The person who can answer this is no other than but the direct eyewitness, Moses himself.
Moses wrote the original information of the book we called today "Genesis" during the time when Avaris was popularly known by the topographical name Rameses. According to Moses:
"Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the
land of Rameses,
as Pharaoh had commanded." -Genesis 47:11
Avaris (hw.t wꜥr) was known during the time of Moses as "Rameses," and this latter topographical name was reverberating to his memory because their exodus, that he had directly witnessed, took place when they left Rameses.
The geographic names that Moses has mentioned when they had had their exodus were 13th century BCE topographical names, namely:
1) Succoth,
2) Rameses,
3) Pithom (Per-Etham),
4) Baalzephon,
5) Pihahiroth, and
6) yam suph.
1) There were 3 toponyms known in ancient Egypt by the name "Tjeku" (Succoth).
A. zone,
B. city, and
C. enclosure.
Tjeku (Succoth) was known as early as 1393 BCE naming Amenemhet as the "hry pdt" (troop commander) of Tjeku. The same office was existing in Tjeku (Succoth) in the 13th century BCE described in Papyrus Anastasi 5. Tjeku is usually written with a throw-stick (hieroglyph for "enemy") and foreign-land determinative.
But in a fragment of a draft of letter Deir el-Medina ostracon (ODM) 1076, line 1, Tjeku (Succoth) is written with a city determinative and is located near the region of Rameses.
In 1206 BCE the "brkt pr-itm (pools of Pithom) Mer-neptah" is identified as "Tjeku" ("Succoth"). It was a military zone; described in Papyrus Anastasi 6 as
"p3 htm n mr-n-pth khr m33t nty thkw"
("the etham [fortress] of Merneptah khetep-hir-maat which is Tjeku").
The etham (tower) of Merneptah is either Succoth or in Succoth.
Inside Succoth, there could be a settlement named also as "Tjeku," and in Papyrus Anastasi V it is described "p3 sg3r n tkw" ("the enclosure [wall] of Succoth").
2) Rameses was not in Saudi Arabia, nor it was near Aqaba Sea. A city in that region (Rameses) was known to Moses as "Raamses," called "Pi-Ramesse..." by the Egyptians and which was near in the region where Tjeku (Succoth) was belonged.
This is clearly indicated in Deir el-Medina ostracon 1076, lines 1-5:
"... in the favor of all the gods of Tjeku [Succoth] ... Thus one speaks in the Great House [pr '3], L.p.h. the great [meadow] of Pi-Ramesse Great of Victories... and one sent to the horse-keepers..."
Papyrus Anastasi III, 1:12 describes this city as the domain of king Rameses the Great or
" pr-rˁ-ms-sw-mry-ἰmn " (Pi-Rameses Meriamun)
and as located in the region called "Rameses" (Anastasi III, 3:3-4).
The city of Rameses was not built earlier than king Seti I. That is, there was no city named Rameses in 1446 BCE. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and Caesium-Magnetometry surveys done in 1996, 2003, and 2008 can demonstrate that the palace of king Seti I in the city was built on a virgin ground. This scientifically means that Moses was talking to a new city (Raamses) on a virgin ground when it was reported in the phrase "Pithom and Raamses."
3) In Tel el-Retabeh king Rameses II (1269-1213 BCE) built " pr-tm ṯkw " (Per-tum Tjeku) or Pithom in Succoth.
4) Papyrus Anastasi III, 2:8 has "water of Baal- " located near Rameses. A 6th-5th century BCE Phoenician papyrus speaks of Baal-Zephon as the principal god of Tahpanhes. People during the 6th century BCE (Ezekiel 30:18 and Jeremiah 2:16) likely changed the name "Zaphon" into "Tahpan-," which is Arabecized into "Defeneh."
In around 1225 BCE, in Papyrus Sallier IV, 1:6
"bˁr-ḏȜpn" ("Baal-Zephon")
is mentioned with Seth hieroglyphic determinative symbol. This gives us insight that exodus of Israel happened near 1225 BCE.
