Changes

[[Image:AmenhotepII.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Amenhotep II, considered to be the pharaoh of the Exodus according to the 1441 B.C. date.]]

[[Image:AmenhotepII.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Amenhotep II, considered to be the pharaoh of the Exodus according to the 1446 B.C. date.]]

[[Image:Rekhmiretomb.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Wall painting showing Semites engaged in brick-making; from the tomb of Rekhmire, [[vizier]] to Pharaoh Amenhotep I.]]

[[Image:Rekhmiretomb.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Wall painting showing Semites engaged in brick-making; from the tomb of Rekhmire, [[vizier]] to Pharaoh Amenhotep I.]]

[[Image:Nomads1895.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Egyptian wall relief of Semitic nomads, c. 1800 B.C.]]

[[Image:Nomads1895.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Egyptian wall relief of Semitic nomads, c. 1800 B.C.]]

The '''[[Exodus of Israel]]''' was the event described in the [[Bible]] when the Hebrews left Egyptian slavery for the Promised Land under the leadership of [[Moses]].  The actual date with which this event took place has been the subject of serious study, speculation, and controversy.  Currently, debate has centered on two dates: an early date of 1441 B.C.; and a late date of 1290 B.C.

The '''[[Exodus of Israel]]''' was the event described in the [[Bible]] when the Hebrews left Egyptian slavery for the Promised Land under the leadership of [[Moses]].  The actual date with which this event took place has been the subject of serious study, speculation, and controversy.  Currently, debate has centered on two dates: an early date of 1446 B.C. and a late date of 1290 B.C.

==Conditions prior to the Hebrew slavery==

==Conditions prior to the Hebrew slavery==

The [[Hyksos]], a word from the Egyptian language meaning "rulers of foreign lands" were a Semitic/Asiatic people who invaded the Delta region of northern Egypt about 1720 B.C., making their capitol at Avaris.  They ruled Egypt as the 15th Dynasty, and were listed as legitimate kings on the Turin Papyrus, but their rule did not interfere with Egyptian control or politics of the south.  They introduced the chariot and the bow, improved battle axes, and better techniques of fortification.  Their rule may have been somewhat harsh, as they may have been hated by the Egyptian population as a whole. The Egyptian revolt began under Khamose, and Avaris fell under Ahmose about 1550 B.C., using against them many of the same military weapons and tactics introduced by the Hyksos. The powerful 18th Dynasty was founded by Amenhotep I (1546-1525 B.C.), who came to power after the Hyksos campaign. (Unger, pg. 508)

The [[Hyksos]], a word from the Egyptian language meaning "rulers of foreign lands" were a Semitic/Asiatic people who invaded the Delta region of northern Egypt about 1720 B.C., making their capitol at Avaris.  They ruled Egypt as the 15th Dynasty, and were listed as legitimate kings on the Turin Papyrus, but their rule did not interfere with Egyptian control or politics of the south.  They introduced the chariot and the bow, improved battle axes, and better techniques of fortification.  Their rule may have been somewhat harsh, as they may have been hated by the Egyptian population as a whole. The Egyptian revolt began under Khamose, and Avaris fell under Ahmose about 1550 B.C., using against them many of the same military weapons and tactics introduced by the Hyksos. The powerful 18th Dynasty was founded by Amenhotep I (1546-1525 B.C.), who came to power after the Hyksos campaign. (Unger, pg. 508)

Rekhmire, the [[vizier]] to Thutmose III, left behind splended wall paintings in his tomb in which scenes of the making of bricks and other tasks are being carried out, similar to the scene in ''Exodus'' 5:6-19.  Found among the figures in the paintings are Semitic foreigners engaged in brick-making, with the hyroglyphic text having them say ''"He supplies us with bread, beer, and every good thing,"'' while they get a stern warning from the task-masters: ''"The rod is in my hand; be not idle!''  (Unger, pg. 333)

Rekhmire, the [[vizier]] to Thutmose III, left behind splended wall paintings in his tomb in which scenes of the making of bricks and other tasks are being carried out, similar to the scene in ''Exodus'' 5:6-19.  Found among the figures in the paintings are Semitic foreigners engaged in brick-making, with the hyroglyphic text having them say ''"He supplies us with bread, beer, and every good thing,"'' while they get a stern warning from the task-masters: ''"The rod is in my hand; be not idle!''  (Unger, pg. 333)

==Early date of 1441 B.C.==

==Early date of 1446 B.C.==

The early date of 1441 B.C. places the Exodus under the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep II of the 18th Dynasty, and many scholars contend that this is the correct Biblical date.  This has been denied by some scholars citing ''Exodus'' 1:11 and other evidence; however, a careful survey of the Biblical narrative for the Exodus up until the time of Solomon, in addition to  extra-Biblical evidence, places the Exodus event during the the mid-1400s B.C., rather then more than a century later.

