Ramses II the Great

1. Ramses II the Great Egypt versus the Bible

2. Outline • Introduction • Part I. Ramses II • a. His reign • b. His life and his family • Part II. Moses and the Bible? • a. Moses • b. The Jews in Egypt • c. The Red Sea • Conclusion • References

3. Introduction • Ramses II (r. 1290-1224 B.C.), one of the longest reigns of any Egyptian pharaoh • Third ruler of the 19th Dynasty, son of Seti I • Reign marked last peak of Egyptian imperial power; famed for his massive building programs and many colossal statues • Ramses is thought to be the pharaoh referred to in the biblical book of Exodus

4. Part I. Ramses II

5. a. His reign • The son of Seti I and Queen Tuya was the third king of the 19th Dynasty. Called Ramesses the Great, he lived to be 96 years old • Ramses assumed the throne and began a series of wars against the Syrians. The famous Battle of Kadesh is inscribed on the walls of his temple • Ramesses' building accomplishments are two temples at Abu Simbel, the hypostyle hall at Karnak, a mortuary complex at Abydos, the Colossus of Ramses at Memphis, a vast tomb at Thebes, additions at the Luxor Temple, and the famous Ramesseum

6. Abu Simbel

7. b. His life and his family • Ramses had 200 wives and concubines, 96 sons and 60 daughters; Among his wives were Nefertari, Queen Istnofret, and a Hittite princess • Nefertari, daughter of King Seti I, and thus sister or half sister of Ramses II, was his favorite Queen • Her participation in the affairs of the state is unparalleled; referred as the "Great King's Wife“ • A political role is also reflected by the recurrent designation "Lady of Upper and Lower Egypt" and "Lady of the Two Lands"

8. Part II.Moses and the Bible

9. a. Moses • Born in Goshen, a part of ancient Egypt • His mother placed him in a basket made of papyrus and set it floating on the Nile River • Rescued by the daughter of Pharaoh, who brought the infant up as her own child • Moses went to Pharaoh, but in spite of the miracles he worked, Pharaoh would not release the Hebrew people • At last, he consented, and Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt (Exodus) • Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai, but smashed the tablets when he found the Israelites worshiping a golden calf

10. b. The Jews in Egypt • The Hebrews lived in Egypt and were oppressed by the Egyptian ruler • After the Israelites spend two centuries enslaved in Egypt, God chooses Moses, an Israelite who has fled from Egypt, to lead the children of Israel out of slavery • Historians can verify none of this narrative; Jews honor the story of the miraculous departure from Egypt, called the Exodus, as the transforming event in Jewish history

11. c. The Red Sea • Narrow, inland sea, separating the Arabian peninsula, western Asia, from northeastern Africa (1,900 km long) • The site of the safe passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea is said to be the Gulf of Suez • The Red Sea’s high salt content is a result of the region’s extreme heat, which makes its waters evaporate quickly

12. Red Sea

13. Conclusion • Ramses II probably had about 100 children by his principle wives and consorts • Unlike many pharaohs, his family is attested to with numerous monuments including Nefertari's small temple at Abu Simbel and her great tomb in the Valley of the Queens • He also built a tomb for a number of his sons in the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes) very near his own tomb • Interesting to note that Pharaoh released the Hebrew people only when his son died

14. References • http://www.touregypt.net/19dyn03.htm • http://touregypt.net/historicalessays/nefertari.htm • http://www.sis.gov.eg/egyptinf/history/html/ramses.htm • http://www.eyelid.co.uk/k-q4.htm • http://www.bibleplaces.com/abusimbel.htm • http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/abusimbel.htm • http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/bio/s/sluter/biograph.html • http://touregypt.net/historicalessays/nefertari.htm