Archaeology and the Exodus - The Date and Pharaoh of the Exodus Revealed

What does the archaeological record tell us about the date of the Exodus, and the Pharoah of the Exodus? Dr. Scott Stripling, Provost and Vice-President of Donor Relations at The Bible Seminary returns to the Bible and Theology Matters podcast to answer these questions and more.
Dr. Stripling is also the Director of Excavations for the Associates for Biblical Research at Ancient Shiloh in Israel. He is also the President of the Board of Directors of the Near East Archaeological Society, and holds a PhD in Archaeology and Biblical History. He is a contributor to the book “Five Views on the Exodus: Historicity, Chronology, and Archaeological Implications.” Please join me as we listen in on our previously recorded program

[@WalterRMattfeld]

(22 December 2024) In an earlier post I noted that many present-day Egyptologists understand mounted horsemen as cavalry was a late adoption by Pharaoh, in the 8th century BC. This being so, suggests that the perishing of Pharaoh's horsemen in the Red Sea is an anachronism, dating the Torah's composition to no earlier than the 8th century BC. Exodus 14:23 , 14:28 KJV: "And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, AND HIS HORSEMEN...the waters returned, and covered the chariots, AND HORSEMEN, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them..." Not many Bible scholars are aware of this 8th century BC anachronism in regards to the Red Sea perishing of Pharaoh's horsemen, so here's a few quotes: p. 402, "Military an Overview...Mobile Troops:" "...cavalry (eighth century BCE) were late innovations brought to Egypt via Syria and Palestine by cultures more advanced in terms of armament and military organization: the Hurrians in the second millennium BCE and the Assyrians in the first...The fact that the potential of mounted troops was not discovered at the same time may have stemmed from technical factors: the Egyptian striking weapons- bow, spear and javelin- did not favor hand-to-hand combat, a technique that became more important at the turn of he first millennium BCE, when the sword began to affect warfare." (Andrea M. Gnirs. "Military: An Overview." Volume 2, p. 402, in Donald B. Redford, Editor in Chief. 2001. _The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt._ Oxford University Press.) While many Bible scholars are aware of the perishing of Pharaoh's horsemen in the Red Sea, few, if any, are aware cavalry was a late innovation of the 8th century BC for Egypt. Assyrian bas-reliefs at Nineveh (8th century BC) show mounted Assyrian warrior-horsemen, with swords, fighting their enemies. Assyrian cavalry apparently subdued Pharaoh's chariots and ground troops by the 8th century BC, introducing Egypt to sword-wielding cavalry as a fighting force. So, in conclusion: The perishing of Pharaoh's horsemen in the Red Sea is an important anachronism dating the Torah to no earlier than the 8th century BC.

[@501Mobius]

The drivers of the chariots controlled the horses. They thus were the horsemen.

[@501Mobius]

Stripling doesn't mention that Adam Zertal dated the round altar on Mt. Ebal to 1250-1200 BC and the upper altar to 1200-1130 BC. Never mind where the lead fishing weigh is dated. Also, two scarabs of Rameses II were found at the lower-level altar. The ceramics there was also dated to LB2b. Extremely problematic for the Early Exodus date.

[@stephene.robbins6273]

What if the Dr. Gad Barnea thesis is correct, namely, that the character of Moses does not appear in any literature before the third century BC, and suddenly appears in the 3rd century, apparently from out the intellectual hotbed of Alexandria (of which the Jews formed a part)? This would obviously, simultaneously throw the story of the exodus in doubt, perhaps leaning to the idea that it was crafted from historical events, perhaps indeed from the expulsion of the Hyksos, all as part of creating a political and religious identity for the Jews/Israel. It would certainly cast light on why the story is so hard to prove or place as historical.

[@501Mobius]

The Ketef Hinnom silver scrolls with 7th Century BC Book of Numbers prayer verses on them show that the Book of Numbers preceded a Babylonian conquest and was prior to the 3rd Century BC. This included reference to Israelites and YHWH as well as Aaron. Aaron being the brother of Moses it hard not to include him in the Exodus.

