The Abrahamic–Israelite–Exodus Sojourn and Apparent Discrepancies in the Historical Record

Jósef Molnár, The March of Abraham (19th century)

Galatians 3:17 reads, “And this I say: A covenant having been previously ratified by God, the law having come into being after four hundred and thirty years does not annul [it], so as to abolish the promise.”¹

Similar to a secular will or contract (v. 15), once God has ratified a covenant, it cannot be altered or nullified. Therefore, whatever purpose the Sinaitic law was meant to serve, having emerged over four centuries after the Abrahamic covenant, it cannot invalidate the divine promise to bless all nations through Abraham’s seed (v. 16). 

Chronological Confusion

While not the main point of Paul’s statement, the passing reference to “430 years” has generated much scholarly debate and confusion. Other than trying to satisfy the curiosity of Bible-chronology geeks (like me), the chief concern here is the integrity of the biblical record in view of apparent chronological discrepancies.

From the beginning of Abraham’s sojourn to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt was 430 years, sometimes rounded off at 400 (Gen. 15:13; Acts 7:6).² Abraham was seventy-five when his sojourn began (Gen. 12:4), and Isaac was born twenty-five years later (Gen. 21:5); Isaac was sixty when Jacob was born (Gen. 25:26), and Jacob was 130 when he and his family entered Egypt (Gen. 47:9), making a total of 215 years from God’s promise to Abraham until his descendants entered Egypt. Their departure from Egypt, therefore, was 215 years later (cf. Gen. 46:8, 11; Ex. 6:16-20; 7:7): thus 215 + 215 = 430 years. Josephus reports: “They 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 removed into Egypt” (Ant. 2.15.2, trans. W. Whiston). 

Documentary Evidence and Textual Variation

The chronology, however, is not that simple. Exodus 12:40 (according to the Masoretic Text) indicates that the Israelites actually lived in Egypt the entire 430-year period (ASV, ESV, RSV).³ Yet the passage reads in the Septuagint (LXX): “Now the sojourning of the sons of Israel, which they sojourned in [the] land of Egypt and in [the] land of Canaan, [was] 430 years.” Note that the added expression “and in [the] land of Canaan” is not in the MT, although the writings of Josephus (noted above), the LXX, and the respective documentary sources upon which these readings are based predate the MT by hundreds of years.⁴ 

It is not insignificant that Paul was especially familiar with the LXX, and of the ninety-three OT quotes in his extant writings, fifty-one are in exact or virtual agreement with the LXX, twenty-two of which are at variance with the current Hebrew text.⁵ The Samaritan Pentateuch (which is also substantially older than the MT) agrees with the LXX reading.

At the same time, if the Masoretic version of Exodus 12:40 is deemed correct, the phrase “who lived in Egypt” could be parenthetical, describing “the children of Israel” rather than “the sojourn,” and should therefore read: “Now the sojourn of the children of Israel (who lived in Egypt) was 430 years.” This would not restrict the entire sojourn to the time spent in Egypt and is easily harmonized with the other chronological information.⁶

The 430 years to which Paul alludes dates the entire oppressive sojourn, beginning ca. 1920 BC with Abraham’s departure from Haran, to the exodus ca. 1490 BC (cf. 1 Kings 6:1).⁷ While conservative scholars have proposed a variety of dates for the exodus, ranging from about 1520 to 1440 BC, considering the antiquity of the event, this gap is relatively insignificant.

The Point of Galatians 3:17

Notwithstanding my pedantic curiosity about precision of dating, what point is Paul making in this passage? The judaizing instigators who had infiltrated the churches of Galatia, by elevating Moses over Abraham (cf. Acts 15:1, 5), were recklessly missing the essential nature of God’s covenantal promises. Paul is redirecting this misconstrued focus, away from the Mosaic law and its misappropriation and consequent divisive and burdensome distortion. Instead, the central feature of the argument is God’s long-established purpose in the promises made to Abraham centuries earlier concerning “the blessing of Abraham” coming to the Gentiles “in Jesus Christ” (v. 14), the promised messianic seed (v. 16).

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless noted otherwise, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation. The Byzantine Majority Text has the added phrase εἰς Χριστὸν (“in Christ”), probably borrowed from the previous verse. See Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. 2nd ed. (New York: American Bible Society, 1994) 525.

     ² Instead of considering the “400 years” as a rounded off figure, Philip Mauro argues that the thirty-year difference can be accounted for by starting the 400-year count at the weaning of Isaac and casting out of Hagar (Gen. 21:8-10; Gal. 4:29-30), which was about thirty years after the inauguration of the Abrahamic covenant (The Wonders of Bible Chronology [Ashburn, VA: Hess, 2001] 27-28).

