The most famous pyramids were built between 2575 and 2465 BCE. The one with the sphinx was built for Khefren, the largest, the Great Pyramid, was built for the pharaoh Khufu. The pyramids were built partly by peasants who were required by Egyptian law to work for the government a certain number of months per year, and partly by slaves, but not by Moses and the Jews, who showed up on the scene long before the pyramids were ever even a twinkle in Khufu's eye. This leads to an overwhelming question. Why? Why in the sweet name of Ra would anyone ever build such a thing? Well, let's start with Ra.