Era 4 of 13
Israel in Egypt
Jacob’s descendants grow into a nation and are enslaved, until the Exodus.
How the dates are set: Boundaries from Ussher: Jacob enters Egypt 1706 BC; Exodus 1491 BC, 430 years after the promise to Abram (Galatians 3:17), 215 of them in Egypt. Alternate Exodus date 1446 BC (see the Exodus event notes).
Events 16
- Jacob blesses his sons 1689 BC
Near death, Jacob adopted Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh and spoke a prophetic blessing over each of his twelve sons. - Jacob dies and is buried in Canaan 1689 BC
Jacob died at 147; Joseph and his brothers carried him to Canaan and buried him in the cave of Machpelah, then Joseph reassured his fearful brothers. - Joseph dies 1635 BC
Joseph died at 110, making his brothers' descendants swear to carry his bones to Canaan when God brought them out. - Job's suffering and restoration 1635 BC
Job, a righteous man in the land of Uz, lost his wealth, children, and health, wrestled with God's ways, and was restored. - Levi dies, the last of Jacob's sons 1619 BC
Levi died at 137; with Joseph's whole generation gone, Israel's position in Egypt began to change. - Israel enslaved in Egypt 1577–1491 BC
A new pharaoh who didn't know Joseph feared Israel's growing numbers and forced them into brutal slave labor. - Aaron born 1574 BC
Aaron, son of Amram and Jochebed of the tribe of Levi, was born three years before Moses. - Pharaoh orders Hebrew boys killed 1573 BC
When the Hebrew midwives refused to kill newborn boys, Pharaoh commanded that every Hebrew son be thrown into the Nile. - Moses born and adopted by Pharaoh's daughter 1571 BC
Hidden by his parents and then set in a basket on the Nile, baby Moses was found by Pharaoh's daughter and raised as her son. - Moses flees to Midian 1531 BC
At 40, Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew; when it became known, he fled to Midian, married Zipporah, and tended sheep for forty years. - Pharaoh dies; Israel cries out to God 1511 BC
The king who had sought Moses' life died, but the slavery went on, and Israel's groaning rose to God, who remembered his covenant. - God speaks to Moses from the burning bush 1491 BC
At Horeb, the mountain of God, a bush burned without burning up, and God called 80-year-old Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt. - Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh 1491 BC
Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh, “Let my people go”; Pharaoh refused and made the Israelites' labor even harder. - The ten plagues 1491 BC
God struck Egypt with ten plagues, from water turned to blood to darkness, judging Egypt's gods and showing his power, while Pharaoh hardened his heart. - The first Passover 1491 BC
Each Israelite household killed a spotless lamb and marked their doorposts with its blood, and death passed over them when God struck Egypt's firstborn. - Israel leaves Egypt 1491 BC
Pharaoh finally let Israel go; about 600,000 men plus women and children marched out from Rameses, 430 years after God's promise to Abram.
People alive in these years 7
Jacob (Israel)LeviJosephMiriamAaronMosesJoshua
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