     ³ See C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the OT: The Pentateuch, trans. James Martin (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1968) 2:29. The Masoretic text (MT) is the standard text of the Hebrew scriptures, copied and edited between the 7th and 11th centuries AD by a group of Jewish scholars known as masoretes (“transmitters”). This text is widely used as the basis for translations of the OT, although it differs from extant 4th-century AD copies of the LXX (translated from Hebrew to Greek in the 3rd-2nd centuries BC). The earliest extant fragments of the MT date from the 9th-10th centuries AD.

     ⁴ The Jewish masoretes, who were responsible for the MT, would almost certainly not have acknowledged Paul’s statement in Gal. 3:17 to help determine the correct reading of Ex. 12:40. For those who accept the divine inspiration of the NT writings, the information provided by Paul (and supported by the LXX and Josephus) is significant. Until the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, the oldest extant manuscripts of the Hebrew scriptures dated to the 9th century AD. The Qumran texts date as far back as the 2nd century BC and include at least portions of every OT book except Esther. While no fundamental biblical doctrine is affected by textual uncertainty, Frank S. Frick correctly observes: “Today the tasks of textual criticism are unfinished, and numerous textual questions remain unresolved. Modern scholars, however, have been amazingly successful in recovering a reliable text of the Hebrew Bible, and contemporary translations benefit from their work. When using any modern English translation of the Bible, we should be aware that behind the translation are hundreds of decisions regarding the reconstruction of the biblical text in the original language” (A Journey Through the Hebrew Scriptures [Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1995] 18). See also David M. Rohl, Pharaohs and Kings: A Biblical Quest (New York: Crown Publishers, 1995) 329-32; Gleason L. Archer, A Survey of OT Introduction (Chicago: Moody Press, 1964) 31-58; Stephen L. Harris and Robert L. Platzner, The OT: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. 2nd ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008) 21-38.

     ⁵ E. Earle Ellis, Paul’s Use of the OT (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981) 10-12.

     ⁶ Since twenty years was the general age of maturation (Ex. 30:14; Num. 1:3), it is still possible for Joshua’s somewhat ambiguous genealogy in 1 Chron. 7:20-27 to fit into this timeframe. On the integrity and veracity of the text of the Hebrew scriptures, despite the minor variations between the MT and other versions, see G. L. Archer, Survey of OT Introduction 31-58; H. S. Miller, General Biblical Introduction: From God to Us (Houghton, NY: The Word-Bearer Press, 1937) 183-308; Edward J. Young, An Introduction to the OT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,1970) 26-37; and various articles in the Gospel Advocate 7 (July 2008): 12-25.  

     ⁷ These dates are based on the chronology in K. L. Moore, Getting to Know the Bible (Winona, MS: Choate, 2002) 29-33; see esp. 32 n. 4.

Related Posts: How many times can Egyptian cows die?

Related articles: Alden Bass, Joe DeWeese, Kyle Butt, and Bert Thompson, “Questions and Answers,” RR (July 2001): 49-54 <Link>; Kyle Butt, “How Long was the Israelites’ Egyptian Sojourn?” AP <Link>; Jonathan Moore, "Date of the Exodus," AP <Link>, “Israel’s Sojourn in Egypt,” AP <Link>.

 

Image credit: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham

God’s Mighty Acts in Exodus: The Pillar of Cloud and Fire (Exodus 13:21-22)

Introduction

After the ten plagues Pharaoh finally released the Israelites from captivity, including over 600,000 men (20 years old and above), women, children, and a “mixed multitude” of non-Israelites (= over 2 million people), plus their belongings, provisions, flocks, herds, and livestock (Ex. 12:37-38; cf. 30:14; 38:26).

If we allow merely two square feet per person, the mass of people alone would have covered nearly 92 acres. Every time they set up camp, it would have required an estimated area of nearly 750,000 acres and approximately 4,000 tons of firewood. Each day the people (not counting the animals) would have needed about 1,500 tons of food and around 10.8 million gallons water.

Now Moses was educated “in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22),¹ one of the most developed civilizations at the time, including significant advances in mathematics and geometry. If Moses had calculated the logistics involved in the enormous task set before him, no wonder he made excuses! But from the very beginning God promised, “I will certainly be with you …” (Ex. 3:12).

The Route Taken 

The first leg of their journey was from Rameses to Succoth, then on to Etham (Ex. 12:37;13:20). [For a detailed itinerary of the entire trek, see Num. 33:1-49]. Since they were headed to “wilderness” rather than a heavily traveled region, with place names varying, changing, and disappearing through the centuries, it is extremely difficult if not impossible to now trace their route. Other than traveling eastward, at least three general routes have been proposed (northern, central, and southern), with multiple alternative possibilities included.

