How long were the Israelites in Egypt?

[NathanH83]

Exodus says 430 years. But when I add up the ages, there’s not enough to equal 430. Then in other places it says 400.
I’m confused.
Any ideas?

 

[Josiah]

deleted by poster. Wasting my time.

 

[atpollard]

Exodus says 430 years. But when I add up the ages, there’s not enough to equal 430. Then in other places it says 400.
I’m confused.
Any ideas?

Please present your data, or at least direct people to where they can find it for themselves.

From the information you have presented, my initial idea is ... “you miscounted”.
More specific answers require more specific questions.

 

[NathanH83]

Please present your data, or at least direct people to where they can find it for themselves.

From the information you have presented, my initial idea is ... “you miscounted”.
More specific answers require more specific questions.

Exodus 12:40 says 430 years.

Genesis 46:11&46 says that Kohath was among the group of people who went down to Egypt with Jacob. He was a part of the 66 who went down. So Kohath had to at least be alive at the time of going down to Egypt.

Kohath died at 133, (Exodus 6:18)
His son Amram died at 137, (Exodus 6:20)
And his son Moses was 80 at the time of the Exodus (Acts 7 & Exodus 7:7)

Well, 133 + 137 + 80 = 350.

So, I can only get 350 years maximum.
How do I get it to add up to 430?

 

[atpollard]

Exodus 12:40 says 430 years.

Genesis 46:11&46 says that Kohath was among the group of people who went down to Egypt with Jacob. He was a part of the 66 who went down. So Kohath had to at least be alive at the time of going down to Egypt.

Kohath died at 133, (Exodus 6:18)
His son Amram died at 137, (Exodus 6:20)
And his son Moses was 80 at the time of the Exodus (Acts 7 & Exodus 7:7)

Well, 133 + 137 + 80 = 350.

So, I can only get 350 years maximum.
How do I get it to add up to 430?

From Numbers 26, I suspect a telescoping of generations. There are too many people for that to be a direct “family tree” leaving no generations out. The generations in the genealogies of Jesus (Gospels) employ a telescoping of generations.

So in modern English, it might read Korath was the grandfather of Amram, and Amram was the grandfather of Moses (or perhaps even great-grandfathers). The total genealogy in Numbers 26 doesn’t include anything close to 23,000 names from the sons of Levi. So they either had 500 children for every man, or there were a lot of generations of men that were simply not listed by name.

 

[pinacled]

Exodus 12:40 says 430 years.

Genesis 46:11&46 says that Kohath was among the group of people who went down to Egypt with Jacob. He was a part of the 66 who went down. So Kohath had to at least be alive at the time of going down to Egypt.

Kohath died at 133, (Exodus 6:18)
His son Amram died at 137, (Exodus 6:20)
And his son Moses was 80 at the time of the Exodus (Acts 7 & Exodus 7:7)

Well, 133 + 137 + 80 = 350.

So, I can only get 350 years maximum.
How do I get it to add up to 430?

You ever considered there are more than one person(s) named kohath?

 

[NathanH83]

From Numbers 26, I suspect a telescoping of generations. There are too many people for that to be a direct “family tree” leaving no generations out. The generations in the genealogies of Jesus (Gospels) employ a telescoping of generations.

So in modern English, it might read Korath was the grandfather of Amram, and Amram was the grandfather of Moses (or perhaps even great-grandfathers). The total genealogy in Numbers 26 doesn’t include anything close to 23,000 names from the sons of Levi. So they either had 500 children for every man, or there were a lot of generations of men that were simply not listed by name.

But how is that possible when Moses’ mother was Levi’s daughter?

“Now Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father’s sister, as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven.”
-Exodus 6:20

“The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam.”
-Numbers 26:59

 

[NathanH83]

You ever considered there are more than one person(s) named kohath?

Of course.
But I’m talking about Kohath the son of Levi, and the father of Amram.

 

[atpollard]

But how is that possible when Moses’ mother was Levi’s daughter?

Asked and answered.
How is it possible that there were tens of thousands of them a generation later? Moses had LOTS of children?

Jews are STILL sons and daughters of Abraham. Abraham is their father. Yet they were not born thousands of years ago and Abraham is not still alive. You are ignoring the literary tradition of the strong bond to family lineage.

Moses mother was of the TRIBE of Levi, just like the tens of thousands of others counted in the census that I mentioned that cannot have been born in a single “mega liter” of babies following the Exodus.

