Biblical Chronology - Synchronizing The History Of Israel With Ancient Egypt

Egyptian Dynasties 13-20is it he does not know Joseph, given Joseph's service
The rulers from dynasties 13 through 17 areto the nation of Egypt? It is because Joseph served
contemporaries of one another to a large extent butthe Hyksos kings and Ahmose is the king responsible
one very significant event occurs during this time. Thefor ending the long reign of the invaders from Palestine,
Hyksos rulers arise at the end of the 17th Dynasty andthe Hyksos kings. Ahmose knows exactly who
rule for 94 years. The Hyksos rulers are invaders fromJoseph was; Joseph was a respected leader in the
Canaan that capture Egypt. Their most noteworthyregime of his enemy. This is why Ahmose treated the
cultural contribution is the domestication of horses. ItHebrews so harshly. Therefore the Exodus is a good
was the horse and its use in battle that was probablyanchor point for the reign of Ramesses III in the 20th
responsible for their rise to power in Egypt.Dynasty and the death of Joseph is a good anchor
Pharoah Ahmose, the first king of 18th dynasty drivespoint for the beginning of the 18th Dynasty. This being
out the Hyksos rulers and brings the control of Egyptthe case this portion of the Conventional Egyptian
back to the Egyptian natives.Chronology, the 18th through the 20th dynasties, should
Dynasties 19 and 20 introduce us to Ramesses Kingsbe shifted earlier by 124 years. Egyptian Dynasties
I-XI. These kings are the kings of the Hebrew18-20 are shown below using the adjusted timeline
enslavement in Egypt.based on the Fourth Day Chronology of the Bible.
There are two events in the Old Testament thatSignificant characters from the Bible are referenced
serve as anchor points for this part of the Egyptianwith the timeline so that archaeologists and historians
timeline, the death of Joseph and the Exodus of themay look for evidence of these Biblical characters
Hebrews from Egypt. Let's take a look at the Exodusduring the life of their contemporary Egyptian king. All
first. Conventional Chronology suggests thatdates are given in astronomical years B.C.
Ramesses II is the pharaoh of the Hebrew Exodus. IEgyptian Dynasties 21-26
believe the Hebrew Exodus has to occur afterThis period of time is best understood when we start
Ramesses II because of the presence of the Philistinefrom Dynasty 26 and then move backwards in time to
people in the history of the Hebrews. If the ExodusDynasty 21. Dynasty 26 is easily dated since the next
occurs during the reign of Ramesses II then the armyto last king of this dynasty, Amasis II, dies in the same
of Ramesses III would not be strong enough to repelyear that Cambyses of the Persian Empire invaded
the Sea Peoples (a group that historians believeEgypt. According to the Fourth Day Chronology
included the Philistines).Cambyses conquered Egypt in 345 B.C., therefore this
Why? The entire army of the pharaoh of the Exodusperiod on the Conventional Egyptian Chronology
is drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:15-18): "And thetimeline should be shifted later by 181 years. Now let's
LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou untoshift the entire timeline from Dynasties 21-26 by 181
me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they mayyears and make some observations.
go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch outLet's consider Shoshenk I of the 22nd Dynasty, the
thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the childrenpresumed Shishak of the Old Testament. According to
of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst ofthe Literal Biblical Chronology Shishak conquered
the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of theRehoboam in the 5th year of Rehoboam's reign or
Egyptians, and they follow them: and I will get me780 B.C. When the Conventional Egyptian Chronology
honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon hisis adjusted by 181 years forward in time the reign of
chariots, and upon his horseman". There are historicalShoshenk I is 764-743 B.C. While not completely in
records that in his eighth year Ramesses III kept theagreement with the Fourth Day Chronology this result
Sea Peoples from conquering Egypt and so the Seais very close. Small errors in the length of the reigns of
Peoples resolved themselves to settle in Canaan.the kings from the 22nd to the 26th dynasty in the
Let's assume that the Hebrew Exodus happened inConventional Egyptian Chronology could account for
the eighth year of Ramesses III after the Sea Peoplesthis disparity in the results.
have been defeated. If the crossing of the Red SeaTherefore using the events of Cambyses's invasion of
occurs in 1301 B.C. (according to the Fourth DayEgypt and Shishak's invasion of Israel the adjusted
Chronology) then Joseph's death would have occurredEgyptian Chronology for dynasties 21-26 is presented
1659 B.C. during the reign of Ahmose in the 18thbelow. Notice that Egypt is split between the Tanite
Dynasty. Recall what the book of Joshua says about(city of Tanus) and Theban (city of Thebes) kingdoms
the death of Joseph (Exodus 1:6-8): "And Joseph died,in the 21st dynasty. Also notice that the 23rd dynasty
and all his brethren, and all that generation. And theoverlaps the 22nd dynasty and the 24th, 25th and
people of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly,26th dynasties overlap with each other to some
and multiplied, and waxed exceedingly mighty; and theextent. The reigns of the kings of Judah are provided
land was filled with them. Now there arose up a newbelow to relate their reigns to the reigns of their
king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph."respective contemporary Egyptian ruler.
If the king mentioned in these verses is Ahmose, how