Far more important than geographical specificity is the One directing the way: “So God led the people …” (Ex. 13:17-18). From a mere human perspective, the shortest, quickest, easiest way was northeastward, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. But this was the “way of the land of the Philistines” (v. 17), a trade and military route controlled by the Egyptians, which would have left the Israelites susceptible to inevitable conflict (cf. 14:10). Instead God led them in a more grueling direction, the “way of the wilderness of the Red Sea” (v. 18). God’s way is not always the easiest, but it is always the best!

About four centuries earlier, Joseph (at age 110) prophesied that God would lead his people out of Egypt to the Promised Land, and Joseph’s “bones” (or mummified body) were to be taken with them (Gen. 50:22-26). Joseph’s words were spoken “by faith” (Heb. 11:22), based on the revelation and promise of God. It is amazing that this was not only remembered but kept four centuries later (Ex. 13:19). Traveling from Rameses to Succoth to Etham, they set up camp “at the edge of the wilderness” (Ex. 13:20).

God Takes the Lead

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people” (Ex. 13:21-22). Note how God leads through various means: Moses (3:10; 32:7; 33:1) and Aaron (6:26-27), an Angel (14:19; 23:20-23; 32:34), and a pillar of cloud and fire (13:21-22).

The “pillar of cloud” and “pillar of fire” appears to have been a single pillar rather than two (cf. Ex. 14:24; Num. 9:15-16). The word translated “pillar” essentially refers to a “column” (something that stands upright); not a funnel cloud but more cylindrical. It led them “by day and night” (Ex. 13:21), not that they journeyed 24/7 but during periods when temperatures were most conducive to travel, avoiding extreme heat. The desert region east of Egypt (part of the Sahara Desert – the world’s largest hot desert) has an arid climate with comparatively little rainfall. God directed his people in this manner “throughout all their journeys” (Ex. 40:38).

The Fourfold Purpose of the Pillar of Cloud and Fire

 

·      Reassurance (Deut. 31:6): a perpetual sign of God’s presence (note Ex. 3:12).

·      Guidance (Ex. 13:21): it would hover over the area they were to set up camp and move on when it was time to leave, sometimes overnight, a couple of days, a month, or a year (Num. 9:15-23). 

·      Provision (Deut. 2:7): they lacked nothing. They were led to places in the wilderness where necessary resources were available or provided.

·      Protection (Ex. 14:19-20, 24-25, 30-31): when the Egyptian armies pursued, the Lord through the pillar stood between his people and their enemies.

Lessons to Learn²

·      God’s way is not necessarily the easiest way but is always the best way (Prov. 3:5-6).

·      God still offers guidance and the assurance of his abiding presence (Psa. 119:105; Heb. 13:5).

·      God will not allow us to face anything that cannot be overcome (1 Cor. 10:13; Heb. 13:6).

·      God still provides (Phil. 4:19).

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless noted otherwise, scripture quotations are from the NKJV.

     ² In Isaiah 4:2-6, in the context of warning the people of Judah of impending judgment (ca. seven centuries before Christ), there is hope for the future in the Messianic Age. Just as God was with his people in the days of the Exodus in the pillar of cloud and fire, so he is always with and provides for his faithful ones.

*Originally developed for an adult Bible class at the Estes church 26 June 2022.

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How Many Times Can Egyptian Cows Die?

During the 10 plagues sent against Egypt, prior to the Israelites’ liberation from bondage, “all” the Egyptians’ livestock reportedly died of disease (Exodus 9:6), then died again from the hailstorm (9:22-25), but were still around to lose their firstborn in the final plague (11:5; 12:29). Is this apparent discrepancy in the biblical record resolvable?

The Hebrew word miqneh, often rendered “cattle” or “livestock,” is a generic term applicable to any or all domestic animals, such as the ones listed in Exodus 9:3, though with the qualifier “in the field.” When the statement is made in v. 6, “and all the livestock of Egypt died,” this would contextually have reference to those in the field at the time (assuming some were sheltered) and exclude other domestic animals not listed in v. 3. This is the natural conclusion since there were a number of animals still alive afterwards (vv. 9, 19-25). 

Accordingly, the word “all” is not to be understood in the absolute and unqualified sense but as a hyperbolic description of the enormous devastation and loss (cp. 15:15; 16:2). Throughout these episodes reference is repeatedly made to what was happening in “all” the land of Egypt (7:19, 21; 8:6, 16, 17; 8:24; 9:9, 22-25; 10:14-15), even though there were noted exceptions (e.g. 9:25-26; 11:6-7). The animals that died in the hailstorm were also unsheltered “in the field” (9:19-21, 25), leaving the remnant to face the final plague (11:5; 12:29).

The integrity of the biblical record remains intact. Any alleged discrepancy is more apparent than real.

--Kevin L. Moore

 

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