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One of the fundamental questions that must be resolved in Biblical chronology is to understand how long the nation of Israel was in Egypt, which is often referred to as Israel's Egyptian sojourn. But before discussing the duration of the sojourn let's first recall what occurred. The Bible teaches that Abraham's grandson Jacob (who God renamed Israel) went into Egypt when he was 130 years old (Genesis 47:9). Jacob left the land of Canaan and came to Egypt with his entire family, all his sons and daughters, so that none of his family remained in Canaan (Genesis 46:6-7). In Egypt, Jacob's sons grew and multiplied, and for a time prospered. But eventually the Egyptians felt threatened by them and forced them to serve as slaves building cities for Egypt (Exodus 1:9-14). As slaves the Israelites were made to suffer and serve under harsh conditions for a long period of time. It is this period of time that God forewarned Abraham about in Genesis 15:13-16,
Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Genesis 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Genesis 15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
Genesis 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
Fortunately, it seems that everyone agrees on one thing in regard to the above verses, and that is at what point the four hundred years, in which Abram's seed was afflicted, ended! The unanimous answer is the Exodus, when Israel and all their host departed Egypt with Aaron and Moses, after being delivered by the strong arm of Almighty Jehovah. Unfortunately when it comes to determining when the 400 years began agreement is no longer found, in fact two entirely different views have emerged on this point. The following are summaries of these two very different views. The Long (430 year) Sojourn View The long sojourn view teaches that Israel was in Egypt for a total of 430 years, a view based on the statements made in Exodus 12:40-41. One can readily see that if Israel was in Egypt for a total of 430 years, then the entire 400 years of affliction spoken of in Genesis 15:13 would have taken place in Egypt. It would also suggest that Israel was not afflicted for the first 30 years in which they were in Egypt. Such an idea fully agrees with the circumstances in which Israel came to Egypt in the first place. Recall that earlier, Jacob's son Joseph had been sold into Egypt by his brothers, but while there Joseph had interpreted Pharaoh's dream, and by that he impressed Pharaoh to such a high degree that Pharaoh made Joseph a ruler in Egypt (Genesis 41:41). Now as Pharaoh's dream was being fulfilled, that seven years of plenty would be followed by seven years of severe famine, at the end of the second year of famine, Pharaoh invites Joseph to bring his father Jacob and all his family to Egypt to escape the famine in Canaan (Genesis 45:16-20). Upon their arrival Pharaoh then welcomed Joseph's family and allowed them to settle in Goshen (Genesis 47:5-6). In fact, Pharaoh permitted Joseph to set family members over Pharaoh's livestock. Thus it is readily apparent that when Jacob and his family first arrived in Egypt they were invited guests (not persecuted slaves) who came of their own accord and who were at peace with the Egyptians for the first 30 years of their 430 year sojourn in Egypt. However as those 30 years passed, according to Exodus 1:7-8, the people of Israel multiplied greatly and spread out in Egypt, causing concern among the Egyptians that Israel might become a threat to them and their land (Note 1). And so when a new Pharaoh came to power, one that did not know Joseph, the Egyptians began to put the people of Israel to work building cities. In fact, the people of Israel were forced to serve as slaves and were treated harshly and afflicted. Thus, the long sojourn view holds that the 400 years of servitude and affliction suffered by Abram's seed (descendants) was entirely in the land of Egypt, at the hands of the Egyptians, and that this servitude and affliction began 30 years after Israel first came to Egypt at the invitation of Pharaoh.
