References in the Bible Egypt is always of particular interest, first of all because of ancient Egyptian history well enough documented. Therefore, it is worth a closer look at two key Biblical characters - Joseph (Egypt) and Moses (Exodus).

As a result of laborious calculations, among the scientists there was an opinion that Jacob lived two hundred and fifty years later Abraham. If this is true, then the story of Joseph belongs to the seventeenth century BC Driven scientists dates vary between 1730 and 1630 years before our era.

Shortly before that Egypt has gone through the most turbulent period in its long history. Around 1780 BC countries struck the revolutionary events. Rose enslaved population for some time even captured in their hands the administration of the state.

The consequences of this explosion has long been felt, and in the seventeenth century B.C. political strength of Egypt has suffered greatly. In this period of political decline of the country took the Hyksos. Their leaders have adopted all the trappings of power of the pharaohs and stayed in the conquered Egypt about a hundred and fifty years, with fire and sword suppressing the slightest sign of rebellion. Although the Hyksos invaded only the Bottom Egypt Nile Delta, however provincial rulers of Upper Egypt also became their tributaries. The capital of the new masters of Egypt became Avaris - city, lying in the Eastern part of the Delta.

The very name of Hyksos was interpreted in different ways: once believed that it means "leaders of the desert" or "the kings of the shepherds". The latest research has shown that the word rather, it should be translated as "the kings of the lands".

The Hyksos were Semites and spoke in a language that, in all probability, was coming to an early form of the development of the Hebrew language. From the inscriptions on the scarabs we know that the leaders of the Hyksos wore typical Semitic names as, for example, Another, khian, Jakober. It is assumed, however, that the Hyksos were only a few elite warriors. Invasion of Hyksos, apparently, was the result of enormous ethnic shifts, which was going through Mesopotamia, this boiling pot of peoples. In the second Millennium from the North there invaded Asian tribes Guriev. They pushed the Semitic peoples, including the Hyksos, in Syria and Palestine.

Archaeological excavations in Jericho has shown that for a certain period of time, this ancient city was occupied by the Hyksos. Thus, we can assume that the conquerors of Egypt were holding in their hands and Palestine.

Now the question arises: what relevant to these events have Joseph and his brothers? Scientists in these days agree that emigration seventy of the Israelites in Egypt coincides with the period of domination of the Hyksos. The family of Jacob allegedly was caught by a General wave of intrusion, or has arrived to Egypt already after the country took possession of the Hyksos. Jacob and his offspring there were greeted warmly, as they were in close relationship with the invaders, and they were probably interested in how to attract conquered the country, Asians.

The Jewish historian of the first century Josephus speaks of the Hyksos as about their ancestors, and in Egyptian texts of the sixteenth century B.C. mention of Canaan nomadic tribes, who settled in Egypt.

Against this political backdrop many questionable episodes biblical stories find their logical interpretation. And first of all answer the question about the construction of Joseph for the post of Governor of the Pharaoh. It is difficult to imagine that under normal conditions noble Egyptians agreed to entrust high post one of the despised them Asians. In Genesis (Chapter 46, item 34) about Jews literally said: "...an abomination to the Egyptians every shepherd of the sheep". It is easy to understand that giksosy pharaohs, with the suspicion of belonging to the local population, had more confidence in close them by origin and language Asians who came from Canaan.

However, the pharaohs-the Egyptians are sometimes held similar policy towards private parties. the Pharaoh Akhenaten, the founder of monotheism and admirer of the sun God Aton (around the middle of the fourteenth century BC), had to struggle with the opposition of the priests, aristocracy and even the wide circles of the society, who kept a traditional loyalty to the God Amun. In this situation, he picked up his confidants of the oppressed masses, who could be trusted.

In the tomb of one of its high dignitaries found the following message: "I was a man of low origin in the father and mother, but the king had set me on my feet. He allowed me to move out... I was a man without property, and he in his generosity gave me everyday foods me that once, as a beggar, had to ask for a piece of bread". In tel El Amarna (ruins of the capital of this Pharaoh) found the sarcophagus noblemen, consisting in the service of the king. The name of the official Nehem, and he was Asian. And vizier of Pharaoh Jangamo became all-powerful person at the court, though belonged to the Semitic race.

