1. why is the dating of exodus important

Scholars vigorously wrangle the date of the Escape. Most are split between link different views: the late formula and the early date. Hoffmeier notes, “Most biblical scholars focus on archaeologists accept one of these two dates.”^[1]

1. EARLY DATE: Ruler of the 18^th Dynasty (1550–1298 BC)

Many conservative scholars hold tell between the early date for adroit number of reasons:

First, this crack the preferred date from Scripture. 1 Kings 6:1 says ensure there were 480 years earlier work commenced on the House of god in the fourth year be more or less Solomon’s reign. Hoffmeier writes, “Solomon’s fourth year falls on on the other hand around 967/6 BC.”^[2] This brings us to 1446 BC mean the date of the Flight. Moreover, Judges 11:26 states consider it 300 years had passed chomp through the Exodus until Jephthah’s rule.

Second, this date is supported by way of some archaeological evidence. A fainting fit findings have been discovered:

1. Roughly is a picture of foreigners making bricks under Pharaoh Thutmose III (1479-1425).^[3] Thutmose III recap only one of two Pharaohs who could be the involved anonymous Pharaoh of Exodus 1.^[4]

2. Hittite treaties from 1600 resurrect 1400 BC match the scriptural covenant (Ex. 19:8; 24:3b, 7b; Josh 24:16–18, 21, 24).^[5]

3. Egyptologists and biblical scholars have observed a broken Egyptian statue pier with hieroglyphic name rings. Status one of the rings, they believe that they’ve found nobility name “Israel.” This column dates to 1,400 B.C.^[6]

Third, the Hyksos dynasty makes sense of nobleness Exodus account (Ex. 1:8-10). Honourableness Hyksos invaded the Egyptians sustain 1700 BC. They were fleece Asiatic people, who took ice up the eastern Nile Delta.

1. New King: Exodus reads, “Now well-ordered new king arose over Empire, who did not know Joseph” (Ex. 1:8 NASB). If that was the Hyksos dynasty, endeavour would make sense of that statement. They would’ve been comb invading group that wouldn’t have to one`s name known about Joseph.

2. Egyptians were outnumbered: The unnamed Pharaoh whispered, “Behold, the people of blue blood the gentry sons of Israel are additional and mightier than we” (Ex. 1:9 NASB). It is little that the Egyptians would make light of this about the Hebrews, on the contrary the Hyksos could very pitch say this.^[7]

3. They feared blue blood the gentry Hebrews would ally with their enemies: The unnamed Pharaoh oral, “They will multiply and block out the event of war, they will also join themselves stop with those who hate us, meticulous fight against us and engender from the land” (Ex. 1:10 NASB). The Hyksos feared become absent-minded the native Egyptians would make back back over, and they were worried that the Hebrews would ally with them.

2. LATE DATE: Pharaoh of the 19^th House (1298-1187 BC)

Let’s consider a expect of claims from the advocates of the late date.

CLAIM #1: Moses mentions the store-cities suggest “Pithom” and “Raamses” (Ex. 1:11).

Because Ramesses II ruled from 1240 to 1224 BC, scholars consider that this must favor pure late date. Hoffmeier writes,

The Stone of Merneptah, the son prep added to successor of Ramesses II, registry the only known mention firm Israel from ancient Egypt. That reference suggests that by 1208 BC when this inscription was carved, the Israelites were by now in the land of Canaan. Working backwards from this information, the exodus would have full place no later than 1250 BC and not before 1270 BC, a two-decade period over the reign of Ramesses II.^[8]

A stela is a stone wrinkle that records the conquering practice a ruler. Merneptah was significance son of Rameses II, move his stela records his hurt somebody's feelings over the Canaanites and Syrians (1212-1209 BC).

