Did the Exodus occur? This question has been asked in biblical scholarship since its origin as a modern science. The desire to resolve the question scientifically was a key component in the funding of archaeological excavations in the nineteenth century. Egyptian archaeologists routinely equated sites with their presumed biblical counterpart. Initially, it was taken for granted that the Exodus had occurred. It was simply a matter of finding the archaeological data to prove it. So far, those results have been for naught. The Exodus: An Egyptian Story takes a very real-world approach to understanding the Exodus. It is not a story of cosmic spectaculars that miraculously or coincidentally occurred when a people prepared to leave Egypt. There are no special effects in the telling of this story. Instead, the story is told with real people in the real world doing what real people do.
Peter Feinman does not rely on the biblical text and is not trying to prove that the Bible is true. He places the Exodus within Egyptian history based on the Egyptian archaeological record. It is a story of the rejection of the Egyptian cultural construct and defiance of Ramses II. Egyptologists, not biblical scholars, are the guides to telling the Exodus story. What would you expect Ramses II to say after he had been humiliated? If there is an Egyptian smoking gun for the Exodus, how would you recognize it? To answer these questions requires us to take the Exodus seriously as a major event at the royal level in Egyptian history.
1. The Egyptological Search for the Exodus 2. Egypt, Egyptology, and the Exodus: The Egyptian Cultural Construct 3. The Hyksos: The People of the 400 Year Sojourn 4. The Hyksos: The Triumph and Defeat of Apophis 5. Ramses, the Pharaoh of the Exodus 6. The Exodus 7. Post-Exodus Stress Disorder
Peter Feinman is the founder and president of the Institute of History, Archaeology, and Education, a nonprofit organization which provides enrichment programs for schools, professional development program for teachers, and public programs. His research interests cross disciplinary boundaries including American history, ancient civilizations, biblical history, and New York history.
"The Exodus: An Egyptian Story is a fun and challenging read for anyone interested in an historical reconstruction for the Exodus in the time of Ramses based on the ancient Egyptian record and who appreciates an adventurous writer willing to offer thoughtful analysis that offers an alternative to traditional academic studies."
~Kara Cooney, author of The Good Kings
“A wide-ranging examination of the Exodus in the time of Ramses, written by a respected scholar and with a historical reconstruction well-grounded in the Egyptian record. Feinman challenges the reader to rethink the event.”
~Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.
"Crucially grounded in the historiography of the search for the Exodus and Egyptology itself, Feinman provides a critical reassessment of the Exodus narrative from the Egyptological evidence which will be an important resource for anyone interested in the topic. From an array of primary sources, including texts, astronomical dating, and archaeological remains, this work builds a bold potential historical interpretation of the Exodus, paying special attention to the long-assumed connection of the Hyksos to this question."
~Danielle Candelora, co-author of Ancient Egyptian Society
“An inherently fascinating historical and archaeological approach to a fundamental story upon which all three of the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) are based, The Exodus is as well written, organized and presented, as it is informed, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking. A truly exceptional and unique study…”
~Midwest Book Review
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