Final answer:
The Hebrews left Egypt for Canaan to escape slavery. They originally arrived in Egypt during a famine but became enslaved until Moses led the Exodus. Historical evidence aligns with some biblical events, confirming their presence in Canaan around 1200 BCE.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hebrews' Exodus from Egypt and Return to Canaan
The Israelites, or Hebrews, left Egypt to return to their ancestral homeland, Canaan, primarily to escape slavery. The biblical tale describes their departure as the event known as the Exodus, led by Moses after a series of divine punishments were inflicted upon the Egyptian pharaoh.
Their time in Egypt began during a period of famine when they were welcomed by the Hyksos rulers but later led to enslavement after the rise of the New Kingdom. The historical journey back to Canaan was fraught with challenges, including wilderness treks, scarcity of water, and confrontations with the inhabitants of the land.
According to later events mentioned in the Bible, once they settled in Canaan, they faced threats from various empires and internal conflicts, but the archaeological evidence often casts doubt on the conquests and migrations as laid out in the Hebrew Bible. The existence of Israel in the region around 1200 BCE is evidenced by the Egyptian records, indicating that some events from the biblical account align with historical findings.