Era 5 of 13

Exodus and wilderness

1491–1451 BC40 years

Exodus 13 – Deuteronomy 34

The Law at Sinai and forty years in the wilderness.

How the dates are set: Boundaries from Ussher: Exodus 1491 BC; Moses’ death and the Jordan crossing 1451 BC. Alternate: 1446–1406 BC on a 966 BC temple date.

Events 22

• Crossing the Red Sea 1491 BC
  Trapped between the sea and Pharaoh's army, Israel crossed on dry ground as God parted the waters, which then closed over the Egyptians.
• Bitter water made sweet at Marah 1491 BC
  After three days without water, Israel found only bitter water at Marah; God showed Moses a tree that made it sweet, then led them to the springs of Elim.
• Manna and quail 1491 BC
  In the Wilderness of Sin, God sent quail in the evening and manna every morning, bread from heaven that fed Israel for forty years.
• Water from the rock; victory over Amalek 1491 BC
  At Rephidim God gave water from a rock Moses struck, and Joshua defeated the Amalekites while Moses held up his hands.
• The Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai 1491 BC
  Three months after leaving Egypt, Israel camped at Sinai, where God spoke the Ten Commandments from the mountain and made a covenant with the nation.
• The golden calf 1491 BC
  While Moses was on the mountain for forty days, the people made a golden calf and worshiped it; Moses broke the tablets and interceded for them.
• Moses sees God's glory; new tablets 1491 BC
  Moses asked to see God's glory; God passed by, proclaimed his name, and renewed the covenant with new tablets of stone.
• The tabernacle is set up 1490 BC
  On the first day of the second year, Moses set up the tabernacle, and the cloud of God's glory filled it.
• Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire 1490 BC
  Right after Aaron and his sons were ordained as priests, Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu offered unauthorized fire and were struck dead.
• Israel sets out from Sinai 1490 BC
  After a census and almost a year at Sinai, the cloud lifted and Israel marched out by tribes, with the ark going ahead of them.
• Forty years in the wilderness 1490–1452 BC
  For 38 more years Israel wandered in the wilderness until the unbelieving generation had died, while God kept feeding and guiding them.
• The twelve spies and the refusal at Kadesh 1490 BC
  Ten of the twelve spies said Canaan couldn't be taken; the people rebelled, and God sentenced that generation to forty years in the wilderness.
• Korah's rebellion; Aaron's staff buds 1490 BC
  Korah, Dathan, and Abiram led 250 leaders against Moses and Aaron; the earth swallowed the rebels, and Aaron's staff budded to confirm God's choice.
• Miriam dies; Moses strikes the rock at Meribah 1452 BC
  Back at Kadesh, Miriam died; when the people complained about water, Moses struck the rock in anger instead of speaking to it, and God barred him from entering Canaan.
• Aaron dies on Mount Hor 1452 BC
  At God's command, Moses took Aaron's priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar; Aaron died on the mountaintop at 123.
• The bronze serpent 1452 BC
  When venomous snakes struck the complaining people, God told Moses to set a bronze serpent on a pole; anyone bitten who looked at it lived.
• Victories over Sihon and Og 1452 BC
  When the Amorite kings Sihon and Og attacked Israel, God gave Israel victory and the land east of the Jordan.
• Balaam blesses Israel 1452 BC
  King Balak of Moab hired the diviner Balaam to curse Israel, but God turned every curse into a blessing, including a prophecy of a coming star and scepter.
• Sin at Baal Peor; Phinehas's zeal 1452 BC
  Israelite men joined Moabite women in worshiping Baal of Peor; a plague killed 24,000 until Phinehas the priest stopped it.
• Joshua commissioned to succeed Moses 1452 BC
  After a second census showed the old generation was gone, God told Moses to lay his hands on Joshua as Israel's next leader.
• Moses' farewell speeches (Deuteronomy) 1451 BC
  On the plains of Moab, Moses retold Israel's story, restated the Law for the new generation, and urged them to love God and choose life.
• Moses dies on Mount Nebo 1451 BC
  From the top of Mount Nebo, God showed Moses the whole Promised Land; then Moses died at 120, and God buried him.

People alive in these years 4

MiriamAaronMosesJoshua

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