed himself in a burning bush and called Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. With the help of his brother Aaron, Moses pleaded with the pharaoh for the Israelites’ release.

The pharaoh let them go after Yahweh had visited a series of plagues on Egypt, but then sent his army after them. Yahweh parted the waters of the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to pass, then drowned the pursuing Egyptians.

Yahweh made a covenant with the Israelites at Mount Sinai and delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses, who continued to lead his people through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness until they reached the edge of Canaan. He died before he could enter the Promised Land. Authorship of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible is traditionally ascribed to Moses.

It was the tenth plague, the one that killed all firstborn sons (including the pharaoh’s) that made him eventually free the enslaved people. The Israelites all left Egypt and took lots of jewels and treasure with them. This angered the Pharaoh and he sent an army after them.

As the Israelites met the Red Sea they realised they were trapped. God told Moses to lift his staff, and when he did the Red Sea parted to let them through. The sea closed on and killed the Egyptian army that had been following them.

The Israelites were free but had nowhere to live and no food, so God made sure when they woke up they found white food that tasted like honey on the floor. When they needed water, Moses could strike his staff on the rocks to make it flow.

It took three months of travelling for them to reach the foot of Mount Sinai. God asked Moses to meet him at the top. Moses climbed up in a thunderstorm and waited for God.