Did the Exodus indeed occur? Sadly, there is a growing number of our peoples
worldwide with confusing and wrong information concerning the Exodus ── many
are now considering the Exodus of the children of Israel was nothing more than
a myth. Every now and then, there comes out ── from some supposed
archaeologist or Egyptologist ── an official denial that the account of
the Exodus occurred.
And then, also, we have good old Leftist-leaning Wikipedia, which
blatantly calls it a myth ──
The Exodus (Hebrew: םירצמ תאיצי , Yəṣīʾat Mīṣrayīm: lit. ’Departure from Egypt’) is the founding myth of the Israelites … The biblical Exodus narrative is best understood as a founding myth of the Jewish people, providing an ideological foundation for their culture and institutions, not an accurate depiction of the history of the Israelites. … There is no direct evidence for any of the people or events of Exodus in non-biblical ancient texts or in archaeological remains, and this has led most scholars to omit the Exodus events from comprehensive histories of Israel.” 1
And, of course, they cite their sources, and they note, “The term myth is used
here in its academic sense. … It is not being used to mean “something that is
false.” But most people will see the word “myth” and automatically associate
the word myth with ── “a traditional story. A widely held but false
belief.”
Now, everyone is entitled to their opinions ── However, it's important to
recognize that having an opinion does not equate to having a right to it in
all circumstances; opinions can be subjective and may not always be valid.
Wikipedia is ── in fact ── calling our Lord Jesus Christ a liar! (cf.
Luke 9:31, NEB, which uses the very
word “departure” regarding the prophet Moses).
A large part for the outright denial by Wikipedia ── written and
maintained overall by a community of volunteers (most of whom have no belief
or faith in our Lord Jesus Christ or His living word) ── along with other
secular sources is that they believe and vehemently hold to the wrong century
that the Exodus took place, to wit, the actual historical evidence.
This denial is nothing new ── I had come across Exodus deniers in elementary
school.
One of the main reasons is that a great many “scholars” have ass/u/med ── for
several reasons ── that it supposedly should have occurred around 1250 BC.
Yet, based upon that supposed period, there is no evidence that they are
seeing in Egypt, or even in Palestine, that supports the knowledge that a
great number of Israelites exoduses Egypt.
And part of this complete misunderstanding is their assumption that Pharaoh
Ramesses II was the one who dealt with the prophet Moses. This grave
misunderstanding was even in the very popular and inaccurate blockbuster
movie, The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston as Moses.
There is a numerical reference to a time period of the Exodus within God’s
living word. Notice ──
“And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after
the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt,
in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of
Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the
LORD.”
– 1st Kings 6:1.
Here it shows us 480 years from the Exodus of the children of Israel to the
fourth year of the reign of King Solomon. Solomon’s reign is widely recognized
to date to the middle part of the 10th century BC. More specifically, many
scholars identify the construction of Solomon’s temple as beginning in 967 BC.
Thanks to 1st Kings 6:1, calculating the date of the Exodus is simple
arithmetic: 480 years before the early-to-mid-10th century BC. puts the Exodus
somewhere in the mid-15th century BC. and places Israel’s entrance into Canaan
(40 years later) somewhere at the end of that century. More specifically, if
we are to use the widely accepted date of 967 BC. this would place the Exodus
in 1446 BC. It fits with the time frame of a 15th-century Exodus during the
Thutmoside Dynasty.
Now, in a Letter to our Friends – April 1, 2021, I had stated that it was
possible that the Egyptian pharaoh of the Exodus could have been very possibly
Amenhotep IV. Well, I was in the correct dynasty ── the Eighteenth Dynasty of
Egypt ── but I had the wrong pharaoh. It is a difficult subject, but a very
interesting subject!
Of great interest is a reference to YHWH (Yahweh) at a place called the
Soleb temple ── the earliest non-biblical occurrence of the name YHWH. The
transcription of one of the conquered people is 'tꜣ šꜣsw Yhwꜣ',
translated as “land of the Shasu, those of Yhwꜣ”, or “land of the nomads of
Yhwꜣ”. The earliest royal tombs date to the 18th dynasty.
