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[[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''' took place approximately 1441 B.C. when [[Moses]] led the Isrealites out of bondage from Egypt towards the Promised Land of [[Israel]].  The actual date with which this event took place has been the subject of serious study, speculation, and controversy.  Currently, debate has centered on three dates: an early date of 1441 B.C.; a late date of 1290 B.C., and a date of 1550 B.C. postulated by historian David Rohl in his study of Egyptian dating, resulting in the controversial [[New Chronology]].

The '''Exodus''' 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.; a late date of 1290 B.C.

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

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

*''The Biblical statement of Exodus 1:11 is supposed to place the event at 1290 B.C.'' This verse reads ''"...and they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses"'', possibly indicating the reign of Rameses II during this time.  The fact that the site of the city of Raamses was only called that from 1300 to 100 B.C. is not a settled argument in favor of the earlier date, as the site previously was known as "Zoan-Avaris" where the Israelites had served as slaves years before.  Zoan-Avaris also flourished before the Hyksos were driven out at approximately 1570 B.C., leaving plenty of time for the Hebrew slaves to have built the earlier city after they arrived in c. 1870 B.C. (Unger, pg. 333)

*''The Biblical statement of Exodus 1:11 is supposed to place the event at 1290 B.C.'' This verse reads ''"...and they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses"'', possibly indicating the reign of Rameses II during this time.  The fact that the site of the city of Raamses was only called that from 1300 to 100 B.C. is not a settled argument in favor of the earlier date, as the site previously was known as "Zoan-Avaris" where the Israelites had served as slaves years before.  Zoan-Avaris also flourished before the Hyksos were driven out at approximately 1570 B.C., leaving plenty of time for the Hebrew slaves to have built the earlier city after they arrived in c. 1870 B.C. (Unger, pg. 333)

*''The earlier date of the Exodus is disputed by evidence from Transjordan, Debir, and Lachish.''  The explorations of archaeologist Nelson Gleck demonstrated a gap in the population of this region between 1900-1300 B.C., which according to Gleck indicated that had the Israelites came up from Egypt during the Exodus, they would not have met the Amorites, Moabites, and Edomites which resisted their journey. However, there is nothing in the ''Exodus'' story demanding more than a simple, farming economy which left behind little to no evidence for the archaeologist, nor is there any evidence found at Lachish and Debir sufficient enough to set aside the ''Exodus'' narrative. (Unger, pp. 333-334)

*''The earlier date of the Exodus is disputed by evidence from Transjordan, Debir, and Lachish.''  The explorations of archaeologist Nelson Gleck demonstrated a gap in the population of this region between 1900-1300 B.C., which according to Gleck indicated that had the Israelites came up from Egypt during the Exodus, they would not have met the Amorites, Moabites, and Edomites which resisted their journey. However, there is nothing in the ''Exodus'' story demanding more than a simple, farming economy which left behind little to no evidence for the archaeologist, nor is there any evidence found at Lachish and Debir sufficient enough to set aside the ''Exodus'' narrative. (Unger, pp. 333-334)

==References==

==References==