Moses lived in three distinct locations during his 120-year life, reflecting the three major phases of his journey: the royal courts of Ancient Egypt, the rugged wilderness of Midian, and the desert landscapes of the Sinai Peninsula. His story begins in the Egyptian Nile Delta, where he was raised as a prince, before he fled to the land of Midian for forty years. Finally, Moses spent his last four decades leading the Israelites through the desert toward the Promised Land.
Life in the Royal Courts of Egypt
Moses spent his first forty years in Egypt, specifically within the region of the Nile Delta. According to the Bible, he was born during a time when the Hebrew people were enslaved and their male infants were being systematically murdered by the state. His mother hid him in a basket among the reeds of the Nile River, where he was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter. This led to Moses being raised in the heart of Egyptian power, likely in the capital city of Memphis or the northern residence of Avaris.
During this period, Moses would have lived a life of extreme luxury and high-level education. The New Testament confirms this in Acts 7:22, noting that Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He lived as a member of the royal household, surrounded by the advanced architecture, art, and political maneuvering of one of the world’s greatest empires. While the Bible does not explicitly name the Pharaoh of the Exodus, many historians and scholars point to figures like Thutmoses III or Rameses II, whose dynasties oversaw massive building projects in the regions where the Israelites labored.
Exodus 2:10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her own son. She named him Moses, for she explained, “I lifted him out of the water.”
The Long Exile in Midian
The second phase of Moses’ life took place in the land of Midian. After Moses killed an Egyptian taskmaster who was beating a Hebrew slave, he fled Egypt to escape Pharaoh’s death warrant. Midian was located in the northwestern Arabian Peninsula, across the Gulf of Aqaba from the Sinai Peninsula. This was a radical change from the marble halls of Egypt. In Midian, Moses traded his prince’s robes for the simple clothes of a shepherd.
For forty years, Moses lived as a nomad and a family man. He married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, a priest of Midian, and worked for his father-in-law tending sheep. This environment was crucial for his spiritual development. In the quiet of the wilderness, away from the distractions of Egyptian paganism, Moses learned the humility and patience required to lead a nation. It was in this rugged terrain, specifically at Mount Horeb, that God appeared to him in the burning bush and called him to return to Egypt.
Leading Israel through the Sinai Wilderness
After the miraculous events of the ten plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea, Moses lived his final forty years in the Sinai Wilderness. This region is a harsh, triangular peninsula of desert and mountains located between Egypt and the land of Canaan. Instead of a permanent home, Moses lived in a tent, moving whenever the cloud of God’s presence moved. This period was characterized by constant travel, as the Israelites journeyed from camp to camp.
The most significant location during this time was Mount Sinai. Moses lived at the base of this mountain for about a year while receiving the Ten Commandments and the instructions for the Tabernacle. His life during these years was defined by the Tabernacle itself—the portable “tent of meeting” where God’s glory dwelt. Moses eventually died on Mount Nebo, overlooking the Promised Land, never having a permanent physical home on earth after leaving Egypt, which points us to the biblical truth that we are all “foreigners and strangers” looking for a heavenly home.
Hebrews 11:24-25 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.
The Pharaohs of Moses’ Time
Understanding where Moses lived requires looking at the historical context of the Egyptian rulers. Biblical chronology suggests that Moses lived during the 18th or 19th Dynasty of Egypt. If we follow an “early date” for the Exodus (around 1446 BC), the Pharaoh who “did not know Joseph” might have been Ahmose I, and the Pharaoh of the Exodus could have been Thutmoses III. These kings lived in magnificent palace complexes in Thebes and Memphis, which would have been the backdrop of Moses’ youth.
If one follows a “late date” (around 1270 BC), Rameses II is often cited as the Pharaoh of the oppression. Rameses II was famous for building the city of Pi-Ramesses in the Delta region, the very area where the Israelites were forced to bake bricks and build supply cities. Regardless of the specific name, the Bible is clear that Moses moved from the highest seat of human power to the lowest position of a desert shepherd, proving that God uses our various environments—both the palace and the pasture—to prepare us for His purposes.
The Takeaway
Moses lived in three distinct worlds: the palaces of Egypt, the pastures of Midian, and the desert of the Sinai. Each location served a divine purpose in shaping the man who would deliver Israel. While he began his life in a royal home, he ended it as a humble servant of God, showing us that our true identity isn’t found in our physical address, but in our relationship with Jesus Christ, the one Moses’ life ultimately pointed toward.