3
So, the Soleb temple hieroglyphic does support a 15th-century BC. date of
the Exodus of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.
Let us also notice some additional Scripture. The following is part of the
apostle Stephen's lengthy historical oration before the Jewish ruling
council ──
“’ But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to
Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt 18) till another king
arose who did not know Joseph. 19) This man dealt treacherously with our
people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so
that they might not live. 19) At this time Moses was born, and was well
pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three
months. 21) But when he was set out, Pharoah’s daughter took him away and
brought him up as her own son. 22) And Moses was learned in all the wisdom
of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.
23) Now when he was FORTY YEARS OLD, it came into his heart to visit his
brethren, the children of Israel. 24) And seeing one of them suffer
wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the
Egyptian. 25) For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that
God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. 26) And
the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and
tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren; why do you
wrong one another?’ 27) But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away,
saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28)
Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29)
Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of
Midian, where he had two sons.”
– Acts 7:17-29.
“And Moses was EIGHTY YEARS OLD and Aaron EIGHTY-THREE YEARS OLD when
they spoke to Pharaoh.”
– Exodus 7:7.
Most biblical scholars date Moses’ birth c. 1526 BC. So, understanding the
timeline of Moses, we come to see that Moses was in Midian for 40 years.
Therefore, Rameses I and Rameses II become impossible.
Why?
Because they are believed to have reigned ── Rameses I (c. late 1292–1290 BC
is frequently cited) and Rameses II (c. 1303 – 1213 BC). Pi-Ramesses was the
city built as the new capital in the Delta region of ancient Egypt by
Ramesses II. 4 Neither of
these pharaohs was the Pharaoh of the Exodus. And even though a scholar has
an MA in English and a BA in English/Philosophy, it doesn’t necessarily mean
that this city called Rameses was built or even named after either of these
Ramesses. It does not align properly with God’s living word ── or even, for
that matter, secular history.
Now, I would be remiss not to mention the “Merneptah Stele.” It shows us that
the ancient children of Israel were already in the land of Canaan during this
time ── c. 1213 to 1203 BC. The reign of Merneptah. “The text is largely an
account of Merneptah's victory over the ancient Libyans and their allies, but
the last three of the 28 lines deal with a separate campaign in Canaan, … It
is sometimes referred to as the “Israel Stele” because most scholars
translate a set of hieroglyphs in line 27 as “Israel”.
Anyway ── not wanting to sound like a scratched record ── the “Israel Stele” is
not only historically supportive of the Exodus, but also that neither Rameses’
could have been the Pharaoh.
The actual name Rameses is mentioned several times in God’s living word. Of
course, there is the connection of the children of Israel leaving that area ──
“Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to
Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children.”
– Exodus 12:37.
“They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the
fifteenth day of the first month; on the day AFTER the Passover the children
of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians.”
– Numbers 33:3.
But let us notice the first reference ──
“Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, ‘Your father and your brothers have
come to you. 6) The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and
brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of
Goshen. … 11) And Joseph situated 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 47:5-6, 11.
I have written before that this pharaoh could have been Amenemhat III
(c.1678- 1635 BC) – the most successful pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom.
So, it appears that there was a land that was called Rameses centuries before
the Exodus. The name Rameses is a name of Egyptian origin that means “begotten
by Ra, the sun god.” Ra was a god of the Egyptians for many centuries ──
Ra, also transliterated rꜥw, pronounced [ˈɾiːʕuw], was the ancient Egyptian deity of the Sun. By the Fifth Dynasty, in the 25th and 24th centuries BC, he had become one of the most important gods in ancient Egyptian religion. 5
Notice God’s living word ──
“Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was
four hundred and thirty years ── on the very same day ── it came to
pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 41) It
is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the
land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all
the children of Israel throughout their generations.”
