The Duration of the Egyptian Exile

Points of Dispute

These are some of the central points of dispute (נקודות המחלוקת) between the various exegetes:

  • Shemot 6 and other Biblical genealogies
    • Complete list of generations – most commentators.
    • Missing generations – Shadal, Hoil Moshe.
  • Yocheved's age when she gave birth to Moshe
    • 130 – Seder Olam Rabbah.
    • 73 or anything in between 36 and 130 – Ramban.
    • 58 – Ralbag.
    • Possibly younger – Demetrius, Shadal, Hoil Moshe.
  • 400 years
    • All in Egypt – Shadal, Hoil Moshe.
    • Total of Canaan and Egypt – Seder Olam et al, R. Saadia et al, most commentators.
    • Only the original plan – Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Pesikta DeRav Kahana, Tanchuma.
  • 430 years
    • All in Egypt – Shadal, Hoil Moshe.
    • Total of Canaan and Egypt – Seder Olam et al, R. Saadia et al, most commentators.
    • Only the original plan – Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer.
  • 400 vs. 430
    • 400 is a round number – Abarbanel, Hoil Moshe.
    • 400 doesn't include extra years of fourth generation – Ramban.
    • 400 begins with birth of Yitzchak and 430 starts with Covenant – Seder Olam Rabbah et al.
    • 400 begins with birth of Yitzchak and 430 starts with departure from Ur – R. Saadia et al.
    • 430 includes a 30 year penalty for bad behavior – Ramban, Abarbanel.
  • Chronological order of Bereshit stories
    • Achronology and Covenant happened earlier – Seder Olam Rabbah et al.
    • Chronological order – R. Saadia, Ibn Ezra, Ramban, Ralbag.
  • Years in Egypt
    • 430 – Rashba, Shadal, Hoil Moshe.
    • 240 – Jubilees, Abarbanel.
    • 225 – Ralbag.
    • 220 – Ramban.
    • 215 – Demetrius, Josephus.
    • 210 – Seder Olam Rabbah et al., R. Saadia et al.
  • "וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי"
    • Literal generation – most commentators.
    • Lifespan – Hoil Moshe.
    • Generations of Amorites – Rashbam, Ramban.
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