The Short (215 year) Sojourn View
The short sojourn view teaches that Israel was in Egypt for a total of just 215 years, not 430 years, a view based on the statements made in Galatians 3:15-17. It is argued that the 430 years of Exodus 12:40-41 applies to Israel's time in both Canaan and Egypt, not Egypt alone. So where does the 215 years come from? First, it should be noted that Abraham came to the land of Canaan from the land of Haran at 75 years old (Genesis 12:4). And 25 years later, when Abraham was 100 years old, his son Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5). Later, Isaac married and also had a son, Jacob, when he was 60 years old (Genesis 25:26). Finally, Jacob left Canaan and came to the land of Egypt when he was 130 years old (Genesis 47:9). So if you total the number of years from Abraham's entrance into Canaan at 75 years old until his grandson Jacob came to Egypt, you get 215 years (25 + 60 + 130). Thus, in this view, half of the 430 years were spent in the land of Canaan, and the other half were spent in the land of Egypt.
But recall Israel was only afflicted for 400 years, not 430 years, so it is necessary for those supporting this view to determine what event began the 400 years of affliction in the land of Canaan. This event, whatever it was, must have occurred 30 years after Abraham came to Canaan at 75 years old, when he was 105 years old. We know Abraham's son Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old, so this event must have occurred when Isaac was 5 years old. Unfortunately the Bible doesn't record any events occurring when Abraham is 105 or when Isaac is 5. However the idea has been put forward that the event in question must be the time when Abraham, in obedience to God, took Isaac and prepared to offer him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22). It should be noted there is considerable debate about how old Isaac was at this time since the Bible doesn't provide an age for either father or son. However the short sojourn view asserts this event must have occurred when Isaac was 5 years old, and that it was this event that signaled the start of servitude and affliction of Abram's seed (who they identify as Isaac) in the land of Canaan at the hands of the Canaanites.
Initial Issues with Short Sojourn View
==> The short sojourn view asserts that the Israelis were slaves and afflicted for the entire 215 years they were in Egypt. However it should be recalled that when the Israelites first came to Egypt, they were invited guests of Pharaoh (Genesis 45:17-21). They were not captured or conquered by the Egyptians and brought to Egypt to serve as slaves. Jacob's son Joseph had impressed Pharaoh so much that he was placed in a high position in Pharaoh's government, and it was Joseph's good relationship with Pharaoh that prompted Pharaoh to offer Jacob's family refuge from the harsh famine in Canaan. Yet the short sojourn view maintains Israel was afflicted even at the start of their sojourn in Egypt. It is this contradiction that should give us the first hint that the short sojourn view is not correctly understanding the sojourn of the Israelis in Egypt.
==> A second issue has to do with the lack of correlation between Abraham taking Isaac to offer as a sacrifice in obedience to God and the start of Abram's seed (Isaac) being afflicted by the Canaanites. Remember, Abraham was not a Canaanite, nor were any Canaanites involved in this incident. In fact, there is nothing following this incident that would suggest Isaac had become a Canaanite servant or that he was suffering affliction at the hands of the Canaanites. Additionally, the speculation that Isaac was 5 years old at this time of this incident, without any Biblical support, tends to make this view even less tenable.
A Third Possible View? The long and short sojourn views offered above are the most prominent positions held in regard to the prophecy of Genesis 15:13-16. However there are some that hold a different view, one in which the 400 years in Genesis 15:13 is not to be taken literally. Instead it is simply seen as a figurative number for "a long time", that is, Israel was in bondage for a long time in Egypt. But the fact is the 400 years referenced in Genesis 15:13 is an actual number, and there is no hint in the text that we should assign a different meaning to this number or treat it as anything other than what it is, a literal number. It should also be remembered that in the Bible there are times when something is referred to as a "long time" (Genesis 26:8, Joshua 11:18, 2 Peter 2:3, etc), but those places specifically use words to that effect, not numbers. Thus, we will continue this study considering the prominent views mentioned above, treating the numbers of the Bible as literal numbers and not figurative expressions when there is no support to do so.
