The post of executioner was one of high dignity. Potiphar was “captain of the executioners.”
(Genesis 37:36) see margin. That the “captain of the guard” himself occasionally performed the
duty of an executioner appears from (1 Kings 2:25,34)
Exodus
(that is, going out [of Egypt]), the second book of the law or Pentateuch. Its author was Moses.
It was written probably during the forty-years wanderings int he wilderness, between B.C. 1491
and 1451. It may be divided into two principal parts:
•Historical, chs. (Exodus 1:1-18; 27:1) ... and
•Legislative, chs. (Exodus 19:40; 38:1)
•The first part contains an account of the following particulars: the great increase of Jacob’s posterity
in the land of Egypt, and their oppression under a new dynasty, which occupied the throne after
the death of Joseph; the birth, education, flight and return of Moses; the ineffectual attempts to
prevail upon Pharaoh to let the Israelites go; the successive signs and wonders, ending in the death
of the first-born, by means of which the deliverance of Israel from the land of bondage is at length
accomplished, and the institution of the Passover; finally the departure out of Egypt and the arrival
of the Israelites at Mount Sinai.
•This part gives a sketch of the early history of Israel as a nation; and the history has three
clearly-marked stages. First we see a nation enslaved; next a nation redeemed; lastly a nation set
apart, and through the blending of its religious and political life consecrated to the service of God.
Exodus, The
of the Israelites from Egypt. the common chronology places the date of this event at B.C. 1491,
deriving it in this way:—In (1 Kings 6:1) it is stated that the building of the temple, in the forth
year of Solomon, was in the 480th year after the exodus. The fourth year of Solomon was bout
B.C. 1012. Add the 480 years (leaving off one years because neither the fourth nor the 480th was
a full year), and we have B.C. 1491 as the date of the exodus. This is probably very nearly correct;
but many Egyptologists place it at 215 years later,—about B.C. 1300. Which date is right depends
chiefly on the interpretation of the Scripture period of 430 years, as denoting the duration of the
bondage of the Israelites. The period of bondage given in (Genesis 15:13,14; Exodus 12:40,41)
and Gala 3:17 As 430 years has been interpreted to cover different periods. The common chronology
makes it extend from the call of Abraham to the exodus, one-half of it, or 215 years, being spend
in Egypt. Others make it to cover only the period of bondage spend in Egypt. St. Paul says in
(Galatians 3:17) that from the covenant with (or call of) Abraham the giving of the law (less than
a year after the exodus) was 430 years. But in (Genesis 15:13,14) it is said that they should be
strangers in a strange land,a nd be afflicted 400 years, and nearly the same is said in (Exodus 12:40)
But, in very truth, the children of Israel were strangers in a strange land from the time that Abraham
left his home for the promised land, and during that whole period of 430 years to the exodus they
were nowhere rulers in the land. So in (Exodus 12:40) it is said that the sojourning of the children
of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was 430 years. But it does not say that the sojourning was all in Egypt,
but this people who lived in Egypt had been sojourners for 430 years. (a) This is the simplest way
of making the various statements harmonize. (b) The chief difficulty is the great increase of the
children of Israel from 70 to 2,000,000 in so short a period as 215 years, while it is very easy in
430 years. But under the circumstances it is perfectly possible in the shorter period. See on ver. 7
(C) If we make the 430 years to include only the bondage in Egypt, we must place the whole
chronology of Abraham and the immigration of Jacob into Egypt some 200 years earlier, or else
frankie
(Frankie)
#1