Exodus

EXODUS. This word comes from the Greek, Exodos, which signifies going out. The second of those sacred books, which are contained in the Old Testament is so called, because it comprehends the history of the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses. Herein we have the birth of Moses, his education, and flight; the persecutions which the Hebrews suffered from the Kings of Egypt; the return of Moses from the land of Midian; the plagues which he brought upon Egypt; the departure of the Hebrews; the passage of the Red Sea; the manner wherewith the Law was given; the erection of the Tabernacle, and the celebration of the second Passover. It contains the history of an hundred and forty five years, beginning from the death of Joseph, which happened in the year of the World 2369, before Jesus Christ 1631, before the Vulgar Æra 1635, to the year of the World 2514, which is the end of the first year after the going out of Egypt. The Hebrews call this book Veelle Schemoth, because it begins with these words, Now Schemoth, Græc. Exitus.these are the names, &c.

The Hebrews, according to the chronology followed by us, dwelt in Egypt no longer than two hundred and fifteen years, from Jacob’s entrance into this country in the year 2298, to the departure of the Israelites out of it under Moses, in the year of the World 2513. Notwithstanding we read expressly in Exodus, ch. xii. ver. 40. that they abode there four hundred and thirty years. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. M. Boivin the elder, who has been employ’d a very long time in examining the chronology of Josephus and the Septuagint, pretends by the help of a passage from Manetho, to have settled the number of four hundred and thirty years mentioned by Moses. The Manethon apud Joseph. l. 1. contra Appion.passage from Manetho is this: “We had a King named Timaus, under whom, for what reason I cannot tell, God declared himself very much against us. On a sudden, when it was least expected, certain men of an obscure original came from the East, and invaded our country: they easily made themselves masters of it, even without the hazard of a battle. Having seized the Princes who governed Egypt, they burnt the cities, destroy’d the temples of the Gods, and treated those who fell into their hands, with the utmost rigour of war. At length they chose one among them for their King, whose name was Salatis.

“This Prince established the seat of his Empire in Memphis, and all upper and lower Egypt became subject to him. He settled numerous garrisons in the strongest places of the country, and fortified principally the eastern frontier; well foreseeing that the Assyrians, when once they grew more powerful, would not fail to attempt the conquest of Egypt. Having observed a city called Abaris in the Nome of Sais, of a very advantageous situation, he fortified it, and enclosing it with walls of a vast circumference, he placed a garrison in it consisting of two hundred and forty thousand men…

“Salatis died after a reign of nineteen years; and was succeeded by Bæon, who reigned forty four. Apachnas succeeded Bæon, and reigned six and thirty years; Apophis sixty one; Janias fifty years and one month; Assis, the last of all, reigned nine and forty years and two months. These six Princes reigned successively in Egypt, and treated the country like enemies, endeavouring, as we may say, to tear up the very roots of it.

“The race of these Princes was called Hic-sos, that is to say, Shepherd-Kings … Some affirm they were Arabians: in other books we read, that they were not Kings, but Captives; for Hic in Egyptian, when it is pronounced like Hac, signifies Captives; and this appears to me most probable, and most conformable to ancient history.”

Manetho adds, that these Shepherd-Kings and their descendants were possessed of Egypt five hundred and eleven years; after which, the Kings of Thebaïs and the rest of Egypt made a long and bloody war with them.

Under King Alis-Phragmuthosis, the Shepherds were overcome, and driven out of Egypt, and reduced to the town of Avaris or Abaris, which they had inclosed with walls, to the extent of ten thousand acres of land. Here Themosis, the son of Alis-Phragmuthosis, besieged them with an army of four hundred and fourscore thousand men; and seeing that he was not able to reduce them by force, he permitted them to retire to what place they pleased. They departed therefore out of Egypt, and went into Judæa, where they built Jerusalem, and made it so large as to be capable of containing their whole multitude. They passed through the desarts of Syria, fearing the power of the Assyrians, who were at that time masters of Asia.

Upon this is founded the restitution in Chronology, relating, as we have said, to the children of Israel’s abode in Egypt. M. Boivin disposes his System in the following order: The Hebrews passed seventy one years in Egypt very peaceably under Jacob and Joseph, in the time of those Pharaohs who were protectors of the Israelites. After this, they reigned there two hundred fifty nine years and ten months under Ephraim the son and successor of Joseph, and under Beriah, Rephah, Resheph, Tela, and Tahan his sons, whose names are mentioned in the Chronicles. The same Ephraim and his sons, in the sacred history of the Egyptians cited by Manetho, are called Salathis, Bæon, Aphachnas, Apophis, Janias, Assis.

