Introductory Matters Exams back by Thursday

Psalm 51

Israel in Egypt:History and Chronology, Preparation

and Call of Moses

Questions What lessons have we learned from the patriarchal narratives? Matters of chronology of the Ancient Near East

Assyrian king lists Egyptian chronology

Why is there no record of Israel in Egypt? Possible answers:

Delta region is mud-flats, no preserved dwellings All documents of papyrus would have disintegrated Pharaohs never wrote about defeat Egyptian philosophy of words: they were from the gods and powerful; if

written down, the event could recur; if not written, it was as if an event had never occurred

It is unlikely that such a demeaning narrative for the origin of Israel would be made up

Dating the Exodus: Overview of the Early Dynasties of Egypt Early Dynastic Period (I-II – ca. 3100-2700)

union of Upper and Lower Egypt Old Kingdom (III-VIII – ca. 2700-2150) pyramid building First Intermediate Period (IX-XI – ca. 2150-2050) division

and weaknessMiddle Kingdom (XII – ca. 2050-1800)

prosperity and expansionSecond Intermediate Period (XIII-XVII – ca. 1800-1550) – influx of Asiatics; HyksosNew Kingdom (XVIII-XX – ca. 1550-1100)

Pyramids of Giza

Focus on New Kingdom 18th Dynasty’s early Pharaohs:

Ahmose – 1570-1545 Amenhotep I – 1545-1526 Thutmose I – 1526-1513 [possibly birth of Moses] Thutmose II – 1513-1505 Hatshepsut (sister and wife of TII) – 1505-1480 Thutmose III – 1504-1451 (part co-regency Hatshepsut) Amenhotep II – 1450-1426 – Exodus if early date Thutmose IV – 1426-1417 Later Pharaohs included Amenhotep IV (Akhnaton) 1369-

1353

Hatshepsut Mortuary Temple

Hatshepsut crowned

Karnak Temple

Focus on New Kingdom (cont.) 19th Dynasty (selective)

Seti I – 1312-1290 Ramses II – 1290-1224 [oppression and Exodus

if late date] Merenptah – 1224-1214

Ramses II

Biblical Data Connected with the Exodus

Oppression in Egypt – the king who did not know Joseph; harsh taskmasters; building cities Pithom and Ramses; field work (Exod 1:13-14); Pharaoh’s fear that people would leave

Moses had to flee Egypt because of the Egyptian he killed; did not return until after death of Pharaoh

Early Date Proposal 1 Kings 6:1 – 966 (building temple) + 480 = 1446

1 Chr 6:33-37 presents 18 generations between Korah (who lived at the time of the Exodus) and Heman, who lived in David’s time). At approximately 25 years per generation, this fits the 480 years.

Judges 11:26 – ca. 1100 + 300 = ca. 1400

The Pharaoh under whom Moses fled was Thutmose III and the one under whom he returned was Amenhotep II (Pharaoh of the Exodus)

Late Date Evidence Exodus 1:11 – mention of Ramses 18th dynasty resided farther south 480 read symbolically – “12 generations” of “40 years” – stock numbers

[a generation is really about 25 years = 300 years] Nelson Glueck’s surface surveys of Transjordan indicated no

evidence of “Edom and Moab” Apparent general destruction level of cities in Israel late 1200’s/early 1100’s Increase in hill country settlement around 1200 Merenptah’s stele dated to 1220 (or 1209) Objections: oppression would have started 80 years prior to the Exodus

(under Ramses II) which puts it prior to the 19th dynasty; no change in ruling Pharaoh between Moses’ birth and return from Midian; archaeological data – argument from silence; and the data in the OT do not require destruction (only three cities were burned)

Preparation and Call of Mosesand the Sovereignty of God Birth and preservation

Role of midwives The tevah Moses’ sister, Pharaoh’s daughter, and his mother

Education – at home and in the court Flight from Egypt – to Midian Call

Burning bush – holiness and humility God’s revelation of Himself – 3:1-15 – He is eternally self-

existent God of the covenant (Yahweh) Moses’ objections Return to Egypt