Study of Genesis 15:13-16 Let's continue to examine the short sojourn view mentioned above since it is this view that is the most difficult to reconcile with Genesis 15:13-16. As mentioned above, the idea is that Abraham's seed spoken of in Genesis 15:13 is Isaac and his descendants, and that this servitude and affliction began in Canaan when Isaac was 5 years old. This servitude and affliction continued on to Isaac's son Jacob in the land of Canaan until 185 years in Canaan were complete, following which began the remaining 215 years of affliction upon Jacob and his sons and descendants in Egypt, making 400 years total. Thus, the short sojourn view asserts that the seed of Abraham, beginning with Isaac, continuing with Jacob, and then Jacob's sons and descendants, served in both the lands of Canaan and Egypt, and were afflicted by both the nations of Canaan and Egypt. However a closer review of Genesis 15:13 and 15:14 will show significant problems with this teaching:
First Point - land vs lands
Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
It is very important to notice that the word "land" in Genesis 15:13 is singular, not plural. Why is this important? Recall that the short sojourn view asserts that Abram's descendants, starting with Isaac, served and were afflicted in the lands of Canaan and Egypt, not just the land of Egypt. However the text of Genesis 15:13 is clear, Abram's seed were strangers in a land (singular), not in lands (plural). Thus a teaching that requires Israel to have served in multiple lands (Canaan and Egypt) and to be afflicted in these two lands is obviously incorrect, otherwise Genesis 15:13 would have used lands (plural). So in addition to the initial issues expressed above with the short sojourn view, we now have one very clear reason to reject this view.
Second Point - nation vs nations
Genesis 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Similar to the above point, in Genesis 15:14, the word "nation" is singular, not plural. That is, the descendants of Abram would serve and be afflicted by a nation, not by nations. Yet the short sojourn view requires that the 400 years of affliction begin in the Canaanite nation and continue with the Egyptian nation. So again, we see that the short sojourn view would require the reference to nation in Genesis 15:14 to be plural instead of the singular word that it is. Now we have a second clear reason to reject the short sojourn view. Third Point - "theirs" vs "to or for them"
Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
A third point involves a proper understanding of the Hebrew word translated "theirs" in Genesis 15:13. The Hebrew word in question is "להם" (mem-hey-lamed), which is the 3rd person plural construction with a "lamed" prefix, which indicates essentially a dative form. However the word has been translated in English as a possessive form, which is clearly incorrect. A literal rendering would be: "... thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not to them (or for them) ...". Now it is important to notice that the land in which Abram's seed would serve and suffer affliction would be a land that was not "to" or "for" them. Now out of the lands of Canaan and Egypt, which land was not for them, and which land was for them? We know very well that God did not promise to give Abraham the land of Egypt for an inheritance, but instead God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants (Genesis 12:6-7). Thus, it is clear that the land in which Abram's descendants served for 400 years must be Egypt, because that land was not promised "to them", it was not "for them". Further, since the land of Canaan was promised "to them" and was "for them", the land referenced in Genesis 15:13 could not possibly be the land of Canaan. Here we have a third very clear reason to reject the concept of the short sojourn of Israel in Egypt. Summary and Conclusion
In summary, two prominent views of Israel's sojourn in Egypt have been presented, the first being the long sojourn, in which Israel was in Egypt for 430 years, and the second being the short sojourn, in which Israel was in Egypt for only 215 years. A careful review of Genesis 15:13-16 has shown three clear reasons why the short sojourn view does not satisfy the Biblical account, since such an interpretation would require the references to "land" and "nation" (both singular) to be "lands" and "nations" (both plural) in order to account for their assertion that Israel served and were afflicted in both Canaan and Egypt. It was further shown that the land of Canaan cannot be the land spoken of in Genesis 15:13 because that land was "to them" or "for them", that is, the land of Canaan was in fact the land promised to Israel, Abraham's descendants. Finally, the short sojourn view fails to account for the fact that Jacob and his family were invited guests of Pharaoh when they first came to Egypt, rather than slaves. Additionally the short sojourn is neither able to prove their assertion that the event of Abraham offering Isaac occurred when Isaac was 5 years old, nor explain how this corresponds to the beginning of Isaac being afflicted by the Canaanite nation. For these reasons the short sojourn view should be categorically rejected, and the traditional view of the long sojourn should be readily embraced by all.