5) In around 1210 BCE Papyrus Anastasi III, 2:9 a toponym "pr-ḥwt-ḥrt" ("Pihahirot") is described to be belonged in the region Rameses near yam tufy (Reeds' Sea). The name may mean "Pi (Precinct of) Hahiroth (Avaris)." Obviously it is a combination of "pr" ("per-" : "precinct") and
"hwt-hrt" (derived from feminized "hw.t wꜥr" : Avaris).
Hahiroth has a goddess determinative hieroglyphic symbol, hence it is a theophoric name. It is thought to be derived from hieroglyph "p3 hrw" ("the canal"), which may refer to the canals of Avaris (cf.Hoffmeier 2005: 105-107).
6) Yam Suph (Hebrew for "Sea of Reeds") mentioned in Exodus 10:19 has its name derived from Egyptian "p3 ym" (pe yam) & "twfy" (tufy) located in Rameses near Pihahiroth according to the geographical description in Papyrus Anastasi III, 2:11-3:4. Pe-yam in this Egyptian inscription is what Numbers 33:7-8 mentioned "ha-yam," which according to a scribe in 1210 BCE was located just near Tufy (Egyptian toponym that literally means "Reeds"). Moses combined this toponyms into yam suph (Reeds' Sea). There were a lot of reeds' seas (lakes of reeds) from Egypt to Negev or Edom, but the yam suph (Reeds' Sea) where the Israel passed on dryshod was near Pihahiroth (Precinct of Avaris) in Rameses.
Numbers 33:2-8
"And Moses wrote their journeys... And they departed from
Rameses
on the 15th day of the 1st month; on the day after the Passover the descendants of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which YHWH had smitten among them: upon their
gods
also YHWH executed judgments.
And the descendants of Israel removed from Rameses, and camped at
Succoth.
And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in
Etham,
which is in the edge of the wilderness.
And they left Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before
Baalzephon:
and they pitched before Migdol.
And they departed from before
Pihahiroth,
and passed through the midst of
ha-yam
[the sea]
into the wilderness, and went 3 days' journey in the wilderness of Etham..." -Numbers 33:2-8
There was a pharaoh who was celebrated as one of the Egyptian gods, who were considered judged by YHWH by the death of his firstborn son. According to Moses, the said pharaoh's firstborn son was sitting on the throne of the pharaoh when died, corroborating Moses' report that it's the judgment against Egyptian gods, implying that the pharaoh was an Egyptian god. Moses also clearly reported that the king was the pharaoh of Rameses.
Who was the pharaoh of Rameses whose firstborn son sitting on the throne died when the pharaoh was one of the Egyptian gods and whose predecessor died when Moses was at 20's and who built store-cities Pithom & Raamses?
These details given by Moses are pin pointing to no other but one person: king Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE).
Let us know why it was referring to king Rameses II.
1. The pharaoh who built Pithom and Raamses was king Rameses the Great (1279-1213 BCE).
King Rameses II has categorically stated: "I built Pithom."
Scientists found the Pithom built by king Rameses II in Tel el-Retabeh.
2. There was only one pharaoh from whom the geographic name "Rameses" was derived.
King Rameses II built the store-city or best city "Pi-Rameses" known in the Bible as "Raamses."
3. At Moses' "gadal" (20's), in 1279 BCE, pharaoh died.
"And it came to pass in those days, when Moses
wa-yigdal
[was grown],
that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens... And it came to pass in process of time, that
the king of Egypt died:
and the descendants of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage..." -Exodus 2:11,23
This pharaoh died and succeeded by another pharaoh (the king who was involved in exodus of Israel). The pharaoh who died was Seti I, and the successor was Rameses II.
