215 Years in Egypt – Mishkan Daviyd

The belief of many, believer and nonbeliever alike, is that the Children of Israel spent 400 years in Egypt. This is typically based on what God told Abraham in Genesis 15:13.

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;

Additionally, it is stated in Exodus 12:40-41:

⁴⁰ Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.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 Yehovah went out from the land of Egypt.

For many, it clearly states that the Children of Israel spent 400 or more years in Egypt. That would be fine except, Paul states in Galatians 3:16-17:

¹⁶Now 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 Messiah. ¹⁷And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Messiah, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Paul tells the reader that from the time of the promise to the giving of the law is 430 years. The original promise was made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3-4.

³And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. ⁴ So Abram departed, as Yehovah had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

That would mean that from Genesis 12:3-4 to the giving of the law in Exodus 20 is 430 years. The law was received approximately 50 days after leaving Egypt.

Genesis 12:3-4 tells the reader that Abraham was 75 when he left his father. Then in Genesis 21:5:

⁵And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. Then in Genesis 25:24-26:

²⁴ And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. ²⁵ And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. ²⁶ And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

When Esau and Jacob were born to Isaac, he was 60 years old. Then in Genesis 47:7-9:

⁷ And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. ⁸ And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? ⁹ And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

When Jacob or Israel was standing before Pharaoh, he was 130 years old. So from the time Abram left his father to the children of Israel going to Egypt is:

Verse		Years from previous event	Total years
Genesis 12:3-4	Abraham is 75	0	0
Genesis 21:5	Isaac born, Abraham 100	25	25
Genesis 25:24-25	Esau and Jacob are born	60	85
Genesis 47:7-9	Jacob goes to Egypt	130	215

Paul tells the reader in Galatians 3:16-17:

If from the promise to Jacob going into the land is 215 years and:

Paul states it is 430 years from the promise to giving the law.
The law was received 2 months after leaving Egypt.
Therefore the Children of Israel only spent 215 years in Egypt.

Although many believe that the Children of Israel were in Egypt 400 years based on Genesis 15:13:

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;

It is not possible that the Children of Israel were in Egypt proper 400 years. God actually stated that they would be in a land that was not their own. Even in Exodus 12:40-41, it states the sojourning of the children of Israel is 430 years.

The reference to Egypt in Exodus 12 only specifies who, the Children of Israel. It never states Egypt proper. The other thing to consider is that Canaan may have possibly been a part of Egypt during that time period. Either way, the Children of Israel were only in Egypt proper 215 years not the assumed 400 years.

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