Egypt in Exodus- Literal or Spiritual?

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Is Egypt being spoken of in the literal sense in Exodus? Is it generally believed that the Jews were slaves in Egypt and that there really was this Pharaoh such and such who ordered this cruelty?

This couldn't be somehow spiritual in some way rather then literal? History and archeological evidence don't back up the Exodus account.

I also find it hard to believe, given what I've read about Egyptian spirituality and society that the Egyptians could ever be as cruel and evil as the Bible puts forth.

Religious wise slavery and genocide are both against Maat.

[Sleeppy]

How many Pharaohs were there? Did they all rule the same way?

[Willamena]

It can be both. It can be significance attributable to a literal event. Ultimately, it's whichever way you mean to use it that matters.

[Rakhel]

Are you certain that each and every pharaoh, throughout Egyptian history, believed in the same gods?

[Shuddhasattva]

"My people, let Pharoah go!"
-Saul Williams

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by Egyptian Phoenix

Is Egypt being spoken of in the literal sense in Exodus?

Yes, it is.

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Rakhel

Are you certain that each and every pharaoh, throughout Egyptian history, believed in the same gods?

Most of them did. Often each dynasty had a patron god, but the only Pharaoh I can see that really had a different god and religion was Akhenaten.

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by Egyptian Phoenix

Most of them did. Often each dynasty had a patron god, but the only Pharaoh I can see that really had a different god and religion was Akhenaten.

That view of Egypt - where rulers ranged from Hyksos to Nubian - is more than a little naive.

[Bob Dixon]

Well, each Pope believed in the same God.
Not each Pope had the same level of compassion.

Right/wrong?

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Sleeppy

How many Pharaohs were there? Did they all rule the same way?

There were many Pharaohs over a long period of time, but generally Egyptian ideas of right and wrong didn't change much. Exodus says the Egyptians owned slaves, so far archeology and history say otherwise.