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We know that between the start of the 7
years of plenty in Egypt and the start of the 7 years of
famine Joseph had two sons (Gen 41:50). The oldest son
he named Manasseh (Gen 41:51), and his second son he
named Ephraim (Gen 41:52). The Bible does not tell us
how old Joseph was when either of his sons was born. Nor
does the Bible tell us how long either of his sons
lived.
We do know that Levi, Jacob’s third son lived for 137
years (Exodus 6:16), we also know that Levi’s son Kohath
lived 133 years (Exodus 6:18). The Bible goes on to tell
us that Kohath’s son Amram lived 137 years (Exodus
6:20). We also know that Amram had three children Miriam
(Exodus 15:20) his daughter and Aaron and Moses (Exodus
6:20).
Our next problem comes from how we interpret Genesis
15:13 (also see Exodus 12:40).
“And God said to Abram, ‘Know for certain that your
descendants will be strangers in a land that is not
theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four
hundred years.’”
This passage of scripture implies that Abraham’s (Abram)
descendants would go or be taken to a foreign country
where they would be mistreated and enslaved for 400
years. The problem is this is not consistent with
history. Some Bible commentaries say from the time Jacob
and his family moved to Egypt when Jacob was 130 years
old; to the time his descendants (the children of
Israel) left Egypt was four hundred years.
On the other hand, some Bible commentaries say that from
the time Abraham left Haran and entered the land of
Canaan there are 215 years, (we will do this calculation
later to prove that this is true). And from the time
Jacob and his family moved to Egypt until the time the
children of Israel left Egypt (known as the Exodus)
there are also 215 years. Making a total of 430 years
from the time Abraham left Haran and entered the land of
Canaan, until the time the children of Israel left Egypt
(the Exodus).
The Roman historian Josephus (Josephus lived in the
first century AD, and documented or wrote history for
the Romans) comments “They (the children of Israel) left
Egypt in the month Xanthicus, on the fifteenth day of
the lunar month; four hundred and thirty years after our
forefather Abraham came into Canaan, but two hundred and
fifteen years only after Jacob moved into Egypt. It was
the eightieth year of the age of Moses, and that of
Aaron three more.”
Also the apostle Paul writes in Galatians 3:17
“What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four
hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a
covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify
the promise.”
Or as the NIV Bible says
Galatians 3:17
“What I mean is this: The Law, introduced 430 years
later, does not set aside the covenant previously
established by God and thus do away with the promise.”
The Apostle Paul says that the Law (the Ten
Commandments) was given to the children of Israel 430
years after God made the covenant with Abraham. Most
Bible scholars lean heavily on the writings of Paul as
he was well versed in the Jewish Torah (our old
testament) and an excellent theologian.
To add some weight to this hypothesis Genesis 15:16
tells us that the children of Israel would return to
Canaan in the fourth generation after moving to Egypt.
Gen 15:16 – God is speaking to Abraham.
“Then in the fourth generation they shall return
here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet
complete.”
So let’s look for evidence of the four generations,
Exodus 6:20-23 gives us the genealogy of Amram, the
father of Aaron and Moses. As we read through these
verses we find in Verse 23, that Aaron marries Elisheba,
the daughter of Amminadab, and the sister of Nahshon.
Why is this significant? In 1 Chronicles 2:3 we find a
list of Judah’s descendants (Jacob’s fourth son and the
genetic line to Christ). Er his first born, Onan, and
Shelah were born to him by Bath-shua his Canaanite wife.
Judah had two more sons, Perez and Zerah, by his
daughter in law Tamar (1 Chronicles 2:4).
Perez Judah’s son had two sons, Hezron and Hamul (1
Chronicles 2:5).
Hezron’s sons are Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai (1
Chronicles 2:9).
One of Ram’s sons is Amminadab, and Amminadab became the
father of Nahshon (1 Chronicles 2:10). So Aaron married
the daughter of Amminadab the sister of Nahshon (Exodus
6:23). The four generations are: Perez, Hezron, Ram, and
Amminadab (see the table at the end of chapter 3 of this
book).
Matthew Henry’s commentary suggests an interesting
theory. Henry suggests that the 400 hundred years of
persecution started with the mocking of Abraham by his
oldest son Ishmael. Ishmael was also the son of Hagar,
Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar was an Egyptian.
Genesis 21:9-12
“(v9) Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian,
whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. (v10) Therefore
she said to Abraham, ‘Drive out this maid and her son,
for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my
son Isaac.’ (v11) And the matter distressed Abraham
greatly because of his son. (v12) But God said to
Abraham, ‘Do not be distressed because of the lad and
your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for
through Isaac your descendants shall be named.’”
Also this conflict or friction between the Egyptians and
the descendants of Abraham was illustrated when Joseph
goes to Egypt.
Gen 43:32
“So they served him by himself, and them by
themselves, and the Egyptians, who ate with him, by
themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat bread
with the Hebrews, for that is loathsome to the
Egyptians.”
This conflict continued until the Egyptians became
threatened by the children of Israel now living in
Egypt. Joseph dies: the Bible says “a Pharaoh arose who
did not know Joseph”
Exodus 1:8-11
“(v8) Now a king arose over Egypt, who did not know
Joseph. (v9) And he said to his people, ‘Behold, the
people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than
we. (v10) Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest the
multiply and in the event of war, they also join
themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us,
and depart from the land.’”
So, are there 215 years from the time Abraham left Haran
and entered the land of Canaan, until the time Jacob and
his family moved to Egypt?
Abraham was 75 when he obeys Gods call; this was 2083
year after creation, or 1928BC (see notes on Abraham).
Jacob (Israel) was 130 years old when he moved to Egypt
with his family, this occurred 2298 years after
creation. Thus, 2298 – 2083 = 215 years.
Now we can calculate the Exodus from Egypt, 2298 + 215 =
2513 years after creation.
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Moses lived 120 Years
Deuteronomy 31:10
“And he said to them, ‘I am a hundred and twenty
years old today; I am no longer able to come and go, and
the lord has said to me, you shall not cross this
Jordon.’”
And
Deuteronomy 34:7
“Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old
when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigour
abated.”
So when was Moses born?
The book of Exodus records the age of Moses and Aaron
when they first stood before Pharaoh, with God’s message
to let His people go.
Exodus 7:7
“And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty
three, when they spoke to Pharaoh.”
The Bible has one more piece of information to help us
place Moses and Aaron on our timeline, in the book of
Numbers 33:38 - 39 we read than Aaron died at the age of
123 in the fortieth year after leaving Egypt.
Numbers 33:38-39
“(v38) Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at
the command of the Lord, and died there, in the fortieth
year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of
Egypt on the first day in the fifth month. (v39) And
Aaron was one hundred twenty three years old when he
died on Mount Hor.”
The Exodus was 2513 years after creation, or 1498BC;
therefore Aaron died 40 years later 2553 years after
creation. As Aaron lived 123 years in total, then Aaron
was born 2430 years after creation. Moses was 3 years
younger than his older brother Aaron, therefore Moses
was born 2433 years after creation.
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