– Exodus 12:40-41.
According to biblical chronology, the children of Israel existed Egypt c. 1446
BC. Also to note ── Egyptian history indicates a sudden lack of military
action by Amenhotep II beginning in 1446 BC, a fact that would be consistent
with the loss of nearly the entire army at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:28).
6
Now, if indeed the Exodus did take place in 1446 BC, the forty years of
wandering the wilderness would bring us to 14o6 BC as the likely time of the
destruction of Jericho.
So, when our supposed scholars and historians want to blatantly change dates
and history ── as well as outright contradict God’s living word ──
realize that the LORD God is always right and true.
Just because there were pharaohs that were named Ramesses in the 19th
century, it does not mean that the Exodus occurred during that dynasty.
God’s living word simply says that there existed a land called Rameses
centuries before the Exodus. Truly, events related to Amenhotep II, along
with Jericho, are consistent with God’s living word.
The late Dr. Herman L. Hoeh ── certainly a controversial figure among the
secular community of supposed scholars ── did a lot of historical research
throughout his lifetime. He was (and is) a loved and respected member of the
begotten family of God!
Back in 1983, Dr. Herman Hoeh had written ──
Exodus date 1443 occurred at end of the ninth year, beginning of the tenth year of Amenhotep II, who reigned jointly two and a half years with Thutmose III. Thutmose III reigned 54 years, 1504-1450 B.C. Amenhotep II began to reign in 1453 B.C. Daughter of Thutmose I (a pharaoh) was Hatshepsut, who adopted Moses. She ruled jointly with her nephew Thutmose from 1504 to 1483 B.C. In the year 1483, Moses’ stepmother and protector died. This agrees with Moses’ flight 40 years before Exodus. 7
Now, mind you, there was a phone conversation that took place on 3rd
December 1997 in which he changed the date to 1446 BC. The following are
notes taken by Raymond McNair ──
Dr. Hoeh: he is in a position to support a “change of my perspective” of Israel.--can prove date "about" 930 B.C. is a correct date …-Edwin Thiele -- first year of Rehoboam was 930 BC. …-- 1446 date of Exodus-- 1406 Jordan crossing-- 3983 Creation-- 2328 Flood* 2327 end of Flood-- 1975 Abraham's birth-- 1800 Abraham's death-- 6 1/2 yrs. after crossing of Jordan land was divided after 400 yrs. … 8
So, certainly 1446 BC was possible.
And if Ramesses I and II were not the Pharaoh of the Exodus ── who was?
Dr. Herman L. Hoeh believes that it was Pharaoh Amenhotep II.
The Exodus of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt occurred some
3,470 years ago. Yet, despite a large amount of evidence that the Exodus did
indeed occur just as God’s living word says ── still so many people won’t
believe it. □
Bibliography
1 Wikipedia contributors. "The Exodus." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
5 Apr. 2025. Web. 9 Apr. 2025.
2 Photo by Temerarius (Wikipedia
CC BY-SA 4.0)
3 Wikipedia contributors. "Soleb." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 3
Apr. 2025. Web. 9 Apr. 2025.
4 Mark, J.J., Pi-Ramesses. World History Encyclopedia, 19 July 2017.
5 Wikipedia contributors. "Ra." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Apr.
2025. Web. 9 Apr. 2025.
Will God Truly Save His People!? ── Will God – and can God – protect and save His people!? Is He aware of
what is happening here in the world with this COVID-19? Is He concerned
with the grievous problems and concerns which we face each day? Will He
protect us and save us when we need Him?
Letter to our Friends - March 23, 2021 ── Dear Friends in Christ: Greetings from the Central West Coast in Spring Hill,
Florida. As a reminder – the Spring Holy Days begin this month!
Facts About Passover ── Six days before Jesus’ last Passover began – Thursday night in Bethany at the house
of Simon the leper; as each day starts and ends at sunset.
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