One reason why the Israelites of Moses’ time were slaves in Egypt was that the Pharaoh wanted a cheap work-force to carry out his spectacular building programs. Among the cities that the Israelites built was Rameses (or Ra’amses), where the buildings included a magnificent palace, large storehouses and defence fortifications (Exodus 1:8-11). Rameses was probably the former Hyksos capital, Avaris, rebuilt. (For map and other details see EGYPT.)
Rameses was located in that part of the Nile Delta where the family of Jacob had originally settled (Genesis 47:11). This was the region from which Jacob’s multitude of descendants set out on their flight from Egypt over four hundred years later (in 1280 BC; Exodus 12:37). Rameses was also apparently known as Zoan (Psalms 78:12; Psalms 78:43), which from 1085 to 660 BC was the capital of Egypt (Isaiah 19:11; Isaiah 19:13; Isaiah 30:4; Ezekiel 30:14).