Don Costello: Exodus 12:40, 41

Exodus 12:40

Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

a. NLT: The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: “Now the length of time the Israelites people lived in Egypt was 430 years.” [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: And the dwelling of the sons of Israel which they have dwelt in Egypt is four hundred and thirty years; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. The Samaritan Pentateuch: Now the sojourning of the children of Israel and fathers of them, who dwelt in Canaan and in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. [Copyright information Samaritan Pentateuch in English by Aleksandr Sigalov. Text is based on the public-domain KJV Bible.] https://www.stepbible.org/?q=version=SPE|reference=Exo.12

e. Septuagint: And the sojourning of the children of Israel, while they sojourned in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was four hundred and thirty years.

f. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: The habitation of the Children of Israel during which they dwelled in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

1. “Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.”

a. [Now the] sojourning [Strong: 4186 mowshab mo-shawb' or moshab {mo-shawb'}; from 3427; a seat; figuratively, a site; abstractly, a session; by extension an abode (the place or the time); by implication, population:--assembly, dwell in, dwelling(-place), wherein (that) dwelt (in), inhabited place, seat, sitting, situation, sojourning.]

b. [of the] children [Strong: 1121 ben bane; from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

c. [of] Israel [Strong: 3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'; from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: --Israel.]

d. who [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

e. dwelt [Strong: 3427 yashab yaw-shab'; a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle), (down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.]

f. [in] Egypt [Strong: 4714 Mitsrayim mits-rah'-yim; dual of Mitsowr 4693; Mitsrajim] [Strong: Upper and Lower Egypt:--Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.]

g. [was] four [Strong: 702 'arba` ar-bah' masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.]

h. hundred [Strong: 3967 me'ah may-aw' or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.]

i. [Strong: 8141 shaneh shaw-neh' (in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]

i. [and] thirty [Strong: 7970 shlowshiym shel-o-sheem' or shloshiym {shel-o-sheem'}; multiple of 7969; thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth:--thirty, thirtieth.

j. years [Strong: 8141 shaneh shaw-neh' (in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]

1). This verse has led many to believe and teach Israel was in bondage in Egypt 430 years. All of the modern translations follow that same thought because that is what the text says. The NLT, NIV, Amplified, The Jewish translation, along with the NASB, NRSB translations all say very clearly Israel was in Egypt 430 years.

2). If we go a little deeper in our study we find that the “sojourning” includes the time in Canaan and Egypt. This point is backed up by the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament written approximately 300 B.C., the Samaritan Pentateuch, and Rabbinic sources, and the Apostle Paul.

a). Exodus 12:40 [Septuagint] And the sojourning of the children of Israel, while they sojourned in the land of Egypt and the land of Chanaan, [was] four hundred and thirty years.

b). Exodus 12:40 [Samaritan Penteteuch] Now the sojourning of the children of Israel and of their fathers which they had dwelt in the land of Canaan and in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.

c). Stone Edition of the Chumash, Note under Exodus 12:40: Although the verse gives the duration of Israel’s stay in Egypt as 430 years, it is clear that the nation could not have been in Egypt for that long, for the lifetimes of Kehoth, who came with Jacob, and his son Amram total only 270 years, and Amram’s son Moses was eighty at the time of the Exodus. Rather, the Rabbinic tradition, as cited by Rashi, is as follows: The Covenant between the Parts Genesis 15:7-21) took place 430 years before the Exodus, and that is the period referred to in our verse.

d). b). The Covenant of the Parts: Genesis 15:7-21 And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

15:8 And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

15:10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

15:11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.

15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

15:17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

15:18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

15:19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

15:20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,

15:21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

3). More importantly, the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost also said the period between the cutting of the Covenant and the giving of the law was 430 years.

a). Galatians 3:16, 17 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

b). Israel arrived at Mount Sinai to receive the law of Moses in the third month of the 430th year.

(1) Exodus 19:1, 2 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

19:2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

5). The book of Hebrews also backs up the sojourning of Israel included Canaan as well as Egypt.

a). Hebrews 11:8, 9 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

6). It is unknown why the text says the children of Israel were in Egypt for 430 thirty years. It is a historical and Biblical fact that for thousands of years, at least for approx. 2300 years, from the time of the writing of the Septuagint, the Jewish understanding of this verse was to include the time spent in Canaan along with the time spent in Egypt. In light of these facts, a closer look at Exodus 12:41 is necessary.

Exodus 12:41

And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

a. NLT: In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the LORD’s forces left the land. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions left Egypt. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: and it cometh to pass, at the end of four hundred and thirty years -- yea, it cometh to pass in this self-same day -- all the hosts of Jehovah have gone out from the land of Egypt. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: At the end of the 430 years, even that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out of Egypt. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: And it came to pass after the four hundred and thirty years, all the forces of the Lord came forth out of the land of Egypt by night.

f. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: It was at the end of four hundred and thirty years, and it was on that very day that all the legions of HASHEM left the land of Egypt. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

1. “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years…”

a. [And] it came to pass [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

b. at the end [Strong: 7093 qets kates; contracted from 7112; an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after:--+ after, (utmost) border, end, (in-)finite, X process.]

c. [of the] four [Strong: 702 'arba` ar-bah' masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; masculine oarbaah; from 7251; four:--four.]

d. hundred [Strong: 3967 me'ah may-aw' or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.]

e. thirty [Strong: 7970 shlowshiym shel-o-sheem' or shloshiym {shel-o-sheem'}; multiple of 7969; thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth:--thirty, thirtieth.]

f. years [Strong: 8141 shaneh shaw-neh' (in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]

1). The 430 years was to include the time Abraham, Isaac and Jocob spent in Canaan as well as the time spent in slavery in Egypt.

a). Stone Edition of the Chumash: Although the verse gives the duration of Israel’s stay in Egypt as 430 years, it is clear that the nation could not have been in Egypt for that long, for the lifetimes of Kehoth, who came with Jacob, and his son Amram total only 270 years, and Amram’s son Moses was eighty at the time of the Exodus. Rather, the Rabbinic tradition, as cited by Rashi, is as follows: The Covenant between the Parts Genesis 15:7-21) took place 430 years before the Exodus, and that is the period referred to in our verse. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

b). The Covenant of the Parts: Genesis 15:7-21 And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.