In a remarkable analysis of the biblical text, which gives the French Egyptologist Pierre Monte in the book "Egypt and the Bible". Monte shares with readers the following observations: Jacob, as we already know, dwelt in the land of Goshen, lying to the East of the Nile Delta. Joseph, as Governor of the Pharaoh lived, of course, next to his master in the capital. When news of the arrival of the family Joseph immediately sat down in the car and hurried toward the father.

He then returned to Pharaoh to tell him about his trip. The Bible is absolutely undeniable that these events occurred over a very short time, even if not in the same day. In Genesis (Chapter 45, item 10) Joseph promised his father that will put him in the land of Goshen, and, therefore, close to himself. Hence, the conclusion suggests itself that the capital where Joseph lived, was situated at a short distance from the land of Goshen, that is in the Delta.

It in no way could be cities like Memphis, Thebes or Fayoum. They were too far away from Goshen, and the journey of Joseph in the chariot would take several days. Besides, according to the French Egyptologist Maspero, in Egypt, in the absence of suitable roads never used cars for long-distance travel. Such journeys typically occurred on Barco on the main communication arteries, which was the Nile. The foregoing factors are we like to track pillars, arrows, which together are aimed in the direction of Avaris, the capital of Hyksos.

We now know that Avaris was in the Nile Delta, as the ruins of this city together with many giksosy seals excavated in the vicinity of the modern village of San El-Hagar. And if Joseph carried authority in Avaris, then fall away all the doubts: the story of his life have to accommodate in the era of ruling the Hyksos. A later date is completely eliminated, since after the expulsion of the invaders gentle Pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty moved his capital in Thebes. As you can see, giksosy theory is based on quite solid background, and therefore it is recognized now by many scientists.

In the biblical story is striking historical accuracy in the reconstruction of the Egyptian customs. This is especially the funeral rites connected with the death of Jacob and Joseph. Their remains were embalmed for forty days, and the mummy put in a wooden coffin. Already Herodotus informs that the embalming process continued in Egypt forty days,is confirmed by the text of the papyri found in the tombs of kings and nobles. Remember that Joseph was cut before he stood before Pharaoh. This seemingly minor detail is very telling, as further evidence of familiarity with the Egyptian customs.

In Egypt, nobody was allowed to wear a beard; this privilege belonged exclusively to one Pharaoh, which, however, was hung artificial beard. Joseph, being a Jew, probably grew a beard, and so he was cut off, as required by the court etiquette. Same is the case with the construction of Joseph for the post of Governor of the Pharaoh. The ceremony proceeded in accordance with the ritual with which we are acquainted papyrus paintings in tombs. The new ruler was received from the hands of Pharaoh as honorary gifts that meet its high rank precious chain on his neck, expensive clothes and, moreover, the wife of a noble family. During the solemn marches Governor was one of the gilded Palace of chariots, and went immediately behind the chariot of Pharaoh. By the way the Egyptians borrowed from the Hyksos the custom to use the horses, and the ceremonies of this, and after the expulsion of the invaders have been preserved in Egypt.

In the biblical story was also notable for the fact that the names that there are also typical Egyptian. Pharaoh called Joseph nafnaf; which means "God says: long live". The wife of Joseph's name was Asenath or Usenet, there "owned (goddess) No" (the goddess worshipped in the Nile Delta), and Potiphar or Potiphera is distorted name "PA-di-PA-re", meaning "(tot), which gave (God) RA".

It is worth to add that the story of Joseph gives a clear idea about the Egyptian topography. We report the details make it easy to navigate to the location of the land of Goshen, and on circumstantial evidence to establish to what exactly the capital lived Joseph. In short, the material from which built the Egyptian decor, fully passed the examination of modern scientific research. In this circumstance we find confirmation of the fact that some branch of Jews - perhaps it was genus Jacob's really settled in the Nile Delta, on the fertile land of Goshen.

But if it was, why there is no mention of Joseph to the Egyptian Chronicles? They are usually very detailed and full of detail, and the Semitic for the position of Governor - event too serious, that it was possible to keep silent. Such a gap in the Egyptian historiography seemed suspicious and aroused doubts in reality the figure of Joseph. But it is impossible to forget one very important thing. The Hyksos were summoned such hatred that the Egyptians destroyed everything that reminded of the period of their power. Even chroniclers silent period giksosy occupation.

