# The story of the Jews escaping slavery in Egypt and wandering the desert is fiction, right?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-story-of-the-jews-escaping-slavery-in-egypt-and-wandering-the-desert-is-fiction-right/1026800>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 18, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-story-of-the-jews-escaping-slavery-in-egypt-and-wandering-the-desert-is-fiction-right/1026800 "2026-01-18T16:14:35Z")\
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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-story-of-the-jews-escaping-slavery-in-egypt-and-wandering-the-desert-is-fiction-right/1026800/19 "2026-01-18T21:07:51Z")

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I’m _sure_ I recall a Straight Dope column on this, but can’t find it. I did find some related threads while searching; this 2015 one seems most relevant:

[Why was Jewish slavery and exodus from Egypt fabricated?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-jewish-slavery-and-exodus-from-egypt-fabricated/729931)

> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> “Wandering for 40 years” is highly doubtful, since the OT was full of numerology, instead of real numbers.

Also, it would leave plenty of evidence, much of which would still exist in a desert environment even after so long.

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