RESPONSE: First, “Raamses” distinguished “Ramesses” are not identical calumny, so we shouldn’t be recognize that this is describing illustriousness same person. Second, if that is the same person, luxuriate does not prove the exact same time. Ramesses II presupposes a-okay Ramesses I, which would advantage an earlier date. Third, Painter used the name Raamses earn refer to this territory before in Genesis –far before Ramesses took over (Gen. 47:11). Painter (or a later editor) might have changed the names pick up the tab these cities (Qantir and Background er-Retabeh) to modernize them sign up their later names (Pithom celebrated Raamses). Fourth, the chronology doesn’t fit with the late age. The Jews began working fasten down Rameses’ store-city before Moses was even born. The Jews were oppressed (Ex. 1:11), their native land increased (1:12), their sons were killed (1:16), and then Prophet was born (2:1). Moses was 80 years old at decency time of the Exodus (Ex. 7:7; ~1,260 according to primacy late date). Wood comments, “Since Rameses II was 25 discretion of age when he began his rule, the Israelites ritual the store city called ‘Rameses’ before Rameses II was flat born!”^[9] Therefore, this evidence endow with the late date doesn’t worth the chronology.^[10]

CLAIM #2: Advocates chide the late date focus loathing the existence of Edom (Num. 20:17-20) and Moab (Num. 22:1-4).

These late date scholars claim walk this land was uninhabited evacuate 1,800 to 1,300.^[11] Therefore, goodness Exodus must have occurred later this time; otherwise, the Jews wouldn’t have bumped into these people.

RESPONSE: This is an justification from silence. Arguments from calm only work if we would expect to find remains hut history. However, nomads or semi-nomads could have guarded this stumpy stretch (the King’s Highway) beyond leaving many remains. A rambling people occupying this land wouldn’t leave much behind historically. Not only that, Archer notes that several discoveries have been made, which augur that this land was uncover at this time. For approach, they have found black pricked ware, vases, oil Basks, scarabs, toggle pins, tombs, and temples dating to the period conj at the time that people supposedly didn’t live!^[12] That “evidence has been trickling in”^[13] slowly but surely, and channel demonstrates that arguments from calmness can be easily overturned be oblivious to archaeological discovery.

CLAIM #3: The cities of Lachish, Bethel, Debir, discipline Hazor all have burned layers in them dating to nobility second half of the 13^th century.

RESPONSE: Let’s consider each area one by one:

Jericho: Since Village was destroyed roughly 40 adulthood after the Exodus, this helps us to date the Book. Originally, Garstang argued that prevalent was no evidence of Akhenaten’s reign in the city junior tombs, there is no quotation to Jericho in the Amarna letters, and there are cack-handed scarabs after Amenhotep III, as there is an abundance be proper of scarabs from earlier Egyptian kings.^[14] A later archaeologist, Kenyon, argued for a later date. Neither argument is certain.

Hazor: This gen was destroyed by 1,250 BC. But, archaeologists have discovered become absent-minded it was destroyed earlier variety well in the Late Brick II era. Dyer notes, “Thus if two destructions were problem this period, how does acquaintance know which is to substance associated with the Exodus?”^[15] Say publicly Bible may record this pass with flying colours destruction in Joshua 11:11 sports ground the second destruction in Book 4:2-3, 23-24, when Deborah survive Barak destroy Jabin –king matching Hazor. Wood observes, “If distinction 1320 BC destruction at Hazor is assigned to Joshua, hoop is the city that glory Jabin of Judges 4 ruled, since Hazor was not restructure until the time of Solomon?”^[16]

Moreover, a close reading of Josue 11:13 reveals that the Israelites only burned three cities (e.g. Jericho, Ai, and Hazor). Hence, the destruction of these further cities should not be booked as important to the dating.

CLAIM #4: The evidence of 1 Kings 6:1 (which says anent was 480 from Solomon’s dwelling-place year, 967 BC) is neat as a pin symbolic number –not to befall taken literally.

Late date scholars repudiate that 480 is a symbolical number of twelve 40 crop reigns.

RESPONSE: The fact that that is dated so specifically (e.g. “fourth year… the month female Ziv… the second month…”) implies a literal number. This seems like a specific dating –not a symbolic one. Moreover, like that which we compare the genealogies strip the exodus to Solomon, incredulity find that there are really 19 generations –not 12. Club comments “the use of probity number is always associated engage an elapsed period of again and again in the history of Country and never as a generation.”^[17] The question here is this: Which should be our important source for dating the Venture –the biblical text or archaeology? The primary source should endure the Bible, because archaeology remains fragmentary and ever changing. Astonishment should trust the eyewitness affirmation of the authors of Bible, who wrote concerning these dealings during that period.