[@WalterRMattfeld]

(19 December 2024) I have read Dr. Scott Stripling's arguments (pp. 25-52, in Five Views of the Exodus, Historicity, Chronology, and Theological Implications. Zondervan Academic. 2021) and have the following observations regarding Stripling's arguments: Dr. Stripling appears to favor an Exodus circa 1446 BC (cf. p. 61). I note a serious problem with this date! The problem? Prior to the Conquest of Canaan by Joshua, ca. 1406 BC, Moses awards the towns of Heshbon and nearby Elealeh to Reuben and Gad. Heshbon and Elealeh have been excavated by archaeologists, Their pottery debris is no earlier than Iron Age I (ca. 1200-1100 BC) They did not exist to be conquered by Moses ca. 1406 BC according to Dr. Stripling's time-line! As regards setting a date for the Exodus, Professor Donald B. Redford (1992) argues that it is the 1550 BC Expulsion of the Hyksos that has been recast as Israel's Exodus (cf. pp. 412-413. 1992. Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey) "There is only one chain of historical events that can accommodate this late tradition, and that is the Hyksos descent and occupation of Egypt...it is in the Exodus account that we are confronted with the "Canaanite" version of this event..." Scripture has Israel trapped at the shore of the Red Sea, here, God intervenes and drowns Pharaoh's chariots and horsemen. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (ca. the first century AD) reckoned 50.000 horsemen perished. The problem? Modern Egyptologists understand Pharaoh had no Cavalry (mounted horsemen) until the 8th century BC, when she learned of Cavalry units from the Assyrians who briefly occupied Egypt. After Assyria withdrew from Egypt, the Egyptians apparently adopted mounted sword-wielding horsemen as part of Pharaoh's forces. If modern Egyptologists (2020 AD) are correct about horsemen being an Egyptian force only in the 8th century BC, then this has to be an example of an anachronism in the Torah, suggesting it was written no earlier, and not in Moses[' day, be that ca. 1446 BC or ca. 1260 BC Ramesses II times. Regards, Walter R. Mattfeld

[@501Mobius]

Rameses II (1279-1213 BCE) Topographic list campaign year 7 (1272) region east of the Dead Sea (KRI II: 179-183; The main Late Bronze Age route connection inland from Egypt, coming from the Red Sea, crossed Edom and Moab along the “Kings’ highway”, and then descended towards the northeastern region of the Dead Sea to link up with the Jordan Valley. Ken Kitchen. Thutmose III also has a topographical campaign list with names that some translate as Ammon, Dibon and Kerak, cities in Moab and the Heshbon. What is being raided if not cities?

[@WalterRMattfeld]

@@501Mobius What has any of this to do with the non existence of Heshbon and Eleleah circa 1446 BC or 1260 BC, common Exodus dates? These two sites were not in existence in the days of Thutmose III or Rameses II.

[@501Mobius]

@@WalterRMattfeld You apparently don't know your geography. I can't help you.

[@WalterRMattfeld]

@@501Mobius Let me set you straight: Site identifications are based on pottery debris findings by trained archaeologists. A site's name in a victory claim of a Pharaoh, should have pottery debris of that Pharaoh's world to confirm its beoing in existence in that Pharaoh's time. If it doesn't match, then either its the wrong site, or a false claim is being made by Pharaoh. Scripture claims Moses awarded Heshbon and Elealeh to Gad and ZReuben circa 1406 BC (1 Kiungs 6:1). Excavations of pottery debris reveal neither site in existence before Iron Age I, ca. 1200-1100 BC. This fact reveals that scholars are in error claiming Heshbon and Eleleah were in existence in the days of Thutmose and Rameses II. They were not in existence. If anyone has screwy ideas about sites' ages, its yourself, not me.

[@501Mobius]

@@WalterRMattfeld Check out Mumford's report on Amman Airport structure. (Heshbon is 15 miles southwest of Amman) Scarabs and cylinder seals from time of Thutmose III (1650-1425 BC) (Ward 1964:47-52). Phase 6 may date as early as LB 1 (1540-1400 BC), but the overall evidence suggests a time following Thutmose III and his immediate successors, namely 1400-1300 BC. “LB 2B” attribution rests mainly on two anomalous sherds dating to Late Helladic III B1 and III B (1300-1225 BC; 1300-1190 BC). Obviously, the Iron Age site was not the correct LB site. The Heshban survey had located four Late Bronze Age sites within a six-mile radius of Heshbon. And one of those was large enough to be considered a candidate for its capital city: Tell Jalul, about five miles south of Heshan and directly east of Madaba. It was the largest site in Jordan south of Amman. Moreover, the survey showed that it contained pottery from all of the Bronze and Iron Ages. The modern name of the site has nothing to do with its ancient name, but according to Donald Redford of the University of Toronto, who studied an itinerary of King Tuthmose III through that region, it may be Abel-Keramim of Judges 11:33.