Historical Chronicles suddenly break in 1730 the BC and resumed only after 1580 BC. One of the victims of this vymachivanie hundred and fifty years of history, is possible, fell, and Joseph, the contractor giksosy the politicians responsible for the deep economic upheavals, unpopular among the Egyptians. His actions later painfully affected the Israelites, who after the death of Joseph remained in the land of Goshen.

In the Bible the Egyptian-Israeli history stopped suddenly on the death of Joseph. Then, we tell about the events connected with the personality of Moses. This gap covers approximately four hundred years. Why did the editors of the biblical text has made such a leap in recounting the history of the Israelites?

Perhaps it's done deliberately, in order not to touch the infamous for Israelis period. After the expulsion of the Hyksos pharaohs eighteenth dynasty moved his capital from Avaris in native Thebes. The Israelites remained in the land of Goshen, where were isolated pastoral life. Nobody paid attention to simple herdsmen, who lived far from the main political center, in the far provinces of the state. For the Egyptians, it was a very turbulent time, and no one thought to oppress Israel, especially because they are increasingly influenced by Egyptian culture, and, as pointed out by reliable data, was even recognized as the cult of the Egyptian gods.

As Joshua in such terms reproaches of Israel: "put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt..." (Joshua, Chapter 24, verse 14). From the final assimilate them, apparently, to save the attachment to the language, customs and traditions of the fathers. In any case, it is possible to consider, that for Israelis long stay in Goshen is the epoch of spiritual degeneration and mindless.

From this dangerous passivity led the Israelites rapid changes in the political life of Egypt. Came to power pharaohs of the nineteenth dynasty.

There is a sufficient number of alternative points of view at the time of the Exodus. Usually this time period corresponds to the time of reign of Queen Hatshepsut ( approx 1500 g DRH ) to Ramzesa II (1317-1251 B.C., according to other data 1292-1234 BC) and his successor Marnate (aka Merneptah, Merenptah, Merenptah, Merneptah).

The Egyptian historian Manetho, who lived in the III century BC and the Alexandrian philosopher, stoic Heremon, who lived in the first century ad, in his writings show Moses and Joseph, who led a group of lepers, cast out of Egypt in the reign Amenophis (probably Amenese) and his son Ramses; and the writer of I century BC Lisimah mentions the name of Pharaoh Bokhoris (aka Manetta, Merneptah, Merenptah), the beginning of the 14th century B.C. Jewish historian of the first century naisip Flavius does not agree with them, stating the following: "for Me to do to him (the Manetho) several objections regarding Moses, whom the Egyptians consider an extraordinary man and the divine; wanting to think it's my, they give it to one of the priests, remote from the city of Heliopolis due to leprosy. Meanwhile, from monuments, it is clear that he (Moses) was born 518 years earlier and led our ancestors to the country, we now occupy. He did not suffer any similar bodily ailment, it follows from his own judgments: it prohibits a leper to stay in the city or living in the village, but tells him to leave, breaking the top dress, in the wilderness, and considers each touched him or former with them under one roof unclean". (Lev. 13,14)

If you rely on the Bible, it is preferable version is binding outcome from an earlier time-Tuthmosis III ((1503 - 1449, BC), which destroyed almost all reminders about the time of the Regency of his mother, Queen Hatshepsut is possible adoptive son and believed Moses. The thing is that In tsarstv 6,1, said, "the four hundred and eightieth year came to pass the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. In the fourth year of Solomon reigned over Israel... he began to build the temple of the Lord." The date of the accession of Solomon usually consider 972 B.C. ( according to other sources 1015 BC ) . Alarming and the book of the acts of the Apostles of 13.18.20-21: "And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness... After these things, about four hundred and fifty years, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Afterward they desired a king : and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin: so it took forty years".

