Moses in Midian, According to Philo

In his De Vita Mosis Philo, by building up the personality of Moses, seeks to answer antisemitic charges, notably that the Jews had produced no great men. He defends Moses against the charge that he had not sufficiently helped the Israelites during their oppression in Egypt and justifies his slaying of an Egyptian overseer. While emphasizing the value of his career as a shepherd in preparing him for the role of leadership of the Israelites, he adds that he also devoted himself in Midian to the study of philosophy. In his aid to Jethro's daughters in drawing water for their sheep Philo's Moses, prophetically inspired, shows his tremendous concern for justice. To make the account of the burning bush more credible Philo presents it as a vision and the bush itself as symbolizing the oppressed Israelites. He is careful to omit Moses' self-doubt. When Moses draws his hand from his bosom it is whiter than snow, according to Philo, but not leprous, as in the Bible. He presents a more scientific interpretation of the miracle of turning water into blood. He explains Moses' speech impediment as due to his view that he considered human eloquence to be dumbness as compared with G-d's. For apologetic reasons Philo omits Moses' failure to circumcise his son.