9/1/2020 – Day 093 – Exodus 1 -4 An Introduction to the Book –
From my “Halley’s Bible Handbook” by Henry H Halley , originally published in 1927.
“Moses had written Genesis out of previously existing documents. With Exodu begins the story of Moses himself. His own life and work comprise the subject matter of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. He himself wrote these books. The story of Moses constitues about one-seventh of the whole Bible , and is about two-thirds as large as the New Testament.
EXODUS / The 400 years in Egypt / The Going Out of Egypt / The Ten Commandments / The Tabernacle
Chapter 1. Israel in Egypt
“There is a gap between Genesis and Exodus of nearly 300 years, from the death of Joseph to the birth of Moses; or a total of 430 years from Jacob’s migration to Egypt till the Exodus (12: 40, 41). In this time the Israelites had increased exceedingly (1:7). After the death of Joseph a change of dynasty made them a race of slaves. At the time of the Exodus there were 600,000 men above 20, besides women and children (Numbers 1:46). This would total about 3,000,000. For 70 persons to reach this number in 430 years it would be necessary to double about every 25 years, which would be easily possible….
The family records of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, no doubt, had been carried to Egypt, and through the long years of bondage was steadfastly cherished the Promise that Canaan would one day be their national home.
Egypt and the Bible
In the first place, Egypt was settled by the descendants of Ham. Abraham spent some time in Egypt. So did Jacob. Joseph was ruler of Egypt. The Hebrew nation, in its childhood, was 400 years in Egypt. Moses was the adopted son of a Queen of Egypt, and in his preparation to be Israel’s Law-Giver, he was instructed in all the wisdo and learning of Egypt. The rebellion of Egypt, Calf-Worship, became the religion of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Jeremiah died in Egypt. From the Captivity till the time of Christ there was a considerable Jewish population in Egypt. The Septuagint Tranlation of the Old Testatment was made in Egypt. Jesus spent part of his childhood in Egypt. Egypt became an important early center of Christianity.
Egypt
A valley, 2 to 30 miles wide, with an average width of about 10 miles and 750 miles long, cut by the Nile, through the east end of Sahara Desert, from Aswan to the Mediterranean; with a desert plateau on either side about 1000 ft. high.
The floor of the valley is covered with black alluvial deposit of rich soil from Abyssinian highlands, of unparalleled fertility, ever renewed by annual overflow of the Nile.
Irrigated from the dawn of history, with a vast system of canals and reservoirs. The Aswan Dam , recently built by the British (Jimmy note – pre WW2) now controls the overflow of the Nile, and famines are a thing of the past.
Surrounded and protected by the desert here, developed the First Great Empire in history, and nowhere else have witnesses of ancient civilization been so well preserved.
The population now is about 24,000,000.; in Roman times 7,000,000, probably about that , or less , in the days of Israel’s sojourn.
The Delta, a triangle, the s pread-out mouth of the Nile, is about 100 miles north and south; and about 150 miles east and west, from Port Said to Alexandria. It is the most fertile part of Egypt. The land of Goshen, main center of Israelite habitation, was the east part of the Delta.”
Note on religion of Egypt – “There were many other gods. The Pharaohs were deified.”