All dates on this chart have been plotted directly from data found in the Holy Bible, New International Version®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
See Critical Path for information on the continuity of the biblical chronology.
Copyright © 1999, 2012 by David Petrie
Event:
Exodus from Egypt
Date:
2729 AM [Chart]
1495 BC [Chart]
[Table][Index]
Map:
Exodus & Arrival in Canaan
Biblical References:
Exodus 6 - 15
Comments:
At the time of the Exodus from Egypt it had been 430 years since Jacob had arrived in Egypt. During this time, Jacob's descendants had multiplied into thousands of people - a virtual nation. Abraham had been promised that his descendants would settle and inhabit the land of Canaan - which is to the northeast of Egypt, on the other side of the Sinai desert.
According to the biblical account, towards the end of their stay in Egypt, the Israelites were in slavery to the Egyptian nation. No doubt they were aware of the promise to Abraham, and looked forward to the day when they would go to Canaan. The person who would bring about this transition, under the guidance of God, was Moses.
The biblical account describes how Moses was born to Israelite parents, but raised in Pharaoh's palace as an Egyptian. After an incident where Moses killed an Egyptian slave master, Moses fled from Egypt.
During Moses' self-imposed exile from Egypt he married, and presumably started a family. After having spent 40 years away from Egypt, God instructs Moses to return, as his representative. Moses is to ask Pharaoh, on behalf of God, to "let my people go"
Finally, after God sent 10 Plagues on Egypt, Pharaoh let the people of Israel go. However, he later changed his mind and pursued the Israelites. God miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea so that the Israelites could escape before the Egyptian caught them. When the Egyptians tried to cross the Red Sea through the part that God had made, God let the waters close over the Egyptians.