4. It was king Rameses the Great who became too serious to be known as one of the Egyptian gods.
At his Year 30 in circa 1250 BCE, he celebrated his first heb sed (jubilee festival), when Ramesses B junior was the crown prince. As a consequence, Prince Ramesses junior has to sit on the throne of his father (Rameses II) and act as a pharaoh in behalf of his father: as Rameses II (the real pharaoh) was ritually performing as an Egyptian god.
The first affected of the death of the crown prince firstborn son was Rameses II the Great himself. Prince Ramesses B died during the Year 50 of king Rameses II in 1229 BCE.
The reason why Israelites were asked by Egyptians to leave Egypt was the death of the firstborn sons, and the incident happened when the pharaoh's firstborn son was sitting on the throne: and this death was a judgement of YHWH against the Egyptian gods, and one of these gods was the pharaoh himself. As a result, the pharaoh permitted the 600 elef (head-of-thousand) to leave Rameses.
According to apostle Paul, a former devoted Benjaminite Pharisee, the affliction took place 430 years after Abraham received a promise from God.
"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made... And this I say, that the covenant, that
was confirmed
... 430 years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise." -Galatians 3:16-18
Older versions of the Hebrew Bible are confirming the teaching of apostle Paul in the 1st century.
"And the sojourning of the children of Israel, while they sojourned in the land of Canaan and in Egypt, was 430 years." -Exodus 12:40, Septuagint (LXX h), c. 250-150 BCE
"And the sojourning of the children of Israel, while they sojourned in the land of Canaan and the land of Egypt was 430 years." -Exodus 12:40, Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), c. 100 BCE
The very term
וּמוֹשַׁב֙
ū·mō·wō·šaḇ
is used only thrice in Hebrew Scriptures (in Exodus 12:40, 1Kings 10:5, and 2Chronicles 9:4) both referring to seating/sitting of servants. Its root word may also mean settlement, habitation or dwelling.
"The
ū·mō·wō·šaḇ
[seating/sitting (of the servants)]
of the children of Israel - while they
יָשְׁב֖וּ
yā·šə·ḇū
[dwelt]
in the land of Canaan and the land of Egypt was 430 years - when it came to pass at the end of the 430 years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of YHWH went out from the land of Egypt." -Exodus 12:40-41
The passage is understood as those who
yāšəḇū
(dwelt)
to the 430th year, and those who
·mōwōšaḇ
(seat/sojourned).
There were two sets of people here: (1) those who dwelt (yasebu) 430 years ago before the fulfilment of the promise, and (2) those who sojourned (mowosab) in the end of the 430th year during the exodus.
This passage is telling us that "THEY dwelt in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt ... 430 years" and that it came to pass at the end of 430 years that all the host of YHWH (the children of Israel) went out from the land of Egypt.
The "katōkēsan" ("they sojourned") refers to THOSE who dwelt in Canaan and Egypt back to 430th year ago.
If the Pharaoh's firstborn son sitting on the throne died in 1229 BCE, then the 430th year before that death was 1659 BCE, which was during the time of Abram (1738-1563 BCE).
1229 BCE exodus
+ 430 years
__________________
1659 BCE
Abram went to Egypt when there was a famine.
Scientific studies on the pollen grain of Mediterranean indicate that around 1650-1610 BCE there was drought and possibly a famine.
Abram was 75 years old when he left his moledeth (birthplace) Haran in 1664 BCE.
"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
מוֹלֶדֶת
[moledeth]
birthplace,
and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was 75 years old when he departed out of Haran." -Genesis 12:1,4
Harran or Nahor was the region of birthplace (moledet) of Abram (Genesis 24:4,10).
Abram needed to transfer to his birthplace (Haran) when his father, Terah (Terru), encountered a life-or-death threatening from Urkasdim (people of Urkesh).
"Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity,
בְּא֥וּר כַּשְׂדִּֽים
[ba-Urkaśdîm].
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them
מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים
[from Urkasdim],
to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there."-Genesis 11:27-28,31
Like his ancestor Tudiya Adamu ('Adam the Beloved of Yah'), Terah did not use the title "Shar" ("king"), which they considered for the God only. But the description given in some cuneiform tablets from Mari, we can discern that Terru (Terah) was a king.