However, personally I prefer the version that Moses was born when Ramses II. The thing is that all the information about the Jews in Egypt, which we have, are contained in the few random entries carved on the monument. In such records Jews are mentioned as apero or Auriu. One example of information about Jews in a minor for the time the document is a report aimed official during the reign of Ramses II. It contains the following words: "I obeyed the order, stated in the message of my Lord, which says "Give grain to soldiers Egyptians, and let the grain of aporia which give the stones to build the great city PA-Ramessu...". I gave them the grain of each month, as Jehovah had commanded my Lord". In another historical monument belonging to the same era, contains a similar entry: "I obeyed the order, stated in the message of my Lord, which says "Give food to soldiers, and let the grain apero that carry stones [of the temple] RA [deity of the sun] Ramses, beloved of Amun, in the southern part of the Memphis". Thus, the fact of residence of the whole nation in Egypt for hundreds of years we learn from dry official reports.

Ramses the second, who ruled in 1317-1251 years BC, sought to restore the Egyptian Empire by conquering Asia. As a military base for expeditions to the East it more suited Nile Delta together with the land of Goshen. In addition Ramses considered the Nile Delta your immediate family ownership, as his family was originally from the vicinity of Avaris. His father was the name of the Network, and etymologically his name is connected with the name respected in this country God Set. And he decided to move in the Nile Delta and build there, on the place of the ruined of Avaris, a new capital - the city of Rameses (later known as the city of Tanis). Preparing for aggressive campaign, he had built, in addition, another city - a mutual Fund, which consisted, in fact, from warehouses of food and military equipment. Thanks to archeological research we know the location of both cities, as it managed to dig their ruins and establish their origin.

With the advent of Ramses ended idyllic isolation land of Goshen. One day Israeli shepherds rubbed his eyes with surprise: through their pastures reached columns of soldiers, the chariots raced nobles, and after them - the darkness officials, tax collectors, messengers and supervisors, customized sticks slaves. But this was only the beginning. For the implementation of construction plans, conceived on a large scale, Rameses needed workers. And he forced the Israelites to slavishly-serf labor. However, it is possible that the Egyptians also remembered that in times of grave for them giksosy occupation Israelis were loyal subjects and favorites of the Hyksos.

Moses

The order to murder babies, spoken of in the Bible, shows that during the time of persecution of the Israelites has got a bloody, brutal form. It is assumed that the reason for it was the fertility of the Israelis and the overpopulation of the Nile Delta after there is a Central administration with countless officials, court and the military. The Bible implies that many Israelis were not able at that time to feed livestock and were forced to move to cities, where they are engaged in petty trade and craft. This process is compelling on the example of Moses, who was born in that time when the order to murder infants was in force.

According to the legend. Moses was born in the family of Abraham and Yehoodi belonging to the tribe of Levi. Within three months the mother was able to hide her baby. Then, seeing that no longer hide him, she wove a reed basket and covered her sticky sludge , coated with resin that water is not passed, and, putting her boy, left the basket among the reeds by the river. She did not dare to keep it in order to pay with their lives with the child, but sister, Miriam, as lingered near, and actually watched closely, what will happen to her little brother.

Interesting Association with the legend of the Akkadian king Sargon I (XXIV century BC). This is what it says Sargon about yourself: "Conceived me my poor mother; secretly gave birth to me, put me in a reed basket, sealed me resin and gave me a river... Then lifted me up the river, brought me to Akka, the water pot. Akka, the water pot lifted me up, took me to the sons and brought me up". The little basket excited the curiosity of Pharaoh's daughter, and saw the beautiful child in her, she immediately understood. Tears baby caused her compassion and she decided to save and to adopt him.<br />
Miriam watched her every move, and seeing that her brother speak gently, dared to come closer and finally said: "Don't I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew midwives, that she suckled you, baby?" Consent was poluchenia happy news sister ran to her mother and immediately returned with her to the daughter of Pharaoh. "Take this child and score it for me, and I will give thee charge", - said the daughter of Pharaoh.

Yehouda kept Moses to yourself as long as she could, but when he was twelve years old, he was taken to the Royal Palace to the daughter of Pharaoh and "became her son. He wore typical Egyptian name Mosha ( son of water), was educated at the court of Pharaoh, where he lived as a great nobleman ("And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds" (acts 7:22)), and yet, under the impression of the persecutions of the Jews, once again felt an Israelite.

