A Case for the Old Testament: What is the dating of the Exodus and why is it important?

As we transition from Genesis to Exodus there is a time period that needs to be addressed from an apologetic’s standpoint because it affects the dating of the events all the way through the book of Joshua. Skeptics will criticize the Biblical account as being false, or mythological, because secular science does not agree with the established Biblical dating, even though there is a lot of historical and archeological evidence in its support.

The two major dating views are as follows:

Later dating, mainly supported by secular science, has the Exodus in the 13th century BC dated at c. 1280, and they will also claim (or admit) that there is little to no evidence for an actual Exodus event in that time period, so they will say the account is either myth or allegory
Earlier dating, that is supported in the Biblical text, has the Exodus in the 15th century BC dated at c. 1446 and it is interesting to note that this time period seems to contain quite a bit of evidence related to the Biblical accounts in Exodus and on through the book of Joshua

As we study over the next few posts, I will reference evidence in support of the earlier dating in the 15th century BC, beginning with the Biblical text evidence as follows:

There are two main anchors for the earlier Biblical dating:

The first anchor begins with Abraham receiving the Covenant Promise from God when he left the land of Ur (Genesis 12) and this would be the beginning of “sojourning” in the land.
The second anchor ends with the giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 12-20, note specifically 12:40-41).

Between these two anchor points there are 430 years and Scripture support for this includes both Old and New Testament references.

Paul anchors the two events here when he says that the Law came 430 years after the promise spoken to Abraham:

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 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. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. Galatians 3:16-18

Moses also shows that the time period was exactly 430 years to the date. The most exciting part of Moses saying that it was “to the very day” is that day was Passover! God gave Abraham the Covenant Promise 430 years earlier on the same day Passover would occur in the future.

Now the time that the sons of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, to the very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:40-41

A note on Genesis 15:15-16: “As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” God tells Abraham tat after he dies it will be four generations and then his descendants will return to the land. The 430 years can be split into two parts:

A) 215 years from the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12 to the time Jacob entered Egypt and after the death of Abraham.

B) 215 years from Jacob to the time of Moses and the Law where these four generations can be counted from Jacob’s son 1) Levi, his son 2) Kohath, his son 3) Amran, and his son 4) Moses.

Knowing this time period we can then date it based on additional Scripture:

Solomon tells us in 1 Kings 6:1, Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.

Historical records inform us that Solomon took the throne around 961 BC which would make the fourth year of his reign and the beginning of temple construction about 959-957 BC. If we take 480, as we would count years on a calendar today, and work backward we arrive at a date around 1440 BC for the Exodus.

We also get a point of reference in the book of Judges:

While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the towns that are along the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? Judges 11:26

This verse contains Jephthah’s argument (he was a Judge of Israel) that the Israelites had controlled that territory since Moses led the people through the land (Numbers 21), and if the Ammonites had not been able to take back the land in the 300 years since then, he saw no reason to return it willingly now. The period of the Judges is historically placed between 1200 and 1020 BC and we can roughly place the time period of Jephthah around 1100 BC. Counting back from this date, we arrive at a date around 1400 BC for the time of Moses’ conquest of Heshbon. By adding another 40 years for the wilderness wandering, this leaves a date approximately 1440 BC for the Exodus.

The main objection:

Skepticism to the earlier dating is mainly due to the use of the term “Rameses” in the Biblical narrative: When Jacob and his family came to Egypt, Joseph “gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses” (Genesis 47:11). There are several references to this area in the Old Testament, but Rameses I ruled in Egypt in 1292-1290 BC, and therefore the city, or area, named after him would not have been there in the earlier dating for the Exodus (1440’s BC).

An easy way to rectify this would be to note that later Biblical Scribes changed the name of the city/area from its earlier name Rowaty (or Avaris) to Rameses. If later Biblical Scribes did this then it would make sense that the archeological evidence would be strong for the earlier dating of the 15th century and that none would be found for the later dating in the 13th century.