Lastly, they spent ninety-nine years and two months there in bondage, under the Pharaohs their enemies; under the Ephraïmites, Laadan, Ammihud, and Elishama, whose names likewise are mentioned in the Chronicles. The Israelites therefore changed their condition three times in Egypt, where they were successively Shepherds, Kings, and Captives. Their pastoral life and bondage are particulars not contested; it only remains to shew, that they ever reigned there. The Scripture says nothing of it; but it relates actions there perform’d by them, which, in M. Boivin’s judgment, are arguments of their regal power and absolute authority.

He supposes, that at the death of Joseph, or Pharaoh his protector, there was a change of Dynasty in Egypt, and that the heirs of Pharaoh, who had raised Joseph, were supplanted by Vaheb, whose name we meet with in the book of the wars of the Numb. xxi. 14.Lord, cited in Numbers, and who in Manetho is called Timaüs. This new Pharaoh, who knew not Joseph, nor the services which he had done the Egyptians; Vaheb, I say, jealous of the power of the Israelites, undertook to restore idolatry in the land of Goshen, which was in the possession of the Hebrews. Ephraim, the son and successor of Joseph, opposed this, and determined to revenge the death of the old Pharaohs, the protectors of his family; but he was not successful in this war: in his first expedition, which was against the town of Gath, he lost nine of his sons, whose names were, Shathelah I. Bered, Tahath I. Eladah, Tahath II. Zabad, Shathelah II. Ezer, and Elead.

1 Chr. vii. 22. 1 Chr. vii. 20, 21.The Scripture speaks of this expedition, but it says no more, than that they were killed by the men of Gath, because they came down to take away their cattle; and besides, Gath was not in Egypt.

The other sons¹ of Ephraim came to comfort their father, and resolved to revenge the death of their brethren. Ephraim therefore at the head of the shepherds, that is to say, of all those who worshipped the true God, attacked the Egyptians. In this war, says our Author, were performed the miracles in the field of² Tanis, whereof there is mention in the Psalms. Vaheb was consumed by a whirlwind of fire, as the book of Pf. lxxviii. 12, 43.the wars of the Lord says; And the sun stood still, and the moon was stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies; as the book of Jasher mentions, which is cited in Joshua. Then Ephraim, otherwise called Salathis, assumed the title of Chr. vii. 26.King of Egypt, and was succeeded by his sons above-mentioned.

Josh. xxiv. 14.After the Ephrámites had enjoyed the kingdom two hundred fifty nine years and ten months, they degenerated, forgot the Lord, and fell into idolatry, as we see in Joshua. God delivered them up to their enemies, who defeated them in a great battle described in Psalm lxxviii. 9, 10, 11, 12, 42, 43. They continued subject to the Egyptians ninety nine years and two months, till their departure out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses.

M. Boivin believes, there is an interruption of history in the Scripture from the death of Joseph, with which Genesis concludes, to the birth of Moses, wherewith Exodus begins. He pretends, that the history of this time was contained in old books which are lost, and whereof there now remain only the titles, and some fragments in the sacred writers; such as the book of the wars of the Lord; the book of Jasher; Josh. x. 13. & 1 Sam. i. 18. Numb. xxi. 27.and that of Proverbial Songs.

This system would be much more plausible, if the number of years observed in Manetho agreed exactly with that of Moses: but whereas Moses takes notice but of 430 years from the entrance of the Hebrews in Egypt, to their departure thence under Moses; Manetho says, that the Shepherd-kings and their descendants reigned five hundred and eleven years in Egypt, after which the Kings of Thebaïs made war for a long time against them, and at last obliged them to retire into Judæa. The difference of years is great, and I can scarce see any means of reconciling it; besides, the reign of Ephraim and his five sons successively without interruption, and without any one of these leaving the Kingdom to his son, seems incredible. It is very hard to prove, that the last of these five sons lived 250 years, as he must be supposed to do in M. Boivin’s System: however, the manner of his disposing this succession of the Shepherd-kings is as follows.

All these were descended from Joseph by Ephraim.

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