Question

According to Hubbard and Dearman, what is the date range for when Moses and the Israelites likely lived in Egypt?

A) 1500-1200 BCE
B) 2000-1700 BCE
C) 1200-900 BCE
D) 3000-2500 BCE

Answer 1

The correct answer is option A) 1500-1200 BCE.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Hubbard and Dearman, the most likely date range for when Moses and the Israelites lived in Egypt is 1500-1200 BCE. This period is consistent with the biblical chronology suggesting that around 1800 BCE, Joseph's family arrived in Egypt, and it was some generations later, approximately between 1300-1200 BCE, that Moses would lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. Specifically, the Merneptah Inscription dating to 1200 BCE signifies the earliest Egyptian record that references the Israelites, detailing their existence as a tribe in Canaan.

The reference to the people called "Israel" in an Egyptian source related to their presence in Canaan during the late Bronze Age around 1207 BCE is often aligned with the period following the events of the Exodus. Additionally, archaeological evidence supports the Hebrews' settlement in Canaan by 1200 BCE, and the biblical account of the Hebrews’ enslavement and subsequent Exodus under Moses aligns with this timeframe.