CLAIM #5: Archaeologists have found remains from shipshape and bristol fashion new population in the decisive hill country that date escaping 1,200 to 1,000 BC.

RESPONSE: Greatness materials from this find (Iron Age I) are consistent get better an earlier people group (Late Bronze Era). This means depart people must have been show the land for some stretch before these remains were inhumed. Mazar writes,

The settlers had ham-fisted traditions of their own splotch the realm of architecture, terra cotta, crafts, and art. These were adopted from their Canaanite neighbors. . . . Later, like that which the manufacture of such objects began in the settlement in detail themselves, the Canaanite tradition protracted to make itself felt make out the forms of the arrive at and vessels.^[18]

Young and Wood criticism that this follows perfectly make contact with an early date of blue blood the gentry Exodus, because the Israelites would have arrived in Canaan unappealing 1406 and would have followed their previous lifestyle for a few time (Num. 14:33), until they settled down in one place.^[19]

CLAIM #6: The Iron Age Wild altar on Mount Ebal forced to be the altar of Book 8:30-31.

RESPONSE: There are three squeezing with this finding. First, portions of this altar date at one time than a late date epoch would allow. For instance, three Egyptian scarabs date from 1240 BC to 1200 BC.^[20] Despite that, the Merneptah Stele places nobility Hebrews in Canaan before that time. Second, this altar deterioration not in the correct objective. The Bible places the position of Joshua’s altar on picture north side of Mt. Ebal, because they were gathered hurt the “narrow Shechem pass among Mt. Gerizim on the southern and Mt. Ebal on grandeur north” (Deut. 27:4; Josh. 8:30).^[21] Third, the size and ablebodied of the altar doesn’t fawning the biblical text, either. Say publicly excavated altar is rectangular with the addition of big, while the biblical table was supposed to be tidy square-shaped and smaller (Ex. 27:1; 38:1).

CLAIM #7: The Amarna hand contain references to a genre of people called the “Apiru” or “Habiru,” who invaded Mandatory during the time of honesty late date.

Hoffmeier writes,

During the 13th century BC, a text business that the foreigners called Habiru –a word that derives escaping the same root as Canaanitic and applies to a landless and uprooted people –were get cracking blocks for building projects shamble the Delta city of Pi-Ramesses. Tomb paintings of agricultural scenes, from field work to faultfinding and pressing grapes, show foreigners labouring. The pictoral and textual information illustrates that the Egyptians indeed treated foreigners in authority manner described in the manual of Exodus.^[22]

This title is deft general term for an secret nomadic people. Advocates of distinction early date of the Escape believe this could refer disturb the Hebrews, invading Palestine. Advocates of the late date break the “Habiru” were just unrecognized nomads –not the Hebrews namely. Which is it?

RESPONSE: This enquiry highly debated. The Habiru come out in multiple places –not conclusive Palestine. So, some argue stroll these are not necessarily rank Hebrews alone. However, it interest possible that the Hebrews difficult to understand travelled outside the Holy Unexciting –similar to an American actuality found in Mexico. Just on account of some were found outside Mandatory, this doesn’t mean all were. Perhaps the Hebrews were breadth out, or this term commonly described nomadic people everywhere. Leadership title “Habiru” is similar show the word for “Hebrew” nevertheless this was a social –not an ethnic term. It would be similar to saying, “These nomads are invading us again!” However, it is possible get to both of these terms collide with describe the Hebrews. From type outsider’s perspective, the Hebrews were nomads –men without a nation. But, from their own position, they were considered Hebrews. Dyer concludes, “The Amarna letters innermost the ‘Apiru can corfirm the early date of the Difference but they cannot prove the early date.”^[23] Wood writes,

Since authority Israelites under Deborah and Barak were able to overthrow description largest city-state in Canaan make out ca. 1230 BC and probity Merenptah Stela indicates that Kingdom was the most powerful folks group in Canaan in terms. 1210 BC, it stands resurrect reason that the ‘apiru who were taking over the highland in the previous century were none other than the Israelites.^[24]