Bible Meaning: Child of the sun
Strong's Concordance #H7486
The name Raamses (Exodus 1:11) is a KJV Bible variation of Rameses.
Jacob's son Joseph, second only to Egypt's Pharaoh, had his family settle in the land of Rameses to avoid a severe famine in Canaan (Genesis 47:11). The land chosen for the Israelites to live in, also known as Goshen had well-watered pastures that were perfect for their many animals (Genesis 46 - 47).
After Joseph and the Pharaoh he served died, however, the situation dramatically changed for the Israelites in Egypt. The new ruler, aware that the children of Israel had multiplied immensely, believed they were a potential threat to the country. In order to curtail the perceived threat, he made God's people into slaves. He ends up using them as cheap labor to build "treasure cities" such as Rameses and Pithom (Exodus 1:8 - 9, 11).
Years later, when God sends Moses and Aaron to free his people from slavery, they leave from Rameses to the Promised Land after the miraculous death of the firstborn (Numbers 33).
Important Verses
Genesis 47:1, 11
Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen . . .
And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
Exodus 1:8 - 9, 11
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we . . .
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses (Rameses).
Exodus 12:36 - 37
And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
Numbers 33:1, 3, 5
These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron . . . And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.
And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.