Terru ruled in Urkesh in the west river of Peleg's territory, and among his subjects were
Habiru
(Archives Royales de Mari [ARM] 100:22f).
The birthplace of his son Haran was the country of Urkasdim (people of Urkesh).
“Because I have cast my lot with my lord, people in my town hate me. A couple of times I have had to save myself, escaping death” - Terah, ARM 28 44bis
Zimri-Lim replied: “I did not know that the sons of your city hate you on my account. But you are mine, even if the city of Urkesh is not.”
Urkash-dim (sons of Urkesh) got mad against Terah for surrendering to Zimri-Lim or after casting his lot to king Zimrilim as his suzerain, and they threatened his life, resulting to his departure toward Mari, but found his haven in Harran. Consequently, Ariukki became king of Urkesh.
Governor of Nahor, Itur-Asdu, sent an emissary to Mari to remind king Zimrilim about the impending weakness of the fraternity, when others were strengthening theirs.
"There is no king who is strong by himself alone. Hammurapi of Babylon has 10 or 15 kings, likewise Rim-Sin of Larsa, Ibalpel of Eshnunna,
Amarpel of Qatna [Shinar];
whereas Yarim-Lim of Yamhad has 20 kings."
When a solar & lunar eclipse was interpreted by king Zimrilim's palace as a downfall of Babylon, Hammurabi readied to march against Zimrilim, who was actually his ally. Hammurabi gave permission to those people who would want to depart from Mari before he would destroy it into pieces.
Therefore, Abram became free from this suzerainty bondage, and his God asked him to go to Canaan.
After the disappearance of Zimri-Lim (1665 BCE), Abram left Haran and went to Shekhem (Shamkhuna).
In Egyptian Execration (Brussels) Texts # 55, Abraham is called
"Aburahan, ruler of Shamkhuna [Shekhem]"
who in 1630's BCE was a contemporary of the
"ly-Anak"
whose patriarch was Abi-Yamimu ('Father Emim').
Ariukki, king of Urkush (c. 1664 BCE), which was a vassal of Zimri-Lim, became involved in a conflict when king Kedor-la-omar of Eram asked a back up from their leader Amarpel of Qatna (between Two Rivers) after five Palestinian kings rejected to give tribute to Kedor-la-omar when Mari was destroyed by king Hammurabi of Babylon.
The attack of king Kedor-la-omar, Ariukki (Arioch), Amarpel (Amutpiel), and Tigdal in Sodom in circa 1664 BCE coerced Abram to have confederacy with the Amorite Habiru and enabled him to rescue Lot.
Joseph, his great-grandson, mentioned that Amorite Hebrews had land in the same region (Genesis 40:15).
In 1639 BCE God promised to Abraham that his descendants would possess Canaan's land 430 years after the covenant (Genesis 17:7-8, Galatians 3:15-18). And this had materialized when king Merneptah reported in 1208 BCE the wandering of Israel near Kharu (Horite state) in the border of Egypt. Asherites (Akwesha) & Issacharites (Shakares) started to fight in 1210 BCE to claim a land in Egypt.
"And when Abram was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am
El Shaddai;
walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
As for me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a
father of many nations.
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be
Abraham;
for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will establish My covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I
will give
unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." -Genesis 17:1-2,4-5,7-8
This promise had materialized when men & women of wandering tribe Israel started to dwell in Sinai (Horeb) between Seir (Kharu) & Kadeshbarnea and in Yenoam (near Rukkath), and caused disturbances that triggered king Merneptah to respond in 1208 BCE.
1639 BCE promise
- 430 years
___________________
1209 BCE
And yes, 1209/1208 BCE had historical significant to ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Tyrians, and Hebrews, and by that year they counted the Trojan War and other events.
