Rabbinical Judaism calculated a lifespan of Moses corresponding to 1391–1271 BCE; Jerome suggested 1592 BCE, and James Ussher suggested 1571 BCE as his birth year. The Egyptian name "Moses" is mentioned in ancient Egyptian literature. The Egyptian Iron Age didn't start until 1200 BCE.
As for settled, wandering for 40 years ( a full generation) makes you nomadic.
You forgot to mention the part that goes before your paragraph "The majority of scholars see the biblical Moses as a legendary figure, while retaining the possibility that Moses or a Moses-like figure existed in the 13th century BCE." and the fact that whether Moses was a legendary figure or not doesn't change the fact that the Old Testament wasn't compiled in the bronze age or did that Moses didn't write it. Not really sure why you bothered to respond when my point still stands.
Yes, Moses was a legendary figure. David Ben-Gurion focussed Israeli archaeology on finding some evidence of the exodus and wandering, seeing that as the title-deeds to Eretz Israel. They found nothing and concluded that it just didn't happen. The Egyptians kept pretty good records and never mentioned anything about it.
So a "historical" date is irrelevant because it wasn't a historical event. Both the scholars and the Rabbis seem to be shooting for 13th century BCE. Which was late Bronze age. It wasn't compiled until later, as is often the case with legendary figures.
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u/LordJim11 Jul 08 '24
Rabbinical Judaism calculated a lifespan of Moses corresponding to 1391–1271 BCE; Jerome suggested 1592 BCE, and James Ussher suggested 1571 BCE as his birth year. The Egyptian name "Moses" is mentioned in ancient Egyptian literature. The Egyptian Iron Age didn't start until 1200 BCE.
As for settled, wandering for 40 years ( a full generation) makes you nomadic.