Moses in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Known as

Moshe (Hebrew), Musa (Arabic)

Main sources

Exodus to Deuteronomy; the Quran

Known for

Leading the Exodus from Egypt and receiving the Torah at Sinai

In Judaism

Moshe Rabbenu, “Moses our teacher,” the greatest prophet

In Christianity

The lawgiver whose law is fulfilled in Christ

In Islam

Prophet and messenger to whom God spoke directly

The book of Exodus tells that Moses was born to a Hebrew family in Egypt at a time when Pharaoh had ordered Hebrew baby boys to be killed. His mother hid him in a basket on the Nile, where Pharaoh’s daughter found and raised him.

As an adult, Moses fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. In the land of Midian, God spoke to him from a burning bush, revealed the divine name and sent him back to demand that Pharaoh let the Israelites go. After ten plagues, the Israelites left Egypt and crossed the sea. At Mount Sinai, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the law. Moses led the people through the wilderness and died within sight of the promised land.

There is no direct archaeological evidence for Moses or the Exodus as described, and historians debate how the traditions developed. For the religious communities that honour him, Moses is above all the prophet through whom God gave the law and formed a people.

In Judaism, Moses is Moshe Rabbenu, “Moses our teacher.” The Torah describes him as the prophet with whom God spoke “face to face,” and Maimonides counted belief in the unique prophecy of Moses among his thirteen principles of faith.

The five books of the Torah are traditionally called the Five Books of Moses, and rabbinic tradition holds that Moses received both the Written and the Oral Torah at Sinai. The festival of Passover retells the Exodus each year at the Seder meal, and Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah. Moses is remembered for his humility as well as his leadership.

Christians honour Moses as the great prophet and lawgiver. The New Testament often compares Moses and Jesus: Matthew’s Gospel presents Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in a way that recalls Sinai, and the Gospels describe Moses appearing with Elijah at Jesus’ transfiguration.

Christian theology sees the law given through Moses as good but fulfilled in Christ. The Gospel of John says that the law was given through Moses, while grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The Ten Commandments remain central in Christian moral teaching.

In the Quran, Musa is a major prophet and messenger who received the Tawrat, the Torah. His story appears in many surahs: his rescue as a baby, his confrontation with Pharaoh, the miracles of his staff and his shining hand, the parting of the sea and his leadership of the Children of Israel.

The Quran calls Musa kalim Allah, “the one to whom God spoke,” recalling God speaking to him directly. Islamic tradition also relates that during Muhammad’s night journey, Musa advised him to ask God to reduce the number of daily prayers, which were reduced to five. Muslims see Musa’s struggle against Pharaoh as a model of faith against tyranny.

The Ten Commandments, given through Moses, are among the most influential moral texts in history. They forbid worshipping other gods, making idols, misusing God’s name, murder, adultery, theft, false witness and coveting, and command keeping the Sabbath and honouring parents. Jews and Christians number and divide them slightly differently.

Moses has inspired art, literature and political movements. The story of the Exodus became a powerful symbol of liberation, notably for enslaved African Americans, whose spirituals such as “Go Down, Moses” drew on it, and for the civil rights movement.

Moses is the prophet of the Exodus and Sinai. Judaism honours him as its greatest prophet and teacher of the Torah, Christianity as the lawgiver whose law is fulfilled in Christ, and Islam as the prophet Musa to whom God spoke directly. His story of liberation and law remains central to all three traditions.