The year zero of historical Israel's Jubilee started just a year before it, when there was a severe famine in many parts of the Mediterranean.
The 430 years may mean surpassing the 400 years promise to the descendants of king Seth (the ancestor of king Rameses II) to possess Avaris from 1646 BCE. King Rameses the Great made it popular after his 2nd heb sed and commemorated the taking of the land (which he called Pi-Rameses) to be theirs as an honour to his patriarch, king Opehti-Set Nubti. Seth, ruler with red hair, was related to the Aamu (Ham), and later to Shakaresh (Issacharites), Denyen (Danites), and Shasu as far as the tassels of his lower garment is concerned. He was ostracized in Egypt in 1650's BCE. The historical person who could be referring to his persona was Seth Merybre, who was trying to gain control in Memphis.
Seth was deified in Avaris during the time of Abraham (1738-1563 BCE).
And after 400 years, his descendant (i.e. Rameses II) was announcing the fulfilment of the taking control of Avaris by remembering what king Seti I, Rameses II's father, had done. Rameses the Great erected the Stele of 400 Years in Pi-Rameses.
Moses has a counter for this: that is, 400 years after Abraham had received a promise from Yah El Shaddai (1639 BCE) his seed should be afflicted in the land not theirs.
"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
400 years;
But in the 4th generation they shall come hither again..." -Genesis 15:13,16
In the 4th generation Abraham's seed would come back to Canaan.
Moses' record identifies the 4 generations from their dwelling in Egypt during the time of Jacob (Israel) till their exodus.
1) Levi (1494-1356 BCE),
2) Kohath,
3) Amram, &
4) Moses (1309-1189 BCE).
Jacob (1578-1432) was the son of Isaac (1637-1459), the son of Abraham.
Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by a fire from heaven in 1638 BCE, almost a year before Isaac was born.
Scientific study in the 1650 BCE stratum of the palace of Tel el-Hammam in Sodom proved that indeed there was a swift destruction of the area caused by a super hot object from sky. This only means that the Bible is right on its scientific historical timeline for Abraham.
During the time of Isaac (1637-1459), in around 1550 BCE king Ahmose prohibited Hyksos or Shepherds from Canaan to enter Egypt, hence Isaac could not go in Egypt.
"And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
...Isaac was 60 years old when she bare [Jacob and Esau]." -Genesis 25:21,26
Jacob and Esau (Edom) were born in 1578 BCE.
In 1469 BCE Jacob's sons sold Joseph to Midianites (Ishmaelites of Negev).
"These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being 17 years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers... And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
'Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh.' And his brothers were content.
Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for
20 pieces of silver:
and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard." -Genesis 37:2,25,27-28,36
In 1456 BCE Joseph became food steward in the whole land of Egypt, and in Heliopolis (biblical city of On) he became also a priest (the position called father-of-god in Egypt, "father of Pharaoh" as mentioned by Joseph).
"And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of Heliopolis. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. And
Joseph was 30 years old
when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the 7 plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
And he gathered up all the food of the 7 years, which were in the land of Egypt...And the 7 years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended." -Genesis 41:45-48,53
The 7 Years of Gathering Grains:
1) 1457/1456.
2) 1456.
3) 1455.
4) 1454.
5) 1453.
6) 1452.
7) 1451.
In the Year 2 of famine in 1449 BCE the children of Israel went to their sibling Joseph in Egypt to buy foods for the second time. And by that time Joseph revealed his true identity to them.
The 7 Years of Famine:
1) 1450 BCE.
2] 1449 BCE.
3) 1448 BCE.
4) 1447 BCE.
5) 1446 BCE.
6) 1445 BCE.
7) 1444 BCE.
"For these 2 years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are 5 years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are 5 years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty." -Genesis 45:6,11
That year, 1449 BCE, the children of Israel went out up from Egypt to Canaan to their father, Jacob, to bring him to Joseph.
Genesis 45:17,21,25
"And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;
And the children of Israel did so ...