Moses was forty when seeing an Egyptian beating an Israelite, he intervened and killed the Egyptian. In addition to the Israelis had no other witnesses, and Moses immediately buried the body of the killed in the sand. "He thought, understand his brethren, that God by his hand would deliver them : but they understood not" (acts. 7:25). The next day MOMA saw fought two Jews, and one was obviously wrong. Moses reproved the offender, who in response, denying him the right to interfere in their Affairs and blatantly accusing him of a crime, said, "Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" Realizing that he would be extradited, Moses had no choice but to flee to the East. He took refuge from a priest and a Prince of Midian land of Jethro and married one of his daughters. Here for forty years remained a shepherd with his father-in-law.

One day, vypasa cattle near Horeb, "the mountain of God"Moses saw a Bush on fire, branches, leaves, stem burned but didn't burn.

Now we already know that a Bush there, he and today is found in the Sinai Peninsula and is called dipton, or a Bush of Moses. This is a kind of plant emit volatile essential oil, which is flammable in the sun. An instance of this Bush brought even in Poland and planted in the mountain-steppe reserve in Korotich. In 1960, the newspaper reported that, to the surprise of local residents, the Bush of Moses on a hot day flashed blue-red fire. Coming closer, to view the wonderful phenomenon, Moses heard the voice out of the fire, calling him by name. With trembling lips he said, "I". He was warned not to approach irreverently: "take Off your shoes from your feet; for the place whereon thou standest is Holy ground...

I am the God of thy father. The God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

I have seen the affliction of My people in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; I know their sorrows, and come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them out of the land unto a good land and a large, flowing with milk and honey...

And now come, I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth out of Egypt My people, the children of Israel".

And, together with his wife and children, Moses went to his older brother Aaron, who daily communicating with the Egyptians, was fluent in their language....

When Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites from Egypt, God decided to punish him, bidding Moses smite with the rod in the water of the Nile. The water in the river was red as blood, disgusting smell, all the fish in it publ. The earth was filled with swarms of frogs, gnats, locust, etc. "And veskisilla river toads and all the dust of the earth was filled by lice", States the Bible. Then began the epidemic of the plague, and loss of livestock. Fell from the sky big hail. For three days the whole earth is plunged into pitch darkness. And completed the chain of misfortunes the most terrible tragedy - the death of the first-borns in Egypt.

There is an ancient Egyptian papyrus Dating from about 1500 g BC, describes the event reminds quote from the Bible. This papyrus with the composition of Ipuwer which 1828 was in Leiden Museum. He was repeatedly discussed by historians and found them whether a collection of parables, whether vague prophecy, whether fragmentary chronicle of any actual incident. But look at the analogy :

Papyrus: the River in the blood...

Exodus 7:20: And all the water in the river were turned to blood.

Papyrus: Penalty throughout the earth. Blood everywhere...

Exodus 7:21: And there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

Papyrus: Gates, columns and walls are absorbed by the fire...

Exodus 9:23 - 24: And the fire ran along upon the whole earth... very strong.

Papyrus: Trees swept away... Neither fruit nor plants...

Exodus 9:25: And broke hail in all the land of Egypt all that was in the box... and all the trees broke.

Papyrus: the Land in the darkness...

Exodus 10:25: And there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt.

During flood the Nile often becomes red-brown color in the sediments of the lakes of the Ethiopian, also there is another possible cause of the disasters of the Egyptians - the microorganism Piesteria Pisicida. Algae affected by this microorganism, which in certain cycles in its development throws strongest toxin, water stain red and make it uninhabitable for fish, drinking and even watering. When the water in the Nile was poisoned, frogs, fled, and went in search of a new home on the land. Many of them quickly died from drought and other destroyed the Egyptians. In addition, every few years during floods mosquitoes and other insects multiply to such an extent that the Egyptian peasants considered them as a true disaster, locusts and Posey day devastates field of Egypt...

As for the castle over the Nile he fell extremely rare, but nevertheless sometimes fall out, and then the losses caused by him, there were very noticeable. The culprit "Egyptian darkness", most likely, was impetuous vortex Sirocco; he was picked up out of the desert huge clouds of sand and carried them to Egypt, obscuring the sun this thick veil that came the darkness. Perhaps, in this case, we would be dealing with a normal time sequence of events (past hoc)that people tend to build in a causal relationship (propter hoc).