In fact, Archeologist have uncovered an Asiatic settlement from the time of Joseph at Tell el-Daba that evidenced Semite people. The Egyptian town at that time was called Rowaty. From the late 18th century BC to c. 1555 BC, the town was known as Avaris. From c. 1555 BC until the site was abandoned it was named Perunefer. This area became the royal city of Rameses II, named Rameses, and is found in the 13th century BC. The changing of its name in the Old Testament by later Scribes would make sense because the readers would only know that area by the Rameses name.

Going Deeper:

Read the following article by Dr. Bryant G. Wood, ABR Director of Research, and principal archaeologist and director of ABR’s excavation at Khirbet el-Maqatir: “Recent Research on Date and Setting of Exodus.”

Study with Pastor Stephen Armstrong who goes deep into the text of Exodus and the Bible as a whole at “Verse by Verse Ministry.”

Watch the Documentary: “Patterns of Evidence” that presents amazing archeological evidence in support of the Biblical account (fee may apply – the link is to the trailer).

Bible Study Focus Points:

As we move from Genesis to Exodus we want to remember to practice the hermeneutics:

Exodus is part of the Torah or the five “Books of Moses”
Exodus’ author is Moses and the audience was the Hebrew people, specifically the Nation of Israel
The purpose of the book is to recount the history of Israel, and to record the Law given to Moses as an expansion of the Abrahamic Covenant for the people of Israel to follow because they were to be representatives of the LORD to the other Nations
The slavery in Egypt, and subsequent deliverance by God through Moses, would serve as a record and foreshadowing of the promise of salvation to come through the Messiah (Jesus)
This book is a historical narrative because it records real people, places, and events that can be supported by other historical documents and archeology

Key Ideas:

The supremacy of YHWH (God) over pagan deities as evidenced in the plagues
God’ faithfulness to the Promise and His Covenant with Abraham as Israel becomes a great Nation
The Exodus occurs as a redemptive event foreshadowing a future redemptive event (in Jesus) for all Nations
God’s Promise and the Abrahamic Covenant continue unfolding through the Mosaic Law
The presence of God is symbolized in the Tabernacle—a foreshadowing of Jesus who now ‘tabernacles’ within us

Major Themes:

Chapter 1: Israel multiplies in Egypt
Chapters 2-4: God chooses Moses
Chapters 5-11 The Plagues
Chapters 12-18: The Exodus
Chapters 19-24: The giving of the Law
Chapters 25-40: The Tabernacle

Focus Points:

As you read and study through the book of Exodus keep in mind these points that will help to see the big picture that runs from Genesis through Revelation:

God’s Sovereignty (His supreme power and authority over all things including His righteous justice) as He purposes and lays out the plan of salvation through the promise seen in the Covenants and foreshadowed in the events and lives of the people in the Old Testament
God’s Hesed (His unconditional grace and love that passes all human understanding, evident in His mercy upon all sinners willing to come to Him)
The Scarlet Thread of Jesus: Foreshadowing of Messiah in the story or occurrences of Theophanies—(appearances of the pre-incarnate Jesus)
Satan’s Attempt to Crush the Righteous Seed (throughout history Satan puts road blocks up in an attempt to thwart God’s Promise and Plan concerning the Nation of Israel)
The importance of the Nation of Israel (Even though they made many mistakes God will use them to fulfill His Promise and Plan)
Obedience vs. disobedience (When the people follow God and His Covenant they are blessed; when they disobey God the result is discipline through hardship and trials)
Prophecy as it foretells the coming of a Messiah (this is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus)

Bible Study:

Read Exodus chapters 1-4

Why were the people of Israel put into slavery at this time in Egypt when previously they had been welcomed guests? (Ex. 1:6-14)
How did the Hebrew boys survive even though the Pharaoh tried to put them to death? (Ex. 1:15-22)
How did Moses survive the command of Pharaoh to kill all of the Hebrew boys by throwing them into the Nile? (1:22-2:10)
What did Moses do when he got older that caused him to run into the desert, and what became of him? (2:11-25)
Summarize Moses’ experience with God, and what God asked him to do. (3:1-22) How did Moses respond to God?
How does God’s response to Moses show God’s foreknowledge of the events (4:1-23)?
Cross-reference Isaiah 46:8-11. What does this passage say about God’s knowledge?

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the Old Testament” with a focus on the plagues!

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Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15