Patterns of Evidence: Exodus Lesson 1 – Timeline

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Exodus Story – Biblical Summary ◦ Joseph moved his family to Egypt during the 7-year famine ◦ Israelites lived in the land of Goshen ◦ Years after Joseph died, a new pharaoh became fearful of the large numbers of Israelites. ◦ Israelites became slaves ◦ Moses was 80 when God sent him to Egypt to free the Israelites ◦ After Passover, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years ◦ Israelites conquered the Promised Land

An Overview of Egyptian History

Problems with Egyptian History ◦ Historians began with multiple lists of Pharaoh’s names carved on temple walls ◦ These lists are incomplete, sometimes skipping Pharaohs ◦ Once a “standard” list had been made, then they looked at other known histories and inserted the list ◦ These dates then became the accepted timeline

Evidence for the Late Date – 1250 BC • Genesis 47:11-12 • Exodus 18-14 • Earliest archaeological recording of the Israelites dates to 1210 BC on the Merneptah Stele o Must be before that time o Merneptah was the son of Ramses II • Ten Commandments and Prince of Egypt Movies take the Late Date with Ramses II

Evidence for the Early Date – 1440 BC • “From Abraham to Paul: A Biblical Chronology” by Andrew Steinmann • 1 Kings 6:1 – Solomon began building temple 480 years after the Exodus o Solomon’s reign began 971 BC and began building temple in 967 BC o Puts Exodus date at 1447 BC • 1 Chronicles 6 lists 19 generations from Exodus to Solomon o Assume 25 years per generation – Exodus occurred 475 years before Solomon • Counting Years of Jubilee (Every 49 years) o Babylonian Talmud states Year of Jubilee in 623 BC – 18th year of Josiah o Counting backwards means 1st Jubilee was in 1358 BC, 49 years after Joshua entered Promised Land o Puts Exodus at 1446 BC

Steinmann Timeline ◦ Call of Abraham 2091 BC Canaanites filled Israel with small city-states Trip to Egypt during the Middle Kingdom (Pharaoh Intef II) ◦ Joseph 1916 – 1806 BC Pharaoh Amenemhat III ruled when Joseph sold as slave in Egypt ◦ Famine 1878 – 1871 BC ◦ Family Moved to Egypt 1876 BC Pharaoh Senuseret II/III ◦ Israelites Slaves in Egypt 1800 – 1446 BC Bible states slaves for 400 years Approx 350 years slaves + 80 years of family living in Egypt End of Middle Kingdom Through 2nd Intermediate time with Hyskos “foreign” rulers Beginning of New Kingdom ◦ Moses 1526 – 1406 BC Born during reign of Pharaoh Ahmose (1539 – 1525 BC) ◦ Moses ran away 1486 BC Pharaoh Thutmosis II (1492 – 1479 BC) ◦ Moses at Burning Bush 1446 BC ◦ Crossing of Red Sea 1446 BC Pharaoh Thutmosis III (1479 – 1425 BC) ◦ Ten Commandments 1445 BC ◦ Entered Promised Land 1406 BC