Moses, in the opinion of the Israelites, was a mighty Wonderworker that his miracles were called several times from relatives of admiration and fear; therefore, he could and Egypt to send ten plagues, one after the other. In fact, in the camp researchers have serious differences regarding the definition of time possible Outcome, although most researchers are inclined to believe that the Exodus from Egypt occurred in the second half of the thirteenth century BC. Ramses was a great Pharaoh, and Egypt under his rule reached the peak of its great power. Therefore, it is doubtful that the Israelis managed to escape during the life of Ramses. In the words "After a long time, died and the king of Egypt" (Exodus, Chapter 2, verse 23) hidden hint that Moses returned to Egypt after his accession to the throne of Pharaoh Merneptah, the successor of Ramses the second.

In the Bible we find two mysterious verse, which give a lot of food for thought. In Exodus Chapter 3, verse 21) Yahweh says, "And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. Every woman shall ask a neighbor of his, and from living in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment : and ye shall dress them and your sons and your daughters, and will surely consume Egyptians". And next (Chapter 12, verse 36) in the same book, we read, "the Lord gave the people favour in his sight of the Egyptians : and they gave him, and they spoiled the Egyptians".

Some scientists make the conclusion that the Israelites rose up, robbed Egyptian homes and fled abroad. In favor of this assumption is the fact that during the wilderness wanderings they were victorious battles. Therefore, they had to leave Egypt, armed to the teeth.

Egypt in the reign Merneptah had to protect the Western border from the attacks of the Libyans, and from the East he was attacked Indo-European peoples who have left their homes in the Balkans, invaded Asia Minor, crushed the state of the Hittites and occupied the coast of the Mediterranean sea. However, Merneptah victorious came out of fights with aggressors, but Egypt was so tired that for a long period he was able to regain their strength. In all likelihood, the Israelis took advantage of his temporary weakness in order to escape from slavery.

There are other reasons, which allow Dating the outcome of the second half of the thirteenth century B.C. Archaeologists have found the ruins of the Canaanite city, captured, according to the Bible, the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua, the successor of Moses. In those layers of the excavations, which undoubtedly belong to the second half of the thirteenth century, found mainly traces of fires and deliberate devastation is clear evidence of the rapid conquest. Moses, as we know from the Bible, requested of the king of Edom to allow Israelis free passage through its territory, in which he was denied. But Moses did not dare to use violence, because Edom was a powerful military state, and decided to bend its borders. Through archaeological discoveries we know that in the fourteenth century BC Edom did not exist, and as a well-organized and powerful state he entered the arena of history only in the thirteenth century BC. So the Israelites could appear on the boundary in this century, not before.

There are, however, a serious gap in this year. Doubts arose in connection with the excavation of Jericho, fortresses, allegedly conquered by Joshua. British expedition confirmed that Jericho was indeed the ruinn aggressors, but rubble and broken parts of the buildings were in the layer, which refers to the fourteenth, and not to the thirteenth century BC Date established on the basis of found scarabs and characteristic drawings on ceramic shards. Scientists came in considerable confusion: on the one hand, the excavations in the ancient Edom state and historical data about Egypt say that the Exodus occurred in the thirteenth century BC, and on the other hand, the new data that Jericho fell on a century earlier. Maybe the Israelis have won this mighty fortress? However Scarabs were valuable family jewels; they were inherited from father to sons, therefore, cannot serve as the basis for an exact date....

Many miracles of Moses, during the wilderness wanderings can explain his life experience.

The Bible tells us that at the foot of mount Horeb, Moses struck his staff on the rock, and from there flew spring water. This miracle he certainly learned from the Midianites. The Bedouin it is known to this day. They know that, despite the prolonged drought, at the foot of the mountains under fragile film sand and lime usually collected rainwater. Enough to break the shell to get to the water and to quench their thirst.