And they went up out of Egypt,
and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father" -Genesis 45:17,21,25
According to 1Kings 6:1 this happened 480 years before king Solomon built the temple of YHWH.
"And it came to pass in the 480th year after the
בְּנֵֽי יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל
[benê Yisrael]
children of Israel
were come out of the land of Egypt,
in the 4th year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of YHWH." -1Kings 6:1
1449 BCE (Year 2 of famine)
- 480 years
____________________________
969 BCE
Solomon started to build the temple in 969 or 968 BCE, which was his regnal Year 4.
According to Tyrian timeline, king Hiram helped king Solomon to built a temple in Jerusalem during the 241st year founding of Tyre (Josephus' Antiquities 8.3.1 & Against Apion 1.18).
Pompeius Trogus, according to Justin 18:3:5, said that Tyre was founded one year before the taking of Troy.
In Parian Chronicle, Troy was taken on 10th June, 1208 BCE.
1209 BCE founding of Tyre
- 241 years
___________________________
968 BCE
This means that 241 years after the founding of Tyre in 1209 BCE, Solomon built a temple in 968 or 969 BCE.
From the entry of Jacob to Egypt in 1449 BCE, the Year 2 of the famine, till king Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem was a space of 480 years.
Scientific study in Mediterranean pollen grain distribution discovered the presence of drought, hence of famine, in 1440's BCE and it was after the plenty grain production. The Bible reported that during the Year 2 of that famine - which was 1449 BCE - Jacob went to Egypt .
"And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old are you?
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are 130 years..." -Genesis 47:8-9
Jacob was 130 years old in 1449 BCE, hence he was born in 1578 BCE.
When he begot Joseph in 1486 BCE during the Year 14 of serving his father-in-law Laban ben Bethuel, Jacob was planning to left Laban. But his father-in-law asked for another 6 years.
1) 1485 BCE.
2) 1484 BCE.
3) 1483 BCE.
4) 1482 BCE.
5) 1481 BCE.
6) 1480 BCE.
After the "summer" (heat days) and "winter" (cold days) of 1481 BCE, Jacob fled away from his uncle Laban.
In 1480 BCE Jacob and his family passed over Jabbok, although he was very afraid. He wrestled a man, a messenger in particular, that dawn, and asked a blessing. When the man could not prevail against him, he touched the hollow of Jacob. The messenger said to him, "Let me go, for the day is breaking."
But Jacob said: "I will not let you go, unless you bless me."
The man said to him: "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
Then the man said:" Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but
Israel,
for you have striven with God and with man, and have prevailed."
It's not a surprising thing why this day was a blessing day for Jacob for he received the name "Israel" that year 1480 BCE. This was the 300th year before the recollection of Jephthah.
"While Israel
בְּשֶׁ֣בֶת
[settled]
in Heshbon and her villages, and in Aroer and her villages, and in all the cities that be along by the banks of Arnon, 300 years? why therefore did you not recover them within that time? " -Judges 11:26
1480 BCE
- 300 years
____________
1180 BCE
This was the reply of Jephthah with regards to the recently Hebrews' taking away of Ammonite king's land in 1180's BCE (Judges 11:13). For Jephthah, why Ammonites in 1480 BCE did not defend Jabbok or nearby territories when Israel settled there that time if it's not allowed; and why now the king is complaining.
It was during the time of Jephthah (j. 1180-1174 BCE) when Hebrews took away Heshbon & nearby cities from the king of the Ammonites.
Judges 11:13,32-33
"And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
So Jephthah passed over unto the Ammonites to fight against them; and YHWH delivered them into his hands. And he
smote them from Aroer,
even till you come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites." -Judges 11:13,32-33
Note: Before Mari was destroyed in 1664 BCE, the price for a slave was exactly 20 shekels of silver. This is corroborated by the Code of Hammurabi, particularly law sections 116, 214, and 252.
