Moses and the Red Sea – Poussin
You are probably wondering why I’d concern myself with writing about the day of the Exodus, especially when Numbers 33:3-8 spells it out so precisely:
And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. Numbers 33:3-8
Truthfully, I like to explore these subjects simply because I enjoy trying to figure out the details of Biblical history, but in this case there is a lot more to the subject which intrigues me.
Destruction of Pharaoh’s Army – Poussin
First of all, I wondered if it was possible to ascertain not the day of the month of the Exodus but the day of week. I realize this is a theoretical exercise because YHWH didn’t give Moses instructions for 6 days of labor and a day of rest until after the Exodus. In fact it was not until the middle of the 2nd month, in the Land of Sin, that YHWH instructed Israel on the Sabbath cycle.
That being said I still wondered if we could not count the cycles retrospectively and still arrive a reasonable conclusion regarding the day of week upon which Israel left Egypt. After all, I figure that even though YHWH did not instruct Israel regarding the Sabbath cycle until after the Exodus, He did in fact set the example for 6 days of labor and one day of rest all the way back in Genesis. To my way of looking at it, if he had set this pattern up in the very beginning it was not beyond His abilities to later synchronize and continue that pattern at the Exodus.
The second reason this subject interests me is that the New Testament describes Yeshua’s (Jesus’) death and resurrection as a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events. John the Baptist testified that Yeshua was:
“The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”.
The apostle Paul when describing Yeshua’s sacrificial atonement on our behalf stated: “
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Heb. 9:28-10:1
So if Yeshua’s death and resurrection is a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events, surely understanding the precise chronology of the Exodus might provide valuable context to the New Testament events. With these interests in mind the following is what I believe is a reasonable outline of events based upon the Biblical record.
- Israel was commanded to kill the “Passover” lamb on the 14th day at “even”. My article Even to Even explains that when the “even” of a day is mentioned it designates the end of that day and the beginning of the next. For example when Lev. 23 mentioned the “ninth day at even” it was specifically designating the start of the 10th day. In like manner the Exodus events show that the 14th day at “even” was in fact the start of the 15th day. I’ve included the passage from Exodus 12 at the end of this article.
- Israel was to eat the lamb in readiness to depart Egypt:
And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night. Exo.12:11 - The Angel of Death passed over the land of Egypt that night. (the 15th)
“And it came to pass, that at midnight YHWH smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,…” Exo. 12:29 - The following morning all Israel departed Egypt. This was the 1st day of the feast of Unleavened Bread.
And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH…. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; ….And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; …And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Exo. 12
In summary, the above chronology clearly shows that Israel killed their Passover lambs on the 14th day at “even” just before sundown which began the 15th. The night beginning the 15th of Nisan they ate the Passover, leaving nothing of it until the morning, as they were commanded. When the morning of the 15th came, Israel, fully dressed, shod, and with much treasure from their Egyptian neighbors, departed Rameses.
And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the 15 day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. Numbers 33:3-8
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Gathering Manna – Poussin
Having established a reasonable chronology of the Exodus it is necessary to turn to Exodus 16 in order to establish a basis for the weekly Sabbath cycle.
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 16:1
After arriving in the land of Sin, one month after the Exodus, Israel was now fully aware of the reality of their new life. The certainty of servitude had been replaced with the uncertainty of a life which required faith.
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of YHWH in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Exodus 16:2-3
So YHWH sent them the “bread from heaven”. But the gift came with conditions. They were only allowed to gather the “manna” for 6 days. On the seventh day they were required to rest:
22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread….. And he said unto them, This is that which YHWH hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto YHWH: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning…. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto YHWH: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. Exodus 16:22-26
So the people rested on the seventh day. Exo.16:30
In summary, Israel came into the land of Sin on the 15th day of the 2nd month. The following morning YHWH gave them “manna”. For 6 days they gathered this bread of heaven and rested on the 7th day. So the 16th day of the 2nd month was the 1st day of the week.
Now turning back to the Exodus chronology we can count these days of the weeks backwards to the 1st month. By this reckoning the Passover lambs were killed just before sundown on the 5th day of the week (14th Nisan). A few hours later on the 15th of Nisan, the Feast of Unleavened Bread began with the Passover supper, thus beginning the 6th day of the week.