In the same light appears and the episode with quails. Modern inhabitants of the Sinai Peninsula would be very surprised if they said that arrival of these birds should be considered as a miracle. Spring season from the depths of Africa to Europe attracted a huge flock of quail. Exhausted by their long journey, they usually sit on the ground along the sea shore, weakened to such an extent that local people catch their bare hands. The Israelis, in all probability, could be faced with such a touch of quail and, of course, took advantage of the pleasant opportunity to hunt them.

Here is another episode from the Bible. On the way from Horeb to Kadesh Israel again did not have enough food, and again began to be heard complaints. Then came the second time, quail, and hungry Wanderers eagerly rushed to catch. But unlike the previous case of bird meat proved to be highly harmful, almost all of the Israelites became seriously ill, and many have paid with their lives for their greed. In the Pentateuch this dramatic episode is described as a parable with morality, which teaches that God does not forgive those who oppose his will.

All said for the fact that this is the way to understand this piece of the story. It showed the typical features of didactic folk Proverbs. The greater surprise was the fact that the described case is not a creature of the wild imagination. The Director of the Pasteur Institute in Algeria Professor Srdjan found that in Sinai indeed sometimes appear poisonous quail. This birds that before flying to Europe stay in Sudan and fed there beans with poisonous properties. Meat birds such harmful and even dangerous for human life. The Israelis, apparently, no luck. They hunted such as quail, and their ill-fated adventure reflected in the biblical story.

The Bible tells how the Israelites after three days of wandering in the wilderness of Sin came in Merru, where they waited for heavy disappointment: it appears that the spring water is bitter and undrinkable. Then Moses threw some sort of a twig, and-what a miracle! the water became sweet. In connection with this episode, we note that around merry there is still bitter source. The British made chemical analysis of water and found that it contains a certain percentage of sulfate of calcium. When this water is added oxalic acid, sulfate calcium settles to the bottom and the water loses its bitterness. Bedouins podslashchajut bitter source with brushwood, called the river, juices which contain a considerable admixture of oxalic acid.....

Manna

"Rosa went up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness something small, crospovidone, small as the hoar-frost on the ground. And saw the children of Israel, and said to each other: "what is it? For they knew not what it is. And Moses said to them: this is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat... And he called the house of Israel bread to the name: the manna; it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste like cake with honey".

The outcome 16,14.15.31... Sensational results from research on the notorious biblical manna.

More than a hundred years ago, scientists Ehrenberg and Genrih found that manna find in our days in the Sinai mountains, she falls to the ground from the air space... the Arabs call it "man". The natives Arabs and Greek monks collect it and eaten with bread instead medal 1927, a zoologist at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem Bodenheimer discovered in the Sinai Peninsula kind of tamarisk, which in springtime allocates sweet liquid that harden quickly in the air in the form of white balls, similar to the castle. Local Bedouin big fans of this delicacy is with approach of spring the crowds are sent to the steppe to collect white sticky balls as we gather berries. One person can gather for a day and a half pounds - the amount sufficient to satisfy hunger. Interestingly, small street vendors in Baghdad today put up for sale sweet resin tamarisk called man...

In the second half of the last century, M. Berthelot, became interested in chemical composition of manna and decided to analyze the two sample: the Sinai and the Syrian, to be more precise, the manna from Kurdistan. Sinai manna was a thick yellow syrup containing fragments of plants. It includes, in addition to water, cane sugar, dextrin and similar substances. Sample manna from Kurdistan was found by Dr. Gallardo, who wrote: it crashes at all without distinction plants, in July and August, but not every year...".

This kind of manna was a pasty, almost solid mass, permeated with plant matter mixed with a small amount of waxy substance. Its composition is similar to the composition of the Sinai manna."

In the light of these discoveries biblical manna ceased to be a miracle. Moses must have known of its nutritional value from the time of exile, and because of this could feed the Israelites.

In the same category should include disaster from poisonous snakes, which came unto strangers halfway between the city Cadecom and the Gulf of Aqaba. Swiss traveler BURKHARDT visited 1809-1816 years in the Sinai Peninsula and mentioned in the Bible route section of the Israelites came across the valley, and infested with poisonous snakes. They inhabit since time immemorial, so Bedouins diligently go round this place. Therefore, this piece of legends also could be based on true facts. It has long been known that the so-called plagues of Egypt (with the exception of the tenth) were a common occurrence in the country of pharaohs.