Most popular films about the Exodus, including Cecil DeMille’s 1956 classic, The Ten Commandments, favor Ramesses ii (13th century b.c.e.).Ī favorite among Bible maximalists is Amenhotep ii (15th century b.c.e.). Israel Finkelstein believes the Exodus account was modeled after Pharaoh Necho ii in the late- seventh century b.c.e.
Emmanuel Anati believes it was Pepi i, a pharaoh on the scene in the 24th century b.c.e. There is no end to the theories about his identity. Yet the question of his actual name, and his precise place in Egyptian history, has plagued believers, philosophers, archaeologists, historians and scholars for centuries-thousands of years, in fact. It’s one of the most common questions in the world of biblical archaeology: Who was the pharaoh of the Exodus? This ruler is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. From the March-April 2023 Let the Stones Speak Magazine Issue
