The Exodus is the foundational narrative of the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt, as told in the Bible, primarily in the Book of Exodus and other parts of the Pentateuch. It recounts how the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, subjected to harsh labor, and then freed under the leadership of Moses after a series of divine plagues afflicted Egypt. The story includes the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, the revelation of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, and the Israelites' subsequent wanderings in the wilderness toward the Promised Land of Canaan
. The Exodus is central to Jewish identity and religion, commemorated annually during the festival of Passover, and it also holds significance in Christianity and Islam. It symbolizes deliverance, covenant with God, and the birth of Israel as a nation chosen by Yahweh
. Historically, modern scholars generally agree that the biblical account is not an accurate historical record of the origins of the Israelites. Instead, the Israelites likely emerged from indigenous Canaanite populations in the late second millennium BCE. Some elements of the Exodus story may have historical roots, but the narrative as described in the Bible is considered a foundational myth rather than a literal history
. Chronologically, traditional biblical dating places the Exodus around the 13th or 15th century BCE, but archaeological and historical evidence for the event is lacking or inconclusive. Attempts to link the Exodus to specific Egyptian rulers or events have not yielded definitive proof
. In summary, the Exodus is both a religious and cultural myth that tells the story of the Israelites' escape from slavery in Egypt and their formation as a people under God's covenant, with significant theological and symbolic meaning but uncertain historical basis.
