Moses in Rabbinic Literature - Flees From Egypt

Flees From Egypt

Moses did not commit murder in killing the Egyptian Exodus 2:12; for the latter merited death because he had forced an Israelitish woman to commit adultery with him. Moses was at that time eighteen years of age ("D. Y." l.c.; "Midrash Wayosha" l.c.; "Book of Jasher" l.c.). According to another version, Moses was then twenty, or possibly forty, years of age. These divergent opinions regarding his age at the time when he killed the Egyptian are based upon different estimates of the length of his stay in the royal palace (Yalk., Shemot, 167; Genesis Rabba xi.), both of them assuming that he fled from Egypt immediately after the slaying Exodus 2:15. Dathan and Abiram were bitter enemies of Moses, insulting him and saying he should not act as if he were a member of the royal house, since he was the son not of Bithia, but of Jochebed. Previous to this they had slandered him before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh had forgiven Moses everything else, but would not forgive him for killing the Egyptian. He delivered him to the executioner, who chose a very sharp sword with which to kill Moses; but the latter's neck became like a marble pillar, dulling the edge of the sword ("Midrash Wayosha" l.c.). Meanwhile the angel Michael descended from heaven, and took the form of the executioner, giving the latter the shape of Moses and so killing him. He then took up Moses and carried him beyond the frontier of Egypt for a distance of three, or, according to another account, of forty, days ("D. Y." l.c.; "Book of Jasher" p. 115b). According to another legend, the angel took the shape of Moses, and allowed himself to be caught, thus giving the real Moses an opportunity to escape (Mek., Yitro. 1 ; Exodus Rabba i. 36).