 

[NathanH83]

Asked and answered.
How is it possible that there were tens of thousands of them a generation later? Moses had LOTS of children?

Jews are STILL sons and daughters of Abraham. Abraham is their father. Yet they were not born thousands of years ago and Abraham is not still alive. You are ignoring the literary tradition of the strong bond to family lineage.

Moses mother was of the TRIBE of Levi, just like the tens of thousands of others counted in the census that I mentioned that cannot have been born in a single “mega liter” of babies following the Exodus.

So you’re saying that there were extra generations between Kohath, Amram, and Moses that the Bible doesn’t record?
Where’s the evidence for that?

What about the Greek and Samaritan texts that say they were in Egypt AND Canaan fir 430 years? That would put the Israelites in Egypt for only 215 years. And since 215 is less than 350, then you don’t have to add extra names and generations in there that the Bible doesn’t record.

 

[pinacled]

So you’re saying that there were extra generations between Kohath, Amram, and Moses that the Bible doesn’t record?
Where’s the evidence for that?

What about the Greek and Samaritan texts that say they were in Egypt AND Canaan fir 430 years? That would put the Israelites in Egypt for only 215 years. And since 215 is less than 350, then you don’t have to add extra names and generations in there that the Bible doesn’t record.

Have you forgotten that there were no census for levi tribal lineage beyond amram.

The focus given in shemot(exodus 6 is upon which house of Levi moses and his siblings derive their priestly duties from.

 

[pinacled]

Exodus says 430 years. But when I add up the ages, there’s not enough to equal 430. Then in other places it says 400.
I’m confused.
Any ideas?

With ole sh'aul there are two witnesses of 430yrs

 

[pinacled]

Exodus 12:40 says 430 years.

Genesis 46:11&46 says that Kohath was among the group of people who went down to Egypt with Jacob. He was a part of the 66 who went down. So Kohath had to at least be alive at the time of going down to Egypt.

Kohath died at 133, (Exodus 6:18)
His son Amram died at 137, (Exodus 6:20)
And his son Moses was 80 at the time of the Exodus (Acts 7 & Exodus 7:7)

Well, 133 + 137 + 80 = 350.

So, I can only get 350 years maximum.
How do I get it to add up to 430?

So why aren't you calibrating Levi's age in the equation?
137+133+137+80=487

Bamidar 26
[59 And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.]

 

[NathanH83]

Have you forgotten that there were no census for levi tribal lineage beyond amram.

The focus given in shemot(exodus 6 is upon which house of Levi moses and his siblings derive their priestly duties from.

I’m not sure I understand what you are trying to say

 

[NathanH83]

So why aren't you calibrating Levi's age in the equation?

Bamidar 26
[59 And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.]

Genesis 46 tells us that Kohath was already born at the time they went down into Egypt. You would only include years from Levi if Kohath was born after Levi entered Egypt.

 

[pinacled]

Genesis 46 tells us that Kohath was already born at the time they went down into Egypt. You would only include years from Levi if Kohath was born after Levi entered Egypt.

I suppose you missed the math put in edit.

Do you find it intriguing that amram married a daughter of levi?

 

[NathanH83]

I suppose you missed the math put in edit.

Do you find it intriguing that amram married a daughter of levi?

I see it.
Levi’s age is irrelevant.
Kohath was already alive when they entered Egypt.

 

[pinacled]

I see it.
Levi’s age is irrelevant.
Kohath was already alive when they entered Egypt.

How about intriguing numerical compositions, aside from vain genealogies warned about.
Levi has 3 sons, a daughter, a grandson, and great grandson.
So from levi till moshe there are 7 days.

Moshe being the 7th is an epitaph of rest and liberation.

Do you see

 

[NathanH83]

How about intriguing numerical compositions, aside from vain genealogies warned about.
Levi has 3 sons, a daughter, a grandson, and great grandson.
So from levi till moshe there are 7 days.

Moshe being the 7th is an epitaph of rest and liberation.

Do you see

You’re being very cryptic. As a result, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.

I just want to know how it adds up to 430.

 

[pinacled]

You’re being very cryptic. As a result, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.

I just want to know how it adds up to 430.

4s over 3s
4 plus 3 equals 7
It's quite simple if you look with an honest sincere heart.

Blessings Always