Exodus 5:2: Why would Pharaoh deny any knowledge of Israel’s God if Moses was supposedly raised in the royal court?

1. Historical and Cultural Background

Egyptian civilization encompassed a complex pantheon of deities (including Amun, Ra, Osiris, and others), and Pharaoh was typically regarded as either divine himself or the favored representative of the gods. This polytheistic environment shaped how Pharaohs evaluated foreign deities. A new or unfamiliar divine name from outside Egypt would not hold immediate weight, especially if tied to a group the Egyptians deemed inconsequential.

2. Moses’ Education in the Royal Court

According to the biblical account (cf. Exodus 2), Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s household. While he would have been educated in the wisdom of Egypt (Acts 7:22), his Hebrew identity remained suppressed for much of his youth. Over decades, dynastic changes and political shifts likely diminished the memory of Moses’ Hebrew ties. Further, Egyptian hierarchies worked to align all knowledge with devotion to their deities, meaning any memory of the Hebrew God—if it was even significantly recognized—did not rank within the major pantheon studied by royal heirs.

3. Pharaoh’s Statement: “Who Is the LORD?”

Scripture records Pharaoh’s immediate response to Moses: “Pharaoh replied, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice…?’” (Exodus 5:2, partial). Pharaoh’s use of “Who is the LORD?” points to more than mere ignorance; it illustrates a dismissive stance toward any deity outside the Egyptian pantheon. From his perspective, Israel’s God mattered as little as gods from other conquered or subject nations.

4. Political and Religious Pride

Egyptian royalty often presented themselves as supreme over foreign peoples. Inscriptions discovered on temples and statues attest to Pharaoh’s pride in subduing other nations. Admitting or recognizing a foreign God’s power would have undermined the Pharaoh’s perceived divine authority. Therefore, even if a Pharaoh became aware of a foreign deity—especially if Moses referenced a name not associated with any known Egyptian cult—he might still declare ignorance or feign indifference.

5. Possible Loss of Legacy from Joseph’s Era

Though Joseph rose to prominence generations earlier (Genesis 41:41–43), Scripture notes that later Egyptian leadership no longer remembered Joseph (Exodus 1:8). Just as the Egyptians had forgotten the contributions of a major Israelite figure, they likely also lost respect or interest in Joseph’s God. The passage of time, the enslavement of the Israelites, and a shift in dynastic rule would erode any royal memory or reverence for the Hebrew God once acknowledged.

6. Foreign Gods in Egyptian Records

Egyptian writings sometimes mention foreign gods but usually in the context of conquest. Archaeological finds such as battle reliefs on temple walls (e.g., Karnak) depict foreign peoples and their divine symbols subdued by Pharaoh. These records highlight how Egyptian texts systematically overshadow other deities. If Israel’s God did not appear in such texts, Pharaoh would have had no official record or motivation to view Him with any seriousness.

7. Pharaoh’s Divine Claims and Self-Identity

Pharaoh was deeply intertwined with concepts of divine kingship. Many believed the reigning Pharaoh to be the “son of Ra” or favored of the gods, making his word and knowledge superior. Acknowledging another deity—especially one worshiped by subjugated slaves—would contradict this well-established identity. Consequently, Pharaoh’s statement reinforced his claim of kingship by marginalizing Yahweh in the eyes of the Egyptian court.

8. Shifts in Religious Memory

Over centuries, Egypt underwent religious shifts (such as the brief Atenism under Pharaoh Akhenaten). With each shift or dynastic transition, various gods were elevated or diminished in importance. A foreign God, unknown in official temple worship, would have possessed virtually no standing. As a result, Pharaoh’s denial of any knowledge of “the LORD” reflects how cultural memory could be selective and how a foreign deity could be dismissed.

9. Sociopolitical Implications for Moses

Moses’ return to Egypt after many years in Midian likely placed him in opposition to a Pharaoh who saw no reason to respect a servant of a supposedly minor god. Moses’ personal connections from youth would not override the state-sponsored view that Israel—and by extension Israel’s deity—held no recognized place in Egyptian religion. Pharaoh’s question was as much about preserving political order as it was religious aversion.

10. Archaeological and Historical Corroborations

• Certain monuments and stelae, such as the Merneptah Stele (circa 1208 BC), mention “Israel” outside the biblical text, confirming the existence of Israel as a recognized people. Though this stele dates slightly after Moses’ traditional timeline, it exemplifies how Egypt acknowledged foreign groups only when they became noteworthy in some political or military capacity.

• Historical records rarely name non-Egyptian gods explicitly unless those gods were formally incorporated into Egyptian temples or treaties. Because the Israelites remained enslaved and not influential to Egypt’s pantheon, no official inscriptions referencing Yahweh have been discovered in mainstream Egyptian religious texts—making Pharaoh’s ignorance (or denial of knowledge) plausible.

11. Chronological Considerations

Those who hold to a Ussher-like biblical chronology often place the events of the Exodus in the 15th century BC. The consistent genealogical records in Exodus and 1 Chronicles, alongside references by later biblical authors, support a cohesive timeline for the presence of Hebrews in Egypt. Egyptian records do not typically preserve detailed accounts of defeats or humiliations (a common ancient practice), so the lack of direct mention of Yahweh or the Exodus in official inscriptions fits with standard scribal customs of the era.

12. Theological Implications

Pharaoh’s stance set the stage for the subsequent display of divine power in the plagues, culminating in the release of the Israelites. The biblical narrative emphasizes that Egypt’s might and pantheon prove no match for the God of Israel (Exodus 12:12). This drama demonstrates how a mightier empire’s denial of God does not negate His sovereignty or existence but reveals, in time, His authority over every nation.

13. Conclusion

Pharaoh’s refusal to acknowledge “the LORD” was rooted in Egypt’s polytheistic worldview, royal pride, and the absence of historical or religious records that would give Israel’s God any standing at the Egyptian court. Dynastic changes likely eroded any lingering respect for the God worshiped by Joseph, and the official Egyptian stance toward foreign gods was dismissive at best.

Ultimately, Pharaoh’s question—“Who is the LORD?” (Exodus 5:2, partial)—reflected a hardened heart and the political necessity of maintaining absolute sovereignty. His denial set the backdrop for divine intervention, proving that the God of Israel was not only known but far greater than any deity Pharaoh had ever encountered.