" If that female slave has died, he shall pay one-third mina of silver." Hammurabi Code, sect.214
1 mina is 60 shekels, and its 1/3 is 20 shekels.
It was Hammurabi (1696-1654 BCE) who destroyed Mari, although no report of killing its king, Zimrilim.
Zimrilim was the suzerain of Terru (Terah).
Terah was the grandfather of Jacob (1578-1432 BCE).
Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, was sold at slave price 20 shekels of silver, price that exactly in use those days.
At Nuzi (JEN 195: 12-20; JEN 179), between around 1450 and 1350 BCE, the price rose up to 30 shekels.
Hence slave value in Ugarit (1300-1200 BCE) during the time of Moses (1308-1189 BCE) was 30 shekels. Moses was verified in his report about the 30 shekels price for a slave in Syria-Palestine.
"If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master
30 shekels of silver,
and the ox shall be stoned." -Exodus 21:32
It also proves that Moses lived in Syria-Palestine during the 1300-1200 BCE period of Ugarit, and that he wrote his history during his own time.
Around 700 BCE, male slave price fetched 50 shekels. And the Bible is verified when it reported that king Menahem of Israel exacted 50 shekels of silver from every man as a ransom of their lives to be their tribute to the Assyrian king (2Kings 15:20).
During the Babylonian Captivity and Persian period, the prices ran to 90 or up to 120 shekels, suggesting that Exodus was not originally written in post-exilic period.
*Note: why the explanation of Joseph about the 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine became more reasonable or valid than other explanations given by pharaoh's experts?
The answer is unintentionally discovered by the scientists who conducted study on the Bronze Age pollen grains of Mediterranean.
Joseph might have given the formula obtainable from previous plenty/drought periods. Before his own time, there were 3 other similar periods of consecutive plenty & drought, which could be calculated.
We can see that series on the graph.
It came to happen that the drought during Joseph's time was not as severe as the previous 3 consecutive droughts. This corroborates the report of the Bible about Joseph's interpretation, hence giving credence to the historicity of Joseph.
Sources:
Hoffmeier, James K. 2004 The North Sinai Archaeological Project's Excavations at Tell el-Borg (Sinai): An Example of the 'New' Biblical Archaeology? Pp. 53-66 in The Future of Biblical Archaeology, eds. James K. Hoffmeier and Alan Millard. Grand Rapids MI: Eerdmans.
James K. Hoffmeier, Ancient Israel in Sinai: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Wilderness Tradition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 64, 102-103
* pr tm tkw: Rzepka et al. 2013, 273; Bertha Porter and Rosalind L. B. Moss, Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings, vol. 4 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1934), 53; William M. Flinders Petrie, Hyksos and Israelite Cities (London: Bernard Quaritch, 1906), 28.
Graham Davies, “Was there an Exodus?” In Search of Pre-exilic Israel: Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar (New York: T&T Clark International, 2004), 28.
*Irene Forstner-Müller, Tomasz Herbich, Christian Schweitzer, and Michael Weissl, “Preliminary Report on the Geophysical Survey at Tell el-Dabᶜa/Qantir in Spring 2008.” Ägypten und Levante 18 (2008): 97-99.
* Christopher Eames has this in WatchJerusalem:
///More than that, they actually indicate a general public hatred for him. His letters to Zimri-Lim reveal that the Hurrian population did not accept him, and the correspondence speaks of hostility and resentment.
“Because I have cast my lot with my lord, people in my town hate me. A couple of times I have had to save myself, escaping death”
(arm 28 44bis).
“They do not speak with me,” Terru lamented to Zimri-Lim in the Mari correspondence. “They speak evil things.” One of Zimri-Lim’s replies follow: “I did not know that the sons of your city hate you on my account. But you are mine, even if the city of Urkesh is not.”///
*Kenneth A Kitchen, “Egyptians and Hebrews, from Raamses to Jericho,” Origin of early Israel - current debate. Beer-Sheva: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Press, 1998. pp.65-131
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