Click on the image to enlarge:
“In summary, Israel came into the land of Sin on the 15th day of the 2nd month. The following morning YHWH gave them “manna”. For 6 days they gathered this bread of heaven and rested on the 7th day. So the 16th day of the 2nd month was the 1st day of the week.”
Don’t believe this is correct assumption.
“The evidence which supports the Exodus from Egypt as taking place on April 2, 1461(Abiv 21, 2540 AM) BC(Saturday) is much greater than that which is normally needed to establish any date in ancient history….
…Israel arrived at the wilderness of Sin on Tuesday, Ziv 15. Wednesday they began to complain, so manna began to flow (16.13). Thursday they were told not to keep any over until the next day, but they did anyway, and it spoiled (v. 19) On Friday, they were told to gather double (v. 22) so that they would have enough for the Sabbath day. According to the computer program, Ziv 16 was Wednesday, and Ziv 19 was a Sabbath Day in the year of the Exodus.” Bible Chronology and The Scientific Method by Eugene Faulstich, p 124.
How could Israel be ready to depart on the morning of the 15th with all of the goods from their Egyptian neighbours if:
1) The Israelites were commanded by YHWH not to go out through their doors until the morning—-meaning they could not have gone out and gathered goods from their neighbours prior to that morning. This would seem to lean them more towards leaving during the day (which Scripture does not seem to agree with completely). (Unless, of course, it literally means that the Israelites could not go out through their DOORS to gather goods but that they could climb out through their windows because they were not exiting their doors).
2) Pharaoh commanded them in the night to leave Egypt.
3) the Israelites left Egypt the night that they were commanded to (Exodus 12:37). “Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night…..That night the people of Israel left Rameses…….” Unless Pharaoh only sent for Moses and Aaron to leave and the messangers did not arrive with the message until later, but again it says that the Israelites left that night. Either that night pertains to the same night that Pharaoh ordered them to leave, or it means that same night that the message was received (which could have been in the morning or day at some point which would mean the following night, but that would mean they left on the 16th day and not the 15th day if you follow a sunset-to-sunset day).
4) Reiterating that majority of the Exodus accounts place the Israelites starting their leave at some point between evening and before dawn of light, but no later than before dawn of light it seems.
Also, Deutoronomy 16:5-6 is also kind of making the wheels spin in my head. It is translated as, “(5) You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the Lord your God gives you (6) except in the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary[a] of your departure from Egypt.”
The Hebrew of the end section of the 6th verse is, “you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at the going down of the sun at the time that you came forth out of Egypt.”
“At the time” or “moed” means an appointed time, place, or meeting. In this case, I think (from what I have read and not from Hebrew knowledge) it means an appointed time.
It seems that it means the appointed time that Israel came forth out of Egypt coincides with the appointed time of the Passover sacrifice in the evening of the 14th day?
Or does it mean that this was the appointed time, GENERALLY, that they left Israel, meaning that this was the appointed time(event?) which lead to the Exodus and not the exact time in which they actually left?
I would really appreciate your thoughts. I know these were more so comments and not questions, but I welcome feedback!
Blessings.
Good morning Olivia,
A couple of thoughts:
Israel was commanded to borrow from their neighbors before the final plauge. (see Exodus 11) While it is true Pharaoh commanded them to leave that night, the text (Chpater 12) does not say they did so. Verses 31-40 appear to be more of a summary of events than a chronological timeline. The way I understand the text is that the Israelites borrowed from their neighbors at some point before the 10th plauge fell at midnight of the 15th (Likely during the 13th or 14th). Since the new calendar day began at evening then about six hours later at midnight the final plauge was executed upon the houses without the blood. That morning (still the 15th) Israel left their Egyptian homes. (They were already dressed and prepared because of Moses’ instructions)
Hope this helps.
Warm regards,
William
Exodus 10:28 – 11:1 28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. 29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more. KJV Exodus 11:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.
Exodus 12:6-12 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. {in…: Heb. between the two evenings} 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.