Implications to Study to Galatians 3:15-17 and Exodus 12:40-41
Incidentally, not only is the above study a refutation of the short sojourn view (that Israel was in Egypt for only 215 years), but it also refutes the teaching that the 430 years of Galatians 3:17 began when Abraham left Haran and first came to the land of Canaan at the age of 75 years old. Additionally, this study completely validates the plain reading and traditional understanding that Exodus 12:40-41 is teaching that the children of Israel sojourned in Egypt for exactly 430 years, to the very day!
Implications to Bishop Ussher's Calendar
Some may be familiar with Bishop Ussher's Bible Calendar, one of the most well known calendars today, which was developed in the 17th century. Unfortunately this calendar did not correctly understand the length of Israel's sojourn in Egypt, thinking the short sojourn was correct instead of the long sojourn. This results in a 215 year shorter chronology then the actual during this period of time.
Appendix - Is a 400 year sojourn possible?
Another idea out there is that Israel was in Egypt for 400 years instead of either 215 years or 430 years. This idea originates mainly from the 400 years mentioned in Genesis 15:13-16. There are two big problems with this idea: first, Exodus 12:40-41 is clear that Israel was in Egypt for 430 years, but second, Genesis 15:13-16 says that Israel will be afflicted by a nation for 400 years. This is a problem because when Israel first came into Egypt they were not persecuted and afflicted by the Egyptians, in fact, they were invited guests of Pharaoh because they were of the family of Joseph, someone who Pharaoh had a great deal of respect for and who Pharaoh had put into a very high office in his government. In fact, Pharaoh gave the land of Goshen to Israel to settle, and allowed Joseph to put family members over Pharaoh's cattle (Genesis 47:6). So the conclusion that Israel was in Egypt for only 400 years, the same number of years that they were afflicted, makes no sense, not to mention ignoring the plain statements of Exodus 12:40-41 that the sojourn was 430 years.
It was mentioned above that the Egyptian's became concerned about the population growth and migration of the Israelites within Egypt, something which probably fueled their desire to control these immigrants from the land of Canaan. However there are other reasons that help understand the resentment toward Israel. For example:
Genesis 47:14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
Genesis 47:15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.
Genesis 47:16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.
Genesis 47:17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
Genesis 47:18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:
Genesis 47:19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.
Genesis 47:20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.
Genesis 47:21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.
Genesis 47:22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.
Genesis 47:23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
Genesis 47:24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.
Genesis 47:25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
Genesis 47:26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.
Genesis 47:27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. We find here that the famine was so severe that the Egyptians gave all their money to buy food. However over time they ran out of money so Joseph allowed them to purchase food by trading their livestock (verse 16). And when the Egyptians had no more livestock to trade for food they sold their land and themselves for food (verses 18-19). Once Joseph had gotten all the land of the Egyptians, along with the Egyptians themselves, Joseph put them to work growing food (verses 23-24). In effect the Egyptians became slaves of Pharaoh under Joseph's direction. One can easily imagine such a situation would result in resentment on the part of the Egyptians, after all, they are now in essence slaves of Joseph, a foreigner. And as a result one could easily imagine the new Pharaoh who arose in Egypt (Exodus 1:8) may have plotted against the prior ruler of Egypt in order to take back their land and restore Egypt to the Egyptian people. In any case, the important point to notice is that Joseph had gained all these things from the Egyptian people by the end of the seven years of famine. So it didn't take very many years before Joseph gained all the Egyptians money, livestock, land and themselves, in fact, these things were finished by the time Jacob had been in Egypt just five years. The fact that Israel quickly gained great wealth in Egypt fits perfectly well with the idea that Israel enjoyed a relatively short time (only 30 years) of peace and prosperity in Egypt prior to a backlash from the Egyptians and the start of the 400 year period of affliction. (Return)
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