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Biblical chronology dispute: Difference between revisions
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→The Sojourn in Egypt
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However, the [[Septuagint]], for reasons lost in antiquity and probably known only to the original Seventy Interpreters, quotes {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=12|verses=40}} as saying, "who dwelt in Egypt ''and Canaan''" (emphasis added). Yet most Ussherites are loath to cite this as a ground for their dating of the sojourn, because Ussher himself distrusted the Septuagint and used the [[Masoretic Text]] instead. If an Ussherite were, therefore, to try to stand on the Septuagint's rendition of this verse, they would have committed a [[logical fallacy]] closely akin to [[special pleading]]. | However, the [[Septuagint]], for reasons lost in antiquity and probably known only to the original Seventy Interpreters, quotes {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=12|verses=40}} as saying, "who dwelt in Egypt ''and Canaan''" (emphasis added). Yet most Ussherites are loath to cite this as a ground for their dating of the sojourn, because Ussher himself distrusted the Septuagint and used the [[Masoretic Text]] instead. If an Ussherite were, therefore, to try to stand on the Septuagint's rendition of this verse, they would have committed a [[logical fallacy]] closely akin to [[special pleading]]. | ||
The Masoretic Text does indeed say that the sojourn--that is, a temporary stay--of the Israelites "who dwelt in Egypt" was 430 years. In addition to this consideration, one must consider the following: | |||
*Seventy "souls" in direct line-of-descent from Jacob entered Egypt during the Famine. {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=1|verses=1-8}} | |||
*On the day of the Exodus, the nation of Israel had six hundred thousand men ''of military age'', ''in addition to'' children. {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=12|verses=39}} A nation having this many men of military age surely numbered at least two million altogether, and very likely five million. | |||
If one assumes that each of those original "seventy souls" who entered Egypt had a fifty-member household (including family retainers), then the number of people who entered Egypt might have been 3500. To reach five million people requires the population to double at least ten times, and possibly eleven times. | |||
Typically, a fast-growing population might double every twenty-five years. This means that at least ''two hundred fifty'' or ''two hundred seventy-five years'' must have passed between entry and Exodus. Thus a mere 215-year stay in Egypt falls short. A 430-year stay offers ample time and allows the population to double less frequently than once every twenty-five years. | |||
In addition to which, many named characters in the Bible have as many as ten named generations--far too many to have occurred in 215 years. | |||
To the objection that only four generations of Levites are named from Levi to Moses (see {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=2}}), most scholars would say that the expression "son of" or "daughter of" need not signify one actually born in the other's household, but merely a direct lineal descendant of any degree, including grandsons and great-grandsons and so forth. | |||
=== The Chronology of the United and Divided Kingdoms === | === The Chronology of the United and Divided Kingdoms === | ||