The early date of 1446 B.C. places the Exodus under the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep II of the 18th Dynasty, and many scholars contend that this is the correct Biblical date.  This has been denied by some scholars citing ''Exodus'' 1:11 and other evidence; however, a careful survey of the Biblical narrative for the Exodus up until the time of Solomon, in addition to  extra-Biblical evidence, places the Exodus event during the the mid-1400s B.C., rather then more than a century later.

''1st Kings'' 6:1 states that Solomon began to build the Temple ''"in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt,"''  which was during the fourth year of his reign, or about 961 B.C.  This agrees with modern archaeologists who established a rough timeframe for Solomon's kingship (Albright, 958 B.C.; Thiele, 967 B.C., etc), making the date of the Exodus to have been about 1441 B.C.  This date fits the timeframe as established by the Biblical narrative, and chronologists attempting to establish the later date of 1290 B.C. must thoroughly reject the ''1st Kings'' verse, and by extention reject the chronology of the narrative in ''Judges'' and the early kingships in Israel as not being able to fit within contemporary history of that time. (Unger, pg. 332)

''1st Kings'' 6:1 states that Solomon began to build the Temple ''"in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come up out of the land of Egypt,"''  which was during the fourth year of his reign, or about 961 B.C.  This agrees with modern archaeologists who established a rough timeframe for Solomon's kingship (Albright, 958 B.C.; Thiele, 967 B.C., etc), making the date of the Exodus to have been about 1446 B.C.  This date fits the timeframe as established by the Biblical narrative, and chronologists attempting to establish the later date of 1290 B.C. must thoroughly reject the ''1st Kings'' verse, and by extention reject the chronology of the narrative in ''Judges'' and the early kingships in Israel as not being able to fit within contemporary history of that time. (Unger, pg. 332)

Contemporary history of Egyptian events also supports the 1441 B.C. date.  The pharaoh who refused to allow the Hebrews to leave most certainly would have been Amenhotep II, who reigned c. 1450-1425 B.C.  He was the son of the empire builder and conqueror Thutmose III, and Amenhotep lived off his father's largesse.  It is also clear from Egyptian inscriptions that the son who succeeded him to the throne, Thutmose IV, was not his first born; this was indicated by the inscription on a slab known as the [[Dream Stele]] at the foot of the Great Sphinx which states that the god Amun would give him the throne if he cleared away the sand from the feet of the Sphinx and restore it:  

Contemporary history of Egyptian events also supports the 1446 B.C. date.  The pharaoh who refused to allow the Hebrews to leave most certainly would have been Amenhotep II, who reigned c. 1455-1425 B.C.  He was the son of the empire builder and conqueror Thutmose III, and Amenhotep lived off his father's largesse.  It is also clear from Egyptian inscriptions that the son who succeeded him to the throne, Thutmose IV, was not his first born; this was indicated by the inscription on a slab known as the [[Dream Stele]] at the foot of the Great Sphinx which states that the god Amun would give him the throne if he cleared away the sand from the feet of the Sphinx and restore it:  

*''"One of those days it came to pass that the king's son, Thutmose, came, coursing at the time of midday, and he rested in the shadow of this great god.  A vision of sleep seized him at the hour (when) the sun was in the zenith, and he found the majesty of this revered god speaking with his own mouth, as a father speaks with his son, saying: "Behold thou me! See thou me! My son Thutmose.  I am thy father, Harmakhis-Khepri-Re-Atum, who will give to thee my kingdom on earth at the head of the living.  Thou shalt wear the white crown and the red crown upon the throne of Keb, the hereditary prince.  The land shall be thine in its length and breadth, that which the eye of the All-Lord shines upon.  The food of the Two Lands shall be thine, the great tribute of all countries, the duration of a long period of years."'' [http://www.kent.net/DisplacedDynasties/Menkheperure.html]

*''"One of those days it came to pass that the king's son, Thutmose, came, coursing at the time of midday, and he rested in the shadow of this great god.  A vision of sleep seized him at the hour (when) the sun was in the zenith, and he found the majesty of this revered god speaking with his own mouth, as a father speaks with his son, saying: "Behold thou me! See thou me! My son Thutmose.  I am thy father, Harmakhis-Khepri-Re-Atum, who will give to thee my kingdom on earth at the head of the living.  Thou shalt wear the white crown and the red crown upon the throne of Keb, the hereditary prince.  The land shall be thine in its length and breadth, that which the eye of the All-Lord shines upon.  The food of the Two Lands shall be thine, the great tribute of all countries, the duration of a long period of years."'' [http://www.kent.net/DisplacedDynasties/Menkheperure.html]